Steven Schertz Becomes Newest Council Member in Tinton Falls

The Tinton Falls Borough Council appointed resident Steven P.  Schertz as its newest council member at the March 15 meeting. Schertz will fill the position recently vacated by who resigned at the March 1 meeting, until the four-year term expires at the end of the year.

No stranger to elected positions, Schertz was a member of the borough’s board of education until his resignation Tuesday morning. With his BOE seat up for reelection in April, Schertz said he was a firm believer in term limits and after two terms on the board, had chosen not to run for reelection.

Schertz said in a phone interview on Thursday that Councilwoman Nancyanne Fama had approached him about filling the position last week but he told her he needed time to think about it.

“What pushed me over the edge was my wife who said, ‘You should do it,’” said Schertz, who is a part-time chief financial officer for B2B CFO, a national organization.

The four remaining council members agreed at the last meeting following Morrill’s resignation to submit nominations for a replacement at the March 15 meeting. According to Council President Gary Baldwin, seven residents had submitted letters of interest to the borough for the position.

The two nominations made were for Pete McCleary, who was nominated by Councilman Andrew Mayer but was not supported by anyone else on council, and Schertz, who was nominated by Fama.

Mayer said he opposed Schertz’s nomination as the latter had served as a campaign manager for Fama, as well as fellow council member Scott Larkin and Mayor Michael Skudera when they ran for office in 2009.

“This seems like putting political motivation ahead of what’s best for Tinton Falls,” said Mayer of Schertz’s nomination. “I am putting taxpayers first and voting against politics as usual,” he said.

Baldwin, who voted “yes” for Schertz, said that after studying the qualifications of all potential candidates, he voted for who he felt was most qualified.

“Proudly, I vote ‘yes,’” he said.

Schertz was sworn in by Sen. Jennifer Beck, who was on hand to present a legislative update at the meeting that was held at Seabrook Village. He said he did not know whether he would run for election in November.