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Local Life

Focus: R-FH Area Faces of 2015

In one way or another, they were part of the lives of the people of the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

Some were leaders. Some were in prominent positions. Some were just plain popular people — mainstays around the towns. Some retired. Some resigned. Some were promoted. Some passed away and left behind their community legacies. Some made small, significant contributions of kind words or bright smiles.

For whatever the reason, we remember them. They passed through our lives last year or a lot longer. They embodied the community. They are the Rumson-Fair Haven area faces of 2015.

— Elaine Van Develde

Local Life

2015: The Year’s Events

There was a lot happening in the way of events in the Rumson-Fair Haven area in 2015.

There was …

Take a look back with us! Don’t forget to click on the lower right icon to enlarge!

Fair Haven Police and Fire Files, Local Life

Reorganizing & Celebrating at the Fair Haven Fire Department for 2016

New Year’s Day was all about tradition, community camaraderie, fun and old friends connecting at Fair Haven Fire Department’s reorganization and open house.

With line officers for 2016 first taking their oaths at noon at the firehouse, a festive time of socializing was had by all for the rest of the day.

The 2016 line officers are:

Fire Company …

• Chief Michael Wiehl;

• Deputy Chief Timothy Morrissey;

• First Assistant Chief Matthew DePonti;

• Second Assistant Chief Christopher Shrank.

First Aid …

• Captain Kim Ambrose;

• 1st Lieutenant Amanda Lynn;

• 2nd Lieutenant Katy Frissora.

Fire Police …

• Captain Frank Scalzo;

• 1st Lieutenant Daniel Chernavsky;

• 2nd Lieutenant Douglas Anderson.

Auxiliary …

• President Amanda Lynn

Water Rescue/Dive Team …

John Felsmann, James Cerruti, Robert Frank, William Heath

Happy New Year! Congratulations to the new officers! And thanks to the Fair Haven Fire Department for the photos of the line officers taken before Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect arrived!

— Elaine Van Develde

 

From the Meeting Room

Swearing In, Promoting & Retiring at Rumson Reorg 2016

By Elaine Van Develde

Rumson rang in 2016 with tradition and a little change at the New Year’s Day reorganization ceremony.

Officials were sworn in to  additional terms on the Borough Council dais. New emergency response line officers took their oaths for the coming year. Police officers were promoted. And officials said goodbye to a longtime borough employee.

Mayor John Ekdahl was sworn in to his fourth term. Councilmen John J. Conklin III and Mark Rubin were sworn in to additional terms on the dais.

Joseph Hemphill was named council president.

After the swearing in of officials, two police officers were promoted.

Detective Senior Patrolman Christopher Isherwood became a sergeant. Wife holding the bible by his side along with Chief Scott Paterson, Mayor Ekdahl administered the oath to Isherwood and presented him with his sergeant’s badge.

Then Senior Patrolman Anthony Ciambrone was also promoted to the rank of sergeant. With the mayor administering the oath, Chief Paterson also present and Ciambrone’s wife holding the bible, he was sworn in and presented with his new sergeant’s badge.

Then onto the business of saying goodbye …

Longtime assistant to the mayor, Loretta Chebookjian was thanked by the mayor, given a gift and flowers. Chebookjian joked that she was with the borough exactly “11 and three quarters years. I will miss passing you on the road every morning on my way to work (while you were on your way to work),” she told the mayor.

Then there was the business of installing new line officers in the Rumson Fire Department and First Aid Squad.

Outgoing EMS Captain Mary Nichols was thanked for her service  and new Captain Darren McConnell was sworn in.

Then Fire Chief Kevin McCarthy was thanked for his service and the oath of office was administered to the new chief, Ronald Immesberger and Assistant Fire Chief Micheal Trivett. Each was given his new badge as well.

In keeping with true Rumson tradition, the mayor then announced that there would be a small intermission before he gave his annual speech, which, he joked, “will probably again be longer than it probably should be.”

The speech began with, “The Borough Council members have met the year’s challenges with diplomacy and with the dignity that would be expected from such an experienced council. I applaud each of you for the contributions you have made on behalf of the residents of Rumson.

“I extend my heartfelt thanks to every Borough employee, committee member and professional for their support and assistance throughout the past year …”

For the remainder of the full speech, click here.

Happy New Year!

 

From the Meeting Room, News

Rumson, Fair Haven Reorganizations

It’s status quo for the New Year. Towns reorganize. Newly-elected and/or re-elected officials are sworn in, professionals are appointed and re-appointed, emergency responder line officers are installed and volunteers are named to committees. It’s called reorganization.

It’s also usually status quo for towns to hold their annual reorganization ceremonies on New Year’s Day.

This year, there’s a slight change in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

While Rumson will still hold its annual reorganization at Bingham Hall, on Bingham Avenue, at 11:30 a.m., Fair Haven’s reorganization will be held, instead, on Monday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. in Borough Hall.

In Rumson, Mayor John Ekdahl will officially be sworn into his fourth four-year term as mayor.  In addition, the emergency response line officers will be named and sworn in. And, Ekdahl will give his classic “looking back on 2015” speech.

In Fair Haven, incumbent councilmen Robert Marchese and Eric Jaeger will be sworn in to additional three-year terms. Fire Department and First Aid line officers will be sworn in. Residents and officials will also be named to various committees.

Click here for the full agenda of appointments.

 

Local Life

Focus: R-FH Area Landscape Scene 2015

When it comes to landscape scenery, there’s a lot to see in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect always tries to seize the moment in a photo when the scene presents itself — and it has countless times in 2015. How could it not? The area, surrounded by the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers and nestled along the Atlantic Ocean, is enveloped with natural beauty.

So, here are the most picturesque scenes captured in the R-FH area in 2015. What a wondrous waterfront world …

Business Buzz

Something Fishy at Lusty Lobster Christmas Eve

It’s Christmas Eve — almost — and that means the Feast of Seven Fishes for those of Italian descent.

And judging by the hour-long wait line at Fair Havenite Doug Douty’s Lusty Lobster seafood market in Highlands, there are either a lot of Italians in the Rumson-Fair Haven area, a lot of people who are happy to use the excuse to feast on Douty’s fresh seafood or both.

Rumsonite and RFH grad Jennifer Weber Zeller is on line at the seafood market that supplies many favorite area restaurants, such as fellow Fair Havenite and RFH grad Chris Wood’s Woody’s (in Sea Bright and now Tinton Falls). She shared a couple of pics with Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect to show just how a trip to the market on Christmas Eve has turned into a main event.

Not only does the line of people picking up their orders extend nearly all the way down Bay Avenue, but Douty has also apparently supplied some entertainment as well for the wait.

Wood has continually praised the freshness of Douty’s seafood. He, for one, has it delivered daily to his restaurants.  Douty is also an RFH grad.

Sounds like the makings for some sort of impromptu RFH Christmas Eve reunion.

Mangia! And Merry Christmas!

News, Schools Scene

Fair Haven Schools Superintendent’s Resignation: The Background

The resignation of Fair Haven School District Superintendent Nelson Ribon has been common knowledge for about a week, since the Board of Education accepted his resignation at its meeting last week.

Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect has since requested an interview with Ribon; and he has not yet responded.

He did, however, send a letter out to parents of students in the district.

The complete letter read:

Dear Parents & Guardians,

After several weeks of deep reflection about my professional experiences in our district since 2011, along with the exciting opportunities available to me in the very near future, it was with bitter-sweet emotions that I submitted my resignation, effective July 1, 2016, to the Board of Education nearly two weeks ago. The BOE regretfully approved my decision at this week’s monthly meeting.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Fair Haven community for nearly five years. I have met great people, developed friendships along the way, and most importantly been a part of the lives of children who have big hearts and great minds.

I will move on with lots of wonderful memories, and proud that the next Superintendent will have a superb leadership team and staff in place, exciting programs and opportunities for all students, a Strategic Plan created with input from a wide representation of stakeholder groups, a vision for the expansion of our schools to work with, as well as tremendous partnerships to foster and grow.

During the next six months, I will continue to move the district forward with the support of our great staff, while assisting the Board with their transition, if and as needed.

I am confident that the Board of Education will communicate their plans for a search in the weeks and months to come.

On behalf of my family, I wish you all a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.

Thank you for your time,
Nelson
Nelson Ribon
Superintendent, Fair Haven Public Schools
224 Hance Road | Fair Haven NJ 07704

How Ribon ended up in the superintendent’s office:

Ribon, who has a master’s degree and roughly 15 years of experience in education, first came to the district as principal of Knollwood School in June of 2011.

Prior to that, he spent a seven-year stint as principal of Freehold Borough Intermediate School and as a teacher at St. John Vianney in Holmdel and Keansburg.

When former superintendent, Kathleen Cronin, announced her retirement from the district , effective July 1, 2013, a search firm was hired to root out the right choice for her replacement.

After months of meetings and search strategies, the firm’s leader, Rich Morasco, of Little Silver-based Leadership Advantage, announced that Ribon was the choice for the stop administrative spot.

Morasco had said that the new superintendent did not have to live in Fair Haven, but had to act like it, as, in addition to having the pertinent experience and educational background,  having strong community ties had been identified by residents as a critical qualification for anyone vying for the superintendent job.

Ribon, according to state records, earned a salary of $132,500 as Knollwood’s principal. His salary, according to the records went up to $145,000 for the superintendent position.

When first hired, Ribon had said that he was “on cloud nine.”

— Elaine Van Develde

 

Business Buzz

Visions of Two River Computer Elves Fixing Tech Ills

By Elaine Van Develde

It’s that all-too familiar tech nightmare. You’re in the middle of a major project for work. You’re on a deadline. You’re engrossed. Your fingers are typing into a nubby frenzy. Oops.

The computer politely tells you that you need to update the operating system to install a program that you need to get those finishing touches done just right. OK. You click “Continue” and POOF! Everything goes black. Wait. There’s a gray tinge on the screen. A little message pops up and tells you to restart the computer. You do as you are told. Aaaaand POOF!

Continue reading Visions of Two River Computer Elves Fixing Tech Ills →

News, Schools Scene

Knollwood School Grad Anthony Sciametta’s Wall of Honor Induction

Anthony Sciametta, a 2011 graduate of Knollwood School in Fair Haven, has joined the special ranks of those commemorated with a photo on the Wall of Honor.

Commissioned and designed in 2011 to honor graduates serving their country in the armed forces, the Wall of Honor is featured in a main hallway at Knollwood School. Anthony’s photo was unveiled at a ceremony held on the afternoon of Dec. 16.

Continue reading Knollwood School Grad Anthony Sciametta’s Wall of Honor Induction →