Scene Around: A Fairwell to a Fair Haven Borough Administrator

It was a Fair Haven farewell.

At Monday night’s Borough Council meeting, the governing body, friends and family of retiring Fair Haven Borough Administrator Theresa Casagrande gathered for her final meeting and a little send-off.

Casagrande has served the borough in its top administrative post for nearly 14 years now, having served with three mayors, first with then Mayor Michael Halfacre, who stepped down for a state job. Ben Lucarelli was then appointed to fill his unexpired term and after won additional full terms as mayor. When Lucarelli resigned, more recently, Josh Halpern was appointed to fill his unexpired term and then won a four-year term, of which half has now been served.

Halpern noted in a social media post that “Theresa has helped guide the Borough for almost fourteen years — most notably through Hurricane Sandy and the Covid-19 pandemic. She has served alongside three mayors, two police chiefs …” and several governing bodies. The two police chiefs are the former chief Darryl Breckenridge and present Chief Joe McGovern.

“Please join me in congratulating Theresa and wishing her the very best on a well earned retirement,” he concluded.

Casagrande, who has been very involved in the NJ Municipal Management Association, a local government organization for the betterment of municipalities across the state, has an MBA from Monmouth University and has had a roughly 20-year career in local government.

Her retirement, while effective July 1, according to a borough resolution, also calls for her to cash out $16,900 in unused accrued leave time. She has been helping with the transition of the new administrator, Christopher York, whose official start date as full-on administrator is July1. However, he has been serving as incoming administrator since June 17 with retroactive pay which was not disclosed, as he trains with Casagrande for “smooth transition.” Neither was his salary. (More on Chris York later.)

Best of luck, Theresa!

— Photos/courtesy of Mayor Josh Halpern