Morris is new mayor of Wantage

Wantage Committeeman Jon Morris was named mayor for 2023 during the annual reorganization meeting of the mayor and committee Jan. 5.

Goals for the new year include upgrading infrastructure and equipment.

“We want to keep the budget as stable as we possibly can,” Morris said. “That’s one of the goals since I’ve been on here, and even before, the committee has always tried to achieve and attain. That will still be one of our goals and objectives. Inflation is at an all-time high, at least as far as I can remember. So, it’s going to be increasingly difficult to obtain that goal.”

The township has many needs, such as an aging infrastructure, which includes roads, equipment and parks. In addition, employees that have to be taken care of, he noted.

The township also needs to put money away for future expenses, such as firetrucks.

Bill DeBoer, a former committeeman and president of the First Aid Squad, told officials that the squad’s equipment is getting old and two of its three ambulances were not working during the first week of the year.

“Luckily, we got one back going,” he said.

DeBoer also said he is working to upgrade the squad’s communications equipment.

“It’s getting to the point where it’s getting dangerous,” he said. “We can’t communicate with our other members. We can’t communicate with headquarters a lot of times, so that’ll be our goal for this year, to try to get that done and also get our new ambulance.”

The squad has delayed the purchase of a new ambulance for several years.

Morris said Committeeman Ron Bassani, who served as mayor in 2022, set a high bar.

Bassani described 2022 as a tiring year.

“I may have raised the bar, but it was a sweaty one,” he said. “But I think we have a fantastic team up here. I think all of us, and when Mr. DeBoer was here, I think he modeled the same thing.

“The three of us always had the answer to the most simplest of questions: for the best interest of Wantage. I think we will continue to do that.”