Vernon appoints new attorney

VERNON — The Vernon Township Council on Monday narrowly voted to appoint a new attorney to take the place of holdover counsel John Ursin.
Over objections from Councilmen Patrick Rizzuto and Dick Wetzel, the Council voted 3-2 to install Joshua Zelinksi of the law firm McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter as the new township attorney. Zelinski was nominated by Mayor Harry Shortway, but the nod had to be passed by the council to become official.
The appointment ends nearly a year-long standoff between Shortway and the Council over who should take the legal reins during his term as mayor. Back in January, Shortway originally nominated attorney Doug Steinhardt, but was shot down by a three-member majority of the council who expressed concerns about his political involvements. Since no accord could be reached, Ursin — who was appointed by former Mayor Victor Marotta in January 2015 — stayed on as attorney throughout the year under the township's “holdover provision.”
Though Rizzutto protested the suddenness of the change, particularly with a reorganization coming up in January, and claimed certain members of the council had not been involved in the decision-making process, Shortway said there was a good reason to make the switch now.
“This administration has searched for months to identify an attorney and law firm from outside of Sussex County to guide this administration and protect our taxpayers from frivolous law suits and unscrupulous commercial interests,” Shortway said in a statement at Monday's meeting. “I anticipate immediate litigation that I learned of last Friday to be filed by the soon-to-be former members of the Environmental Commission regarding their terms … To have Mr. Ursin begin our defense and then transfer his work to Mr. Zelinski (would have created) additional legal expenses at a cost to the Vernon taxpayer. It is in the best interest of the people that this council consented to Mr. Zelinski's appointment.”
Zelinski, a partner and 16-year employee at the aforementioned law firm, currently serves as township attorney in Cedar Grove and special counsel for the Boroughs of Mt. Arlington and West Caldwell.
“I'm very much looking forward to working with you, the employees of Vernon, and working with this governing body dealing with the challenges that face the town and also dealing with the opportunities that face the town,” Zelinski said. “For those on the governing body and for those in the crowd who are skeptical of my appointment, I'm also looking forward to the opportunity of winning you over during the next couple of years.”