Mahwah August 10, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 3 Municipal building to be named for Martel by Frank J. McMahon The Mahwah Township Council has unanimously passed a resolution to rename the municipal building on Corporate Drive after former Mayor Richard J. Martel. The resolution was moved by Council President John Roth and seconded by Councilman John Spiech. The council agreed to rename the Mahwah Municipal Center the Richard J. Martel Municipal Center. When introducing the resolution, Roth said this action was being taken in recognition of the late mayor’s decades of service to Mahwah. Roth further acknowledged Martel’s vision, leadership, and management skills, which brought the present municipal center from concept to reality. “The sign at the entrance to the building at the upper parking lot will be changed to reflect the new name and there will be a formal rededication ceremony on a date to be determined in the near future,” Roth said after the resolution was passed by the council. Martel’s son, Dan, who attended the meeting, also received the council’s thanks for the former mayor’s service. Martel was 72 at the time of his death on March 7 after a brief illness. He was remembered at a special meeting of the Mahwah Township Council on March 9 as a shy, gentle man who listened to people; had a heart that was big enough to encompass the whole town, never got angry, who cared very much about the township and each and every township employee. The council set in motion the plan to name the municipal building after the township’s longtime mayor at that meeting. When he announced in 2007 that he would seek a fourth term, Martel said he took great pride in the fact that the construction of the township’s municipal building along with the new senior center in the lower level of that building was built during his time in office. Martel had been the township’s mayor for 14 years. He was serving his fourth term after being reelected in May 2008. He became active in the township as a member of the Mahwah Youth Sports Boosters, where he served as president, vice president, treasurer, and coach for 25 years. He served on the Recreation Committee after which he served on the township’s board of adjustment and plan- The Mahwah Public Library will host the “Classic Book and Film Society” on the second Saturday of each month beginning Sept. 10. Formed for people whose work schedules or other obligations prevent them from joining the morning and weekday evening book clubs, this group will discuss only classic novels. The following month, the group will watch and discuss the film version of the written classic. The club will be facilitated by Mahwah resident Carolyn Epstein, a teacher at Saint New book & film discussion group will meet on Saturdays ning board, the township’s housing commission. He ultimately was elected to the township council in 1992, and served as the council’s liaison to the planning board and as the council president. He was also a member of the Mahwah Library Board of Trustees. The recipient of several recognitions over the years, Martel was selected as Mahwah’s Volunteer of the Year in 1995. In 1996, he received a Distinguished Achievement Award from the Bergen County Department of Parks. He was selected as the Citizen of the Year in 2001 by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Mahwah Lodge No.1941. The same year, he received the First United Way Gold Award for Community Service. In 2004, he was the Mahwah Schools Foundation’s Honoree of the Year. He was elected President of the Northwest Bergen Mayor’s Association in 2007. Thomas Aquinas College’s English/writing department, and Rich Thielker, who taught film and literature and the history of film at Pascack Valley High School and at Pascack Valley Community School. The first book for discussion will be Jane Austen’s “Emma.” The book club is free. No registration is necessary. Copies of the book are available at the circulation desk. The library is located at 100 Ridge Road. Call (201) 529READ for details. WEST MILFORD ANIMAL SHELTER ONE OF SEVEN neutered, has rabies/distempter shots and all medical Born 3/7/11 Adoption Fee $35.00 RUDY Lycosky Dr., West Milford, NJ 973-728-2859 www.westmilfordanimalshelter.org 8-10-11 joan/janine WestMilfordAnimalRudy3x2(8-10-11) 3 x 2”