Mahwah December 11, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 5 New representative formally sworn in at meeting by Frank J. McMahon Robert G. Hermansen was formally sworn in at last week’s Mahwah Township Council meeting. Mayor Wil- liam Laforet administered the oath of office. Hermansen was previously sworn in when his election was certified to ensure that the council would have seven voting members in case any major issues arose before the reorganization meeting in January when new members of the council are generally sworn in. However, last week’s ceremony was attended by his wife and four children. Hermansen, 44, has lived in Mahwah for the past 12 years. He has served in municipal and county government for seven of those years. He has a bachelor’s degree in finance and is a certified financial advisor for a major bro- kerage firm, where he is first vice president, investments. Hermansen previously held public office as a Mahwah Council member from 2006 to 2010, when he was elected to the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders. He served on that board from 2010 to 2013. As a freeholder, he served on the Budget and Finance committees, where he says he helped to put two zero tax increases through for the county taxpayers. As a councilman, he was elected vice president of the township’s governing body and served as liaison to the Mahwah Board of Education. He said he was the only coun- cilman who did not take a stipend, and instead donated that money to programs for seniors and youths. Hermansen volunteers as an assistant soccer coach and supports numerous volunteer organizations in Mahwah and Bergen County. Hermansen said the first thing he wants to accomplish as a councilman is to create peace so things can get done. “First, I’d like to see some peace there,” Hermansen said. “Second, I have some ideas on saving money and I think we have to go back to a functioning mayor and coun- cil where the mayor respects the council and the council respects the mayor and we don’t spend money without each other’s permission. Lessons start early “One of the biggest things I want to see done is I want (continued on page 23) Mahwah Pack 197, Den 2, learned about crime prevention at the Mahwah Police Department. Officer Stewen, the township’s DARE coordinator, is pictured with the Scouts.