Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • November 5, 2014 Franklin Lakes Borough councilman receives Bar Association honor by Frank J. McMahon Franklin Lakes Councilman Charles J.X. Kahwaty is the 2014 Honorable Peter Ciolino Professional Lawyer of the Year according to the Bergen County Bar Asso- ciation and the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law. A proclamation in honor of Kahwaty was read at the borough council meeting held on Oct. 21 and Mayor Frank Bivona, on behalf of himself and the council, and the residents of the borough, congratulated Kahwaty. Kahwaty received the standing applause of the mayor and the council and those pres- ent at that meeting. “It is no surprise to me that Charlie was selected for this prestigious award given his professionalism and leadership qualities. He’s an asset to our community,” Bivona said. Kahwaty thanked the governing body, and said, “I was generally stunned by the recognition of the mayor and council.” He said the recognition was all the more heart- warming in that it came from his fellow council members. A Franklin Lakes resident, Kahwaty received the award at a special dinner spon- sored by the Bergen County Bar Association held at Seasons Restaurant in Washington Township on Oct. 14. A similar ceremony sponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Association for all county recipients of the award was held at the Imperia in Somerset on Oct. 22. Kahwaty maintains his legal practice in Ridgewood and is a past president of the Bergen County Bar Association. He is the latest recipient of the award, which is given annually to lawyers who have dem- onstrated, by virtue of their conduct, com- petence, and demeanor, a positive example for others in the legal profession. “In whatever capacity you have inter- acted with Charlie, meeting Charlie you always have the same opinion, a professional and a gentleman, who is dili- gent, compassionate, loyal, hard working, and someone who never says ‘no,’’’ Oakland Mayor Linda Schwager said of Khawaty in her presentation speech at the Bergen County ceremony. The award is named in memory of the late Honorable Peter Ciolino, a distinguished judge and attorney with 50 years of exceptional service to the pro- fession. A lifelong New Jersey resi- dent, Ciolino was a highly- regarded attorney and member of the New Jersey State Judi- ciary. In 1963, he was appointed municipal judge for the City of Clifton. He served in that capac- ity for six years, but left his pri- vate practice in 1970 when he was appointed a Passaic County District Court judge. Between 1970 and 1997, he served in District Court, County Court, and Superior Court, Chancery Division. He was an assignment judge in Passaic County Supe- rior Court and an assignment judge in Bergen County Supe- rior Court until he ended his judicial career. He died in Janu- ary 2009. Charles J.X. Kahwaty