New Year’s Day this year marked swearing in ceremonies for West Windsor’s first new mayor in 17 years.
Hemant Marathe was administered the oath of office at the township’s annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 1.
Also sworn in were Marathe’s running mates elected to council in the November election—Linda Geevers and Virginia Manzari. Geevers is serving her fourth four-year term on council, while Manzari is entering her first.
Marathe’s election as mayor left his council seat vacant. Jyotika Bahree, who served the last six months in the council seat left open by the resignation of Peter Mendonez, was chosen to fill Marathe’s seat.
Geevers, Manzari and Alison Miller voted for Bahree, while Ayesha Hamilton voted to appoint Yingchao “YZ” Zhang, who was an unsuccessful council candidate in the November election.
Also vying for appointment to the seat were Marshall Lerner, Andrea Mandel, Sujit Singh and Yan Mei Wang. Bahree was chosen by council after each of the candidates gave a brief presentation to council.
After Bahree was chosen, Miller pointed out that this is the first time in recent memory that West Windsor has had an all-female governing body.
Bahree will serve until November, when the remaining time left on the seat (it expires on Dec. 31, 2019) will be up for election. Wang, who was a candidate for mayor in November, has already announced she intends to run for election to the seat.
Also during the meeting, Miller was elected council president, Manzari as vice president, Geevers as the council representative on the planning board, and Miller as the council representative on the affordable housing committee.
Bahree was selected as liaison to the Parking Authority and WW-P School Board; Hamilton as liaison to the Environmental Commission; and Manzari as liaison to the Zoning Board and Board of Recreation.
After being sworn in, Marathe gave a brief speech. “Soon after my election a few friends were concerned if the election would change me,” Marathe said. “Let me assure you I am the same guy who enjoys humor and knows life is too short, so don’t pick silly fights. If you do pick one, fight it with passion and make it count.”
“Just in case, as insurance, I have my wife,” he added. “Just this morning as I was ready to come here all dressed up, she told me, ‘Don’t forget you still have to take out garbage every week.’”
Marathe said that a recent issue of Forbes Magazine contained a quote by Peter Drucker that summarizes his thinking. “He wrote, ‘Rank does not confer privilege or give power: It imposes responsibility.’ I do take the responsibility seriously and will do everything to serve the residents of West Windsor to the best of my ability.”
Marathe said he wants his legacy as mayor “not to be how long I serve or how well I play the political game, but what positive impact I had on the community. I am looking forward to working with the council as a partner. It doesn’t mean we will agree on all issues or the council will like every decision I make.”
West Windsor Mayor Hemant Marathe is administered the oath of office by Sharon Young, township clerk, during the township’s Jan. 1 reorganization meeting. Pictured with him are his wife, Punit (left), and his mother, Padmaja. Also with him were daughters, Payal and Shruti. Daughters Priya and Shreya were unable to attend.,
