New Year, New Mayor In Chester Township: What Lies Ahead?

CHESTER, NJ — Chester Township held its annual government reorganization meeting on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Mayor Mike Inganamort bid farewell to the council after six years of service and after winning a seat in the State Assembly.

He will officially depart on Jan. 8 and take office in Trenton on Jan. 9.

"While I look forward to serving the people of Chester Township and all of New Jersey’s 24th District in the Legislature and will fight tooth and nail to ensure our needs are met in state government, I will miss terribly serving as mayor," Inganamort said on Tuesday.

Inganamort's departure has left some people wondering what comes next, including who might succeed him.

Since Inganamort is a Republican, the Chester Township Republican Committee will now be responsible for suggesting three choices to the council for a new mayor.

Once those names are picked, the council will choose a new mayor from among these three options.

According to Inganamort, that decision will be made at the Jan. 16 council meeting.

While he only served as the mayor of Chester Township for one year, Inganamort said that he is proud of what he and his fellow council members were able to accomplish during that time.

Before Inganamort, Marcia Asdal served as the mayor of Chester Township for six years. She decided not to run for reelection in the 2022 election, instead opting to retire.

At the Tuesday night meeting, Councilman Joe DiPaolo and Councilwoman Tara Schellhorn were sworn in to begin new three-year terms on the township council.

"I believe Chester Township is more than ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead in 2024. It may very well be our town’s best year yet because we have residents who care and volunteers who serve. We have a smart and hardworking council that has seen firsthand what mutual respect makes possible," Inganamort said.