“It’s been a great eight years,” said Orange Township Trustee Rob Quigley during his final trustee meeting. “We’ve accomplished a lot.”
Before anyone claimed the podium Monday evening for public comment, Trustee Debbie Taranto seized the opportunity to make a statement and present Quigley with a gavel as a memento to remember his time serving the township.
“I’m not in the public, but I’ll make the first statement,” she said. “Out of all the trustees that I know, I can say that you did this job for all the right reasons. You really did enjoy the job. Everyone here (tonight) knows you’re a man of character and you’re perfect for this job. I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for all of us, for your leadership, your mentorship, and it’s been an honor and pleasure to work with you.”
Taranto said that Quigley always ran his campaign with character and truth; that he always knew what he could and couldn’t do and had set Taranto straight a couple of times.
“You took the township out of the red and into the black,” she said. “You really worked hard for all of us.”
After Taranto’s comments, Quigley was treated to a standing ovation by the Orange Township residents in attendance.
“I’ve enjoyed this. Things are in place for the township that will be there forever,” Quigley said. “We’ve done a lot of great things and the township is on the right path. We’re doing so many things and there are so many things going on.”
Quigley said the board of trustees only sat at the table and that it was the township employees that did the hard work.
“I can’t thank them enough,” he said. “We’re a huge township. You did the work. You carried the burden by engaging with the residents. You get the credit for the things we’ve done. I want to say thank you for doing the hard work.”
Quigley said it was great working with the board of trustees and the fiscal office. He also said hiring Lee Bodnar as the township administrator was a great move.
“Lee, you’ve done an excellent job of taking us to the next level,” Quigley said. “I just want to say thank you to everybody for your support.”
Fiscal Officer Joel Spitzer said he and Quigley haven’t always agreed, but their disagreements were always handled with civility. He said that the two built a great working relationship and friendship over the past eight years, which he said has been productive.
“I appreciate your eight years,” Spitzer said. “But I wouldn’t limit you to eight years only because you were involved way before that eight years began. You’ve always been committed to the township, on or off the court, so to say.”
“It’s been a great eight years. There’s been a lot of groundwork laid,” Quigley said after the meeting closed. “You don’t get ranked to be the fifth best place to live in 2016 without the work.”
