Mayor Robert H. Conley and guests swore in two council members at the Madison Borough Council reorganization meeting on Jan. 2, 2025, and the council raced through a set of organizational votes that set leadership and committee assignments for the year.

Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill administered the oaths of office to Eric P. Range and Melissa Hanahan before the council voted to nominate Rachel Ehrlich as council president for 2025 and to adopt the council bylaws for the year.

The reorganization established chairs and vice chairs for standing committees: Rachel Ehrlich as finance chair with Range as vice chair; Eric Range as chair of public works and engineering with Melissa Hanahan as vice chair; Robert Landrigan as public safety chair with Ehrlich as vice chair; Tom Harlan Putis as utilities chair with Landrigan as vice chair; Musa Hannahan as community affairs chair and John Forte as vice chair; and John Forte as health chair with Thomas Harlan Putis as vice chair. The council then confirmed a long list of mayoral appointments and board and commission memberships covering the board of health, environmental commission, planning board, historic preservation commission, recreation and parks advisory committees, Shade Tree Management Board and others.

Council members moved and seconded the organizational motions and approved them by unanimous voice votes. The council also adopted the bylaws for 2025 and approved the consent agenda of administrative resolutions (R-1-2025 through R-39-2025) during the same session.

In brief remarks, Mayor Conley thanked volunteers whose terms ended, welcomed returning and new officials and noted projects the borough expects to advance in 2025, including converting a term sheet for the Drew Forest property into a contract, bidding renovations for the East Wing of Hartley Dodge Memorial, and restoring the former Masonic Lodge as a senior and community center.

The reorganization meeting included ceremonial elements — invocation, presentation of colors and the national anthem — followed by the formal oath, motions and a rapid succession of appointment confirmations that established Madison’s leadership and committee rosters for 2025. Most votes were taken by voice and recorded as “Aye.”