Hall of Fame Shows Maplewood Dems Some Love

The last twenty years have seen a major change in the face of Maplewood politics. The Township Committee, which had seen decades of a Republican domination, became solidly Democratic.

In fact, our town's governing body hasn't seen a Republican among its ranks in well over a decade — or even in this millennium.

That change could be attributable to a shifting demographic in a town where transplanted Manhattanites and Brooklynites have brought a more liberal, progressive bent.

But it might also have something to do with the Maplewood Democratic Committee.

The group has churned out a steady stream of successful candidates. At its first-ever Hall of Fame induction on January 31 at , MDC Chair Ian Grodmank and Vice Chair Garnet Hall presented a program that detailed how committee members had gone on to become:

District Leaders, Mayors, Vice Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Township Committee Members, Secretary of Senate, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Environmental Specialist. Some of them served over 30 years of service to our community.

Many of them held multiple positions on multiple councils and committees. Maplewood is a great place to live today because the level of commitment and service of many.

Honored and inducted on January 31:

• Honorable Nick and Mary Romano — over 30 years of service
• Honorable Frank McQuade — over 30 years of service
• Honorable — Former Maplewood Mayor, Former NJ Secretary of the Senate
• Honorable David Huemer — Former Township Committee member
• Honorable Doug Bland — First African American Chairman, MDC
• Honorable Ken Pettis — First African American man to be Mayor of Maplewood
• Honorable — Former Mayor, Vice Mayor, Deputy Mayor,
  Township Committee Member, Environmental Specialist
• Honorable Theo Buklad (posthumous) — Second MDC Chairman