Melonie Marano, County Commissioner

COMMISSIONER RESPONSIBILITIES:

Public Works – Engineering, Facilities & Services, Fleet Management, Planning Division, Recycling, Roads & Bridges, Solid Waste Management and Transportation.

LIAISON:

Agricultural Development Board (alternate), Casino Tax Advisory Committee, Commission on the Status of Women (alternate), Cultural & Heritage Commission, Energy Council (alternate), e-Newsletter (alternate), Green Brook Flood Commission (alternate), Joint Insurance Fund (2nd alternate), Leadership Somerset, Library Commission (alternate), LGBTQ+ Advisory Board, Mayors Roundtable/Shared Services Coordinating Council (alternate), New Jersey Association of Counties (first alternate voting member), Open Space Advisory Committee, Park Commission (alternate), Raritan Valley Community College Board of School Estimate, Raritan Valley Rail Coalition, Somerset County Governing Officials Liaison (alternate), Somerset County Improvement Authority, Vocational and Technical Schools (alternate), Vocational Board of School Estimate and Youth Leadership Somerset (until June).

PUBLIC SERVICE:

Somerset County Board of County Commissioners, Member, January 3, 2020-present; Somerset County Tax Board, Commissioner, 2011-2019; Green Brook Township Committee, Member, 2004-2008, Mayor, 2009; Green Brook Flood Control Commission, Environmental Commission, Green Team Advisory Committee, Historical and Cultural Commission, Planning Board.

AFFILIATIONS & COMMUNITY SERVICE:

Somerset Treatment Services Board, Member, 2007-2019; Somerset County Federation of Democratic Women, Member, 2003-present, President, 2010-2014; Green Brook Democratic Committee, Chair, 2004-present; Township District 3 Democratic Committee, 2003-present; New Jersey Sierra Club, Member; New Jersey Audubon and Pinelands Preservation Alliance, Member; Leadership Somerset Fellow, Class of 2005; Green Brook Volunteer Day Founder and Chair, 2005-2009.

BIOGRAPHY:

Somerset County resident since 1989, married, husband Rudy, two children; St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church, Member. Professional: Certified New Jersey Tax Assessor, 2014-present; Universal Vending Management, Vice President Business Development. Education: Rider University, Major: Accounting.

AWARDS/RECOGNITION:

Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow, 2018; Spirit of Somerset Award, Government, 2010; Distinguished Service Award, Hungarian American Society, 2009; two-time recipient of Eleanor Roosevelt Award, Somerset County Federation of Democratic Women.

Steve Peter, County Clerk

Duties:

Land Records: Records land records and related documents related to property in Somerset County

Notary: Administers oath to notaries public

Trade Names: Records trade/business name certificates

Passports: Accepts passport applications

Veterans: Files military discharges; issues identification cards for honorable discharge, peddler’s license, Gold Star families

Elections: Receives petitions for certain offices; designs all ballots; issues vote-by-mail ballots; certifies election results

Biography:

Married, wife Elizabeth. Born in Quincy, Illinois. Resident of Somerville, NJ.

Education:

Harvard University, Master’s Degree, Linguistics; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bachelor’s Degree, Linguistics and Germanic Languages and Literatures.

Government Experience:

Somerset County Clerk, January 2018-present; Somerville Borough Council 2016–2018; Somerville Council President 2016–2018; Deputy County Clerk, Champaign County, Illinois 1987–1991.

Public Service:

Member of NJ Restart and Recovery Advisory Council, 2020; Downtown Somerville Alliance Board of Directors 2012–2015; Somerset County Democratic Committee Central Region Vice Chair; Former Democratic Municipal Chair of Somerville.

Professional Service:

Section Chief, Clerks and Recorders, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey, 2019-present; Education Chair of International Association of Government Officials, 2021-present; Member of Board of Directors of the TeX Users Group, 2003–2017; President, TeX Users Group, 2010–2015

Darrin Russo, Sheriff

About Sheriff Russo

A Somerset County resident since 1989; resides in Franklin Township, married, five children. Retired Lieutenant from the Franklin Township Police Department; over 30 years of law enforcement experience; has worked with county, state and federal agencies on high-profile investigations. Organized some of the largest mobilization of officers in Somerset County to combat gang activity, violent crimes and robberies; managed a staff of 16 officers, four sergeants and multiple police units that served the citizens of Franklin Township. He has received numerous citations and is a two-time recipient of the Somerset County 200 Club Award.

Duties of Sheriff

Responsibilities include maintaining a safe and secure environment at the Somerset County Courthouse and the county complex, providing support to all county law enforcement efforts, the operation of the Somerset County Jail and the care and custody of persons incarcerated and committed by the courts. The Sheriff’s Office is also responsible for the Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Identification, Sheriff’s Sales, Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, Sheriff’s Special Response Team, Gang & Terrorism Intelligence Unit, the safe transportation of county prisoners, execution of civil and criminal court warrants and processing of civil documents, and providing a School Resource Officer for a Somerset County school. In addition, assists municipal police departments and conducts safety programs for schools and county residents. The Sheriff’s Office is an official year-round medicine drop-off location for unwanted, unused and expired medications. Additional programs provided by the Sheriff’s Office include: Project Lifesaver, Active Shooter Training, an unserviceable American Flag collection point, Boy Scout Police Explorer Post, Hate Crimes Awareness and Prevention Unit and Chaplain Program and other services.