Angela Mirandi, center, prior to her swearing-in. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bankers were finally able to put a face to the name as Angela Mirandi completed her swift transformation from commenter to council member Friday evening.

The corporate accountant, whose voice became familiar to other attendees of Zoom-hosted council meetings during the pandemic, was sworn to office in a brief ceremony outside borough hall, less than 48 hours after a divided council selected her to fill a vacancy.

Mirandi, second from left, with Mayor Pasquale Menna, center, and council members Kate Triggiano, Michael Ballard and Ed Zipprich. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Mirandi replaces Erik Yngstrom, who resigned January 19 over what he called “toxic” political rhetoric. She’ll serve through the remainder of 2022, and chair the influential finance committee, as Yngstrom was to have done this year.

Sixth-district Congressman Frank Pallone, a Democrat, conducted the oath of office ceremony, held outside borough hall. Among several dozen attendees were members of the borough’s all-Democratic governing body: Mayor Pasquale Menna, Council President Kate Triggiano and council members Michael Ballard and Ed Zipprich, the longtime chairman of the local Democratic party.

Council members Kathy Horgan and Jacqueline Sturdivant did not attend the event.

Mirandi has been a regular, if unseen, commenter during virtual council sessions since mid-2020, often focused on issues of finance and the reopening of the Senior Center.

The West Lake Road resident told redbankgreen that she “never would have thought I be on council, but, you know, why not?”

She called Yngstrom’s resignation “a loss,” adding, “I hope I can contribute. I have a lot of years of work experience, and if we we can benefit from that, then good.”

Mirandi is employed as an accountant with Buckeye Terminals, a fuel-management company, and manages a $20 million capital budget, among other responsibilities, according to a a résumé read into the record Wednesday night.

Mirandi registered as a Democrat in the 1980s and maintained her party affiliation, though “I vote for the person,” rather than party, she said.

Addressing the small crowd before heading to a reception at Buona Sera restaurant across the street, she said it was “a privilege to give back to Red Bank and serve the town I’ve lived in for almost 30 years.”

She added: “I’m looking forward to all of us working as a team to make Red Bank even better.”

The council is next scheduled to meet February 23.