After 30 years and more than 750 Maplewood Township Committee meetings, Roger Desiderio, longtime counsel to the Township Committee, is retiring.
The Township Committee presented Desiderio with a proclamation at its January 1, 2024 Reorganization Meeting (see the full proclamation below). Prior to that, Township Committee members and staff gave personal testimonials to Desiderio at his final regular meeting as counsel on December 17.
“I’m the newbie here … but I just want to thank you so much for all the wisdom and help and guidance this year,” said then-Deputy Mayor Deborah Engel. “You’re always welcome here and I wish you much success in your next chapter.”
“You and I have worked together for a long time and we’ve seen administrators come and go … department heads, many many TC people, and the glue that kept us together was you,” said former mayor and TC member Vic De Luca, who has served on the governing body for 24 years. “You kept us all in line, and I mean that in a very good way. You are one of the most honest, strategic, thoughtful people that I’ve ever worked with.”
De Luca noted some disagreements — such as the time when Desiderio called him a “weak mayor” (Desiderio clarified that the office is weak, not the man), but said they had ironed them out. “Everything you did, you didn’t do it halfway.”
Township Clerk Liz Fritzen noted that she and Desiderio went back more than 30 years through her job in the Recreation Department and his work as a local coach. “You and I have been together for over 40 years. I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me… You’ve kept my feet on the ground. You’ve kept me calm … and you’ve always kept me out of trouble.”
“You’ve been a friend,” said Fritzen. “I speak to you more on the phone everyday than anybody, including my children.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you,” she added. “I’m going to miss you terribly. I love you and I thank you.”
In his comments, Desiderio singled out Fritzen and De Luca, with whom he has served the longest. Desiderio told Fritzen, “Liz, I love you too.”
Roger Desiderio and Victor De Luca. January 1, 2024.
Regarding De Luca, Desiderio said, “Vic is special. As much as I love this town, he loves it at least as much and maybe more. … I bleed Maplewood and Vic does too.”
Desiderio introduced wife Denise, his daughters, and his grandchildren Luke, James, Ryan, Jackson and Lila. “These are my five grandchildren whom I love unconditionally and who give me support and happiness and joy to my life.”
Desiderio called Maplewood Township a “wonderful, vibrant place to work.”
As a longtime Maplewood resident, Desiderio said that people had told him decades ago to get out of Maplewood when he and his wife were buying a house here, saying, “Maplewood is shot.” Desiderio said that was code for “it’s getting integrated.” The Desiderios stayed, embracing Maplewood’s growing diversity.
“Our Maplewood is not perfect, but it sure as hell is better than almost anywhere else,” said Desiderio. “Go Maplewood!”
Desiderio and his grandchildren. December 17, 2023.
