Council delays votes while mayor's out sick Drwal, Makowski sworn in during annual reorganization meeting BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer Kathy Makowski SAYREVILLE - With Stanley Drwal and Kathy Makowski sworn in to office Monday, Democrats now maintain total control of the Borough Council. Thomas Pollando, voted by his colleagues to again serve as council president this year, was acting mayor for the New Year's Day reorganization meeting in the absence of Republican Mayor Kennedy O'Brien, who was ill. O'Brien was hospitalized from Saturday to Wednesday due to inflammation of the pancreas, his wife, Janice, told the Suburban. "I am trying to make him rest," Janice said with a chuckle. She said it is possible that he will be able attend the council's meeting next week. O'Brien was treated at Raritan Bay Medical Center under the care of a gastroenterologist and endocrinologist, Janice said. O'Brien issued a statement from the hospital, saying he was disappointed that he was unable to attend the reorganization meeting, where he would normally give his annual address. Stanley Drwal "I do wish to convey to the council my fervent wish that 2007 will be a year in which the council and I can work together in a spirit of nonpartisan cooperation, in the best interests of the needs and the good of the people of Sayreville," O'Brien said. This year will be the first time during his tenure as mayor that he will have no fellow Republicans on the council. As the result of O'Brien's condition, the Democrats held off on making professional and departmental appointments at the meeting. "Due to the fact that we never received a list from the mayor ... At this time, he is in the hospital and I would like to leave it open until he comes back and submits the list [for appointments]," Pollando said. The council did, however, make its appointments for the council's standing committees Monday. Pollando said the Democrats want to hear what O'Brien's goals are for the year. "We need to work together," Pollando said. "I need to know what accomplishments and projects he is looking to do." The Democrats' initiatives include seeking shared services with neighboring municipalities, improving roads and making progress on the former National Lead property, Pollando said. They will also seek to maintain current municipal services in the budget. "We will go down to Trenton and ask Assemblyman [John] Wisniewski to work with us to get tax incentives," Pollando said. "We want [the redevelopment of] National Lead to happen and we need to work with NL as a partner to get developers involved." Drwal told the Suburban that quality-of-life issues will continue to be a priority for him, including the preservation of open space and work to enforce zoning and codes with regard to illegal housing. He said he plans to continue the Conservation Corps, a group of youth volunteers he formed to clean up borough's parks. Makowski was named as council liaison to the Planning Board and attended its first meeting of the year Wednesday. Pollando expressed the council's best wishes to O'Brien in a written statement. "Our thoughts and best wishes for a speedy recovery go out to Mayor O'Brien," he said. Janice O'Brien thanked residents for the many calls of concern. "Word travels fast in a small town, and it is truly humbling that so many people have offered their prayers and expressions of support for the mayor's health," she said.