Mayor sees public safety as most crucial aspect of the job
Becoming mayor of Mantua Township is not something Pete Scirrotto necessarily planned on doing.
He owned a construction business for many years.
Twenty-seven years ago, after his son’s Little League opening day baseball game, Scirrotto found himself in a conversation with the then mayor, Bill Goode who threw the opening pitch of the game.
The mayor urged Scirrotto to consider local government, to join a board and maybe earn a seat on the committee.
That simple suggestion helped in the formation of the next 27 years of the Scirrotto’s life, a life he was not expecting.
So far, Scirrotto has served 17 years on the township committee and on multiple boards, three years as deputy mayor and in 2012 was appointed as mayor and still holds the seat.
“My role as mayor, with the help of our council, is to do everything humanly possible to keep us safe and sound, every day. I love our town,” Scirrotto said. He added, “Everything starts right here [township government], so it is paramount to have good people who have to step up and govern every day.”
The role of mayor calls for someone to grant oversight on many topics, such as the local economy, zoning laws, environmental concerns and more. With all of this and more on the table, the mayor states public safety is one of his top priorities and he serves as director of public safety alongside Robert Zimmerman, the deputy mayor.
“I think director of public safety is probably the most important job in the township and even more so from the events of [previous] weeks,” the mayor said.
Referencing the recent shooting that took the lives of 17 students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., the mayor said, “I hope and pray that it never happens here, but I know evil can stick its head out at any time or place. We need to stay on our toes at all times. I think young people call out for help and we need to listen all the time.”
Some of the mayor’s other concerns lie in the condition of the township’s roads.
“Our roads, we have a lot of work to do,” he said.
Committeeman John Legge voiced similar concerns recently, stating he feels the committee has more work to do with the road program and explained that due to budget cuts from the state, the committee was forced to place the program on the back burner while attempting to maintain tax efforts.
“Slowly but surely, we are doing things each year [for the road program], while keeping taxes in check,” Legge said.
Scirrotto said the state of the township infrastructure is also on his mind, “Infrastructure is getting older and we need to keep pace.”
An admirer of bustling but quaint Main Streets, Scirrotto said, “I would like to see our Main Street look more like a Main Street. I like to take rides on the weekend and go through these very nice towns, all of which have a nice downtown. I know our town is not set up for a Main Street, but we can surely make it better.”
In a similar vein, the mayor also plans to look into further ordinances regarding littering.
“I think it is a national disgrace, everywhere you go people are littering. Every weekend we use community service people to pick up litter but as fast as we pick up, more gets thrown out.”
After considering what needs to be done in the future, Scirrotto reflected on his 27 consecutive year tenure, saying the most memorable moment is undoubtedly when the township decided to rename Sewell Park as Trooper Eli McCarson Memorial Park.
McCarson was a State Police trooper who lost his life in an auto accident while responding to a call in Salem County on Dec. 17, 2015.
“He grew up in Mantua Township. At the time that he lost his life, his wife was expecting. His son was born the following year and his wife and baby Eli were out for the dedication,” Scirrotto said.
In addition to his township role, Scirrotto is the superintendent of buildings and grounds for Gloucester County.
