Longtime Spotswood judge given new three-year term BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer SPOTSWOOD - The Borough Council recently voted to reappoint Municipal Court Judge Edward H. Herman to a new three-year term. Herman, municipal court judge in Spotswood since 1983, was approved for a new term by a vote of 4-1 during the council's Oct. 23 meeting. The lone dissenting vote came from Councilman Thomas Barlow. Herman said he is "very excited" to be reappointed. "It has been approximately 20 years since I first became Spotswood judge, and I am thankful to the mayor and council for their continued faith in me," he said. "I have always tried to do the best job possible for all the residents of Spotswood. The job requires the judge to balance the rights of individual citizens with those of the entire community, and I appreciate the confidence the governing body has shown in me in this important job." Herman noted that the state Administration Office of the Courts, in its yearly audit, gave Spotswood the highest praise among municipal court in Middlesex County. Mayor Barry Zagnit nominated Herman for reappointment, and at an earlier meeting some council members asked for more time to review the matter before voting on approval. Councilwoman Marge Drozd said this gave her the chance to speak with people who knew Herman. She said she received a lot of assurances that he is the right person for the job. People at the state and county levels, as well as lawyers who saw Herman in court and people who knew him personally, described Herman as "very personable and professional," Drozd said. Council President Curtis Stollen said he also researched Herman and received the same response. Herman, who is a senior partner with the law firm of Hill Wallack, Princeton, is chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Defense Association (NJDA) and is a member of several law organizations who lectures at events around the state and writes on workers' compensation issues for the NJDA. Herman also serves as municipal court judge in Helmetta and Highland Park. Borough Business Administrator Ronald Fasanello said Herman's term runs through October 2009. Herman will be paid an annual salary of $17,752 for his work in Spotswood. Spotswood municipal court meets three times a month - twice in the evening and once in the morning, Fasanello said.