Politics & Government

A Friendly Face and 'Fixture' at Town Hall is Leaving

Deputy clerk Rita Osborne to retire as of Friday after 21 years in the township municipal building.

Deputy Township Clerk Rita Osborne's last day on the job is Friday, and her departure will mean the loss of a friendly face in the municipal clerk's office, as Township Committee members said earlier this week when officially approving her retirement.

Osborne, a Bernards Township resident, is leaving after 21 years at the township's municipal building. Township Administrator Bruce McArthur said a shifting of municipal personnel following her retirement means that the township is eliminating one-half of a position within the ranks of municipal employees.

"Rita has been a fixture at town hall for as long as I can remember," said Township Committeeman John Carpenter, a local native.

Much of Osborne's job involved dealing with the public from her desk in the township clerk's office. The day after her retirement was approved, she said she enjoyed meeting the public.

Osborne noted she had spent many election nights meeting poll workers as they arrived with results from voting machines. Over the years, she said she was required to learn much new technology.

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She added she particularly enjoyed her work with processing marriage licenses. "Everyone had a story to tell," she said.

After retirement, Osborne said she likely will spend some time down the shore, but she isn't yet looking beyond that.

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Municipal Clerk Denise Szabo said Osborne always had worked in some capacity in that office before moving into her current job.

McArthur said the present assistant to the municipal clerk, Deirdre Vogel, will be picking up many of Osborne's responsibilities. Another clerk, Rhonda Pisano, is already working part-time for the engineering department, and will be assigned to spend the other part of her time as assistant in the municipal clerk's office, McArthur said.

Osborne's annual salary is $47,756. Bernards Township does not pay health benefits costs for non-union employees who retire.


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