Robert Neff, Jr. Sworn In as Little Silver Mayor

Little Silver has a mayor again. Last Friday morning, Republican Councilman Robert C. Neff, Jr. was sworn in to serve out the remaining three months of deceased Mayor Suzanne Castleman's term.

"This is a caretaker position," Neff said before taking the oath of office. "It's Suzy's term and it's an honor to fill it out."

, and both Neff and Borough Attorney John O. Bennett, III acknowledged before the ceremony that her presence in the council chambers would be missed and felt in the room and community for a long time.

"Bob asked that this be a rather calm and sedate thing as it was not his choice certainly to become the mayor at this time," said Bennett. "Unfortunately, God had different ideas and took Suzy to be with her husband and therefore a vacant seat was created."

Bennett explained that under New Jersey state law, a vacancy has to be filled by the county committee of the party from which the vacancy is created. As Castleman was a Republican, the county committee nominated three registered Republicans residing in Little Silver for the Borough Council to choose from: Neff, former Mayor Tony Bruno and former Councilman Donald Galante.

According to a Hub report, a special meeting of the borough council was held at the end of August in which Neff won the majority vote 4-0, receiving the backing of all four council Republicans. Democrat Councilman Daniel O'Hern and Independent Council President Daniel Levine abstained from the vote, stating concerns over the "domino effect" Neff's council seat vacancy would create.

The county Republican committee will now have to nominate three candidates to take Neff's seat on council, which he had to resign from to take the mayor position. The term ends at the beginning of 2013.

Neff is the Republican candidate for mayor, and will face on the ballot this November for a four-year term.

He has served as a councilman in Little Silver since 2008, heading the Personnel Committee and as a liason to the Shade Tree Commission and the Environmental Commission. A former Red Bank Register and Asbury Park Press reporter, Neff is currently an attorney at Wilson Elser.

Born in Washington, D.C., Neff moved to Shrewsbury in 1965. An area resident for 45 years, he attended as a child. He has been married to wife Cindy for 19 years, and they have three children: , 16, and twins , 11, all attending Little Silver public schools.

Along with Neff's family, former Councilman and State Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon (R-13) and Councilman David Gilmour were on hand to witness the ceremony, as were members of the borough's police, fire, first aid and EMS teams.

"Bob wanted this to be low-key. I thought it was important that we at least have the members of the community that have worked so hard, in particular during this last storm, to be represented here," said Bennett.