Lambda Alumni Blog

Jorge E. Diaz SP93 Beta Chapter, Rutgers University. 

Former  National President (2000-2004) and current Board of Trustee sworn in as Council President!!!!

For Immediate Release

Press Advisory

Memorial Municipal Building

61 Cooke Avenue

Carteret, New Jersey, 07008

732-718-7405 (phone)

[Carteret, NJ]  On January 8, 2012, during the annual Reorganization Meeting, the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Carteret unanimously elected Councilman Jorge E. Diaz to serve as the 2012 Council President.  Council President Jorge E. Diaz, a three-term councilman, was sworn-in with his wife and two children at his side.  As Council President, he serves as deputy mayor and is responsible for running council and other meetings in the mayor’s absence.

Council President Diaz was initially elected to the Borough Council in November of 2004, re-elected in 2007 and again in 2010.  During his tenure, Council President Diaz has chaired the Finance and Administration Committee, under which nine municipal departments fall within his supervision (Office of the Municipal Clerk, Finance, Engineering, Construction Code Official, Borough Attorney, Economic Development, Court Administration, Technology, and Dept. of Senior Transportation.)  Council President Diaz currently serves as the council liaison to the Planning Board, Vice President of the Library Board of Trustees, and has served as a member of the Community Development Board and the Parking Authority.

During his tenure as Chairman of Finance and Administration, his office has aggressively sought grants and public funding for improvements to the borough infrastructure, upgrades to parks and recreation, revitalization and smart growth of retail and commercial corridors, while stimulating local economic development.  The total amount awarded to the borough has surpassed 87 million dollars in grants and public funds paving the way for many of the projects around the Borough at no cost to taxpayers.  38 million dollars alone have been invested in the upgrades to parks and recreation, increasing the quality of life and expanding recreational opportunities for residents.  In November, residents of Carteret enjoyed yet another milestone, as the Mayor and Council open the doors to the Robert Wood Johnson Health and Wellness Center, a 14.5 million dollar state-of-the art facility fully funded by grants and endowments - a project that many have dubbed the Jewel of Carteret.

Under his office of Economic Development, he has continued to provide dynamic programming, guidance, and resources to support local businesses and the economy.  From job fairs, trainings, and programs that make low interest funding available for small businesses, he has been able to improve the borough’s commercial corridors while fostering continued economic growth.  These programs, along with working closely with the Carteret Business Partnership, represents the forward thinking that has created jobs and restored the borough’s commercial backbone.  Private investment in Carteret represents 60% of all new construction in Middlesex County for the 2011 calendar year.

Council President Diaz has also demonstrated strong fiscal responsibility.  His office has recommended cutting operating costs, the consolidation of departments, and has fostered shared service agreements with the Board of education and neighboring towns.  This has allowed the Borough to stabilize the municipal portion of the tax bill, while reducing the borough debt service by 1.3 million dollars.  The borough’s fiscal responsibility has not gone unnoticed, as the borough acquired the coveted Moody’s A1 credit rating.

Jorge E. Diaz is a brother of Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc.  He pledged in the Spring of 1993 at Beta Chapter, Rutgers University.  He served as the 14^th National President of the fraternity from 2000 to 2004, and currently serves on the fraternity’s Board of Trustees.

For more information, please contact Brother Diaz at lambda1975@aol.com