The proclamation read:                                                   

US ARMY GARRISON

Fort Monmouth, New Jersey

THE FLAG of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

This is to certify that on 15 September 2011

The Accompanying Flag was flown over Fort Monmouth, New Jersey

And Presented to the Citizens of the Borough of Shrewsbury

 In Honor of the Closing of Fort Monmouth, New Jersey

Signed GEORGEE.FITZMAIER , Garrison Manager                             

September 15, 2011

At Monday evening’s Borough Council meeting Mayor Donald Burden proudly read aloud the above proclamation as he displayed the flag presented at the Fort Monmouth Final Retreat Ceremony on Thursday, September 15, 2011. For the Borough of Shrewsbury the tie to this military base will live on in the generations of young and old who, though residing in the Borough, lived the better part of their lives working on the Fort and bringing their families to the many activities held at this renown installation.

Also on tap at the meeting was the recognition of three retiring Shrewsbury Police Officers. Councilman Thomas Menapace began the Proclamation ceremonies by calling on Penny Morris, wife of the late Sergeant Allan Morris, a 25 year employee of the Borough of Shrewsbury until his untimely death this summer just passed, to come forward for the reading of the Proclamation to honor her husband. Mrs. Morris accepted the Proclamation and thanked the Council and the citizens of Shrewsbury stating that both she and her husband always felt at home in Shrewsbury although they made their home elsewhere. Noting that Al so enjoyed working with the children at the Borough School, she said that there would be a scholarship setup in her husband’s name to benefit the Borough’s children.

Mayor Burden then requested that the entire Spencer family come to the front of the room as retiring Captain Timothy E. Spencer’s praises were sung with the reading of the Proclamation honoring his 23 years of service to the community. Tim’s wife, Colleen, and their three children –Thomas, Kevin and Caroline – stood proud as the Mayor proclaimed the many contributions made and successes achieved by Captain Spencer over his years spent with the Shrewsbury Police Department. 

Mayor Burden also read a Proclamation recognizing Captain Nathan Tomaino, Jr., (not present) who also retired this summer after 25 years with the Police Department.

Each of the proclamations closed with mention of the fact that the lives of all three of these men were, indeed, cause for celebration. Here, here!

C.M. McLoughlin, a writer and editor from New Jersey and New York, can be reached at mcloughlin43@gmail.com.