Desiderio Takes Oath of Office on County Board of Commissioners

Throughout his lengthy political career, Leonard C. Desiderio has won a total of 28 elections while serving as mayor of Sea Isle City and as a Cape May County commissioner.

After each election victory, he would have his parents, Leonard J. and Carmel Desiderio, join him while he took the oath of office.

On Thursday, Desiderio began his eighth term on the Cape May County Board of Commissioners, but the ceremony was bittersweet because it was the first time that his recently deceased parents were not standing by his side during his swearing in to office.

He was joined Thursday by his wife Carmela, and daughter, also named Carmela, while taking the oath of office from former state Superior Court Judge Michael Donohue, who also serves as chairman of the Cape May County Republican Party.

Desiderio mentioned his parents in tribute to them while addressing a roomful of supporters that included a who’s who of Cape May County politicians, dignitaries and friends. He expressed his gratitude to everyone in the room, including his family.

“It’s great to have you all here, and I’m very honored,” he said.

    An overflow audience packs the room at the county administration building.
  

Desiderio has served as Sea Isle’s mayor since 1993 and has been on the Board of Commissioners, formerly known as the Board of Freeholders, since 2002. He heads the five-member board as its director.

He won reelection to the Board of Commissions in November without facing any opposition.

“And just to let you know, 28-and-0,” he said to the audience while alluding to his streak of winning elections in Sea Isle and at the county level.

The all-Republican Board of Commissioners is the elected body overseeing county government.

Commissioner Andrew Bulakowski was appointed as the board’s vice director and also took the oath of office from Donahue. Looking out at the overflow audience at the county administration building, Bulakowski told Desiderio that it was “an outpouring of love” in Desiderio’s honor.

“You are an amazing person, and I’m probably not going too far out on a limb to say everybody in this room loves you. You are an amazing man. It’s an honor to sit up here with you,” Bulakowski said. 

    Board of Commissioners Vice Director Andrew Bulakowski, center, takes the oath of office from Michael Donohue while Director Leonard Desiderio holds the Bible.
  

Fellow Commissioners Bob Barr and Melanie Collette joined with Bulakowski in taking turns complimenting Desiderio’s leadership and his emphasis on teamwork.

“It’s my honor to serve with Lenny every single day. He’s an icon, and he deserves every bit of accolades he gets,” Barr said.

Barr predicted that 2025 is going to be an “incredible year” for Cape May County under Desiderio’s leadership.

“I can’t wait. We’re going to spring forward, and we’re going to take off like a rocket ship,” he said.

Collette said the Board of Commissioners and the county’s employees continue to address the county’s challenges while also laying the groundwork “for a brighter and more prosperous future.”

“Of course, none of this would be possible without the incredible team that we have behind the scenes. To the dedicated staff of Cape May County, I want to thank you for keeping our community running smoothly each and every day. Congratulations to Commissioner-Director Desiderio. Thank you so much for your leadership. It really does inspire me every day that I’m here, and I appreciate you,” Collette added.

The fifth commissioner, Will Morey, did not attend the reorganization meeting. The board’s deputy clerk, Donna Doyle, said afterward that she believed Morey was unable to attend because he was on vacation.

    Members of the Board of Commissioners and Deputy Clerk Donna Doyle, second from right, recite the Pledge of Allegiance during the ceremony.
  

During the meeting, Desiderio touched on several critical issues that the county will face in the upcoming year. Among them are proposed regulations by the state Department of Environmental Protection that would add stringent new requirements for home construction in coastal areas such as Cape May County to protect against flooding.

Cape May County’s government is opposed to the DEP regulations, arguing that they would make it too expensive for many people to live at or near the shore and would force them to move out of the area.

“These arbitrary rules are the most economically regressive DEP regulations since the enactment of CAFRA in the mid-1980s,” Desiderio said, referring to the state’s other coastal development regulations.

Desiderio announced that the county hopes to provide more opportunities for housing through public-private partnerships for mixed-income housing at the county airport.

He noted that such a project would help to address “a critical housing shortage for our year-round population.

    Leonard Desiderio shares a kiss with his wife, Carmela, after he is sworn in to office.