The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission today affirmed Gov. Chris Christie’s choice of former Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest to run the largest treament plant for the wastewaters of New Jersey.
The vote was six commissioners in the affirmative and one abstention, registered by Commissioner Bill Flynn.
Forrest, who has yet to negotiate a salary, according to the commissioners, will replace Bryan Christiansen, who Christie lambasted for drawing a $313,000 salary as the plant’s executive director.
A 35-year veteran of public service, Forrest was a U.S. Army paratooper in the 82nd Airborne, a detective and deputy attorney general before becoming Somerset County prosector.
Assuming leasdership of the prosecutor’s office after the death of Nicholas Bissell (who was prosecuted, incidentally, by Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno), Forrest served for 12 and a half years before retiring.
“I’m neither a Democrat or a Republican, just a government worker,” Forrest told PolitickerNJ.com.
Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioner Ken Lucianan said he enthusiastically voted for Forrest this afternoon.
“This is an army paratrooper who was one of the best prosecutors in the state, and his appointment is consistent with the governor’s requests for change,” Lucianan said.