WEST MILFORD — A former West Milford mayor, councilman and school board member has been appointed by Governor Phil Murphy as Chairperson of the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council.
“I’m extremely honored to have been asked to serve as chair,” Carl Richko said. “It’s been a pleasure to be a member of the Council these past eight years and I’m looking forward to renewing the Council’s focus on water resource protection. I believe we’ve made great progress in many areas but there’s still quite a bit of work to do.”
The Highlands council is a regional planning agency, established with the passage of the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act in 2004.
Charged with implementation of the Act, the Highlands council is a 15-member body that represents 88 municipalities and parts of seven counties. It specifies that the governor designate one member to serve as chairperson.
Richko takes over the leadership role from Acting Chair Kurt Alstede, who held the position since March following the resignation of Jim Rilee. Richko will continue to live in West Milford, which is the largest municipality in the New Jersey Highlands and one of only five municipalities located entirely in the Preservation Area, where natural resource protection is considered to be most vital.
The Township of West Milford is home to five reservoirs and Greenwood Lake and also has two reservoirs on its border.
“Having lived and worked in the Highlands for more than 55 years, I understand well the importance of the Highlands Act for this region and the role of the council in its implementation,” Richko said. “I agree with members of the public and my fellow council members who say that people who receive clean drinking water from the Highlands should be part of the team that helps protect it. I will continue to advocate on that front."
Richko is a graduate of Texas A&M University. He is a retired elementary school educator from the Sparta School System, where he worked for 34 years. He served for nine years on the West Milford Board of Education and four years on the Township of West Milford Council, including two years as mayor.
Richko’s experience also includes work with the Pequannock River Coalition, where he served on the Board of Directors and as the organization’s vice president.
He is a also a former member of the Passaic County Open Space Committee and an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys fishing, hiking and running in the Highlands.
“Carl’s tenure on the Council along with his experience as a municipal official and in the community will certainly help ensure a smooth transition and continued progress for the Council,” said Highlands Council Executive Director Margaret Nordstrom. “The staff and I are very happy to be working with him.”
— Ann Genader