Deputy Mayor Peter Scirrotto (second from right) gets emotional after the township committee’s meeting chambers were named after him during his final session on Nov. 18. Mayor Robert Zimmerman (below, third from left) hugged Scirrotto after presenting him with a proclamation that recognizes his more than 30 years of service to the community.
In his last meeting as a Mantua township committee member on Nov. 18, former mayor and current Deputy Mayor Peter “Pete” Scirrotto was honored for his 33 years of service to the town.
The session drew dozens of people, including Scirrotto’s family, residents, local organizations and politicians from other towns, the county and the state.
As a a committeeman, Scirrotto never missed a meeting and was mayor for a decade between 2012 and 2022. He was also instrumental in establishing the litter patrol, promoting and supporting local organizations – including Boy Scout Troop 7083 and Mantua Little League – and establishing McCarson Park, named after late state trooper Eli McCarson.
“These are just small samplings of the dedication and the commitment that Pete has given to the residents and this community,” said Mayor Robert Zimmerman.
That dedication has resulted in the renaming of the municipal building meeting area to the Peter Scirrotto Meeting Chambers, a tribute that came with a sign unveiling and a standing ovation from the crowd. The committee also presented Scirrotto with a proclamation and named him mayor one last time for the day.
“It’s only fitting,” Zimmerman noted, “and I can’t think of anybody that’s more deserving of having anything named after them, other than Pete. We had to do something, and this is what we chose to do.”
The Scouts and the Little League, meanwhile, thanked Scirrotto for his support with, respectively, a plaque and a special baseball. State Sen. John Burzichelli and Assemblywoman Heather Simmons presented him with a state proclamation and acknowledged a $2.8-million grant to improve Bridgeton Pike and Mount Royal Road.
“They will tell Pete Scirrotto’s story with kindness as the years pass,” Burzichelli said, “and for a very long time, we will know that he came our way.”
“You judge a person by the company he keeps,” Simmons observed. “If the Scouts, the baseball players, the police department and the fire (department), all those people who give so much to this community, are the people who are important to you.
“This moment is not just imprinted in this township, but all across the state, that you are someone who cares.”
Harrison Township Mayor Louis Manzo and Glassboro Mayor John Wallace were also in attendance and the former gave Scirrotto a certificate. After the presentations, Scirrotto spoke to the crowd and told stories of his experiences over the years.
“I’m touched by the naming of the chamber here, and I’m just speechless,” he acknowledged. “I love everybody here. I would like to thank the good people of Mantua Township for allowing me to serve all of those years. I love our town; it was a great place to raise my family.
“When you’re looking for a place to move to, you’re looking at the schools,” Scirrotto added. “We have one of the best school districts. When you’re looking to live in a safe community, we have the best police department, fire service and EMS. When you’re looking at public works, we have the best. We have four parks and more open space than most towns.”
“They will tell Pete Scirrotto’s story with kindness as the years pass,” Burzichelli said, “and for a very long time, we will know that he came our way.”
