CHESTER, N.J. (Morris County) — The New Jersey Senate has approved four new members to the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council, adding representatives from Warren, Somerset and Morris counties, officials announced.
The confirmations took place during State Senate sessions on Dec. 18 and Dec. 22, 2025. The newly approved members are Joseph Basralian, special project manager for the New Jersey Conservation Foundation; Tammy Koop, a council member from the town of Belvidere; Melonie Marano, Somerset County commissioner deputy director; and Matthew Oswald, a council member from Riverdale Borough.
“We are delighted to have these nominees confirmed and look forward to them all joining the Council in January,” said Highlands Council Chairman Carl Richko. “Our sincere thanks to Governor Murphy and the legislature for taking these actions.”
The Highlands Act requires the 15-member council to include eight elected officials — five municipal and three county — and seven public members. Among the elected officials, each of the seven counties in the Highlands region must be represented, with two members from the most populous county, Morris. The four new members were appointed by Gov. Phil Murphy to fill two municipal elected official seats, one county elected official seat and one public member seat.
Basralian, of Chatham Township, fills a public member vacancy. Prior to joining the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, he held positions with Farmstead Capital Management, the Nature Conservancy and New Jersey Audubon.
Koop, of Belvidere, fills a municipal elected official vacancy and becomes the Highlands Council representative for Warren County. She serves on the Belvidere Town Council and is chair of the town’s Environmental Commission, vice president of the Heritage/Victorian Day Committee and a member of the Shade Tree Commission.
Marano, of Green Brook, fills a county elected official vacancy and becomes the representative for Somerset County. In addition to serving as Somerset County commissioner deputy director, she is vice president of business development at Universal Vending Management and a former council member and mayor of Green Brook Township.
Oswald, of Riverdale, fills a municipal elected official vacancy and becomes one of two representatives for Morris County. He serves on the Riverdale Borough Council and is a union electrician, instructor and vice president of IBEW Local 102.
“Having elected official representation from each of the seven counties that have lands in the Highlands region is extremely important,” said Highlands Council Executive Director Ben Spinelli. “While most New Jersey residents benefit from the resources of the Highlands and enjoy visiting the region for all it has to offer, the work of protecting the region occurs largely at the municipal and county levels. We’re particularly pleased to finally have a representative from Warren County which has been missing on the Council for several years.”
The new members are expected to be sworn in at the next Highlands Council public meeting, scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Additional nominations remain pending, officials said.
