Township resident Todd Sherer, who has served on Mahwah’s Planning Board since the mid-2000’s, took over as the board’s chairman at Monday night’s annual reorganization meeting.

The former Paramus councilman who moved to Mahwah in 2002 said he is grateful for the elevated position on the board. “I am most looking forward to working with the public,” he told Patch Monday. “I want to make sure people know this is a friendly place where they can come to ask questions about issues in town.”

The issues he will preside over are big ones – the board is in the midst of completely redoing Mahwah’s Master Plan, which will lay out goals for the future of the township, and it begins the public hearings on the Crossroads Town Center retail development application begin in two weeks. The Master Plan will stay in effect for about 10 years or so, and the Crossroads has sparked controversy throughout the township.

“I think the board felt I had the right temperament and experience to take over as chair [once former Chair John Brotherton retired],” Sherer said. Brotherton was a “great Chair” he said, and “I have big shoes to fill.” The new chairman’s goal is to “help see Mahwah grow and prosper, and maintain its great character.”

Sherer lives in Mahwah with his wife Kerri and two kids, Harry and Sophie. He works in commercial finance in NYC.