All Around Pennsauken

By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor

Two longtime Pennsauken Township employees have been appointed to new administrative positions. Shakir Ali, assistant tax assessor, is now director of regulatory services; and Elwood “Duke” Martz, head of the Township’s Department of Parks and Recreation, is director of municipal services.

“Shakir and Duke have been dedicated members of our municipal staff for years; both are an asset to the town’s administration and our residents,” explained Pennsauken Mayor Tim Killion. “By taking on these new roles, they will help set the tone for all of our municipal employees and help provide even better customer service to the people we are honored to serve.”

“We have a lot of trust in Duke and Shakir,” added Deputy Mayor Marco DiBattista. “They’ve got a great rapport with our administrator, Joe Palumbo, our municipal staff, and Pennsauken’s residents. We’re excited to be working with them; Township Committee will give them all the support they need to succeed in these positions.”

The town’s new directors will oversee the operation of various departments. Ali, as director of regulatory services, will supervise departments regulated by state and county statutes, such as the assessor, tax collector, clerk’s office, planning and zoning, building and housing, the Pennsauken Free Public Library, and the municipal court. Martz, in his role as director of municipal services, will manage parks and recreation, public works, sanitation, the Pennsauken Country Club, information technology, economic development, and senior services. Both are ready to take an active approach to ensure Township departments has the appropriate tools and staff to serve our community, as well as support the town’s administrator.

“Shakir and I are tasked to improve responsiveness to residents and expedite projects that service our community,” said Martz. “And while we have our individual responsibilities, there’s a lot of crossover. We’ll be working together as a team, not just with each other, but with Township staff as well. The goal is to better serve the people who live and work in Pennsauken.”

“Pennsauken is one of the most diverse towns in South Jersey. We need to be more flexible and understanding of the residents and business owners that come into our building,” added Ali. “Customer service is key; that’s an extremely important focus. We’ll also be implementing operational efficiencies and process improvements that will benefit both Township staff and residents. If we want to move forward as a Township, we can’t rely on processes from 50 years ago. We need to put new things into place, whether that’s technology or policy.”

As Ali and Martz transition into these new roles – both will continue to serve in their former capacities until the end of the year – they are ready to hit the ground running and make an impact in the place they call home.

“We’re both excited to work with our elected officials, administrator, staff, and the Pennsauken community to help improve our Township,” said Martz.

“At the end of the day, it’s not just a job,” explained Ali. “We’re trying to affect a sustainable change that improves Pennsauken for both today and tomorrow.”