Councilman Della Fera Nominated to State Higher Ed Board

Councilman Sam Della Fera was appointed by Gov. Chris Christie to the board of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA), a state organization focused on making higher education more attainable for students.

“I wasn’t actively soliciting the position, but it’s certainly an honor to be nominated by the governor,” Della Fera said to Patch.

HESAA is a state authority that provides students and families with financial and informational resources for students to pursue higher education after high school. The association, which began in 1959, delivers more than $1.2 billion in financial aid through grants, scholarships and loans, according to the group’s website.

The Republican First Ward councilman credited his history of public service as well as his professional contacts within the state legislature and the governor’s office as the likely reasoning behind his appointment.

Della Fera was elected to the town council in 2009. A former member of the historic preservation commission, he currently serves as the vice chairman of the finance policy committee and is a member of the code review and town property committee. In his work on the Council, Della Fera has been a supporter of Christie's initiatives, including the governor's and the new state law governing .

“It’s been a privilege to serve the people of Westfield for a year and half,” he said.

Della Fera is not sure when he will officially be confirmed as a member of the authority’s board. The state Senate departed for its summer recess on June 30, with a variety of pending nominations. In the likely scenario that the confirmation is not carried out this week, Della Fera would have to wait until the fall for the appointment to become official. The Senate is not scheduled to return until after the November election.

Della Fera is also waiting for a confirmation hearing before the Senate judiciary committee, which is chaired by Sen. Nick Scutari (D-Linden).

The Senate Councilman Mark Ciarrocca from the third ward to of the state Superior Court.

However, the part-time, unpaid position would not conflict with Della Ferra’s service on town council or his private practice as a bankruptcy attorney in West Orange. Unlike Ciarrocca, who resigned from the Council to assume the judgeship, Della Fera will remain in local office.

Della Fera said he could not speak in great detail on specific goals that he has for the authority because he had yet to obtain all the necessary information about the group and its capabilities. However, he said he and other board members will have to “get creative” in finding ways to fulfill the organization’s mission while also operating within the monetary limits of a state in financial flux.

“I have to first understand what the parameters are,” he said. “But it will be important to find funding for state aid in higher education while also dealing with the financial constraints that we’re all operating in.”

The authority is administered by an 18-member board which meets four times per year. The board includes voting representatives from all sectors of the higher education community in addition to students and other members of the public. Della Fera said he will be present at the group’s next meeting on July 21, regardless of whether he has been confirmed by that date.

Other public members appointed to the board by the governor included George Garcia of Jersey City, James Allen of Tinton Falls and Anthony Falcone of Lincroft.