Another pillar

Longtime borough attorney and community volunteer Ed Johnson, Jr. will be recognized for his contributions to Middlesex during the Borough Council’s Tuesday, May 28 meeting.

Johnson will be named one of the Pillars of Middlesex, a program begun recently to honor those who have worked to make the borough a better place. Mayor Jack Mikolajczyk will issue a proclamation noting the recognition.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Ronald S. Dobies municipal building on Mountain Avenue.

A Middlesex Borough resident for 88 years, Johnson served on the Middlesex Library’s Board of Trustees from 1962 to 1974. He opened his local law practice in 1960. 

Jonson served as borough attorney for 35 years, the library board’s attorney for 50 years, and the Middlesex Fire Department and Rescue Squad counsel for 59 years.

The proclamation notes that he has spent numerous hours documenting borough history. Johnson served on the committee that compiled two picture books about the municipality. His current project is a complete history of Middlesex Borough.

Johnson’s work on local issues has included matters involving the Middlesex County Utilities Authority, the state Department of Environmental Protection, and others. 

He supported the borough in its efforts to get the federal government to build flood walls and dredge streams to alleviate severe flooding. Johnson was also involved to the past effort to get the feds to remove toxic soil within the municipality.

Johnson has also been active with Our Lady of Mount Virgin Church. He served as chairman of the parish’s financial council and been an usher for 20 years. Johnson has done volunteer teaching with English as a Second Language students and instructed others taking the citizenship exam.

Johnson “throughout the years has demonstrated praiseworthy service, and commitment to the borough by integrating himself as an essential part of the community,” the proclamation reads.

Johnson will become the second recipient of the Pillars of Middlesex recognition. The initial honorees were John and Sheila Fuhrmann, who received the award in April. 

Mikołajczyk and the Borough Council intend to bestow the honor at the second meeting of each month, going forward.

The honor recognizes the “wisdom, history, commitment, and passion that so many of our residents exhibit and extend to their neighbors and the borough.”

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