Paramus taps veteran youth sports coach for open seat on borough council

Paramus has a new borough councilman, appointed this week to replace a colleague who moved out of town.

Michael Wilkins was sworn into office this week and will serve a one-year term after Councilman Jorge Quintana moved away. Wilkins and Quintana are both Republicans, as are the five other council members and the mayor.

"Councilman Wilkins is going to be a great asset to this governing body, many of you already know him as a coach, volunteer, or friend," said Mayor Chris DiPiazza on his Facebook page. "Looking forward to his input!"

Wilkins, who has lived in town for 18 years, has been active with athletic leagues around town. His 10-year-old sons and 16-year-old daughter play sports, which led him to coach for the borough's baseball and football programs.

He has also been on the Recreation Commission for a little over a year.

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“I joke with most people if they want to find me, they can go to the baseball field, basketball court or football field,” said Wilkins.

Wilkins said he’s looking forward to continuing to serve the town and grow with the current administration on the council. He also thanked the supportive parents he's met through the athletic programs in town.

“I felt like I would be a good fit with them to move it forward in the right direction,” said Wilkins.

Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: noda@northjersey.com

Twitter: @snoda11

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paramus taps veteran youth sports coach for open seat on borough council