Pell Manor Tenants Association officers sworn in during ceremony

The Johnston Housing Authority recently hosted what Director David aRusso called an important event for a valuable organization that’s based at the Claiborne Pell Manor at 1609 Plainfield St.

“You are an important part of Johnston,” aRusso, a recent inductee into the Johnston High School Athletic Hall of Fame, told many senior citizens who make up the Tenants Association and were seated inside the Pell Manor Community Room last Thursday. “You provide strength in numbers, and that speaks volumes in town.”

Once aRusso finished his impressive welcome – and public housing assistant Karen Aitchison finished serving up food from nearby eatery Brooklyn Brothers – the tenants association membership welcome Mayor Joseph Polisena, who was on hand to perform what he termed a “very, very important ceremony.”

“Good afternoon thank you for inviting me,” Polisena said. “This is always an exciting and important event that I look forward to each and every year.”

The mayor, who was joined by Town Councilman Richard DelFino III, state Sen. Frank Lombardo, and School Committeeman Robert LaFazia, was on hand to perform the official swearing-in of the tenants association officers.

“To the officers, congratulations,” Polisena said, “and to the tenants association membership, please remember you are an integral part of Johnston as a group with lots of numbers.”

Thus, Polisena put on his reading glasses and called upon William “Bill” Santilli, a former Johnston Town Council member who lives at Pell Manor and has served as the tenants association president for the past four years.

After the mayor swore in Santilli for his third term, he administered the oath of office to vice president Joseph Lancellotti and secretary Anna Murphy, who will serve as the group’s secretary-treasurer.

Lancellotti – who next month will celebrate his 90th birthday – is the elder statesman of the tenants association. He began his fifth term. Murphy, like Santilli, began her third term.

The ceremony also included special presentations to each of the officers from DelFino and Lombardo, and a free flu shot clinic hosted by CVS Pharmacy. Jessica Lemieux, resident service coordinator at Pell Manor, helped aRusso and Atchison arranged the luncheon ceremony.