O’Toole re-elected Port Authority chairman

Kevin J. O’Toole was re-elected to a sixth one-year term as chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on Thursday without opposition.

O’Toole, a former Republican state senator and assemblyman, has secured Gov. Phil Murphy’s support to remain chairman of the massive bi-state transportation authority.

Rick Cotton was re-elected executive director, signaling Gov. Kathy Hochul’s intent to keep him in the post.

The Board of Commissioners also re-elected Michael Farbiarz as general counsel.  President Joe Biden has nominated Farbiarz to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge in New Jersey and is awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation.

Also awaiting confirmation by the State Senate are three new Port Authority commissioners from New Jersey: George Helmy, Joe Kelley and Christian Bollwage.  Helmy is Murphy’s chief of staff, and Kelley is the deputy chief of staff.  Bollwage has served as mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey’s fourth-largest city, since he defeated seven-term incumbent Thomas Dunn in 1992.