Appointments to local boards usually are pretty low-key affairs. Place your hand on the Bible, solemnly swear to uphold the Constitution, shake hands, and sit down.
But an appointment at Tuesday’s Morristown council meeting evoked thunderous applause, and even some tears.
The tears were shed by Bill Byrne, who was lauded and applauded for accepting a seat as a second alternate representing tenants on the town rent leveling board.
Byrne, 63, has overcome a rare developmental disability to become a champion for others with disabilities. He also is an unflagging advocate for pedestrian safety in town, frequently appearing before the council to point out hazardous intersections and sidewalk safety issues.
Mayor Tim Dougherty commended Byrne “for all the hard work he puts in to try to make this world a little bit better place for people with intellectual disabilities.”
Byrne was born with PKU, short for phenylketonuria, an amino acid disorder that can impair mental development if not diagnosed and treated swiftly.
Over the years, he has worked closely with The Arc of New Jersey on a campaign to eliminate the stigmatizing “R” word — as in “retarded”–from state documents, everyday use, and even from the “ARC” name.
In 2012, Gov. Chris Christie invited Byrne to Trenton for a discussion of workplace challenges confronting the disabled.
Byrne’s mother, Emily Byrne of Morris Plains, held the Bible on Tuesday as her son was sworn in for his four-year volunteer term by the Mayor and Council President Stefan Armington.
“I think you do an amazing job and you’re an amazing man,” Dougherty told Byrne afterward, to a second round of applause.
“I promise I will do the best that I can on the rent leveling board because this is really an honor,” Byrne told the Mayor and council. No other person with this condition holds such a position in New Jersey, he said. “So I’m going to do everything in my power to protect that honor.”
I’ve known Bill Byrne for many years and have always been impressed with his dedication and tenacity with the causes he supports. He is an inspiration to all of us.