Bernards Twp. Committee to Chose 1 of 3 to Replace Spitzer

The all-Republican Bernards Township Committee will be following the standard procedure of selecting one of three candidates nominated by the Bernards Township Municipal Republican Committee as a replacement for Scott Spitzer, who resigned last week, through this December.

The Township Committee expects to vote on selecting a new member at its next meeting, scheduled for 8 p.m. Aug. 27, said Township Committeeman John Malay.

Spitzer's three-year term expires on Dec. 31, 2013, said Township Clerk Denise Szabo. 

Since Spitzer already had announced he would not seek re-election, the term that two candidates already will be seeking this fall are full three-year terms to begin in 2014, she said.

One of those candidates, Carol Bianchi, is among the three chosen on Monday by the Republican Municipal Committee for potential Township Committee members to fill Spitzer's seat through Dec. 31.

The other two, Lisa Marshall and Kenneth White, were approved unanimously by the Republican Municipal Committee during a meeting on Monday at the Bernards Township Library.

With the resignation of Spitzer being effective on Aug. 9, the Bernards Township Republican Municipal Committee (BTRMC) was under the terms of the New Jersey Municipal Vacancy Law, charged with providing the Township Committee with a slate of three people from which they will select Spitzer's replacement, according to an announcement from the municipal committee.

Bianchi is the Republican Party's candidate for Township Committee. She was endorsed by the BTRMC and was subsequently nominated by the Party in the June primary.  

Both Marshall and White have an extensive record of serving the community on a number of boards, commissions and other civic organizations, according to the Republican municipal committee.

“We sincerely appreciate the many years of service that Scott gave to Bernards Township. We will miss his leadership and friendship and wish him and his wife Toby great happiness in all their future endeavors,” said BTRMC Chairman John Bayeux. 

Bayeux said the Republican municipal committee is "honored to be able to offer the Township Committee a slate consisting of three distinguished leaders in our community. We are confident that the Township will be well served.”

Democratic candidate also nominated for fall election

A Democratic candidate, David Ferdinand, had sought and won the primary election to be officially nominated as Bernards Township's Democratic nomination for election to the three-year term beginning in 2014 on the Bernards Township Committee.