Carol Bianchi Named to Township Committee to Fill Spitzer Vacancy

In a move that must have surprised no one, Republican Carol Bianchi — already nominated by her party for this November's election and earlier endorsed by the Bernards Township Republican Municipal Committee — was appointed to fill out the last four months of a vacancy on the Bernards Township Committee.

The all-Republican Township Committee, governing body for Bernards Township, appointed Bianchi to fill the final few months of a term to which Scott Spitzer had been elected. Spitzer resigned as of earlier this month to move to New York City, where he already had accepted a new job.

In her comments as new Township Committee member, Bianchi thanked Spitzer for his years of "excellent service," and added she was looking forward to serving as a committee member.

By state law, as Township Attorney John Belardo explained, the municipal committee of the same party to which the resigning committee member belonged — and Spitzer was a Republican — has 15 days to give three names to the governing body, and that was done so.

Republicans Lisa Marshall and Kenneth White also were named by the Republican municipal committee as potential replacements for Spitzer.

Township Committeeman John Malay said he believes that the other two will be heard from in the future, but he felt that Bianchi was the strongest candidate. He said she brings the legal background to the Township Committee that Spitzer offered.

After being appointed to the Township Committee, Bianchi relinquished her position as chair of the Planning Board. Numerous Township Committee appointments were reshuffled as a result of Spitzer's resignation and Bianchi's arrival on the board. Planning alternate member Peter Hagan was moved into the position of regular member following Bianchi's resignation from the board.

In June, Bianchi was unopposed in winning the primary election to be listed on the ballot in November to be listed as the Republican candidate for a three-year term on the Township Committee.

She will be opposed in November by Democrat David Ferdinand.

Earlier this year, Bianchi received the Bernards Township Committee's endorsement for the party's official candidate for the one available three-year term on the Township Committee that begins on Jan. 1, 2014. 

During Tuesday's meeting, resident Todd Edelstein told Bianchi during the public portion of the meeting that he was sure she would do a good job — but he doesn't like the idea of having a committee person chosen by four people instead of the thousands of voters in Bernards Township.

He said he is sure that state law allows candidates to be "hand-picked," but added, "I don't agree with it at all."

Edelstein suggested that perhaps the township could have held a special election, or have waited the final few months of the year until a new committee person was elected at the public polls.

Deputy Mayor John Carpenter later said that officials don't get to choose when elections would be held.

During her comments, Bianchi assured Edelstein he would get a chance to vote in November's election.