Voters stay with all-GOP council
Dems see campaign as good first step in getting two-party system into Fair Haven
MARIE ORTIZ Marti Eggers of Fair Haven addresses supporters after Tuesday’s election in which she and her Democratic running mates fell to the Republicans.
FAIR HAVEN — With more than 70 percent of eligible voters going to the polls, the Borough Council maintained its status as an all-Republican panel.
The closest race for a seat on the governing body came between Wendy Jones and Susan "Bear" Atwood for the one-year term created by William Leonard’s taking over as mayor.
Tom Gilmour, who was appointed to fill Leonard’s council seat until voters could choose a successor, was successful in his bid for a three-year term on the governing body.
Jones received 1,484 votes with Atwood getting 1,214 votes. With absentee ballots not yet accounted for, 2,859 of the borough’s 4,067 registered voters went to the polls.
George Berry and Gilmour had a slightly easier time with challengers Marti Egger and Bruce Fowler. Berry topped all vote-getters with 1,570 ballots; Gilmour received 1,512. Fowler polled 1,195 votes, while Egger received 1,171.
"I’m very happy," Gilmour said. "I think it’s really a reflection that people approved of what the council is doing right now.
"I don’t think there was any one real issue," Gilmour added. "I think it’s just a recognition that some of the things we’ve talked about, we’re doing."
He mentioned specifically the council’s efforts to open up the lines of communication with borough residents, particularly on the borough’s master plan which governs land use.
While the GOP maintains its hold on the council, Gilmour said he felt the race was good for the town and complimented the Democrats on a well-run campaign.
As for the Democrats, while they would liked to have gained a presence on the council, just getting the long dormant party organization in town off the ground and onto solid enough footing to run a credible campaign was seen as a good first step.
"I and my running mates will continue to try and get a two-party system into Fair Haven," Fowler said. "I want to thank the 1,200 people who voted for us. We brought about change on the council and that was what we really needed."
Egger concurred with her running mate. "I made wonderful friends," she said. "We brought a real choice to the process. I think through this process, Fair Haven will benefit by getting positive change."
All three Democrats said they are taking Tuesday’s election as a beginning, and Egger credited Susan L. O’Brien, with whom she sought a council seat last year, as getting the party up off the mat.
"This is the best thing I’ve ever done," Atwood said. "I participated in my government and I’ve had a wonderful time meeting everyone from Fair Haven. The Republican Party really had to work. We were looking for healthy debate on our council. We’ll be back next year."
That sentiment was echoed by Fowler.
"It’s been a lot of fun," he said. "We’re not going to give up. There’s only one way to go, and that’s up."
Darlene Diebold contributed to this story.