By David Kilby, Staff Writer
JAMESBURG — Mayor Tony LaMantia, who has been mayor of Jamesburg since 2000, has decided not to run again this year.
Mayor LaMantia has been on the council since 1996 and also has been a volunteer fireman for the Jamesburg Volunteer Fire Department since 1973.
In addition, Mayor LaMantia has served as the volunteer recreation director, a police commissioner and school board member.
The Borough Council unanimously elected him mayor after former mayor Joseph Dipierro resigned in September 2000.
In the time he has been mayor, the main things accomplished in town were “making everyone a big family and getting out of debt,” he said.
On of the projects he considered worthy of mention was the additions and renovations to Green Acres-Knights of Columbus Park on Augustus Street. He said in the past decade the borough has added lights, extra baseball fields, a concession stand and restrooms, and the park has helped foster a more close-knit community in Jamesburg.
He said he loves working for the people in the borough, but believes it’s time for someone else with different ideas to step in.
”Everybody in Jamesburg is a good person. Everyone has concern for the borough,” he said, adding he just wants the new mayor to have that same concern all the citizens have.
”I believe whoever becomes mayor will do that job,” he said.
The only person running for mayor is Council President Otto Kostbar. Any other candidates will have to be write-in votes the day of the primary election June 7.
Council members Brenda Deans and Daria Ludas will be running for re-election in the primaries as their terms end this year, and Brian Taylor will be competing for the open seats as well. All three candidates are Democrats.
Mayor LaMantia plans to retire at the end of the year to “spend more time with family and basically enjoy life.”
He thanks the residents of Jamesburg for having confidence in him all these years and said the borough is run by “everybody working together.”
”The borough employees and residents are the ones that make Jamesburg Jamesburg, not just one person,” he said.
