No one else asks for municipal party committee’s nod
By Mary Ellen Day, Special Writer
Steve Szabo and Dayna Camacho have been unanimously endorsed by the Republican Party municipal committee as preferred candidates in this year’s race for Borough Council.
The two received the party’s endorsement at the Republican committee meeting Tuesday night.
Two seats are up this year. One is Mr. Szabo’s and the other is held by Democrat Ed Komoroski. Democrats haven’t announced their preferred ticket.
Rudy Nowak, the Republican municipal chairman, said that there were no other candidates who stepped forward and indicated a desire to win the party committee’s support.
Anyone can file by Monday, March 31, to be on the June 3 primary election ballot.
”The two candidates that we are going to endorse are Dayna and Steve,” said Mr. Nowak. “There will be no contest this evening and this year it looks like it is cut and dry,” he said.
Mr. Szabo spoke briefly to thank people “for allowing me to run again. . . I will just keep on doing what I am doing — saying no.”
Mr. Szabo is a three-term incumbent. He spent 10 years special police officer and 10 years on Manville’s Civil Defense group. A Marine Corps veteran, he is both a VFW and American Legion life member and past post commander.
Ms. Camacho, the president of the Manville Republican Club, spoke about gaining the majority of the six council seats.
”We need to secure that fourth seat and we could start making some well-needed changes to bring about some positive changes and keep Manville moving in a forward and positive direction,” she said. “I am looking forward to working with our other Republicans to bring about these changes and to make some common-sense decisions for all of us.”
She said she would like to take on property taxes as the houses become vacant and she feels because of that the debt is rising and the flooding is still an issue.
Ms. Camacho said “For those of you who know me, I am willing to fight and passionate about that. This is my home and I love this town. I will not give up.”
Both Ms. Camacho and Mr. Szabo said they will work cross party lines to do their best for Manville.
Ms. Camacho has been a Manville resident for 10 years and lives in Lost Valley. Ms. Camacho is the Alexander Batcho Intermediate School PTA president and is a past PTA president for Roosevelt School. She is working in the school district at Roosevelt School as a lunch lady and is a licensed hairdresser. Ms. Camacho and her husband are former business owners of Ted’s Pizzeria on South Main Street.
Somerset County Freeholders Robert Zabrowski and Peter Palmer attended and said they were running for re-election. The campaign manager attended for Dr. Alieta Eck of Franklin Township, who seeks the GOP nomination to replace Rush Holt, who is retiring at the end of the year.

