Two Marlboro council seats, mayor’s post up for grabs

By JEREMY GROSSMAN
Staff Writer

MARLBORO — Republican candidates in Marlboro are hoping to shake up the Democratic majority, with two seats on the Township Council and the mayor’s office on the ballot in the Nov. 3 municipal election.

Republican Ira Goldberg has filed to run for the four-year mayor’s term against twoterm Democratic Mayor Jonathan Hornik, while Republicans Sui Allex and Francis DeBlasi have filed nominating petitions to run for four-year council terms against Democratic incumbents Randi Marder and Mike Scalea.

Goldberg, 66, has lived in Marlboro for 36 years and works as the CEO and president of Beyond Concrete, a decorative concrete company in Keyport.

“I have been here long enough to know the things that are good and bad,” Goldberg said. “I think I can make a difference as I’m listening to the people, and I think their voice could be heard through me. I would love to be their ambassador. I think the town would profit from me. I’m not doing this to further a political career — this is to help people who come to me and say, ‘What could we do?’ ”

Allex, 49, has lived in Marlboro for 16 years and works as a project manager and business analyst in finance technology.

“I have lived in the township for so long now,” Allex said. “I really feel I can make a difference by understanding the policies and how the funding is used to be spent more efficiently and hoping to improve the town.”

Allex is the treasurer at the Monmouth Chinese School and serves on the Marlboro Multicultural Day Committee.

“I would like to be the voice for our community. I am not sure if everyone’s voices are being heard. I am going to go out and listen to the people and address the people’s voices,” she said.

DeBlasi works as a funeral director at Day Funeral Home in Keyport. He was unable to be reached for comment.

Hornik, 45, took office as mayor in January 2008. He works as an attorney in New Jersey and New York.

“I want to continue the progress we have made over the last eight years and the big picture,” Hornik said. “Our focus has been making Marlboro financially independent and fiscally responsible, and we really achieved remarkable results over the last eight years and during some very, very difficult financial times in the beginning and having survived the catastrophic events we have had like [storms] Irene and Sandy.

“I want to continue that progress and also keep improving the quality of life for Marlboro residents. People move to Marlboro because it is such a great town, with great recreational facilities and a terrific school system, and we have really pushed for economic development and it has attracted some great restaurants and shopping experiences. I just feel like we are moving in the right direction. I am running because things are going really well in town,” Hornik said.

Marder, 43, has been on the council for seven years. She works in sales and marketing, and serves on the Farmland, Historic and Open Space Committee, the Shade Tree Committee and the Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse.

“I am running for re-election primarily because I want to continue the work I have been doing,” Marder said. “I really enjoy working with the committees I currently work on, as well as continuing to work with the mayor and council and continuing to work on the goals we have set forth.”

Scalea, 49, has served on the council for four months. He was appointed to fill a seat that opened when Frank LaRocca resigned from the governing body in January. Scalea works as an information technology consultant.

“I have enjoyed working with the council,” Scalea said. “They do a great job. Over the years, as a resident of Marlboro seeing the change in leadership, they have done some good things.”

Scalea is the council’s liaison to the Parks and Recreation Committee and to the Foreign Youth Exchange Program.

“I just want to continue to give back to the community and work with these guys,” Scalea said. “They are a good group of people and they have the best interests of residents in heart, and I want to be part of that.”

The council seats held by Jeff Cantor, Carol Mazzola and Scott Metzger are not on the ballot this year.