By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
ALLENTOWN – Voters elected Democrat Robert H. Schmitt Jr. and independent candidate Thomas Fritts to three-year terms on the Allentown Borough Council on Nov. 8.
Schmitt is currently serving on the council. Fritts will join the governing body in January.
According to election results posted online by the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office, Schmitt and Fritts were elected with 382 and 323 votes, respectively. The results are unofficial until they are certified by the county.
The results show Fritts won a close race over John A. Elder III, who received 312 votes.
Councilwoman Madeline Gavin, an independent, was unsuccessful in her bid for re-election. Gavin received 260 votes.
Independent candidate Jessica Fitzgerald received 243 votes, Republican Phyllis M. Dutko received 228 votes and Republican Stacymarie T. Falotico received 183 votes in a race that featured seven candidates seeking a pair of seats on Allentown’s governing body.
Fritts has lived in Allentown for seven years. He won a three-year council term one year after he lost a bid for election by about 40 votes.
Fritts said he will focus on saving money while improving the quality of life for residents. He said he will seek to strengthen shared service agreements, continue to add new technologies and secure grants. He said he will work to address the borough’s traffic issues and pedestrian safety.
Schmitt is a lifelong resident of Allentown. He said his priorities for the next three years include ensuring that a new sewer plant that officials are planning to construct is built and made operational; continuing the fight for a fair county school tax assessment of Allentown; and continuing to find ways to meet the borough’s fiscal challenges.