Voters will select candidates in June 8 primary
By:Roger Alvarado
Four candidates will vie for the Republican Party’s two nominations to the Borough Council in what promises to be one of the most hotly contested primaries in years, June 8.
Former Councilman Martin Wierzba of Huff Avenue and three-time incumbent Mike Polak of Rabens Avenue have broken off from the local "official" party organization and thrown their hats into the ring against incumbent Councilwoman Susan Asher of Cooper Street and newcomer Joseph Bialit of North 7th Avenue.
The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrats Ken Lessing and Robert Petrone in November.
Ms. Asher and Mr. Bialit have both received the Somerset County Republican Organization’s endorsement based on the recommendation of the Manville Republican Municipal Committee and will appear on the primary ballot in the same column as the slate of delegates for President George W. Bush. Mr. Polak and Mr. Wierzba will be in the next column.
In less than two weeks, voters will be asked to choose two of the four to represent them in November.
Mr. Wierzba, who last year failed in his bid to unseat four-term mayor Angelo Corradino, says he wants to build upon his track record of working for the people.
"The community can expect to at least have someone represent them in a way that their questions will be asked, which is something that I think is currently lacking on the council," Mr. Wierzba said. "I have a different agenda than everyone up there."
Mr. Wierzba says he’s not interested in politicking and would rather focus on promoting things like some day building a museum that would commemorate the borough’s rich history.
"(Borough resident) John Shutack brought the idea up a few years ago and I think it’s a great idea," Mr. Wierzba said. "It’s important to have something that preserves the borough’s history and will show the people of future generations where Manville came from."
Mr. Wierzba says that over the last year he feels he’s been slighted and that his views haven’t been as widely embraced as he would have liked them to be.
"For the Republicans who vote, they need to ask who is going to represent the party in the best manner by asking the difficult questions and standing up to whatever forces that may exist," he said.
Mr. Polak, 74, said Tuesday that if elected to a fourth term he will try to get the Rustic Mall developed and work with the façade committee to try to step up the beautification of the Main Street area.
"I want to continue to the good work we’re doing in Manville," Mr. Polak said.
Lifelong borough resident, Susan Asher says that if elected to a second term she will try to stabilize taxes and stimulate growth while working to preserve the public’s health and safety.
"I want to work on the redevelopment of the Rustic Mall," she said. "I will work to continue the emergency management program."
Ms. Asher, a seventh- and eighth-grade science and social studies teacher at the Robert Morris School in South Bound Brook, says that over the last three years the redevelopment program has made a great deal of progress under her watch.
"We now have sirens in all parts of town that are tested the first Saturday of each month," she said. In addition, Ms. Asher says, her biggest pet project is to see to it that the technology in the Manville Public Library is upgraded.
Ms. Asher says she will work hard to obtain major money through grants and money from the Borough Council to get the facility up to par with others around the state.
While on council Ms. Asher, as safety commissioner, says she helped initiate a fund-raiser to help buy the Manville Rescue Squad’s crash truck, and created better understanding and a stronger cooperative relationship between the rescue squad, police force, Fire Department and Office of Emergency Management by getting them on the same page by meeting jointly. She was also instrumental in obtaining the borough’s police dog.
She was the borough’s former liaison to the Recreation Department and currently serves in the same function with the library board and Department of Public Works. She also started her own aqua aerobics program through grant money she personally obtained.
Newcomer Joseph Bialit, 34, a Somerset County sheriff’s officer for six years, is a lifelong borough resident and graduate of Manville High School.
Mr. Bialit says he was inspired to seek office after the positive experience he had while in the Somerset County Police Academy’s community policing program.
"It showed me how it could bring people from the community together," he said. "I want to try to get the same results on the council."
Mr. Bialit said his policing background would provide a vital asset to the community.
"Times have changed," he said. "It’s not as safe as it used to be and (Hurricane) Floyd has changed a lot."
If elected, Mr. Bialit says, he would work on stabilizing taxes.
"We don’t need increases the way Hillsborough has had (as a result of the rolling assessment process)," he said. "We need to keep things realistic."
He says most of all he would like to work to urge borough residents to get involved in their community. In summing up what all felt will be a unique primary process, Mr. Wierzba ended by urging his party to put forth a united front once the election passes.
"It boils down to a popularity contest and the people will pick who they think can do the best job when they go into the voting booth," Mr. Wierzba said. "But win or lose, we are all part of the same party and we need to work hard to get our agenda out to the community for everybody to hear.
"Republicans should know that just because I’m not running on the party line doesn’t mean I’m not the biggest Bush fan out of all four of us," he said.
Traditionally the borough’s voter turnout has not been all that great for primaries, but this year should be different since it is a presidential election year.
Last year, just 297 out of 4,508 registered voters came out compared to 352 out of 4,471 registered who came out in 2002. During the 2001 gubernatorial election 640 out of the then 4,691 registered voters came out to vote.