Candidate seeking write-in support in Manalapan race
BY KATHY BARATTA
Staff Writer

Dennis Bruzzi

MANALAPAN - Although he is running without a party affiliation, Dennis Bruzzi has a slogan that speaks to his professed tenacity: "I'm not going away."

Bruzzi announced last week that he is running as a write-in candidate for a three-year term on the Township Committee in the Nov. 7 election.

The two candidates whose names will appear on the ballot are Republican Nikki Pezzullo and Democrat Richard Klauber. Residents who want to vote for Bruzzi will have to write in his name.

Although he remains a registered Republican, Bruzzi, 53, says he jumped through all the necessary bureaucratic hoops to establish himself as a candidate, albeit a write-in one. He said he knows his odds of winning election might be "slim to none," but said he is giving it his all nonetheless.

Bruzzi's plan to run in the Republican primary in June failed to materialize because of issues surrounding his nominating petition.

He said he remains a Republican on national affairs, but sees no need for partisanship on the local level.

"As a Republican, I am very proud of Republican committeemen Andrew Lucas and Joseph Locricchio. I think they're on the right track. All of the present committee people are good people who want to do what is good for the town."

Bruzzi said he would bring more than 25 years experience as a facilities coordinator for NBC Universal to be put to use in coordinating and facilitating municipal efforts.

"I know what it takes to get things done," he said.

Bruzzi said even without being privy to any particular budget line items, he estimates he could come up with a 10 percent reduction in spending just by making better use of existing manpower.

"A look at the budget would likely yield areas to cut. There are ways to bring in efficiency without cutting heads," he said.

Bruzzi, who is a member of Manal-apan's recreation advisory board, said he would take a look at the office of the township administrator.

Referring to the services of a resident that were lost when that person went to work elsewhere due to what Bruzzi termed inaction by Administrator Alayne Shepler in acting to secure the resident's services for Manalapan, as well as Shepler's recently recommended suspension of the recreation department director, Bruzzi said, "I wouldn't stand for an administrator who loses resources like a volunteer resident and instead spends time and resources chasing a township employee for reasons that seem to make no sense."

Bruzzi said one thing he has going for him in his write-in bid for office is "brand recognition" with 1,700 families of the Manalapan Baseball Association. Bruzzi sits on the executive committee as well as being director of the organization.