Hornik ready to get going in Marlboro
Democrats sweep mayor's office and two council seats
BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer
Marlboro voters showed their desire for change on Election Day, Nov. 6, by electing three Democratic candidates to fill the mayor's office and two seats on the Township Council.

Jonathan Hornik won the mayoral race by defeating Republican incumbent Mayor Robert Kleinberg. Hornik received 6,065 votes and Kleinberg received 4,058 votes. Kleinberg was seeking a second four-year term.

Hornik, a native of Marlboro, is the son of the late Saul Hornik, who was a three-term mayor of Marlboro from 1980-91.

Hornik said he visited town hall on the day after the election to meet with municipal employees. He said the members of his transition team will start meeting this week to prepare for the new administration.

The mayor-elect said that when he takes office in January, he will begin implementing his plan to help the residents of Marlboro by preparing and reviewing the municipal budget, immediately revisiting the affordable housing issue and creating a master plan for the recreation department.

A pair of Democratic council candidates who were making their first bids for public office won four-year terms on the governing body. Democrats Frank LaRocca, who received 5,746 votes, and Randi Marder, who received 5,608 votes, defeated Republican incumbent council members Patricia Morelli, who received 4,121 votes, and Joseph Pernice, who received 4,041 votes.

Morelli and Pernice were both seeking a second four-year term.

Hornik, LaRocca and Marder will be sworn into office in January during the township's annual reorganization meeting. LaRocca and Marder will join Republicans Jeff Cantor, Steve Rosenthal and Rosa Tragni on the council.

In talking about his victory, Hornik said, "It was a very contentious campaign, I'm glad it's over and very happy with the results."

The mayor-elect said he is looking forward to starting to work with his running mates LaRocca and Marder, and with the three incumbent council members.

In ending his service as mayor after one term Kleinberg wished Hornik all the best.

"Four years ago the people of Marlboro wanted a change, a few days ago they spoke again wanting another change," he said.

Kleinberg said he is proud of what his administration accomplished over the last four years. He said he would work to ensure a smooth transition to the new administration.

Speaking about his election to council, LaRocca said, "I just wanted to state that this experience was extremely fulfilling for me. We started this campaign in April with real learned ideas on how to improve our community. We energized the township (by) getting 50 percent of the voters to vote in an off-year election and become aware of the issues we face. I look forward to working with Jon (Hornik), Randi (Marder), Jeff (Cantor), Rosa (Tragni) and Steve (Rosenthal) on making Marlboro even better than it is today," he said.

On the evening after Election Day a council meeting was held. Marder was present and accepted the council members' offer to join them at the table. Marder thanked Pernice and Morelli for volunteering their time to the township, speaking about the amount of energy it takes to do the job and about how the job can sometimes be underappreciated.

Expressing her thanks for those who supported her, Morelli said she hoped the new administration would continue to work with the open space projects she had worked on.

Pernice spoke of how the three newly elected officials are "good people" and said he would be there for them if they need him. The councilman also said Marlboro will continue to thrive.

Members of the public took the opportunity to speak out about the election and offer kind words to Pernice and Morelli during the Citizen's Voice portion of the meeting.

William Waple called this mayoral campaign one of the worst he has seen. He said he was sorry to see Pernice and Morelli go, but hoped they would continue to participate by coming to meetings.

The Democrats' campaign manager Steven Sukel thanked Morelli and Pernice, telling them, "You are doers, not complainers."

Words of thanks were given to the council, especially Pernice, by local developer Edward Kay. Kay thanked Pernice for always treating all of Marlboro's residents with respect.

In the race for the four-year 12th district state Senate seat, incumbent Democrat state Sen. Ellen Karcher carried Marlboro, her municipality of residence. Karcher defeated Republican state Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck, 5,668 to 4,353, in Marlboro. When all the votes were counted, however, Beck, of Red Bank, had won the four-year Senate seat from Karcher.

The two Democrats running for the twoyear 12th District Assembly seats also prevailed in Marlboro. Incumbent Democratic Assemblyman Michael Panter received 5,570 votes and his running mate Amy Mallet received 5,397 votes. The Republican Assembly candidates Declan O'Scanlon, 3,987 votes, and Caroline Casagrande, 4,012 votes, lost Marlboro, but won the Assembly seats when all the votes in the district were tallied.