Walsh will make a run at Howell mayor's post
BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer

HOWELL - Independent Township Councilman Robert Walsh has thrown his hat in the ring and will seek to become Howell's mayor in the November general election.

A four-year term as mayor will be up for grabs, along with one four-year term on the Township Council. Under Howell's form of government, the mayor is directly elected by voters, but is a member of the council who votes on all matters that come before the governing body.

Walsh's decision to run for mayor sets up a showdown between the sitting councilman and Republican Russell Bohlin, who previously announced that he would run for mayor.

Republican Mayor Joseph DiBella will not seek re-election this year. Republican Councilwoman Cynthia Schomaker is also not running for reelection.

No Democrats filed to run for mayor or council.

Walsh, 49, has lived in Howell for 14 years. He has been a member of the council for two years. He said he made the decision to run for mayor after discussing the move with his wife, Michelle.

Susan Schroeder Clark, a former Monmouth County assistant prosecutor, will run with Walsh for the open council seat. Clark, 40, has lived in Howell for four years with her husband, Charles, and children, Jack, 3, and Lindsay, 2.

Clark worked in the prosecutor's office for 12 years and was an adjunct professor of criminal procedure and evidence law at Monmouth University, West Long Branch. She said her interest in serving the community was sparked after she joined a local club for mothers.

"I welcome the opportunity to get involved with this election. I had been home for about two years raising my children and I got involved in the MOMS Club," she said. "It was there that I learned of the many different issues that families and homeowners are facing in Howell. I want to be an advocate for my family and a voice for Howell citizens. I am solely interested in what is good for Howell and making sure that what is good is carried out."

Walsh said he is also interested in what is good for Howell. He said his platform will be "increasing revenue in Howell, especially from the town's highways," and said he is committed to "keeping Howell green."

"We need to concentrate on generating revenue in this town. The cost of gas, roads, insurance and many other things keeps going up. Our revenue is not keeping up with the expenditures," he said.

Walsh owns Center State Mortgage and said his experience in the business world makes him well equipped to manage the town and its finances.

"Having been involved in business for a long time, I understand the pressures of having to increase revenue, and what it is to lose people because of layoffs" and different financial circumstances, he said.

"I understand what it means to make financial decisions to cut across the board in order to save money. I understand the everyone wants tax relief, but not off their backs, not when it affects something that is dear to them.

"My goal is to do good for the citizens of Howell and my mission is to increase revenue for the township, increase revenue from the town's highways, have sewers on Route 9 and to keep Howell as green as possible" said Walsh, the father of three children, ages 17, 15 and 13.

He said serving on a government body is rewarding and thankless, but said he is looking forward to the challenge of running for mayor.

Bohlin will be running for mayor on the Republican ticket with a council candidate to be determined. It was previously announced that Paul Schneider would be Bohlin's running mate and seek the open council seat, but Schneider recently dropped out of the race for personal reasons.