Barnegat Indy Candidates Drop Out of Township Committee Race

BARNEGAT TOWNSHIP, NJ - Citing the "tangled web" of Barnegat politics, the independent candidates in the race for the Township Committee seats in November have dropped out.

William Cox and Elaine Taylor said on their Facebook page they had decided there is no apparent pathway to victory in November.

"Barnegat politics are a tangled web and the backroom maneuvering by many has drawn a clear picture that 2018 will not be a year of change," the post states. "Deciding to take part in the political process is daunting enough but when you encounter forces that will do everything and anything in their power to remain in charge, that task becomes insurmountable. It is not fair to those who would donate their time, money and effort to continue in the campaign."

The two decided to run in early April and said they were tired of the one-sided, rubber-stamped politics and cronyism on the all-GOP Township Committee.

Their decision came after verbal and once a nearly physical battle by several members of the all-Republican Township Committee.

Cox and Taylor also objected to the resignations of two Barnegat Township Committee members who then almost immediately received paid township jobs.

Business Administrator Martin Lisella moved from a committee seat to his current position, which pays $144,920 a year. Former Committeewoman Susan McCabe, resigned from her seat on Jan. 1 to take a job as the township's conflict and labor attorney for $90,000.

Cox and Taylor had pledged to propose an ordinance that would forbid any Township Committee member from working for the township for three years after their term ended, and receiving a stipend for any township functions other than their annual salary.

The all-GOP Committee was already in turmoil earlier this year.

Four committee members voted to censure Mayor Frank Caputo, after what Committeeman John Novak said was the result of "improper touching and/or assault of a committeeman, the display of an out-of-control, profanity-laden tirade and the threat of violence against another committeeman," according to a report in app.com.

Caputo denied the allegations, but admitted to becoming "loud and boisterous" after a February committee meeting.

He said he put his hands on Deputy Mayor Alfonso Cirulli's shoulders, but said Cirulli was comforting him.
Cirulli disagreed. He told app.com that Caputo had put his hands on his throat "in a rage."

Cirulli and Caputo have said the disagreements were partly related to the mayor's decision to seek re-election. His term expires at the end of this year.

But Caputo says the disagreements stem from his objections about Novak seeking a position as emergency management coordinator for the township. Caputo said he feared the position would end up being a paid job in the future.

So the remaining choices in the race for the two, three-year available seats on the Township Committee in the November election include:

Republicans: Linda Kropf, 38, Bridgewaters Passage, Pasquale Pipi, 8 Wavecrest Court.

Democrats: Daniel Ward, 48 Chestnut Way, Paul Whitcraft, 111 Wake Road.

All the candidates are running unopposed in Tuesday's primary.

Cox and Taylor urged residents to attend committee meetings and stay involved.

"Keep your eyes open and your ears to the ground," they said on a Facebook post.

Photo: Courtesy of Bill Cox and Elaine Taylor