Two Republicans File for Bernardsville Council, But Democrat Doesn't Qualify

Two Republican candidates, Janet C. Waite and Chris Schmidt, filed with the Bernardsville Borough clerk by Monday to be placed on the June 4 primary ballot seeking their party's nomination for two open seats on the Borough Council this year.

However, Democrat Robert Frawley, who had stated his intention to run, had reportedly received mistaken information that his petition to be included on the ballot should be dropped off at the Somerset County clerk's office, Bernardsville deputy clerk Anthony Suriano said shortly after 4 p.m., the filing deadline.

Suriano said he had received a phone call from the county about five or 10 minutes prior to the deadline, too late for the petition to be driven to Bernardsville.

Suriano said he would have no choice but to reject the petition if it arrived late.

Frawley later said he's 'in one way or another'

Frawley said shortly after 5 p.m. that he has never run for Borough Council before, and he had received the wrong information from the county Democratic organization.

He said he is seeking to have the petition accepted but, if not, he will run as a write-in candidate in June.

"I am in, one way or another," Frawley said on Monday after the deadline.

Waite and Schmidt endorsed earlier by Bernardsville Republican Committee

Incumbents Kevin Sooey and Craig Lawrence did not file to seek re-election to the two available three-year terms on the Borough Council.

Although Sooey had said he would not seek re-election, Lawrence, the other Republican did screen before the borough's municipal committee earlier in March, said A.Q. "Skip" Orza, chair of the Republican committee.

Orza said the committee decided to endorse Waite and Schmidt following the screening.

The Democratic candidate, Frawley, said earlier on Monday afternoon that he wished to seek election because of what he called a "fairly hostile" atmosphere in Bernardsville.

"I don't like the direction things are taking," he said. He said that he believed many residents were surprised to hear about plans for athletic fields, including the possible construction of a possible turf field on borough property behind the Bernardsville Middle School. He said he believed that residents should have been included on a committee of residents prior to plans being made for the field.