Ex-Wayne School Board Trustee Enters Council Race

WAYNE, NJ — Christian Smith, a one-time Board of Education trustee, is running in this year's Township Council election.

Smith is running as an independent to represent Ward 4. He has lived in Ward 4 since 2000.

He said he is qualified to represent the ward because of his extensive business and public service experience.

"I'll be able to leverage my more than 30 years of business experience working within the pharmaceutical industry as a business analytics executive," Smith said.

Smith served on the Board of Education for one three-year term. He lost his re-election bid in 2017 and lost a bid in 2018 to get back on the school board. Smith said serving on the board would help him serve the people of Wayne well on the council.

"I've had experience governing, working and representing the community, taking my ques from them as to how the school district should move forward and will do the same as a council member," Smith said. "In addition, access to the Board of Education's budget and familiarity gained from it will help when reviewing our town's budget."

Former Wayne trustees have made the jump from the Board of Education to the Township Council. Former Councilman James Jimenez served as a trustee and current Ward 3 Councilman Franco Mazzei was one too.

Democrat Kenneth Tahan and longtime Republican incumbent Joseph Scuralli already secured their party's spots on the November ballot to try to represent Ward 4 on the council.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com