Two in near dead heat for one Milltown seat
Skarzynski re-elected; Cruz, Farkas in close race for second seat
BY SETH MANDEL
Staff Writer

Mike Skarzynski

While one Milltown Borough Council seat has been decided, there is a near dead heat between two candidates for the other spot.

Provisional ballots had yet to be counted, but in the latest count yesterday, Republican newcomer Randy Farkas was leading former Democratic Councilman Joseph Cruz by just two votes.

What was known following Tuesday’s election was that Democrat and current council President Mike Skarzynski has been elected to his fourth term, and that Republican John Dunay was unsuccessful in his bid.

Skarzynski received 1,572 votes, with Farkas and Cruz getting 1,362 and 1,360, respectively. Dunay garnered 1,117. Eight provisional ballots remained to be counted.

Both camps remained optimistic about the election.

“My message all along was more representation; there needs to be more balance,” Farkas said. “If indeed these two votes hold up, that meets one of my goals. It gives a voice to some of the other people who, I think, have been disenfranchised.”

Joseph Cruz

Mayor Gloria Bradford and Councilman Sean Leary are currently the only two Republicans on the governing body. If Farkas holds on, the council would be made up of three Republicans and three Democrats, serving alongside Bradford.

Dunay was encouraged by the prospect of the Democrats losing their majority.

“I’m very happy that we got one more seat on the council. I’m sure that it’ll turn out that way,” Dunay said.

On the other hand, Skarzynski, who has served for nine consecutive years on the council, said he was confident the Democrats would retain the seat.

“I’m still optimistic that my running mate is going to prevail,” Skarzynski said yesterday.

Cruz, who served on council from 2000-03, said the close race is typical of the borough and its wide range of representation.

“It’s always been a tough town, Milltown,” Cruz said. “You never knew year to year what was going to go on, because we have a lot of independents in town — which is good; people should be able to vote across the line either way, whatever way they feel is the right way to vote.”

Randy Farkas

Cruz said he wanted to return to the council, which he feels is the best opportunity to help the borough’s residents.

“I like helping people, and I like helping the town that I grew up in. It’s a good town,” Cruz said.

This was the first time Farkas, who is chairman of the Fourth of July Committee and helps run the annual Halloween Haunted River Walk fundraiser, has run for council.

He said the campaign process was a learning experience, and he enjoyed talking to residents about issues facing the town.

“I know in my heart that I can do a good job, and work for the people in this town,” Farkas said. “I think I’ve demonstrated that over the years with the community work that I do for the town, for the kids, so this is of course a natural progression. But I think I can bring the same enthusiasm, and certainly the same results to a term on council.”

John Dunay

Cruz said he would like to see the Ford Avenue redevelopment completed, and, if elected, would support the hiring of a full-time borough zoning officer.

“I feel strongly about that, because right now we have a part-timer, four hours a week, and it’s not enough time,” Cruz said. “If I get back in, I’m going to work toward the quality-of-life issues that affect the people of Milltown.”

Farkas was also in favor of a full-timer at that position, and would like to bring the zoning and construction office into the 21st century. He said the records are still kept on paper, and the office should run with more efficiency.

“That’s a source of revenue for the town, and we are sorely lacking in keeping up-to-date with all the files that are associated with that department,” Farkas said.

Skarzynski said that regardless of the outcome of the final seat, the council members are more than capable of working together.

“I’m going to continue doing what I’ve been doing,” Skarzynski said. “I’ve always prided myself on putting partisan politics aside for the betterment of the community and working together with whoever is up there.”

He said he appreciates the support he has received from residents, and is ready to serve another three years.

“I’m thankful for their confidence in me, and I won’t let them down,” he said.

Dunay said that after three unsuccessful bids for council, he does not plan to run again next year. He does plan to stay involved, and said his campaign experience will help his efforts to continue to have a positive impact on the town.

“I’ll still be an active voice in the community, but I think I’m going to step aside and let somebody else try,” Dunay said.

All four candidates did agree on one thing — that the campaigns were kept clean and contested on the issues.

“We ran a good, clean campaign, both sides, and that’s important to me, because I wouldn’t run any other way,” Cruz said.

He said all the candidates would make capable councilmen, and all behaved with class and integrity during the campaign.

“It wasn’t cut-throat or anything like that,” Cruz said. “It was pretty clean, and I liked that. I’m glad that both sides have decent candidates to put up.”

Farkas said Skarzynski and Cruz were “gentlemen,” and they should be commended for that.

Dunay said the two sides agreed to abide by certain rules, such as the size of the campaign signs. That produced a fair election that, Dunay said, was decided, in the end, by the people, and preserved the close-knit, friendly atmosphere of the borough.

“We’re a small community,” he said. “We’re still neighbors.”