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ACROPOLIS, KELLY READY TO MAKE PITCH TO VOTERS
By Eric San Juan
Is it really time to vote for mayor again? If it seems like the voters of Brick Township just went through this process, that is because they did. In November 2005, former Mayor Joseph Scarpelli and Councilman Stephen Acropolis squared off in the mayoral election.
Scarpelli was reelected by less than 200 votes - but his fourth term wouldn't last. Whispers said he would not last out his campaign, and those whispers turned out to be true when he abruptly resigned in late 2006. Shortly after his resignation, Scarpelli was indicted on corruption charges. He may face jail time.
A scramble ensued, and when the process - conducted as per state law - was over, former planning board Chairman Dan Kelly was appointed mayor.
Now Kelly will face Acropolis on Election Day. The winner will serve out the remaining two years on what would have been Scarpelli's four-year term.
On November 6, voters will make their choice.
For his part, Acropolis, a Republican and longtime councilman, said he hopes the campaign will be about philosophies and ideals, not personal politics.
"I don't want this to be a 'me against Dan Kelly' thing. This is about who is best suited to lead the township," Acropolis said. "Dan Kelly is a nice man. That doesn't mean I think he should be mayor, but from a personal standpoint, he is a nice guy."
Kelly returned the compliment - and he had a caveat too.
"Mr. Acropolis is not a bad man by any means," Kelly said. But, he said, "I think my opponent has been in elected office for a long time, I think 11, 12 years. I've been here 11 months. I have a fresh approach."
To Acropolis, Kelly's 11 months as mayor should be examined. Over the last year, the GOP candidate said, Kelly has had a chance to prove himself as mayor. "He hasn't done a thing," Acropolis argued. "Dan Kelly doesn't come with any ideas."
According to Acropolis, Kelly misses a lot of council meetings. He also criticized Kelly's decision to file suit against the township over appointments to the planning board and township attorney position, a suit Kelly eventually lost.
As for his tenure as an elected official, Acropolis said, "I am not a professional politician. I will not be the mayor for 10 or 20 years."
Because his run for mayor requires him to step down from the council, if he does not win in November, Acropolis will be out of the elected official game.
"I'm going to be the mayor," he said, "or I'll be out of politics."
Kelly's path to a candidacy was less direct. He served as chairman of the planning board for four years and was only appointed mayor - not elected by voters - thanks to the circumstances surrounding Scarpelli. When Brick needed someone to fill the mayor's seat, and specifically a Democrat, Kelly decided to throw his hat in the ring.
"When the need came for someone to take on the mayor's seat, I asked myself, 'Why not me?'" he posed.
Deciding to run for mayor was not an easy choice for Kelly. "It changed my life in a lot of ways. I was retired, now I'm back to a full-time job, here every day with a lot of responsibility."
Part of those responsibilities include, well, being the mayor. There are events to attend, ceremonies to preside over and the expectation that he'll be on-hand to represent the township. He said it has been a good experience.
A good experience he, unlike Acropolis, never expected, according to Kelly.
"Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined myself as mayor of the Township of Brick," Kelly said. "My opponent has stated it's probably a job he's wanted all his life."
Acropolis, who describes himself as a "hands-on guy," has made no secret of desiring a stint as mayor. He is a lifelong resident and said it would be a thrill to serve in the town in which he grew up.
But, he stresses, he has no desire to serve forever. Clearing the way for fresh faces is important, Acropolis argued. For instance, "Brian DeLuca is running (for council) this year because I'm not. I think he's going to be a great public servant."
At the end of the day, the councilman said he wants to continue the work he's done on the council, but extend it to the mayor's seat. He touts the work of the council's Republican majority as doing right by the township. He cites Brick's stringent pedophile residency laws, opening government by getting township council meetings broadcast on television and fighting development at Trader's Cove as a few of the council's top accomplishments.
Not everyone is in it for the right reasons, Acropolis said. "This election is about money. It's about keeping people in jobs. That to me is the down side of public service."
But political party, he argued, doesn't matter. "If you are not performing in your job, you're done."
Kelly said he'd like to bring his business philosophies to town hall.
"My management style came from when I was in business. That means hiring good people," Kelly said. "I think I have those people working for me right now ... The township is extra lucky to have the staff we have here."
The Democratic mayor also said he may be new to politics, but he is better suited to lead in Brick Township.
"I have a great love for Brick. I've been involved all my life," Kelly said. From coaching to volunteering to his involvement with the Knights of Columbus, St. Dominic's and other groups, Kelly said volunteers have given to him, so he should give back. "If (voters) were to choose me, I'd look forward to doing two more years of the job and hopefully riding off into the sunset."
Election Day is Tuesday, November 6.
For more on the campaign platforms of Acropolis and Kelly, see Page A5 of this edition of The Brick Times. Also, visit our archives at micromediapubs.com and look under "Government" to see past candidate columns, starting with our October 4 edition.
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