On the Borough Council Ballot in Fair Haven

With two Fair Haven Borough Council seats up for grabs, a lone Democrat is vying to oust one of two Republican incumbents.

Those GOP incumbents are Robert Marchese and Eric Jaeger. The last time the two ran on a ticket together was the year Hurricane Sandy hit — 2012. Marchese is seeking election to a full third three-year term. Jaeger, who began serving in 2012 to fill an unexpired term, is seeking a full second.

Fair Haven Councilman Robert Marchese Photo/screenshot of campaign website photo
Fair Haven Councilman Robert Marchese
Photo/screenshot of campaign website photo

Marchese serves as the Borough Council liaison to the Planning and Zoning boards. He is also a founding member of the Rumson-Fair Haven Community Alliance, formed in 2012 to address the issue of substance abuse in the area.

Councilman Eric Jaeger Photo/screenshot of campaign website photo
Councilman Eric Jaeger
Photo/screenshot of campaign website photo

Jaeger is the liaison to the Fair Haven Fire Department and a member of council’s Finance Committee.

The GOP platform:

The team considers property taxes, unfunded mandates and local, state and national economic issues to be primary concerns for Fair Haven.

Specifically, according to their campaign literature, they are running on a re-election platform of: drawing the line on municipal taxes; cost-efficiency versus service cuts; public safety; and community service.

“They understand these issues and are answering your call for solutions — and they aren’t sitting on the side lines either,” the online campaign literature said.

For more information, check the Fair Haven GOP website by clicking here.

The Democratic challenger in his first run for political office  is Shervyn von Hoerl.

Democratic candidate for Fair Haven Borough Council Servyn von Hoerl Photo/screenshot of von Hoerl's campaign website photo
Democratic candidate for Fair Haven Borough Council Servyn von Hoerl
Photo/screenshot of von Hoerl’s campaign website photo

A graduate of Dartmouth College, von Hoerl grew up in northern California. He moved to the east coast to work in New York City as the manager of “the North American fixed-income portfolio for the Federal Republic of Germany’s bad bank, including approximately $8 billion of municipal debt and derivatives,” his biography said.

“When the time came to choose a town to set down roots and raise his family, Shervyn jumped at the opportunity to move to Fair Haven.”

His platform: “A fresh perspective for Fair Haven’s future,” according to his website.

That perspective, according to his website, means preserving Fair Haven’s “small-town feel;” efficiency in fiscal management; and maintaining transparency in government.

For his quotes on each platform point, click here.

The polls are open at the usual polling places from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

— Elaine Van Develde