Election 2022: Fair Haven Candidates’ Round-Up & Factoids

** Editor’s note: All candidates were provided with the same questionnaire and at the same time. The responses are being published in the order in which they were received. At R-FH Retro, we strive for complete balance in coverage. All candidates were also offered the option of paid advertising in the form of linked photo campaign ads on this hyperlocal news website. Every year, both parties have accepted. This year, the Republicans declined. That is the only reason for the absence of Republican campaign ads. Republican candidates, after multiple efforts asking for a response to the questionnaire, did not respond. We do not endorse, but cite that a lack of response in this forum, as we know it, is a detriment to the public served. **

The notion in mind that an informed voter is a better voter, here are some facts that may enlighten and inspire whether or not you have cast your vote yet.

Form of Government

Do you know what form of government with which Fair Haven is run?

It is what is dubbed the Borough form of municipal government in New Jersey. There are several forms. While it may seem like a given that since Fair Haven is a borough, the form of government follows suit with that name. It’s not.

The Borough form of government is partisan, meaning that borough council members are affiliated with their particular party and elected on that partisan ticket. This form of municipal government is also a “strong” council, “weak” mayor form of government. This means that the mayor does not vote, except in the case of breaking a tie among council members.

The mayor also has veto power over ordinances (which are, essentially, borough laws). His vetoes, however, are subject to what is termed an “override” by a council two-thirds majority vote. The mayor also chairs, or runs, the meetings. The mayor, too, has the power to make professional appointments and liaison assignments to council members with the advice and consent of council.

Each council member serves as a liaison to a particular department or organization within the borough to affect better communication between departments/organizations and the governing body.

The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

Borough council members are elected to serve three-year terms on a six-member council dais in a completely volunteer capacity with no health benefits. They are not paid a cent to serve. The mayor serves in four-year terms and is elected separately as terms expire.

What happens when a borough council member must resign/retire?

If a borough council member must resign or retire due to emergent circumstances or a move and cannot complete their term on the dais, the governing body must fill the position within 30 days. The replacement, who is chosen from three candidates nominated by the borough party organization (Democrat or Republican, depending on the party affiliation of the council member leaving), serves out the remainder of the term.

Note that the resigning elected official must be replaced with someone of the same party affiliation.

For the 2022 election in Fair Haven:

Current Mayor Josh Halpern was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Mayor Ben Lucarelli, who resigned. Halpern, a Republican, must now run for a full mayoral term of four years.

Incumbent Fair Haven Borough Council President Chris Rodriguez, a Democrat, is running against Halpern. Rodriguez is in the second year of his second full term on borough council. He initially was appointed to fill the unexpired term of former Councilwoman Aimee Humphreys in 2017. So, he has been on council for six years, one of those years filling the unexpired term.

If Rodriguez wins the mayoral race, a Democrat must fill his unexpired term, or his remaining year. If he does not win, he will remain on council for another year.

Mayor Halpern did not respond to repeated requests for answers to the questionnaire.

Four are vying for Fair Haven Borough Council seats:

Incumbent Democrats Mike McCue and Meg Chrisner-Keefe and newcomer Republicans Kristen Hoey and Drew LaBarbera. Click on the links for the candidates’ Q&A with R-FH Retro.

The Republican candidates did not answer repeated requests for the response.

All candidates were given the same questionnaire at the same time.

About Fair Haven

Fair Haven is a roughly 1.6-square mile borough with about 6,000 residents, most of them families, most home owners. The last U.S. Census report indicated that more than 70 percent of the residents of Fair Haven are married couples with children with a median age in the 40s. There are roughly 1,700 families.

Fair Haven is in Congressional District 4, which is currently served by Rep. Chris Smith (R). Prior to redistricting, Fair Haven was in District 12.

The borough is part of Legislative District 13, represented for the 2022-03 session by Republican Senator Declan O’Scanlon and in the General Assembly by Vicky Flynn, a Republican from Holmdel, and Gerard Scharfenberger, a Republican from Middletown. Scharfenberger is a former Middletown Township Committee member and mayor.