No Challengers in Primary Race for Mayor, Council Seats

Don't expect things to start heating up on the political scene in Berkeley Township, at least until after the June primary.

Both the Democratic and Republican slates for mayor and council are running unopposed. Independents have until June 7 to file to run in the November election, Ocean County Clerk Scott M. Colabella said.

Democratic Mayor Jason J. Varano, 38, is seeking his fourth term as mayor. Varano was only 26 when he was first appointed mayor in 1998, after the sudden death of Mayor Bill Zimmermann Jr. He was elected to his first full term in 1999.

Varano will face Republican Township Council Vice-President Carmen F. Amato Jr., 42, in the race for the four-year mayor's seat. Amato was first elected to the Berkeley Township Council in 2005 for the Ward 2 seat, when he defeated incumbent Council President Peter Mustardo and broke a 7-0 Democratic monopoly. Amato was re-elected to a second term in 2009.

Both men have pledged to run issue-oriented campaigns.

"Mayor Varano and his team of Egan, Mazzella & Olsen are committed to a clean campaign that will discuss the issues and future of Berkeley Township," Varano said in a prepared release. "They sincerely hope that the campaign does not evolve into mudslinging and negative attacks. I believe the Varano Team is well suited to stand up to outside forces that do not have Berkeley’s best interest at hear."

Varano could not be reached for comment today.

Amato announced his candidacy last week, after he was selected unanimously by the screening committee of the Berkeley Township Republican Club to run for mayor

The Democratic slate for the three at-large council seats up this year includes Anthony R. Mazzella, Bayview Avenue, James L. Egan, Northumberland Drive, and Edward Olsen. Mazzella has served on the township Planning Board since 2002.  Egan is vice-president of the Democratic Club. Olsen, a chiropracter,  is a commissioner on the Berkeley Township Municipal Utilities Authority.

The Berkeley Republican Club announced their council candidates earlier this year. Amato's running mates for the three council-at-large seats include John Bacchione, the current vice-president of the Berkeley Township Board of Education; Thomas Grosse, a current member of the Berkeley Township Board of Education; and Robert Ray, a current member of the Central Regional Board of Education and former president of Holiday City West.