WILDWOOD – Of the 16 people who filed to run for three open seats on the Wildwood Board of Commissioners, 14, including the three current commissioners and several former commissioners, were certified to be on the ballot for the Nov. 7 general election.
According to Wildwood City Clerk Lisa Brown, two were disqualified for one or more reasons. Besides supplying 25 nominating petitions, any candidate must be a resident of the municipality for at least one year and be a registered voter.
Sitting Mayor Pete Byron, who was recently quoted as saying he would not resign his office despite facing criminal charges related to the use of state health care benefits, filed his petitions before the 3:30 p.m. deadline, Aug. 24. Byron is running alongside newcomer Christopher Hines under the slogan, “My Job’s Not Done Yet.”
Commissioners Steven Mikulski and former Mayor Ernest Troiano Jr. are both running under the slogan, “Putting Wildwood First.” Mikulski and Troiano, like Byron, are each facing a 12-count indictment related to the use of state health care benefits.
Deputy Mayor Krista Fitzsimons, who was elected with Byron and Mikulski, announced, April 12, she was forming a new team that included Wildwood School Board President R. Todd Kieninger and Planning Board Vice-Chair Phil Swetsky. The trio are running under the slogan, “Moving Wildwood Forward.”
Another three-member ticket will include Rocco Di Silvestro, Edward Harshaw, and Gary S. DeMarzo, two of whom are very familiar to Wildwood voters. The three are running under the slogan, “Doing the People’s Business.”
Another full slate of candidates includes George Schwab, Edward Tito Arroyo, and Jeanne L. Kilian, running as “Residents for Wildwood.”
Timothy J. Blute is running as a lone candidate under the slogan “A Better Wildwood.”
Contact the author, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
