GOP Primary Race in Borough Will Decide Who Runs in November

Analysis
STONE HARBOR – In heavily Republican Stone Harbor, serious challenges, if they occur at all, are a product of the primary system. So it is this year, with recently-reelected council member Judith Davies-Dunhour taking on incumbent Mayor Suzanne Walters in the June 7 primary. 
Davies-Dunhour has been a borough council member since 2009 following a 25-year career in the Stone Harbor Police Department. Walters has served as mayor for 20 years preceded by 11 years on the Board of Education.
There is also a contest in the council. Barry D. Mastrangelo, a member of council for 14 years, is seeking reelection against Mantura Gallagher, appointed to council in 2015 to fill the seat vacated by the passing of Albert Carusi, and Charles Krafczek, an attorney who is currently vice president of the Board of Education.
Davies-Dunhour, Gallagher, and Krafczek have declared themselves a unified ticket with a theme of new direction for the borough. Even though two of the candidates on this unified ticket are currently council members, one in her third term, they have taken up the mantle of challengers fighting for change and a new approach to borough governance.
Walters and Mastrangelo are left to run on their records together on council for almost 15 of Walter’s 20 as mayor. They seem content to do so. Not specifically aligned, they face the challengers with a sense of accomplishment and pride in their years of service.
Race for Mayor
The May 7 “Meet the Stone Harbor Candidates” session was sponsored by the Stone Harbor Property Owners Association and the Cape May County League of Women Voters.
The discussions saw a strong turnout as residents gathered at the Women’s Civic Club. 
The questions tracked to the type of issues that concern a barrier island community: beach replenishment, back bay dredging, support for the business district, and capital spending and debt levels.
This year the added issue of Atlantic City Electric’s installation of galvanized steel poles for carrying high-power transmission lines was added to the discussion.
The issues did not separate the candidates as much as their approach to them. Both Davies-Dunhour and Walters shared the same high priority for restoring the borough beaches after the devastating impact of recent winter storms. Both agreed that back bay dredging needed to continue and most probably would have to rely once again on the same dewatering site at the 80th Street marina.
Both supported the construction of a new police building. The two together condemned the installation of the utility poles in the borough and they each argued in favor of eventually getting those transmission lines and associated other wiring buried underground if costs to do so are manageable when they are finally known.
Each candidate also rejected the idea of changing rules so that part-time residents could serve on the council by video-conferencing for off-season meetings.
Where the difference came was in approach. Davies-Dunhour argued for a more inclusive and unified borough governance, one that drew on the many talents and abilities of residents and that sought greater input and discussion prior to council decision-making. Without specifically attacking Walters, Davies-Dunhour made it clear that she did not think the current mayor did enough to open council deliberations to greater public input.
“We are governing backwards,” was almost a mantra during her presentation. She called for greater planning and anticipation rather than having the borough continuously react to “putting out fires.”
Davies-Dunhour argued that the council standing committees should be used to implement decisions rather than to act as a filter on information for council consideration.
She argues the six standing committees decided what comes forward. Council votes have little meaning for citizens who never hear the discussions that go on “behind closed doors.” Her platform is largely one of moving the borough to a more open, inclusive, and transparent system.
Walters made no apology for the current government which she obviously sees as successful. Davies-Dunhour’s attack that the mayor had previous knowledge of the electric company’s plans which were not shared with the full council was dismissed by Walters who said she was as mislead by the utility as everyone else.
Walters defended the borough’s debt levels and pointed to high levels of service for residents. She pointed to the borough’s $4-billion ratable base and the fact that even with that resource she has helped to keep tax rates steady.
Walters spoke of all the planning the borough already does including the master plan. She never spoke directly for or against a five-year strategic plan, but her discussion did not indicate she shared a commitment to more planning.
For 20 years Walters has had an approach to governance in the borough which she defended and which she seems to feel has done well by residents and homeowners.
Council
Given the team approach embraced by Davies-Dunhour, Gallagher, and Krafczek, it was not surprising to see the same themes of greater inclusiveness, transparency, and planning permeating the platforms of the two who are seeking their first elected term on council. Mastrangelo, much like Walters, ran on experience and record, with special pride evident in his accomplishments as chair of the Administration and Finance committee of the council.
Mastrangelo agreed on the same issues that dominated the earlier discussion by mayoral candidates and which can be summarized as beaches, bay, poles. He also stressed the need for looking at what can be done to reduce flooding in the community brought on by storms and astronomically high tides.
He took exception to his opponents’ constant call for greater transparency, saying “We have been working on it,” and citing improvements to the borough website as an example.
With respect to debt levels, Mastrangelo pointed to the fact that the borough is scheduled to pay $2.5 million a year for the next three years, significantly paying down debt levels.
While he agreed with his opponents on the desirability of removing the steel poles, Mastrangelo cautioned that one cannot argue that the debt level is too high and then push for the pole removal without full knowledge of what such removal will cost. That figure is yet to be determined.
Much like Walters, Mastrangelo does not see significant problems in borough governance. He presents his record of service with pride and implicitly challenges his opponents’ calls for change.
Gallagher presented herself as both an experienced public official and as a newcomer seeking change. Fighting to retain a council seat to which she was appointed in 2015, Gallagher is facing the voters for the first time, but she points to a long career as a county elected official in Pennsylvania. 
Gallagher claims some credit for Council President Karen Lane’s introduction of a work session process. She said it was one of the first suggestions she made after Lane assumed the role of council president. Gallagher evinces surprise that a borough the size of Stone Harbor could have $36 million in capital debt.
She argued that the utility poles are “nothing less than a desecration of the island,” and she stated that she thinks the borough should be “a whole lot more aggressive” in getting them removed at Atlantic City Electric’s expense.  A position, Krafczek agrees with.
Gallagher and Krafczek both argue that the dredging situation clearly illustrates the need for greater planning and anticipation of a “regular and continuous process.” Gallagher calls for “anticipating issues and leading from strength.”
Krafczek continuously reinforced themes of greater planning and transparency. One area where Krafczek differentiated himself from all other candidates was in his call for greater use of new technology. Arguing that technology can make governance more inclusive while it also can better prepare the borough for the future. 
Krafczek specifically called for greater exploration of wind power given what he says is an average 14 mph wind which the island experiences.
Krafczek reinforced his call for preparation and planning by calling the borough’s infrastructure outdated and in bad need of attention. He called for a plan to “get rid of debt.” Krafczek said he wants “to create an environment where people will be heard and feel welcome” in the governance process.
The primary shapes up as an opportunity for voters to decide if the theme of change is a compelling one.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.