2010 Election Welcomes Smith, Newcomers; Garcia To Retire

Two zoning board members, a green team participant and the current mayor filed their intent to run in the 2010 election for two seats on the Cranford Township Committee. The current deputy mayor will retire from the committee at the end of this year.

Kevin Campbell, of 7 Berkeley Place, and Ed O'Malley, 24 Springfield Avenue, will be the Democratic candidates, rivaled by current Mayor Mark Smith, of 35 Wade Avenue, and Andis Kalnins, of 3 Omaha Drive, on the Republican side.

Campbell is a Cranford native and a graduate of Cranford High School. He served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment for eight years; was a member and served as chairman of the Airplane Noise Committee; and has been a member of the Cranford River Committee for 14 years. He works as an attorney in private practice.

O'Malley is a member of the Hanson Park Conservancy; Cranford's Green Team and has been an active member of the Cranford Democrats. He is retired from work as a computer consultant.

Incumbent Mark Smith currently serves as mayor. He has served as deputy mayor, commissioner of public works, chairman of the Flood Advisory Committee, member of the Planning Board, and member/liaison of the Cranford Environmental Commission.

Kalnins is a member of the zoning board and has served as an alternate on the Charter Study Advisory Committee.

Two of the committee's five seats will be open at the end of the year. Republicans currently hold the majority at four of the five.

Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Martha Garcia, a Republican, will not run for second term on the committee at the end of this year.

"When I began this whole process, Shamus was 8 years old and Jack was 6 years old... little boys," she said. "Now they are 10 and 12 years old... young men. Middle school is an extremely important time for a mother to be involved in her children's lives. Soon they will be all grown up and not want me around."

But just because she won't be on the Township Committee doesn't mean she will no longer be involved with town affairs.

"I must do something with the experience that I have gained," she said.

Check Cranford Patch for the latest on the election as it unfolds.