Fernandes wins mayoral election by three votes
Councilman: GOP not likely to seek recount
BY AMANDA BELING Correspondent

Jo-Ann Kalaka-Adams

SEA BRIGHT - Democratic Councilwoman Maria Fernandes won the mayoral election by just three votes last week, but despite the close count, Sea Bright Republicans will not be seeking a recount.

"I recently spoke with Jo-Ann [Kalaka-Adams] and she said that however the votes come out, they come out. We all trust the count and I really don't think we'll be asking for a recount," said GOP Councilman Brian Kelly Monday.

The official results of the election remained in limbo until Friday afternoon, Nov. 9, when the provisional votes garnered by both Republican Mayor Jo-Ann Kalaka-Adams and Fernandes were tallied.

"Jo-Ann received four additional provisional votes and I received two," said Fernandes, who drew 274, or 50.37 percent, of the votes on Nov.6.

Kalaka-Adams, who drew 271 votes, 49.44 percent, could not be reached for comment.

Incumbents prevailed in the race for two Borough Council seats up for re-election. Republicans Peggy A. Bills, who drew 306 votes, and Brian Kelly, with 324 votes, held on to their seats, fending off a challenge by newcomer Susana Markson, who garnered 265 votes.

Maria Fernandes

"It's an exciting feeling to win because it was an uphill battle running against an incumbent. And with the many years I've spent on this council, I'm going into the role of mayor with full working knowledge of the governing body and the town," she said.

Fernandes noted that the first issue she plans to tackle after she is sworn in to office on Jan. 5 is the borough's share of regional school taxes.

"This is just one issue of a handful that we have in the borough, but the tax issue is something that must be addressed as soon as possible," she said.

The concern over the tax issue is how significantly it burdens the borough's finances. Fernandes noted that under the state's Thorough and Efficient (T&E) formula, the borough pays $78,000 per student each year, yet it only costs about $13,000 per student annually for each student to attend Shore Regional HS.

"One of the ways I plan on attacking the school tax issue is by setting up an education advisory committee in the borough and taking it all the way up to Trenton to present our case," she said.

Other projects that Fernandes plans to continue working on are Smart Growth, the downtown flooding issues, redeeming the borough's CRS (Community Rating System) rating, and the DIIP (Downtown Infrastructure Improvement Program) Project.