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Elections

Meet the Candidates: March 29

This event was originally scheduled for March 24. It was postponed because of inclement weather.

Haddonfield Advocates for Affordable Housing is inviting members of the community to meet with Adam Puff, Kevin Roche, and Mark Rusc, three of the residents who are seeking to be elected to the Board of Commissioners.

The Meet & Greet will be held in the Snowden Parking Lot, behind the Borough Hall, on Monday, March 29 from 5:30 to 7pm.

The lot is the site of a proposed 20-family affordable housing project.

Each candidate will make a brief presentation, then respond to questions from the audience.

The sponsors say, “Mask up!” and “Bring a chair.”

Questions? Email Eileen Stilwell, HERE.

Ballot positions set

Borough Clerk Deanna Bennett conducted a drawing today (March 18) for ballot positions in the May 11 Board of Commissioners election.

The ballot positions will be:

  1. Frank Troy
  2. Kathryn Raiczyk
  3. Colleen Bianco Bezich
  4. Jeff Kasko
  5. Kevin Roche
  6. Adam Puff
  7. Daniel Zhang
  8. Mark Rusc

Meet the candidates: March 24

This event, originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 24, has been postponed to Monday, March 29, because of inclement weather.

Haddonfield Advocates for Affordable Housing is inviting members of the community to meet with Adam Puff, Kevin Roche, and Mark Rusc, three of the residents who are seeking to be elected to the Board of Commissioners.

The Meet & Greet will be held in the Snowden Parking Lot, behind the Borough Hall, on Wednesday, March 24 from 5:30 to 7pm.

The lot is the site of a proposed 20-family affordable housing project.

Each candidate will make a brief presentation, then respond to questions from the audience.

The sponsors say, “Mask up!” and “Bring a chair.”

The rain date is Monday, March 29.

Questions? Email Eileen Stilwell, HERE.

Meet the candidates: April 17

Jersey Java & Tea will host a Meet the Candidates session on Saturday, April 17.

Seven of the eight residents who are seeking to be elected to the Board of Commissioners will be at tables outside, from 9am to 12n, to discuss their candidacy with voters.

Jersey Java & Tea is located on the corner of N. Haddon Avenue and Redman Avenue.

Date set for Candidates Forum

The Haddonfield Civic Association has set the date for a Candidates Forum, in advance of the Board of Commissioners election on May 11.

The event will be held on Zoom on Monday, April 12 from 8 to 10pm, and will be moderated by a representative of the League of Women Voters.

Eight candidates have filed petitions to run in the election. The Board of Commissioners has three members who serve concurrent four-year terms. Two incumbent commissioners are seeking to be re-elected: Commissioner Jeff Kasko and Commissioner Colleen Bianco Bezich. Mayor Neal Rochford announced recently that he will not seek a new term.

The other candidates are Adam Puff, Kathryn Raiczyk, Kevin Roche, Mark Rusc, Frank Troy, and Daniel Zhang. Kathryn Raiczyk was a candidate in the November 2019 election to fill the unexpired term of Commissioner John Moscatelli.

The Civic Association says the forum will give candidates an opportunity to “explain why they are running for commissioner or seeking re-election” and to “discuss their platform and answer questions submitted in advance from Haddonfield residents only.”

To request an invitation to the Zoom event, or to submit questions, go HERE.

Detailed information about the election is available on Haddonfield[dot]Today under the heading COMMISSION ELECTION. Current topics include:

Commissioner Kasko will seek new term

Commissioner Jeff Kasko has filed paperwork to run in the May 11, 2021 Board of Commissioners election. The filing deadline for candidates’ petitions was yesterday (Monday, March 8).

A 20-year resident of Haddonfield, Kasko is seeking re-election after serving two terms as Deputy Mayor and one term as Mayor and Commissioner of Revenue and Finance.

He released the following statement today:

“After discussions with residents throughout town, I’ve decided to run one more time for Haddonfield Borough Commissioner, so that we can complete the work that is underway to both preserve and improve Haddonfield for current and future residents,” Kasko stated.

Kasko intends to focus on the experience he brings as an elected official, long-term resident, dedicated community volunteer, and father of five, as well as his accomplishments and initiatives as a member of the Board of Commissioners.

“I look forward to discussing important issues and projects over the next two months, including public health and safety during a pandemic, municipal spending and taxes, infrastructure and storm water improvements, Bancroft redevelopment, affordable housing, and welcoming families, seniors and diversity in our town,” said Kasko.     

Prior to serving as Commissioner, Kasko served on the town’s Zoning Board, as well as a board member of the Haddonfield Civic Association and Haddonfield Lions Club.  He has volunteered many hours as a Lion, Haddonfield Little League coach, Youth Basketball coach and Christ The King parishioner, and has served as the Commissioner’s representative on the Library Board, Human Relations Commission, Planning Board, Municipal Alliance, and the Partnership for Haddonfield.

Kasko is raising five sons, all attending or graduating from Haddonfield public schools.  He is employed as a senior licensing and regulatory analyst with the N.J. Department of Health.  Kasko is a graduate of Purdue University (B.A.) and Rutgers University (M.P.A.).

Eight will vie for three Commission seats

Eight Haddonfield residents have filed petitions to run in the Board of Commissioners election scheduled for Tuesday, May 11.

They are:

  • Colleen Bianco Bezich
  • Jeff Kasko
  • Adam Puff
  • Kathryn Raiczyk
  • Kevin Roche
  • Mark Rusc
  • Frank Troy
  • Daniel Zhang

Mayor Neal Rochford announced yesterday (March 7) that he will not be a candidate.

Two of the candidates — Colleen Bianco Bezich and Jeff Kasko — are incumbent commissioners; only one of the other six — Kathryn Raiczyk — has run for public office in Haddonfield before, at the Board of Commissioners special election in 2019.

Mayor Rochford to retire at end of term, in May

Haddonfield Mayor Neal Rochford has announced that he will not seek re-election to the Board of Commissioners. The election, for three commissioners serving concurrent four-year terms, is scheduled for Tuesday, May 11.

Mayor Rochford posted the following message on his “Haddonfield Mayor Neal Rochford” Facebook page today:

“Dear Friends,

“I am announcing that I will not be running for another term on the Haddonfield Board of Commissioners. As I look forward to embarking on my next chapter, I leave proud that I was able to serve three portfolios: Finance, Public Safety and Public Works during my time in office.

“It is our engaged community that makes Haddonfield truly a special place. Without a doubt, the appeal of Haddonfield is due to the contributions of countless residents who volunteer on boards and committees around town. I leave with a sense of pride, knowing that Haddonfield has continued to be the go-to town in the region for visitors and residents alike.

“One of the best aspects of Haddonfield’s elections is that they are nonpartisan. I hope that this tradition is not diminished by the strongly polarized political environment we are currently living in. I wish the future commissioners all the best as they continue to work together on the issues that will define Haddonfield for generations.

“While there are many people I would like to recognize, I want to give a special thank you to the borough employees who are the backbone of the municipal workings. Working alongside you all has been a wonderful experience.

“Lastly, I give a heartfelt thank you to the community for allowing me to serve as your commissioner and mayor. It has been my honor to serve my community and I have wonderful memories of my time as commissioner and mayor.”

  • * * * *

Neal Rochford first ran for the Board of Commissioners in 2001, placing fifth in a field of eight. (Tish Colombi, John Reisner, and Jack Tarditi were elected that year. Having received the highest number of votes, Tish Colombi became the mayor.)

Neal entered the fray again in 2005, and placed third in a field of five. (Colombi and Ed Borden served with him for the next four years.) He took on the Revenue & Finance portfolio.

He came fourth in a field of six in 2009 — Colombi, Borden, and newcomer Jeff Kasko formed the Board of Commissioners at that time — then returned to the board in 2013 with Kasko and newcomer John Moscatelli. Rochford took on the Public Affairs & Public Safety portfilio.

At the 2017 election, Kasko, Moscatelli, and Rochford ran unopposed. As the recipient of the largest number of votes, Rochford became the mayor. He continued as Director for Public Affairs & Public Safety until a special election was held in November 2019 to fill the unexpired term of John Moscatelli, who had resigned that summer. (Rochford and Kasko appointed Robert Marshall to serve as interim Commissioner until the election.) When Colleen Bianco Bezich was elected in November 2019, she took on the Public Affairs & Public Safety portfolio, and Rochford picked up Public Works, Parks and Public Buildings.

Neal Rochford was active in many community matters before he first ran for office, involvement that was recognized publicly when he was named Citizen of the Year in 2003. He was a key member of the committee that established First Night (the New Year’s Eve celebration) in the late 1990s, was treasurer for the HATCH (dinosaur sculpture) Committee, and served as president of the Rotary Club of Haddonfield.

Bezich to seek new term as commissioner

Colleen Bianco Bezich, who was elected to fill the unexpired term of Commissioner John Moscatelli in 2019, and currently serves as the Borough’s Director of Public Affairs & Public Safety, has announced that she will be a candidate in the municipal election on May 11.

She released the following statement to Haddonfield[dot]Today on February 22.

“In early 2019, a surgical procedure left me bed & couch-bound for several weeks,” Bianco Bezich said when explaining the genesis of her first run for office. “Shortly thereafter, Commissioner Moscatelli resigned, and former Mayor Tish Colombi’s call-to-action for young women to get off our backsides and run for office immediately came to mind. It was if she was speaking directly to me – because getting off my own backside quite literally presented more challenges than most could comprehend.”

Bianco Bezich received 1730 votes in that election, defeating appointed incumbent Robert Marshall, who was supported by Colombi, by over 350 votes.

“In 2019, I worked tirelessly to become the second female Commissioner in our Borough’s history – and I could not have done it alone. I had active, engaged, & committed volunteers supporting me” Bianco Bezich said. “Importantly, I was received with open arms by many lifelong Haddonfield residents, but newer residents also felt they were deserving of a seat at the table, and my candidacy resonated with them.”

Bianco Bezich has one (1) son, Luca, who will eventually attend Tatem Elementary. She works full-time as a lawyer, counting land use, local government law, real estate & small business representation among her practice areas. She also serves as general counsel of Be Films, LLC and Five Story Media, the video production companies that she and her husband Anthony Bezich operate from their Tanner Street studio.

“I’ve spent almost two (2) decades working in local government, from helping to create the Partnership for Haddonfield nearly 20 years ago, to drafting & negotiating redevelopment agreements, to arguing the legality of local land use ordinances in court,” Bianco Bezich stated. “I was the most experienced & qualified candidate in 2019, and that remains true in this cycle, too.”

In addition to her volunteer service as a Borough Commissioner, Bianco Bezich is a member of the Haddonfield Celebrations Association, a Board member of LUCY Camden, a member of the Supreme Court of New Jersey District IV Ethics Committee, and an active member of the Haddonfield Lions Club. She also serves as a pro bono attorney for Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and volunteers with the Alzheimer’s Assoc. Delaware Valley Chapter, as well as the South Jersey Perinatal Cooperative. Before joining Board of Commissioners, she was a member of the Haddonfield Zoning Board of Adjustment.

When addressing her first year in office, Bianco Bezich acknowledged that the pandemic impacted many of her plans. 

“I had to adjust my expectations & shift my priorities, because we entered a time of great uncertainty, and confronted very real risks to health & safety,” she said. “But I am really proud of what I was able to accomplish and set into motion, despite the pandemic. Even in this incredibly challenging climate, I worked diligently on behalf of our residents & business owners, and I hope they’ll support me this May so that I can continue to do so.” 

In her launch video, Bianco Bezich identified some of her most significant accomplishments of 2020 as new & improved public safety initiatives, obtaining grant funding for stormwater management, developing a new affordable housing policy that utilizes existing housing stock, and creating a micro grant program for the Borough’s small business community.

“I truly love where I live, and live where I love,” she said.

The Borough of Haddonfield is a Walsh Act municipality, which functions as a non-partisan commission form of government. The three (3) Commissioners serve concurrent four-year terms.  As such, all three (3) Commissioner seats are up this year. The Commissioner with the highest vote count traditionally serves as mayor.  The municipal election is scheduled for Tuesday, May 11. 2021.

Those interested in learning more about Colleen Bianco Bezich’s campaign can connect here:

May 11 election to be in-person, not by mail

NJ Governor Phil Murphy announced on Monday (February 8) that this year’s May municipal elections would be held in person, rather than by mail, as was the case for the 2020 general election last November.

During his daily news conference, he said:

“Today we are announcing that … the municipal nonpartisan elections scheduled for May 11th will be conducted in person. As always, voters will have the ability to request a vote-by-mail ballot for any reason. We will ensure that all in-person polling places adhere to proper health and safety protocols including face coverings, social distancing, and frequent sanitation.

“We are able to take this step as our COVID numbers are headed — I emphasize headed — in the right direction and we are optimistic that these trends will continue, especially as more residents get vaccinated and the weather also becomes warmer. This is very different than the situation we confronted last summer, when we had to make a decision on the November election, knowing that our models showed a huge surge of COVID cases in the fall, which unfortunately, came to pass. While we are not making a decision on the June primary elections at this point, we are optimistic that we’ll be able to conduct in-person voting in June as well.”