Council members trade barbs over mayor pick BRICK TOWNSHIP — The gloves are off. Township Councilwoman Kathy Russell, the lone Democrat on the governing body, and her Republican counterparts sparred over how to select the next mayor at the Dec. 21 Township Council meeting. The quibbling began when council President Anthony Matthews said he needed more information than just names to pick a successor for former Democratic Mayor Joseph C. Scarpelli, who resigned suddenly earlier this month. “I can’t base my vote on a sheet of paper,” said Matthews, who proposed a bipartisan subcommittee of himself, Russell and Councilman Michael Thulen to interview the three people whose names were submitted by the local municipal Democratic committee. But Russell lashed out and said Matthews had never called or e-mailed her about the proposed subcommittee. The full council should interview the candidates, which include former Mayor Daniel F. Newman Sr., former Councilwoman Kim Casten and Planning Board Chairman Daniel Kelly, she said. Russell accused Matthews of excluding her from serving on major council committees such as business and finance, land use, public safety, recreation, technology, and public works. “Those are the committees of this council,” Russell said. “You haven’t appointed me to any committee, have you? You’ve ignored me all year, until now.” Russell said all three whose names were submitted are qualified to serve as Scarpelli’s replacement. The entire council should interview the candidates as a “committee as a whole,” she said. “To exclude members of this council ... is the wrong way to go,” she said. “To me it’s a committee of the whole, not some back rooms to make some deal.” “Excuse me,” Matthews said. “I’m offended. Please don’t say the word deal. I think that’s a very inappropriate word to use.” Matthews said he appointed Russell to the recodification committee and as liaison to the library. “Perhaps you should look at your list before you write your speech,” he said. Matthews said he knew little of Newman aside from what he had had “in the papers” for the last two years. “I don’t know if I want to base my decision on that,” he told Russell. “I would like to know a little more about the gentleman’s background. I only know that Mr. Kelly serves on the Planning Board and was appointed by our former mayor. I don’t know if that’s going to be a good letter of recommendation for him either.” Councilwoman Ruthanne Scaturro said she still had questions she would like to ask the three, even though she knew all of them. “Whether it’s 30 days, 10 months or 40 years, the person who sits in the mayor’s spot has a critical influence over the direction of Brick Township,” she said. Both Matthews and Councilman Stephen C. Acropolis suggested that the Democrats might have made their own “deal” in 2005, when Russell stepped down as the Democratic mayoral candidate to allow Scarpelli to run for a fourth term. “There are some people who say we wouldn’t be in this mess if certain events hadn’t transpired back in August 2005,” Acropolis said. “It’s unfortunate for Brick Township. It’s unfortunate for the mayor’s family and the mayor. Maybe if people had been more willing to stand up for their principals back then, we wouldn’t be putting Brick Township through this trauma. It’s going to be a tough couple of months and I just don’t believe once we get by this, it’s over. I believe unfortunately there will be more to it than just a mayor resigning.” The subcommittee, which now consists of Matthews, Scaturro and Thulen, will set up a date to meet with the three candidates, Matthews said. — Patricia Miller