June 5 primary the calm before the political storm Mayoral and council candidates unopposed in next week's election BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer There wasn't supposed to be a mayoral election in Brick Township this year. But former Mayor Joseph C. Scarpelli rocked the political landscape here with his sudden resignation Dec. 8 and subsequent guilty plea in federal court earlier this year. That put then-Planning Board Chairman Daniel J. Kelly in the mayor's office. Kelly was one of three names submitted by the municipal Democratic organization to replace Scarpelli. The GOP-controlled council picked Kelly on Jan. 4, instead of former Mayor Daniel F. Newman and former Councilwoman Kimberly Casten. Kelly, 65, Forge Pond Road, will face longtime Republican Township Councilman Stephen C. Acropolis, 49, Port Drive, in November. Both men are vying for the remainder of Scarpelli's term, which expires in 2009. And both are running uncontested in the June 6 primary race. Republican Councilman Daniel Toth briefly considered running for mayor, then said he would support Acropolis if the local Republican organization tapped him for the slot. Both Kelly and Acropolis are each running with a slate of four candidates in the uncontested race for the four, four-year seats up on the Township Council. The position pays $8,000 a year for council members and $9,000 a year for council president. Kelly is retired. Acropolis, who is finishing up his third, four-year council term, is a registered representative with AIG-Royal Alliance, a Toms River financial consulting firm. He has been with the company since 1988. Council incumbents Ruthanne Scaturro, 56, of Halsey Drive, Anthony Matthews, 45, of Brushy Neck Drive, and Michael Thulen, of Linden Avenue, are all seeking second terms. Also on the slate is Brian DeLuca, 17th Avenue. DeLuca is a member of the Board of Education and is serving as board president this year The GOP council candidates will face Democrats Paul Panuska, of River Park Drive; Anthony D'Elia, of Azalea Drive; Michael Mauro, of Worth Street; and former Councilman Fred Underwood, who is currently chairman of the Planning Board. Kelly, unlike Scarpelli, can be found in the mayor's office every day. He attends Township Council meetings, even though he is not required to do so. He let the public know when he was tapped to replace Scarpelli on Jan. 4 that he thought the professional appointments belonged to him, not to Township Clerk Virginia Lampman. Scarpelli selected Lampman to serve as his replacement when he resigned Dec. 8. Kelly filed a complaint in state Superior Court, Ocean County, in February. The sole issue in Kelly's lawsuit is whether Lampman, who was appointed acting mayor by Scarpelli on Dec. 6, had the right to make professional appointments at the New Year's Day organization meeting. The suit contends that the appointments process violated the state Municipal Vacancy Law. Lampman's rights as acting mayor ceased Dec. 8, when Scarpelli's resignation became effective, the suit states. And many in town expect the November election to be a referendum on the Scarpelli years, the mayor's downfall and anyone even vaguely associated with his administration. Scarpelli, 67, was elected to an unprecedented four terms as mayor before his downfall. He pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from an unnamed developer on Jan. 8. His original sentencing date of May 29 was postponed to Sept. 7 recently. Democratic Municipal Chairman Michael Blandina has said he fully expects the opposition to try to link the Democratic candidates to Scarpelli in the general election. Acropolis has said he hopes both sides run positive campaigns. The polls for the primary election will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.