Bernardsville Independent Leadership - John McCrossan&Joe Rossi

BERNARDSVILLE - Running as an Independent, Borough Councilman Joseph Rossi won a new three-year term, as did first-time Republican candidate Denis Dooley in Tuesday's General Election.

Viewed by political foes as controversial but as a can-do maverick by supporters, Rossi was the top vote getter in a four-candidate field with Dooley placing second.

Rossi captured 1,483 votes with Dooley getting 1,396. John McCrossan, who ran with Rossi as an Independent, finished third with 1,324 votes followed by GOP candidate Charlotte Foster with 1,215. A total of 2,879 voters, or about 60 percent of the 4,768 registered, cast ballots on Tuesday.

While the quartet of candidates discussed issues such as taxation and public works needs during the fall campaign, Rossi - his governing style and past actions - overshadowed campaign discussions about the nuts and bolts of local government.

The frequent verbal sparring between Rossi and some in the borough GOP began anew only minutes after the election results were made official Tuesday night.

"We stayed focused on the issues and didn't get into the mudslinging," said Rossi of he and McCrossan's campaign. "I think it was terrible what happened in the end."

What happened in the end was a mailing last weekend by the Committee to Elect Foster/Dooley which negatively portrayed Rossi's first term in office.

The mailing, entitled "Joe Rossi's Record," blamed the incumbent for seeking a 23 percent municipal tax increase in 2004 and being targeted for a lawsuit by Hardscrabble Road resident Bea Dreesen for environmental damage to her property from an athletic field project.

The mailing also noted Rossi's censure by council colleagues in 2004 and his denial of an endorsement by the borough GOP last April.

Dooley saw the mailing differently than Rossi when asked about it Tuesday night.

"It was a factual piece," said Dooley. "If (Rossi) is disappointed about it, that's his problem. It's his legacy. He's got three years to improve on it."

Bernardsville Municipal Republican Chairman Greg Canose said the party did not endorse the mailing, which was handled by the Foster/Dooley campaign committee.

"I felt it was unnecessary to send out," said Canose. "There was some negativity attached to it." Canose added that the tone of the last-minute mailing may have backfired and "pushed some voters over" to support the Independents.
"We ran a clean campaign, it was very civil and forthright," said McCrossan. "I think our opponents put a negative spin and said some things that really weren't true out of desperation."

Foster could not be reached for comment on Tuesday night.

Campaign Issues

Taxation and public works spending were much-discussed issues during the campaign. But some within the municipal Republican organization saw the election as a referendum on Rossi's actions.

Rossi has fought for increased public works spending and been actively involved in planning for certain projects. But he has also openly sparred verbally with colleagues and been involved in public scrapes with two leading municipal staff members.

Rossi said he viewed the election as turning more on issues than himself personally. But Canose acknowledged that some in the GOP were strongly opposed to Rossi getting another term.

With Councilwoman Helen Walton declining to seek re-election this year, Rossi was the only incumbent on the ballot. After the local Republican Municipal Committee gave its support to Dooley and Foster last spring, he and McCrossan formed the Bernardsville Independent Leadership Party, which they called a coalition of Republicans, Democrats and independents.

Rossi was the top vote getter in five of the borough's seven voting districts. The lone exceptions were in Districts 6 and 7 on the Bernardsville Mountain, where Dooley and Foster rolled up big margins over the Independents.
While pleased to win a council seat, Dooley expressed regrets that his running mate won't be joining him on the governing body.

"I'm disappointed that Charlotte wasn't successful," he said. "We worked very hard together."

McCrossan also expressed disappointment at not winning a council seat.

"You don't run to lose," he said. "But I'm very pleased that Joe was the top vote getter. I think that's indicative of his past three years on the council.

"I hope Denis truly wants to bring civility to the council," McCrossan added, "and will ally with Joe and be open-minded about the things he is trying to do for the town."