Gamble Appointed Bloomfield Mayor Over Mundell; Future Showdown Looms

This article was updated at 3:48 p.m.

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield has a new mayor – for now.

On Monday, the Bloomfield Township Council voted 4-2 to appoint Ted Gamble, an at-large council member, as interim mayor. He is taking over a seat left vacant when former mayor Michael Venezia, a Democrat, captured a seat in the New Jersey Assembly. See Related: Bloomfield Mayor Resigns, Begins New Post As NJ Assemblyman

Gamble, Nicholas Joanow, Wartyna Davis and Rich Rockwell voted in favor of the appointment. Jenny Mundell and Sarah Cruz voted against it.

Gamble was one of three candidates nominated for the position last week at a meeting of the Bloomfield Democratic Committee.

The committee came up with three candidates to recommend to the Bloomfield Township Council, also taking a controversial “straw poll” to determine the frontrunner. Mundell, the town’s First Ward councilor, received 41 votes, Gamble received 16 votes, and Nicole Williams, a member of the local parking authority, received two votes.

Venezia, the committee’s chair, issued a statement in support of Mundell after the poll was taken.

“I urge the members of the township council to respect the clear majority opinion of the Bloomfield Democratic Committee and vote to appoint councilwoman Jenny Mundell as our next mayor,” the assemblyman said.

Gamble has since raised questions about the selection process, alleging that the committee meeting was marked with “unnecessary and unprecedented” motions.

Gamble pointed out that there were no straw polls conducted when Mundell took over for former council member Elias Chalet, who was sentenced to five years in state prison in 2018 for soliciting and accepting a bribe from a local business owner.

Likewise, there was no straw poll carried out when Richard Rockwell was appointed to take Carlos Pomares’ seat after Pomares was elected to the Essex County Board of Commissioners.

“I find the attempt to distort the process upsetting and the narrative put forward by my colleagues deceptive,” Gamble told Patch.

• See Related: Bloomfield Councilman Criticizes 'Deceptive' Mayoral Straw Poll

The council’s looming vote ignited an unexpected contest to succeed Venezia, with the former mayor, Mundell and Gamble each issuing statements on social media in the wake of Wednesday’s committee meeting. Read More: Bloomfield Mayor Hopefuls Campaign For Job; Council Decision Looms

Ultimately, the town council went against the committee’s recommendation, choosing Gamble over Mundell – despite the results of last week’s straw poll.

Gamble will now serve as mayor until a special election is held to fill the rest of Venezia’s term.

MUNDELL: ‘DELIVERING PROGRESS’

Immediately after Monday’s council meeting, Mundell announced that she plans to run for mayor in a special primary election this June.

If she earns the Democratic Party nomination and is eventually elected in the special election, Mundell would be the first woman to serve as mayor of Bloomfield.

“Bloomfield has made tremendous progress in the last 10 years, but we need experienced leadership with a comprehensive vision for our community’s future in order to keep moving forward,” Mundell said.

“I’m running for mayor because I love this community and want to see it continue to thrive, and I know that together we can keep delivering the progress that our residents deserve,” she added.

According to a campaign statement from Mundell:

“First appointed to the township council in 2017, Jenny Mundell has since won re-election three times and has worked tirelessly to serve the community. She has lived in Bloomfield for nearly 15 years along with her husband and son, and she works as a vice president of development at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. As mayor, Jenny will work to continue the progress that has been made in the community while focusing on open, transparent government, balanced and responsible economic development, public safety and community involvement.”

Venezia has continued to support Mundell for the position, calling Gamble’s appointment a “blatant power grab” in a joint statement issued with the councilwoman.

“It’s incredibly disappointing to see members of the council disregard the vote of the Bloomfield Democratic Committee and block Jenny Mundell from becoming our first woman mayor, but we will not allow this power grab to stand and will go directly to the people of our community by winning this primary election,” the assemblyman said.

“Jenny is the exact kind of leader our community needs and deserves and I’m 100 percent supportive of her campaign,” Venezia added.

GAMBLE: ‘COMMUNITY ON THE RISE’

Meanwhile, Gamble has also issued a statement in the wake of Monday’s council meeting.

Here’s what the town’s new mayor had to say after swearing in for his new job:

“I would like to thank my fellow council members for this opportunity. I have had the honor of serving with them and worked alongside each one going door to door talking to residents, serving on boards and committees, supporting community events, picking up trash to make a more beautiful Bloomfield or debating policies in our council meetings. Our strength is that each one of us is highly engaged and we have a history of working together to get things done. I intend to continue this collaboration to achieve the goals I have for this community. I would also like to thank my family. My wife, Jenni, and son, Asher: I love you both very much and I wouldn’t be able to do this without your support.

“I do not take this responsibility lightly. I will dedicate myself to this position the same way I’ve been committed to my council position for the past seven years. However, as mayor there is an added weight and responsibility. As mayor I will lead us forward and provide a vision that takes Bloomfield into the future. We’ve made great progress as a township, and I intend to drive us into new territory so that Bloomfield is synonymous with excellence.

“As I’ve stated previously in council meetings, sustainability needs to be a part of everything we do moving forward. Environmental issues that we once thought were global are now local issues and we’ll need to address them from the ground up. We will build on the progress that we’ve made and create a roadmap with Sustainable Jersey to get the township to Silver Certification. In doing so we will push for the completion of solar projects and address floodwater mitigation.

“As mayor, I will insist on further budget transparency and designate a budget subcommittee to identify any cost saving opportunities. When passing the budget, we will share infographics in addition to the user-friendly version of the budget so it is clear how your tax dollars are being spent, and provide updates on new tax revenue generated by cannabis businesses and new developments.

“One of the most important things we do as elected officials is listening to our constituents. For our township to best serve this community we need dedicated full-time support to address our residents needs and concerns. This is why I’m proposing we create a Constituent Services department, but I don’t want to stop there. We need to leverage technology to track these concerns, resolve them in a timely manner and track the data to identify any larger problems that need to be addressed.

“Bloomfield has been a community on the rise over the last few years and the development that has taken place has changed the landscape. As some of these larger projects come to fruition, we will repave our downtown to create an inviting walkable business district with access to mass transit. There is more work to be done. I’m tired of seeing empty storefronts and businesses closing. We need a Business Development Advocate who can not only focus on the redevelopment district but all of Bloomfield so that business down Bloomfield Avenue and up Broad Street are supported. A business advocate can help local businesses identify grant funding to start a new venture as well as identify national retailers that can come to Bloomfield so we have multiple thriving business districts.

“Finally, I won’t be able to execute any of these ideas without our township employees who are the backbone of everything we do. To each one of our employees, I say to you tomorrow is a new day in Bloomfield. The way we’ve always done things isn't the way we will do it going forward. I want each one of you to feel empowered in your position because everything you do makes a difference in your department and to the residents you serve. I will meet with each department to foster an environment of progress and innovation where each individual feels valued and appreciated.

“These are just some of my goals as mayor and I look forward to tackling them with my council colleagues. Once again, I thank Bloomfield for electing me and providing me with this opportunity and I plan to do everything I can to face the challenges ahead.”

OTHER THOUGHTS

Prior to the council’s vote on Monday, several people spoke about the mayoral selection process and the candidates during the public comment portion of the meeting. Multiple council members also weighed in, sharing their thoughts with a larger-than-usual crowd of attendees.

Watch the meeting video below, or view it online here.

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