Brick Councilman Drops Party Affiliation In Wake Of Primary Snub

Brick Township Councilman Bob Moore has dropped his political affiliation with the Democratic Party in the wake of not being included on the candidates’ slate for the June council primary.

“I have filed to become an independent,” Moore said during his portion of the council remarks Tuesday night, a statement that drew cheers from some in the audience.

Moore, whose term on the council expires at the end of this year, said after the meeting that his move was in response to being left off the Democrats’ slate of council candidates announced at the closing of primary filings.

“I’m not through helping people yet,” he said.

There are four, four-year terms being contested this year. In addition to Moore’s seat, the seats held by Councilwomen Susan Lydecker and Andrea Zapcic, and Councilman James Fozman are all up for grabs. Lydecker, Zapcic and Fozman are all running for re-election, and are joined by Arthur Halloran.

The Republican candidates for the four seats are Frank Pannucci Jr., Dan Toth, Michael R. Conti, and Charles D. Bacon. Toth is a former councilman who ran for mayor on the Republican ticket when former mayor Stephen Acropolis decided not to run again. Pannucci and Conti are both currently serving on the Brick Township Board of Education.

Moore said his omission from the council slate was retaliation for his refusal to vote along party lines nearly two years ago, when the Democrats wanted to replace township clerk Lynnette Iannarone with Kathy Russell, a Democrat.

Fozman, Lydecker and John Ducey -- who was serving on the council at that point -- sought in May 2013 to remove Iannarone on the basis that she would become tenured if she was reappointed to the position. Iannarone had been appointed in 2012, after longtime clerk Virginia Lampman retired,

Fozman and Ducey in particular were vocal in their opposition to Iannarone, with Fozman objecting on the basis that she would receive tenure and Ducey objecting on the basis of salary, saying someone else could be appointed at a lesser rate. At the time, Iannarone was earning a little more than $105,000.

Attaining tenure meant Iannarone can only be removed for cause.

When it came to the vote to reappoint Iannarone, Moore -- then council president -- was called upon to break the tie. Fozman, Ducey and Lydecker all voted against the reappointment; Toth and Republicans Domenick Brando and Joseph Sangiovanni voted to keep her.

“I’m a blue-collar guy. I believe if you do a good job, you should keep your job,” Moore said. “I voted to keep her.”

“People have mortgages and families to feed,” he said. “Why take her job?”

Moore said the political retaliation also included removing him as liaison to several committees. Before the council became all Democrats, he was liaison to BMAC, the Housing Authority, public safety and fire and first aid. Now, he’s liaison only to the public safety committee.

“How can you not put me on fire and first aid,” said Moore, a volunteer firefighter in town. “Just because I voted my conscience?”

Moore said he called the county clerk’s office and dropped his affiliation right after the candidates’ slate was announced. Primary filings closed March 30.

“I still wanted to be with them,” he said, and he kept hoping for a phone call right up until the primary filings.

“I had my heart with the Democrats,” he said. “I love John Ducey. I think he’s a great mayor.”

But now, “I’ll just run as an independent.” Right now it’s day by day, but Moore said he is getting a positive response and is quickly closing in on the 100 signatures needed to file his candidate’s petition. The deadline for independent candidates to file is June 2.

“You’re getting the plumber, the firefighter, the coach,” Moore said. “I’m still having fun. I like helping people.”

“Whether I’m coming through your front door during a fire or sitting up (on the dais), I’m not done helping this town,” Moore said.