Fair Haven Republicans Announce 3 Names To Replace Mayor

FAIR HAVEN, NJ — The Fair Haven Republican Committee has announced their three candidates to fill the vacancy left by Mayor Ben Lucarelli, who resigned suddenly on Sept. 14.

Current councilwoman Elizabeth Koch, former councilman Jon Peters and Joshua Halpern are the three contenders from which the council will choose.

During a meeting on Monday Councilman Christopher Rodriguez said the council received a letter from Fair Haven Republicans dated Sept. 27 with the three candidates.

"We will take this up in the next session," he said. The next council meeting is scheduled for Oct. 12.

"The Committee is very impressed with the qualifications of each candidate and their genuine interest in our community," the letter read.

Koch, who also goes by Betsy, has served in the council since January 2019. She is a retired eighth-grade science teacher and currently serves as council liaison for Planning & Zoning, Parks & Recreation, Borough Communications and Personnel.

Peters served on the council for 15 years before losing his reelection bid in 2019.

READ MORE: Fair Haven Council Sparring Precedes Mayor's Resignation

READ MORE: Fair Haven Mayor Ben Lucarelli Resigns, Effective Immediately

In his letter of resignation, Lucarelli did not say why he was leaving after nine years as mayor.

The last council meeting he presided over, just one day before the announcement, was marked by sparring between the mayor and councilwoman Meghan Chrisner-Keefe.

At one point Lucarelli banged a gavel on the table, later saying that people were speaking over each other and that the sense of decorum during meetings had been lost over the years he had been a councilman.

"The mayor's conduct and behavior directed at me tonight — slamming the gavel on the table — is very unbecoming of a public official," Chrisner-Keefe said.