Dems tap Cox as new candidate for council
Cox defeats Novak after weeklong write-in campaign
BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer

SAYREVILLE - The Democrats have a new candidate running for council this November.

Alvah M. Cox, a former detective and school board member, defeated Mary Novak in the party's primary election last week.

The Sayreville Democratic Organization announced that Cox will replace Planning Board Chairman John Misiewicz as the party's nominee for borough council.

Misiewicz withdrew from the election last month, citing personal commitments and philosophical differences with state Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski, who is the chairman of the borough's Democratic Party, and council President Thomas Pollando. Misiewicz told the Suburban that he will continue to serve as the borough's Planning Board chairman.

Cox, who recently turned fifty years old, will run alongside Democratic Councilman Daniel Buchanan for two seats on the council dais against Republican candidates David Kaiserman and Vince Zarcaro. Pollando is running for mayor against the only Republican member of the governing body, Mayor Kennedy O'Brien.

Novak told the Suburban that she did not run a write-in campaign before last week's primary. She added that Misiewicz's name was still on the ballot, since he dropped out late in the process.

"Mr. Misiewicz dropped out of the race so late, I didn't spend a dime on a write-in campaign," Novak said.

The Sayreville Democratic Organization held two meetings in recent weeks since Misiewicz dropped out, the first of which resulted in a tie vote of 26 to 26 between Cox and Novak May 31. Cox then garnered more votes at the next screening June 11.

"Mr. Cox was running a big write-in campaign," Novak said. "I was not."

Pollando told the Suburban that there was a write-in campaign in the primary. He added that the write-in campaign did not have any costs attributed to it and both candidates received write-in votes last week.

"To my knowledge, there was no money spent at all," Pollando said.

Cox told the Suburban that no money was spent on the write-in campaign, which he added was part of his effort to establish a presence in the primary.

"It was mostly word of mouth," Cox said.

Cox said that he has always wanted to run for a seat on the dais, adding that he was not able to before as a police officer.

"It is something that I have always wanted to do, but I was prohibited because of my employment before," Cox said. "The opportunity presented itself when Dr. Misiewicz dropped out."

Novak cited her past experience as a councilwoman as reason she thinks that she was better suited than Cox for the job of council member.

"Quite frankly, I think I was the better candidate," Novak said." "I think that my time on the council was a lot more productive for the taxpayers in the borough than Mr. Cox was on the school board."

Novak said that she will probably run again.

"I really enjoyed being in the council," Novak said. "I know I would do a good job and when the time is right, I will run again."

Cox is a lifelong member of the Democratic Party who raised two children in the borough with his wife, Diane, according to the Democratic press release. The press release also states that the couple are parishioners of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, where he was a basketball coach for several years.

Cox served on the Sayreville Board of Education for 15 years, including a five-year stint as president of the school board.

"That experience taught me how to work within government to get things accomplished for my fellow residents," Cox said. "I want to use what I learned to continue to serve the residents of Sayreville as a councilman."

Cox, who is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus, was also a detective with the Sayreville Police Department's juvenile bureau.

"This position enabled me to work with the children of this community, not only in keeping them safe, but also providing direction for many of the young adults today," Cox said.

Cox did not seek re-election in last year's school board election. Two months later, in June, he retired after 30 years

of service with the borough police

department.

Cox became an employee of the Motor Vehicle Commission in Edison soon after. He told the Suburban that the job allows him more time with his family than he had as a full-time police officer.

Wisniewski, who is chairman of the Assembly Transportation and Public Works Committee, issued a statement saying that Cox's experience will be an asset to the council.

"Al represents the best of Sayreville," Wisniewski said. "His experience as a former school board president and police detective is what the council needs. This organization will do all we can to see that he gets elected in November."

Cox said that taxes and the National Lead project will be two high-priority concerns for him if he is elected to the council.

"I think we have to stabilize the tax base," Cox said.

"We have to move towards completing the National Lead project for the foreseeable future," Cox added. "It has been stagnant for so long. It is a huge tax ratable. We have to move forward there."