O'Brien, Republicans sweep in Sayreville Incumbent mayor defeats Pollando to win third straight term BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer For the first time since 2003, a Republican has won in Sayreville. In fact, all the Republicans won. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL ACKER Council President Thomas Pollando congratulates Republican Councilman Elect David Kaiserman at GOP headquarters Tuesday night. Incumbent Mayor Kennedy O'Brien, who had become the last Republican on the borough's governing body, was re-elected to a fouryear term on Tuesday. His running mates, David Kaiserman and Paula Siarkiewicz, were both elected to their first three-year terms on the Borough Council. O'Brien emerged the victor from a highly competitive mayoral campaign in which he was challenged by Democrat Thomas Pollando, who is currently the council president. O'Brien received 4,765 votes, while Pollando garnered 2,927. Siarkiewicz and Kaiserman took 4,167 and 4,106 votes, respectively, defeating incumbent Democrat Daniel Buchanan, who received 3,279 votes, and newcomer Al Cox, with 3,028 votes. Republicans celebrated their victory and addressed a packed room at Buddy's Tavern on Johnsons Lane Tuesday night. Sayreville Councilwoman-elect Paula Siarkiewicz speaks with Democratic candidate Al Cox Tuesday night after Siarkiewicz won her first council term. Siarkiewicz expressed gratitude to those who supported her, saying she intends to be honest and upfront as a member of the council. "It's a great day to be a Republican, an independent or a Democrat," Siarkiewicz said, "because tonight we all won. … Your needs will be my needs." Kaiserman thanked supporters as well, saying he is eager to rally the town together and move the borough forward. "I am very honored to be a Republican," Kaiserman said, "but now we are going to have to work very hard to get everyone active in town." O'Brien, mayor since 2000, told GOP officials and supporters that the election results were about respect for dignity and principles. "We have rejected the machine politics of the past," O'Brien said. "…My sincerest and humblest thank you for re-electing me to my third term as mayor." O'Brien later told Greater Media Newspapers that he attributes his victory to his party's outreach to the community. "It's about human dignity," O'Brien said. "The job of the mayor is the job of listening to residents, not about machine politics or selfenrichment." In response to a question regarding the first order of business for the new council, which will have four Democrats and two Republicans, O'Brien said he will call for the removal of attorney Brian M. Hak and his law firm, Weiner Lesniak LLP, as the borough's appointed law firm. "The first thing is to eliminate the borough attorney, whose legal bills are so outrageous," O'Brien said. "They are unconscionable. If you are hemorrhaging money, you turn off the spigot." After receiving the election tallies, Democrats left their headquarters near ShopRite on Washington Road to congratulate their opponents at GOP headquarters. Buchanan, finishing three years on council, told Greater Media Newspapers that he is taking a step back to assess things, but will continue to be active in the community. He said he will request that the council appoint him to a board or commission in order to stay involved. He has not ruled out the possibility of running in the future. "Maybe in the future I'll take a crack at it again," he said. Buchanan said the Democrats have maintained a low operating budget, while enhancing police cars with laptops and executing other projects to improve the borough. "I'm disappointed," he said. "I feel that the council was moving Sayreville in the right direction. We made some great changes while in the majority… I know that Tom [Pollando] would have made a great mayor. Al [Cox] would have made a great councilman. I congratulate our opponents and I wish them the best." Cox also wished the Republicans luck. "I'd like to wish the mayor and the council candidates-elect good luck and Godspeed," Cox said. "I hope they do well." Cox said it's too soon to decide if he will run again. "The voters made their choices. We live in a democracy and we move forward from here," Cox said. Pollando, a councilman for six years, said he will not seek office again, but will remain active in the Democratic Party. He noted that less than 8,000 of Sayreville's 21,644 registered voters cast ballots. "I'm surprised at the numbers," Pollando said. "It was a very low turnout. They did a very good job of getting their people out. We ran a very clean and honest campaign… I wish the mayor and the other council people the best of luck." "I'm very proud of what I've done up there for six years," Pollando added, citing the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Westminster Boulevard and Ernston Road and the acquisition of funds for the Main Street Bypass in an effort to relieve the borough's east-west county roads. Resident Renee Tischler joined fellow GOP supporters in celebrating the party's victory. She said she thinks that voters based their decisions on the candidates' qualifications, and she believes the Republicans will serve the borough in a bipartisan manner. "Their résumés, their background … they were very qualified," Tischler said. "The residents spoke. Now it is going to be semibipartisan." The Borough Council will reorganize on Jan. 1, and will then include Republicans Kaiserman and Siarkiewicz, and Democrats Stanley Drwal, Dennis Grobelny, Kathy Makowski and Rory Zach.