2011 Township Council Election Marks the Return of Susan Cohen

November may seem far away, but it’s never too early to discuss the unfolding drama of the Township Committee election. Judging by the , it’s going to be an interesting race that already has one surprise.

The 2011 election season will see the return of former Deputy Mayor Susan Cohen as a candidate for reelection. Cohen will run with Democrat-turned-Republican Don Holland and the duo will try to unseat Democratic incumbent Michelle Roth.

“After stepping away for one year, I realized that there is still a lot of work to be done. We need to continue to improve our financial picture,” said Cohen in an April 13 press release. “We need to focus on what is good for the community and steer away from distractions that serve no purpose.

“Together with Don Holland and the entire Township Committee, I am confident that we will continue to make positive changes to the way the government does business, keeping a lid of taxes and making sure to provide needed services,” she continued. “I love doing what I can to make Manalapan Township better, and I hope the voters will give me the privilege of returning to the Township Committee.”  

In in December 2010, Cohen had described why she was stepping down after four years on the Township Committee. She cited that she wanted to spend more time with family but planned to remain active as a volunteer.

In 2011, she has served on the Planning Board, Heritage Committee, Cable Television Advisory Committee, Transportation Committee as well as Community Alliance. She also serves as president of the Manalapan Domestic Violence Response Team, "a post she has held since 1998", according to a press release.

Holland has served on the Township Committee since 2008.  In 2010 he and Roth worked in cooperation to maintain a flat municipal budget.

“I’m looking forward to running for re-election to the Township Committee this fall. Even more importantly, I want to continue working hard for the residents of Manalapan for another three years, and I know that Susan Cohen and I can get the job done,” Holland said. 

“It doesn’t surprise me,” said Roth to Patch, regarding Cohen’s announcement to seek reelection.

Roth had made a similar comment about Holland when he announced formally that , and therefore abandoning the Democratic ticket.

In a phone interview with Patch, Holland had called his membership in the Democratic Party “untenable” and indicated that he felt forced out after lending his support to Republican budgets two years in a row.

“I don’t believe in the petty bickering or partisan politics that permeates the Manalapan Democratic Party,” stated Holland in a Feb. press release. “I want to focus all of my energy on making Manalapan an even better place to live, and the members of the Republican Party share that mindset.”

In regards to Roth, Holland said, “It’s her policies and ideals that I guess I have a problem with.”

Meanwhile, Roth maintained that she had been the lone Democrat on the Committee for quite some time. She has been on the Township Committee for the past seven years, serving as mayor in 2008 and deputy mayor in 2007 and 2006.

She is planning her reelection campaign with running mate Seth Ptasiewicz, an attorney, who has lived in the Knob Hill section of Manalapan for the last 11 years.

According to a press release, also released on April 13, Ptasiewicz is originally from Brooklyn, New York and is a graduate of Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri. Currently, he works as an ethics attorney for the New Jersey Courts and is a previous recipient of the Pro Bono Award of the New Jersey State Bar Association.  

“I am extremely pleased to have Michelle Roth running for re-election with Seth Ptasiewicz,” said Democratic Municipal Chairman Gerard Ward. “Seth Ptasiewicz brings honesty and integrity as well as a strong history of giving back to the community.  His training and expertise will insulate him from being bamboozled by smooth talkers.”

Ward also praised Roth as the “conscience” of the Township Committee, citing that she that includes an ongoing reduction of surplus (began at $8.7 million in 2009, reduced to a proposed $700,000 for 2011). Roth also objected when Mayor Lucas and Deputy Mayor Ryan Green voted “to give his sister a $22 per hour job,” said Ward.

Green had responded that, like Lucas, he was a victim of Roth’s , a label to which Roth took offense.

Manalapan Patch will continue to report on the candidates and their campaign efforts as more information becomes available.