Crabiel, Fernicola keep seats on county board

BY SETH MANDEL
Staff Writer

David B. Crabiel Voters in Middlesex County re-elected Democrats David B. Crabiel and Camille Fernicola Tuesday in a 3-2 margin over their Republican challengers.

Crabiel, who garnered 98,362 votes, and Fernicola, with 97,688, defeated a GOP ticket that included Jay Boxwell Jr. and Andrew Tidd, who took 63,843 and 61,281 votes, respectively.

Also, incumbent County Clerk Elaine Flynn received 100,611 votes to defeat Republican Joe Sinagra, with 64,388 votes.

“We carried by 35,000 votes, which is a good plurality in this election, and people have been good to me,” Crabiel said. “And I’m very appreciative to the people of Middlesex County for returning me to office.”

Fernicola said she was proud of the voters for ignoring some of the negative campaigning this year and focusing on the issues.

Staying positive, she said, was the incumbents’ goal.

“We had to get our message out about all the great things that are in Middlesex County, and how much better it is than 10 years ago,” Fernicola said. “And it will get better every day.”

Camille Fernicola Tidd said the incumbents’ sources of campaign funding were suspect, and their resources far greater than those of the challengers.

“Their spending of money from professionals, it’s got to stop, or things will never change, across the whole state,” Tidd said. “The money they have spent is just overwhelming, it’s hard to compete against that.”

Tidd said he and Boxwell were outspent 25-1.

“Unless the pay-to-play changes go into effect, I don’t see how any of these outposts will ever be different,” he said.

Crabiel’s first tenure as a freeholder lasted from 1978-91, and he has again served on the board from 1994 through the present. He is the board’s current director.

Crabiel, who is 75, said he can remember when his career in politics began, 66 years ago.

When Crabiel was 9, his older brother ran for Borough Council in his hometown of Milltown.

“And I remember taking literature door to door,” Crabiel said. “So I’ve been campaigning since I was 9 years old, and I just love it.”

Fernicola said she is enjoying the victory, but is ready to get back to work on county programs, such as open-space preservation and safer pedestrian travel.

“Not too much will change, I’m not a different person,” Fernicola said. “I just want to accelerate my efforts in the open-space field, and I’m very interested in increasing sidewalks and bike paths in the county, and safe access.”

She said she is grateful for the confidence that county voters have placed in her, in Crabiel and the rest of the freeholders, and that the county is in great shape.

“We must be doing something right, because everybody wants to live here,” she said.

Crabiel echoed that sentiment, noting that the county is the third largest in the state and within three years will become the second largest.

The county currently has almost 800,000 residents.

“And my role is to represent them in the best way possible,” Crabiel said.

Crabiel said he is proud of the board’s record, which will continue with the cleanup of the Raritan River. The river is currently being dredged to allow larger boats to approach the dock in New Brunswick, and Crabiel said visitors will therefore have greater access to the 20-plus restaurants, as well as the theaters, in downtown New Brunswick.

But one of the board’s proudest accomplishments, Crabiel said, is the reduction in the tax levy the county experienced this year.

“No other governmental unit, no school board, no municipal government, and no county government cut the levy, and we did it this year,” Crabiel said. “And when taxes are a major issue with people, I believe that’s a major plus.”