Democrats Sweep

The Democratic Party's four candidates for Gloucester Township Council won by more than 1,500 votes, according to unofficial results.

The Democratic Party retained complete control of the Township Council with resounding wins by all four of its candidates in Tuesday's election. Incumbents Glen Bianchini and Orlando Mercado received the most votes in the election, with 5,186 and 5,076, respectively, according to unofficial results released by the Township Clerk's Office. The incumbent Democrats' running mates, Sam Siler and Tracey Trotto, won Council seats with 4,944 and 4,920 votes, respectively, giving "The Mayer Council Team" a sweep in the 2011 Council race. "I think this is validation that what we started out doing a year and a half ago—of bringing more accountability to government, running government more efficiently, thinking outside the box with shared services—is…

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Robert

8:40 am on Saturday, November 12, 2011

The money the local democrats spent is insane for a local race. Look at these contributors. Somebody has to bring this to light. It's crazy. Breakdown by Name Vendor Total Contributed Acacia Financial Group $5,200 Addison Bradley $2,500 Anthony P Costa $7,000 Archer and Greener $5,500 Asphalt Paving Systems $1,000 BAC Administrative Council $2,400 Bach Associates $14,250 Birdsall $4,500 Blue Sky …   more ›

UPDATE: GOP Reacts to Gladden Camp's Statement

The GOP responded Monday afternoon after the lone independent Council candidate ripped Democrats for purportedly sending out mailers and Republicans for their response.

UPDATE, 5:20 p.m. 11/7: And "Mailergate" continues. Mike Martin, campaign manager for the Gloucester Township Republican Party's slate in this year's Council election, issued a rebuttal Monday afternoon to an earlier statement issued by independent candidate Darren Gladden regarding two controversial mailers sent to township homes last week. The mailers, apparently ordered by a Democratic Party political action committee, label Gladden "the only real conservative candidate" in this year's race, and have had both Gladden and the GOP crying political subterfuge on the part of Democrats since the middle of last week. Martin indicates in his rebuttal that the local GOP has forwarded a complaint to the state Attorney General's Office regarding …

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Conservatives Claim 'Dirty Politics' in Council Race

A Democratic Party political action committee purportedly has put out a mailer backing independent conservative Darren Gladden.

A campaign mailer that reached Gloucester Township homes this week has conservatives accusing a political action committee with strong Democratic Party ties of playing dirty politics just days before the 2011 Township Council election. Republican candidates say the mailer is also an indication the lone independent candidate in the race actually is in cahoots with their Democratic opposition. Independent Darren Gladden does not view himself as a spoiler in the race. He says he is in it to win one of the four Council seats up for grabs in next Tuesday's election, not help the Democrats, as the Republicans are asserting, or even the Republicans. Pointing to his use of "Conservative Independent" as a ballot slogan and perhaps concerned Gladden…

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Polidoro to Council: 'Put It on Paper'

The Council president and vice president again stated support for maintaining a local police department Wednesday night.

The chairman of the local Republican committee on Wednesday challenged the all-Democrat Township Council to move and adopt a resolution stating it will not move the township into a proposed Camden County police force. "Would you consider a resolution to protect and preserve the Gloucester Township Police Department from countywide participation—to exclude Gloucester Township from any countywide police participation—to put on the books?" Ray Polidoro asked. Council President Glen Bianchini indicated he was not inclined to move such a resolution. He opened Polidoro's proposal up to his colleagues, but no one bit. Council Vice President Orlando Mercado responded by telling Polidoro the resolution would not carry any weight. "It's a non-…

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Darren Gladden

10:58 am on Monday, October 24, 2011

One last comment then I have to go out campaigning , IF you vote column 5 on November 8 the MAYOR will have to START answering my QUESTION and all the people's questions cause I don't turn my back on people like Shelly Lovett and the GTGOP did to ME ............Just care I do   more ›

Meet the Candidates: Orlando Mercado

Mercado, an incumbent Democrat, is the current Council Vice President.

On Nov. 8, residents will have the opportunity to go to the polls to vote for four members of Gloucester Township Council. Gloucester Township Patch will share information and some of the thoughts of the nine candidates seeking four Council seats throughout the week of Oct. 9. Name: Orlando Mercado Political Party: Democrat Years of residency in Gloucester Twp.: 12 Job: Assistant Director of Admissions, The Richard Stockton College of NJ, 4 years; Adjunct Business Professor, Camden County College, 7 years Education: Master of Business Administration, Temple University - 1999 Bachelor of Arts - Marketing, The Richard Stockton College of NJ - 1996 Family: Divorced; one son, Alex, 10 years old Why are you running for Gloucester Township …

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Deadline Approaching for Hispanic Heritage Month Nominations

Council will recognize Latinos who have made valuable contributions to the township later this month.

The deadline to submit nominations for the township's Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration is Thursday. Awards will be presented at the beginning of the Township Council's Sept. 26 meeting, which is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. Nominees must live or work in the township and be an exemplary citizen who has made significant contributions to the township through volunteer service. This will be the fifth year Council will host the Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. The program really grew last year, with nine recipients following years of just one, two and one recipients the three prior years (there were no winners in 2007). Council Vice President Orlando Mercado, the only Latino to ever sit on the Township Council, brought the celebration…

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Council Leaders Lukewarm on County Police Force

The Council president did not go so far as to reject the plan, but he did make a pretty telling statement Monday night.

While willing to listen to the plan when it's complete, it sounds like Council President Glen Bianchini and his colleagues would prefer to continue to have Gloucester Township patrolled by members of the Gloucester Township Police Department. "I think you know how we feel about our police department," Bianchini told a resident during Monday night's Council meeting. For those who do not normally attend Council meetings or follow the governing body in media: Its members are highly supportive of the police department headed by Chief W. Harry Earle. As Council Vice President Orlando Mercado put it: "Council enables our police force to have the latest and greatest when it comes to technology in crime prevention and crime-solving." Camden County…

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Joshua Berry

7:40 pm on Tuesday, August 9, 2011

I'm with Council on this issue. My impression from their statements during the meeting is that they are taking a wait and see approach but are inclined to not join it. Mayor Mayer is right that this plan is not good for the large towns like Cherry Hill and Gloucester Township. We already have ecomony of scale and probably cant see much savings through this plan given how every article makes it …   more ›

One Independent Joins Council Race at Deadline

Councilwoman Crystal Evans did not file to run as an independent, as some had speculated might be possible.

Valleybrook resident Darren Gladden was the lone township resident to file as an independent candidate in this November's Township Council race. The deadline for independent candidates to file was 4 p.m. Tuesday. Gladden will run under the name "Conservative Independent." His petition had 124 signatures when he dropped it off to the Camden County Clerk's Office, in Camden, Tuesday morning. With Gladden officially joining the field Tuesday, there are now nine total candidates seeking four Council seats. The Democratic slate includes two incumbents—Council President Glen Bianchini and Vice President Orlando Mercado—and Tracey Trotto and Samuel M. Siler, who previously served on Council. The Republican candidates for Council are Linda Musser…

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Darren Gladden

11:22 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2011

Tracey Trotto earn my RESPECT AND SHOULD ALSO HAVE A SEAT on council ,She made even me cry today Great job and Next year Let's have better weather .....Tracey Trotto for council she care 's .....Just care I do   more ›

Planning Board to Stay on Fiscal Year Calendar, Palmer to Keep Seat

The veteran member and former chair will remain on the planning board through June.

A veteran planning board member who cried foul as the board narrowly approved at its December meeting a calendar switch that would have effectively cut his term short by six months will remain on the board for his full term after all. The calendar switch—from fiscal year (July through June) to calendar year (January through December)—was not properly handled, according to the township solicitor. It will be nullified as a result, meaning Dennis Palmer will remain seated on the board through June. The calendar switch apparently would have first required the township council to approve an ordinance and the planning board to change its bylaws, according to an e-mail obtained by GloucesterTownship.Patch.com. "...The planning board must amend (…

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5 Things You Need To Know

Five Things You Need to Know

The next seven days have plenty in store for township residents—recreation, politics and sports.

1. The township council will hold its first regular meeting of 2011 Monday night, beginning at 7:30. Glen Bianchini was renamed council president and Orlando Mercado council vice president during the governing body's reorganization meeting Monday. 2. Looking to work off the extra pounds you packed on during the holiday season? Registration is open for a whole bunch of activities at the recreation center. To see what might interest you, visit www.glotwp.com/Departments/recreation/recreation.html 3. We have it from an inside source that Tuesday's planning board reorganization meeting could be quite interesting, for those of you who are into politics. Republicans cried foul when board chair Andrew Kricun moved last month to switch the board …