6 will seek three council seats

JACKSON - There were no surprises on the deadline day for candidates to announce their intention to run for a seat on the Jackson Township Council.

By the time the nominating petitions were due in town hall on March 20, the six residents who had previously announced their intention to seek office in the May 13 nonpartisan municipal election were the only individuals who filed the paperwork to run for office.

All three terms that will be on the May 13 ballot will be for four years and will begin in July when the council reorganizes.

The council seats presently held by Emily Ingram, Jason Gudaitis and Angelo Stallone will be up for grabs in the municipal election. Gudaitis and Stallone are not seeking re-election.

Ingramis seeking re-election and is running with Todd Porter and Charles Garofano on the Working Together for Jackson slate.

Running on the Right Teamfor Jackson slate are Michael Kafton, Michael Reina and Bobbie Rivere.

Ingramis a currentmember of the council, having been elected when Jackson's new form of government was created in May 2006.

After the new council was seated in July 2006, three members were assigned twoyear terms and twomembers were assigned four-year terms. Ingram was assigned a two-year initial termon the governing body.

Garofano currently serves as a commissioner on the Jackson Township Municipal Utilities Authority.

Porter currently serves as the vice chairman of the Jackson Planning Board.

Kafton served on Jackson's former Township Committee for six years before losing a bid to serve as mayor when the township's form of government changed in 2006.

Reina is a former chairman of the Jackson Planning Board.

Rivere previously served as amember of the Merrick, N.Y., School District Board of Education for 23 years.

The four-year term for Jackson's mayor and the two seats on the council presently held by Anne Updegrave and Scott Martin will be up for election in May 2010.