Republicans challenge sitting Democrats for Ward 1, Ward 2 council seats
Oct, 27-2009 11:57 am
By SHAUN SMITH
Staff Writer
SOMERS POINT – Two Democratic City Council members are facing a challenge from Republicans for their Ward 1 and Ward 2 seats in the Tuesday, Nov 3 general election.
In Ward 1, Republican Thomas G. Smith, a former city prosecutor, is challenging council President Francis X. Cosgrove.
Cosgrove, 48, was elected to council in 2007. He received his bachelor of science degree in business administration from St. Joseph’s University and is a manager at US Foodservice. He and his wife, Murie, have three children: Patrick, 23, Deirdre, 21, and Lilly, 10. Cosgrove is a fourth-degree member of Knights of Columbus, a judge advocate with the Sons of the American Legion, a member and council liaison to the Somers Point Historical Society, and has been chairman of the Bayfest Committee for six of the last 10 years.
Smith, 49, a lifelong resident, is a litigation attorney in Linwood. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in 1984, graduated in 1987 with a law degree from the University of South Dakota, and is certified as a civil trial attorney. He has a 6-year-old daughter. The former municipal prosecutor has served as special tax council, conflicts prosecutor and has represented school boards and municipalities in Atlantic and Cape May counties.
In Ward 2, Democratic Councilman Bobby Donovan is being challenged by Planning Board member Howard Dill.
Donovan, 47, has lived in Somers Point for the past 16 years with his wife, Sharon, and their daughter, Taylor, an eighth-grader at St. Joseph Regional School. He works for the South Jersey Transportation Authority and the Atlantic City Convention Center. Donovan has been a member of Local 54 for 30 years. He is a shop steward, junior vice commander of the Sons of the American Legion, a member of St. Joseph Parish, a member of Local 196 International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, AFL-CIO.
Dill, 59, and his wife of 37 years, Jessica, have three children: Howard Jr., Rebecca and Richard. He has 28 years’ experience in government in Somers Point, Ocean City and Edison – five years in consulting and 23 in management.
He served as public works director in Ocean City and public works supervisor in Somers Point. Dill has served as president, vice president and treasurer/secretary for Region 6 of the New Jersey Public Works Association, president and vice president of the school board and Little League vice president and umpire.
All four candidates ran uncontested in the June primaries. The council’s current makeup is four Democrats and three Republicans, in addition to Republican Mayor Jack Glasser, a nonvoting member.
Polling places
Polling places will be open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Ward 1, District 1 votes at the American Legion Hall, 733 First St. Ward 1, Districts 2, 3 and 4 vote at Fire Co. 1 Fire House, 447 Bethel Road. Ward 2, Districts 1 and 2 vote at Jordan Road School, 129 Jordan Road. Ward 2, Districts 3 and 4 vote at the Senior Citizen Building, 22 Ambler Road.
Ward 1
Thomas G. Smith
Republican
Ward 1
Francis X. Cosgrove
Democrat
Ward 2
Howard W. Dill
Republican
Ward 2
Robert K. Donovan
Democrat
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