By MICHAEL FEELY

Staff Writer

Councilman Ken Schaffer announced Aug. 10 that he will not run as an incumbent for the 4th Ward City Council seat in November.

Schaffer, who is a Democrat, was appointed to the 4th Ward seat in December after it was vacated by Tony Pullella, who was elected to a councilman-at-large position.

The announcement has caught many residents by surprise. “New Republican” 4th Ward candidate Tom Milhous was still digesting the news while drinking his morning coffee when The Beachcomber contacted him.

“I am taken aback, especially after they (Democrats) had a fundraiser for Ken just two weeks ago,” said Milhous. “I am still absorbing the ramifications. The obvious open-ended question is ‘Why now?’”

 “Many are aware that in addition to my full-time responsibilities in the media industry, I have recently engaged in a new business venture in Cape May County (restaurant in Stone Harbor),” said Schaffer in a press release.

The councilman is an evening radio host on WIBG.

“These pressing business demands, and the daily commute, will not permit me to fulfill all of my present City Council responsibilities and additional responsibilities for the campaign,” Schaffer continued. “I find it impossible … to devote the time and energy necessary to run effectively in the upcoming campaign.”

Pullella, who is also a Democrat, said that Schaffer will fulfill his present term as councilman.

Schaffer confirmed this by phone, stating: “I would not walk away from my obligations to my constituents.”

The Brigantine Democratic Committee will meet to select a new candidate to run in the upcoming election. “We should have a candidate by the end of next week,” Pullella said.

Frank Kern, the other Democratic councilman at large, said he was very disappointed that Schaffer would not run as the Democratic candidate in the November general election.

“I know that he agonized over this decision for a number of weeks,” Kern said in an email. “He has done an outstanding job representing the people of his ward and in helping to bring important change towards open, transparent and fiscally responsible government to the political environment here in Brigantine.”

This now creates an interesting dilemma for Republican Councilmen Steve Bonnani and Bob Solari who had gone on record supporting Schaffer at a recent Democratic fundraiser. Both the “New Republicans” and the Democrats have traded accusations about political agendas over the last two weeks. The political scene in Brigantine continues to get “curiouser and curiouser.”

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