Kearny Mayor Carol Jean Doyle is backing town council candidates in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Wards in light of a slate including three incumbents and one newcomer being formed last week.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Kearny has always been a community built on the foundations of giving back and stepping up when it matters most. I believe those elected to public office should be those who most closely embody the values of the communities they represent,” she said in a statement.
“That’s why the Executive Board of the Regular Democratic Organization of Kearny and I are proud to announce our support of Zayda Balcazar, Julio Huancaya, Edmund Shea, and Orlando Miranda for Town Council. Each of these individuals has an extensive track record in public service and understands the everyday issues their neighbors face.”
Last week, Kearny 3rd Ward Councilwoman Eileen Eckel announced she’d be retiring after 22 years in elected office, endorsing Sarah Bonilla before she was unveiled as a running mate on Team Kearny with three incumbents, both as HCV first reported.
1st Ward Councilman George Zapata, 2nd Ward Councilman Dennis Solano, and 4th Ward Councilman Stathis Theodoropoulos round out that ticket.
Balcazar, seeking to unseat Zapata, is executive director assistant and board secretary at the Kearny Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) and a Democratic committeewoman, as well as a Kearny High School alumnus and a mother of two.
She also serves on the Kearny Museum Committee and is also a member of both the Peruvian Civic Association of New Jersey and the Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles of Kearny.
Looking to make a change in the 2nd Ward, Huancaya serves on Kearny’s Zoning Board, is a soccer coach with the Kearny Recreation Department, and is a parishioner at Our Lady of Sorrows.
He previously worked in law enforcement and now “works with a multi-million dollar logistics team of up to 100 employees,” according to the Kearny Democratic Organization.
Over in the 3rd Ward, Edmund Shea is a lifelong Kearny resident, a Democratic committeeman, the Hudson County risk manager, and a Hudson County Improvement Authority commissioner.
He is also the treasurer of the KDO, has performed with the West Hudson Arts & Theater Company (where he’s a board member), and is a proud Elk with Kearny-Belleville Lodge 1050.
Finally in the 4th Ward, Miranda is a veteran of the U.S. Army and New Jersey Active Guard Reserve, serving for a combined 28 years, and was named one of two new Hudson County undersheriffs at the beginning of the year.
Additionally, he completed two combat tours during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Noble Eagle, as well as a deployment to Bosnia and Iraq.
Miranda also serves as a a member of Kearny American Legion Post 99, a lifetime VFW member, a leader with Latino Veterans of New Jersey, a Wounded Warriors peer leader, and a member of Disabled American Veterans.
The June 2nd Democratic primary will essentially determine the four ward town council seats up for grabs, though the winners could have Republican opposition November 3rd general election.
