In front of a full house at the Villa Maria restaurant last night, Bayonne Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski vowed to bring the city back to the people as mayor.
Bayonne Board of Education Trustee Jodi Casais, a council-at-large running mate of Ashe-Nadrowski, has been outspoke against the city’s deal with Suez, but on Wednesday night decided to focus on the falling night between her and Mayor Jimmy Davis.
While at her doctor’s office, she said he mentioned that someone had told him they were upset with her since she turned her back on Davis after supporting him for the bulk of two terms in office. Casais of course saw things a different way.
“I turned my back on him? I said ‘no, Jimmy Davis turned his back on me and Jimmy Davis turned his back on all of us, everyone in Bayonne,” she said to applause from the crowd of around 175 people.
Kim “KT” Torello, the executive director of the city’s Police Athletic League (PAL) seeking an at-large seat alongside Casais, punched the current administration over their actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Transparency is this in City Hall,” he said while making a zero with his right hand.
” … During COVID, the teachers went back to school, the children went back to school, you went back to work, but City Hall was closed for another six weeks. Are you kidding me? That’s what you call elitism.”
Torello also mentioned that as the PAL struggled during the public health emergency, only 2nd Ward Councilman Sal Gullace, whose not seeking re-election, and Ashe-Nadrowski returned his calls and credited the council president for raising $120,000 towards the cause.
At Davis’ campaign kickoff last month, he pushed back on the notion that City Hall faltered during the pandemic.
” … City Hall never closed, we were there every single day … City Hall is not broken, City Hall never went anywhere,” he said at the time.
Prior to Ashe-Nadrowski taking the podium, Board of Education Vice President Christopher Munoz, who served as the emcee, introduced 1st Ward council candidate Julie Sanchez Lynch, also his cousin, and 3rd Ward council candidate Maria Valado – also the board of education president.
“I love my town, I’ve been a life long resident in Bayonne and I am honored to have been asked for 3rd Ward council on Sharon’s ticket. For years I’ve supported Sharon and she has returned that support in the same by encouraging me to be come more active in the community,” Valado said.
Receiving a standing ovation from the crowd as she walked to the microphone while Eminem’s “Not Afraid” played, Ashe-Nadrowski thanked her family and friends for their continued support.
As she did during her campaign kickoff, she emphasized making a transparent City Hall that works for everyone, along with quality of life issues such as efficient garbage and recycling pick up. She also reminded supported that every vote counts.
“We need to remind them, they need to come out, they need to vote, because that’s the only way we change Bayonne. Get engaged: we need everyone to continue on the fight,” she stated.
“We need everyone to come out and vote on May 10th so that on May 10th we have new leadership in Bayonne, leadership that brings people back to Bayonne because that’s who should be heard: the people that live here, not outside interests, not outsized development, so we need to continue the fight and bring Bayonne back to Bayonne.”
