Mundell appointed to complete Chalet’s term

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — At a special meeting Wednesday, May 31, the Bloomfield Township Council voted unanimously to appoint Jenny Mundell to complete the unexpired term of former 1st Ward Councilman Elias Chalet. The term expires Jan. 1, 2018.

Mundell is the 1st Ward candidate on the Democratic slate for the primary elections that were held this past Tuesday, June 6. She was running unopposed.
The Bloomfield Democrat Party had submitted three names to the office of the Bloomfield municipal clerk within the required 15 days once the seat was vacated.

Chalet forfeited his position May 9 when he accepted a plea deal on a bribery charge. In addition to Mundell, the names of Luis Felix and Ann Hardy were given to Municipal Clerk Louise Palagano.

Councilwoman Wartyna Davis nominated Mundell. She was sworn-in by Assemblyman Ralph Caputo, D-District 28, who said it was a great moment to see people who wanted to serve the public “putting themselves out there.”

State Sen. Ron Rice, D-Essex, commended Mayor Michael Venezia and the council for the work they do although he may not always agree with it. Turning to Mundell, Rice told her there will be people who will not be grateful for what she does.

“Just be true to your values and the people you represent, that’s what you are, a public servant,” he said. “You don’t have to rubberstamp anything, you just have to work with everybody.”

Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker, D-28th District, acknowledged that the council now had two women.

Then Mundell spoke, saying that at the moment she was struck “that we are all here because of an act of democracy.”