Dacey gets Metuchen Dems' endorsement for mayor
BY TOM CAIAZZA
Staff Writer

METUCHEN - Councilman Tim Dacey was given the borough Democratic Party's endorsement to run for mayor in November at a meeting of the Democratic Committee on March 12.

According to Democratic Committee Chairwoman Beverly Passantino, Dacey was given the endorsement for mayor, and Alan Grossman and Beatrice Moscowitz were endorsed to fill the two council seats that are to be contested in the fall.

Dacey got the party's endorsement only a week after longtime Mayor Edmund O'Brien announced that he would not seek a fourth term as mayor.

Originally, three council members, Dacey, Rick Dyas and Tom Vahalla, were seeking the party's endorsement. The 25-member committee screened all three candidates before giving the endorsement to Dacey.

Dacey that he was excited to be the party's choice for mayor.

"I've got a good team and I look forward to running with them," Dacey said.

Dacey said that he plans to ask Vahalla and Dyas to support him in the upcoming election but does not expect to face a primary challenge.

"I'm hoping that we have party unity and that the entire team supports," Dacey said. "I will be asking Tom Vahalla and Rick Dyas to support me and work with me, and I look forward to working with them as councilmen through the year and hopefully work with them as councilmen next year."

Passantino said that as of Friday, no one had expressed an interest in forming a primary challenge.

O'Brien said that his decision not to continue on as mayor for a fourth term was a personal one. He said that 12 years was long enough and that he hoped his tenure at the helm of Metuchen was a fruitful one.

"I hope that I've made a contribution that has bettered the community that I know and love," O'Brien said. "And I wish all the best for the borough in the future."

Tom Vahalla and Rick Dyas could not be reached for comment by press time.