At last night’s Mayor & Council meeting, Mayor Joseph Accardi publicly announced that he will not be running in November for a second term as the head of the municipality.
The mayor started his report by saying, “I want to first make the announcement that’s the worst kept secret in the borough: I’m not going to be running for mayor again. I have decided for a number of reasons that it is not appropriate at this time for me to pursue the office of mayor for another term.”
Citing factors such as family, work, getting in shape to run a marathon, wanting to travel, as well as not wanting to burden taxpayers with the cost for increased security during primary election, Mayor Accardi never mentioned not receiving the necessary votes from the Roselle Park Republican Committee to run as the Republican candidate for mayor.
Fifth Ward Councilman Michael Yakubov, who is the Republican candidate for mayor, later during the same meeting remarked about Mayor Accardi not running for re-election by commenting, “In his efforts to say that he will not be seeking re-election – that it was his personal choice – I would ask him why did he circulated a petition to run for mayor.”
Barring running as an independent, which has a deadline for filing a petition by June 3rd, this will formally make Joseph Accardi a one-term mayor.
In concluding his comments on the subject and his service to the community, Mayor Accardi stated, “I will continue serving not just through my term but after my term [as a resident].”