Published:
MORRIS PLAINS – Grades K-8 Board of Education candidate Wayne Marek will face former Borough Councilman Mike Butchko in the Tuesday, June 8 Democratic Primary for the
honor of facing Republican Mayor Frank Druetzler in
the fall for a four-year term.
Marek’s main goal in his campaign is to work to end
“home rule,” which he called an “antiquated notion.”
“Home Rule” is a concept that has had its day in the sun,” he said. “The Great
Recession has shown us all that we have to tighten our belts and find ways to
stretch the dollars we have. Utilizing ‘economies of scale’ is a great way to
achieve this goal.”
He noted the vast majority of New Jerseyans are
willing to explore shared services and consolidation if it means lowering their
property taxes.
“People
are ready for a leader who is beholden to no one except the taxpayers, someone
with the courage and the will to take on Home Rule. While I am that leader, I
would never make a unilateral move without first bringing the feasibility data
before the people and making it available on the borough website and public
meetings so as to ensure that the people knew that they were getting the best
bang for their taxpayer dollar. That, to me, is the practice of an open
government. That is the kind of leader and mayor I will be for the community.”
Marek, 35, complained the Morris Plains Democratic
Committee, which supports Butchko, doesn’t pick
winners and that he is the fresh face that is needed. Morris Plains Democrats
were able to elect a councilman in Jason Kaar, but Marek said the fact Kaar has no
Republican opposition in the fall in his re-election bid this year means he’s
obviously not upsetting to the Republicans. He called Kaar
“co-opted.”
Asked about the fact he has, in the last four years, run for state Assembly
twice, ran successfully for school board and is now running for mayor for a
shot at taking on Republican Mayor Frank Druetzler, Marek said he has a passion to have his voice heard and be
a help. “John F. Kennedy said if you care about an issue, you want get to a
place you can do something about it,” he said
Butchko said Marek is still
too immature to be mayor. Butchco said he is the lone
Democrat in
“I have the record,” he said.
Butchco also challenged Marek
on a supposed endorsement from Joe Cryan, chairman of
the New Jersey Democratic State Committee. Butchco
produced an email from Cryan to Morris County
Democratic Chairman Lewis Candura in which Cryan says he only had a “nice conversation” with Marek.
Marek admitted Monday he did not secure the
endorsement from Cryan but noted several other
endorsements from out-of-town Democratic figures who
helped him in his Assembly runs.’
Butchko is principal of
Butchko said he is worried about what will happen to
the Route 53 corridor, which he called the lifeblood of
He blamed Druetzler for not keeping a better eye on
the companies, both of which are looking to sell parts of their corporate
campuses in
Marek is a consultant and lives on
Butchko lives on