Carew to replace

Patterson in election By Mike Celizic Vernon - The Vernon Republican Committee on Tuesday night named former environmental commission chairman Austin Carew to replace Jeff Patterson, who announced his resignation from the township council on July 25, in the November election. Carew was also one of three candidates who will be submitted to the Vernon Township Council to fill the final five months of Patterson's term. Mayor Ira Weiner, who chairs the township Republican organization, said that with "33 or 34" of the committee's 40 members in attendance, Carew received 30 votes, Andrea "Bunny" Cocula 24, Glenn McLaughlin 21 and Thomas Papa, the school board vice president, 9. Weiner said he expects the council to pick one at it's Aug. 22 meeting. Although the council can pick any of the three candidates, it is expected that Carew will be picked. "The committee made it pretty clear they wanted Austin to be the candidate," Weiner said. Carew, who has held a number of township and county posts, has been asked to run for council before, but had cited time considerations in declining. "Now he's ready to make that commitment," Weiner said. Councilman Neil Desmond, who was not able to attend the committee meeting, questioned Weiner's leadership. Desmond felt that Weiner and others worked to keep Papa off the list of candidates. Desmond said Papa was not even invited to the meeting, to which Weiner responded, "Tom knew about the meeting." Weiner said Papa could be a good candidate in the future but lacks experience in areas outside of schools. "How can you expect someone who's unfamiliar with local issues to make decisions?" Weiner asked. Said Desmond of Weiner: "At what point do we begin to question the leadership?" Neither Carew now Papa could be reached before The Advertiser-News went to press Wednesday morning.