SAYREVILLE – Two Republicans are looking to challenge the Democratic majority on the Sayreville Borough Council in the Nov. 2 election.
The three-year terms currently held by Democrats Kevin Dalina and Damon Enriquez will expire at the end of the year. Both are running for new terms on the governing body.
Challenging the Democrats are Republicans Eunice Dwumfour and Christian Onuoha.
Democrats hold five of six council seats and the mayor’s office in Sayreville. Republicans hold one council seat.
Kevin Dalina served on the Sayreville Board of Health and the Sayreville Economic & Redevelopment Agency (SERA) before being elected to the council in 2018. After joining the governing body, he served as the liaison to the Planning Board for two years.
“Since being elected in 2018, I have worked with my colleagues on the Borough Council to invest in our town’s infrastructure to pave roads, while also keeping taxes stable for our residents and keeping them safe,” Dalina said. “I am running because I want to continue our work and partnership with the Middlesex County Board of Commissioners and our legislative delegation to bring more funding to Sayreville.
“Working with our state legislature, we were able to obtain $1 million to further develop the Jerry Ust Recreation Facility on Bordentown Avenue,” he continued. “Working with the Middlesex County Commissioners, we were able to secure funding to repair the intersection of Jernee Mill Road and Washington Road, provide a drive-thru coronavirus testing at the police station, and provide coronavirus vaccinations at the fire academy.
“I am seeking re-election to the Borough Council to continue working toward making Sayreville better by keeping taxes stable and to ensure we can continue to offer the services and programs our residents’ value,” he said.
Professionally, Dalina is the events manager at Middlesex County College, where he oversees the coordination of all internal and external events and the rental of college facilities to outside organizations.
“My job requires constant communication amongst myself, campus departments and external stakeholders,” he said. “I am often tasked with large projects that I break down, analyze and create solutions for. These skills have given me the ability to manage multiple projects at once, thoroughly communicate with multiple individuals to ensure all requirements are met and develop different strategies to create progress.
“The borough has ongoing projects that require constant communication between the business administrator, council and mayor,” Dalina continued. “Creating strategies on how to accomplish these goals and complete these projects are imperative to the success of the borough. As a council person, my colleagues and I are responsible for managing these projects to ensure they are completed. The skills I have learned in my career help me do so.”
If re-elected, Dalina said he will continue to address the issues of infrastructure, taxes, and working with the county and state.
“Over the next three years, the borough must continue to invest in our infrastructure in order to pave roads and complete other projects,” he said. “The council must also continue to provide a stable tax rate and offer the services that our residents value. Finally, we must continue to have a working relationship with our state delegation and county commissioners to receive funding to further enhance Sayreville.”
Eunice Dwumfour issued statements about her candidacy on the local party’s website.
“Like you, Sayreville is my home,”Dwumfour said. “I love and cherish this town and it is my desire to help improve the lives of its residents. In the past few years, we have seen many changes, including a worldwide pandemic, but despite all, Sayreville still stands strong because of residents like you.
“I am fully dedicated to building a better, stronger Sayreville, and with your support, we can create a brighter future for our wonderful town,” she said.
After being elected to the council in 2018, Damon Enriquez has served as the liaison to the Recreation Advisory Board, Sayreville Public Library, Office of Aging, Cultural Arts, Commuter Advisory Board and the Municipal Alliance. He is also a board member of the Sayreville Junior Bombers Football and Cheer Organization.
“I am seeking re-election to continue the work I began with my other council members when I was first elected,” Enriquez said. “I just want to continue to make a difference in the betterment of this community. I need to make sure the concerns of the people of Sayreville are heard and responded to.
“We have already worked hard in stabilizing our taxes, allocating more of our tax money towards our roads and worked in concert with the county on bringing in more funding through grants for improvements to this town,” he continued. “As when I first decided to run, I still have that passion to make Sayreville one of, if not the most desired places to live in all of Middlesex County. I plan on continuing to work hard to make that happen.”
Enriquez served in the United States Navy, in addition to attending college during his enlistment. His service included four years of active duty on the USS Wasp.
Following a transfer to the US Naval Reserves, he began a career in telecommunications and worked for companies such as AT&T, Level 3 and CenturyLink.
“While in these roles, it helped me learn how to deal with high pressure situations,” he said. “It taught me how to analyze and resolve issues as well as make tough decisions that need to be made for the betterment of our town.”
If re-elected, Enriquez said he will continue to address the issues of the borough’s roads and taxes.
“One of the glaring issues and complaints in this town has to be the current conditions of our roads,” Enriquez said. “For the past 2 years, we have invested $10 million out of our town’s budget for road repairs and improvement. Another issue, as with most towns are keeping our taxes stable. The council has worked hard to manage affordable taxes, while navigating the increasing prices of labor and materials.”
Christian Onuoha issued statements about his candidacy on the local party’s website.
“Today, we have seen and overcome a global pandemic. It is time to get back to work and school and build our future. Together, I believe we can lead a better way forward for our borough. Please support this cause by voting Dwumfour and Onuoha on Nov. 2,” he said.
Dwumfour and Onuoha could not be reached for additional comment by press time.
Contact Matthew Sockol at msockol@newspapermediagroup.com.
