Democratic Ticket Showcases Community Focus, Committeewoman Says

Although her colleague Donna Szymborski will not be up for re-election in the upcoming Township Committee race, West Deptford Township Committeewoman Denice DiCarlo hopes an infusion of new blood into the Democratic ticket can help change the conversation of township politics.

James Robinson Jr. and Adam Reid are the two primary candidates whose petitions for election were filed with the township clerk on Monday.

A statement of endorsement from the West Deptford Democratic Party noted that their selection was "the culmination of an expansive search for new candidates begun earlier this year" in which more than 6,000 emails went out to solicit "persons interested in running for office or getting involved in West Deptford government to step forward.

"We will find a way to showcase that Adam and Jim are two very strong individuals and how can we get that message out to West Deptford," DiCarlo said.

After a heated election season last year, DiCarlo said that she expects the township Democrats will run "a spirited campaign," and hopes that this year's candidates on both sides of the aisle will escape some of the mudslinging that marked the race a year ago.

"I wouldn't wish what was done to me last year on my worst enemy," DiCarlo said. "You get to the point where you're telling your teenage kids not to come to a meeting."

DiCarlo said she's known Robinson through his volunteerism for years, most notably in the West Deptford Soccer Club. She described him as "somebody who's interested in giving back to the community in the right way.

"He's a man of his word, he's a hard worker, and he's truly somebody who enjoys giving back to the community," she said.

DiCarlo was less familiar with Reid, but said, "he's in it for all the right reasons." She cited his "legacy" in West Deptford as the grandson of former mayor Robert Reid in creating a sustainable recreation program for future generations.

"I think what kind of sets us apart from the rest of the towns are things like RiverWinds, the recreation program, the beautiful fields," DiCarlo said. "[Reid] sees this as 'something that my grandfather started, and I don't want it to be torn down.'

"The reason why we're rated the way that we are is because of some of these programs," she said. "You start to do away with that stuff, we don't get that type of recognition."

DiCarlo said that she learned of Szymborski's decision to not run a few weeks ago, and that although she was "a little surprised," she supported her colleague's choice.

"When people decide to move on, it's their decision," DiCarlo said. "[Szymborski] didn't cite any specific reason to me."