Montclair Mayor Renee Baskerville has dropped her bid for the Democratic nomination for Essex County Freeholder-At-Large, leaving the field at eleven candidates for four seats with just one incumbent seeking another term.
“I came to the conclusion that I don’t think the time is right. We have not had a full-time Montclair township attorney, or a consistent chief financial officer, and we are facing an unprecedented financial crisis,” said Baskerville, who is in her second year as mayor. “With this new to Montclair manager and a relatively inexperienced council, we have accomplished a lot, but the foundation has not yet been laid to the level that I would feel comfortable to leave at this time.”
Baskerville said she initially joined the race after learning that Brendan Gill (D-Montclair) was not running again after fifteen years in office. But after consideration over the weekend, Baskerville decided to remain in local office.
“We have a lot on our plate and are moving in a positive direction with the help of our residents, but we are still in the listening, learning and planning phase, and are moving with caution to make sure we get things right, especially in matters of development, infrastructure, affordability, providing comfort for our unhoused residents and getting the staff in place to provide the most guidance, experience, responsive and proactive leadership in their fields,” she said.
In addition to Gill, incumbents Patricia Sebold (D-Livingston) and Romaine Sermons (D-Irvington) are not seeking re-election. The fourth at-large commissioner, Wayne Richardson (D-Newark), is a candidate for another term.
Livingston Mayor Shawn Klein, Verona Councilwoman Christine McGrath, Irvington Councilwoman Charnette Fredric, former Montclair Mayor Robert Russo, West Orange Democratic Municipal Chairman Abdur R. Yasin, former Newark Public Schools Advisory Board member Marques-Aquil Lewis, former Millburn Mayor Annette Romano, former Livingston school board member Vineeta Khanna, former Maplewood Township Committeewoman Deb Engel, and Corey Anderson, the Bloomfield Democratic Municipal Vice Chairman, filed letters of intent to seek party support at the March 21 convention in advance of last Friday’s 5 PM deadline.