Independent candidates Jim Folkerts and Frank Furbacher will seek two seats on the Oakland Borough Council in the November general election.
Oakland is a Republican-leaning town with two rival factions, one of which runs as an independent in the general election. No Democrats filed to run for the Oakland Borough Council this year, and no primary was held.
As a result, the general election will be a contest between Republican-backed candidates and independents seeking support from Democrats, unaffiliated voters, and Republicans dissatisfied with the local GOP organization — an unofficial fusion ticket of sorts.
If Folkerts and Furbacher succeed, independents would hold a 4-3 majority on the seven-member borough council, which Republican Mayor Eric Kulmala leads.
They are challenging Republican incumbent Russel Talamini and his running mate, Ryan Schwertfeger, a spokesman for the Borough of Roseland.
Last November, independent William Eilert ousted GOP incumbent John J. McCann by 77 votes, while the race for the other seat between independent Matthew Dumpert and Republican incumbent Kevin Slasinski ended in an exact tie, with 2,516 votes each. Superior Court Judge Kelly Conlon subsequently ordered a do-over election, in which Dumpert defeated Slasinski by a margin of 1,888 votes to 770.
The ruling came after Conlon invalidated the vote of a woman living in Chicago who cast her ballot from her parents’ home address. The judge, who never took testimony from the voter — who said she intended to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights — instead determined who the vote was cast for after hearing testimony from the voter’s mother.
Folkerts serves as chair of the Oakland Sports Authority, while Furbacher is a volunteer recreation coach with a background in customer relations.
They are running on a platform to strengthen youth, family, and recreation programs; enhance parks and public spaces; maintain fiscal responsibility and transparency to protect taxpayers; improve public safety, infrastructure, and responsible development; and deliver open, accountable, and results-driven local government.
“Oakland deserves council members who listen first to residents and deliver practical solutions rather than partisan politics,” said Jim Folkerts. “Through my work with the SAO and other community organizations, I have seen firsthand the positive impact of strong recreation programs, safe public spaces, and responsive local leadership. I am running to ensure these priorities guide every decision.”
Furbacher pointed to his experience raising three children in Oakland.
“I am deeply invested in our town’s future. I will champion fiscal responsibility, accountability, and common-sense approaches that make government work better for everyone,” stated Furbacher. “We will advocate for transparent decision-making that protects homeowners while addressing critical issues such as public safety, infrastructure, recreation, and responsible development.”