Parenti, Mitchell Pursue Re-election in Fanwood

Fanwood's 2010 council election is shaping up to include two incumbents and two new candidates.

Anthony Parenti leads the Republican ticket, joined by former school board candidate Jason Benedict. An incumbent, Parenti served as Fanwood's Police Chief until 1997. He is also the former director of the John H. Stamler Police Academy. He was elected to his first term on the council in 2008 and currently serves as the chair of the administration and finance committee and as a member of the public works and recreation and community services committees.

Benedict went up against Amy Winkler and Michael Lewis for an open Board of Education seat last October. He currently serves as the Security Office and Chief Information Security Officer at Fordham University and is on the Fanwood Community Foundation's Board of Directors. Benedict lives in the borough with his wife and young son.

The Democratic ticket includes incumbent Kathy Mitchell and Kevin Boris. Mitchell, a resident of Fanwood for more than 50 years, is seeking reelection to a fifth three-year term. She was first elected to council in 1998 and currently serves as the chair of the public safety committee and as a member of the recreation and community services and health and senior services committees. Mitchell is also council liaison to the Fanwood Cultural Arts Council, the municipal alliances representative and the council representative to the Union County Community Development Revenue Sharing Committee. Mitchell is one of the original founders of the Fanwood Scotch Plains Recycling Association and works closely with the social concerns at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. She has been employed as a nurse at Runnells Specialized Hospital.

Boris, who has lived in Fanwood for a few years, currently serves on the borough planning board. Originally from Texas, he now lives in Fanwood with his wife and young daughter. He works as an attorney at Shain, Schaffer & Rafanello in Bernardsville.