Meet The Democrats Running For Eatontown Mayor And Council

EATONTOWN, NJ — On Nov. 3, there will be an election for Eatontown mayor and two Council seats.

On the Democratic side, Eatontown mayor Anthony Talerico is asking voters to re-elect him to his third term as Eatontown mayor; he's been the town's mayor since 2018. Councilwomen Danielle Jones and Candace Faust seek re-election alongside him.

Patch asked all three to introduce themselves to voters:

Councilwoman Candace Faust, running for re-election

I am a lifelong resident of Eatontown. I graduated from Monmouth Regional High School and attended Rutgers where I received a bachelor’s degree in political science and Middle Eastern studies. I have served on several Commissions and Committees in town including the Traffic Advisory Committee, the Recreation Advisory Committee, Eatontown Day Committee and the Community Garden Committee.

I served as Vice Chairperson of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, Chairperson of the Shade Tree Commission and co-founder and chair of the Complete Streets Advisory Committee. I was elected to my first term on the Eatontown Borough Council in 2024. On the Council, I serve as liaison to the Department of Public Works as well as several committees such as Green Team, Beautify Eatontown, Complete Streets and the Shade Tree Commission.

Since co-founding Eatontown’s Complete Street Advisory Committee, I have spoken at the NJ League of Municipalities, the NJ Bike and Walk Summit and the NJ Planners Conference on Eatontown’s successes in Complete Streets initiatives. We are a Sustainable Jersey Spotlight town in the Complete Street category. Eatontown ranked 13^th nationally and 1^st in New Jersey on Smart Growth America’s Best Complete Streets Policies of 2023.

During my first term in office, I was successful in writing and winning over $1 million in state grants for sidewalks and bikeways. I also worked with Congressman Chris Smith’s staff for federal funding to repair our Wampum dam and state Senator Gopal’s office for state budgetary funding for the Eatontown Baseball League to support their growing softball program.

I hosted and ran numerous events in town such as Women’s Suffrage programming, the borough’s Haunted Museum and created the popular Cookies and Canvas art series where parents and children paint together. I am also leading the restoration and renovation of the historic Locust Grove Cemetery. I participated in the Netflix negotiations which yielded $47 million in Restoration Area Bonds, $78 million in PILOT payments and a $5 million Community Benefit Agreement payment for the borough.

Eatontown is in the midst of a significant transition with development in town. I believe my experience, voice and advocacy will continue to benefit the community as I bring a decade of volunteerism, community service and continuity in my decision making. I am not just active on the dais; I am fully present and engaged in the community as well.

Councilwoman Danielle Jones, running for re-election

I am an Eatontown Councilwoman, higher education professional and community advocate.

First elected to the Borough Council in November 2020, she was sworn into office in January 2021 and has served as Chair of the Finance and Ordinance Committee, helping guide municipal policy and legislative priorities.

As a member of the Borough Council, Danielle has worked with various municipal departments, community organizations and local educational institutions on initiatives affecting Eatontown’s residents. Her council assignments have included the Planning Board, Environmental Commission, Eatontown Board of Education, Monmouth Regional High School Board of Education, Traffic Advisory Committee, Youth Committee and Substance Abuse Prevention Alliance. She's met with residents and stakeholders on environmental issues, education, traffic safety, youth development and community well-being.

She established Eatontown’s Municipal Government Internship Program (MGIP) in 2023 and helped reinstate Student Government Day in 2024 to introduce students to local government, public service and careers in municipal government. She led efforts to establish annual recognition of Women in Public Office Day in and secure municipal recognition of Juneteenth. In 2022, she participated in a collaborative effort to install a historical marker honoring Samuel “Mingo Jack” Johnson, the victim of New Jersey’s only documented lynching. She also helped advance the Borough’s recreational cannabis ordinance in 2021 and has collaborated with community organizations to support municipal Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and Black History Month observances.

A longtime Eatontown resident, Danielle attended Woodmere Elementary School, Eatontown Memorial School and Monmouth Regional High School. She currently works as a program director of career and academic programs at Ocean County College and previously worked at Brookdale Community College in governmental affairs and student services.

She has an associate’s degree from Brookdale and a college degree from Cabrini College. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration at Southern New Hampshire University.

"From establishing MGIP and reinstating Student Government Day to advancing environmental awareness and historical recognition, I have worked to create opportunities for residents and strengthen community connections," Jones said. "If re-elected, I will continue building on this work while prioritizing affordability, responsible budgeting, reliable infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and transparent communication with residents. I believe my next term should build on the progress already made while addressing the challenges ahead through thoughtful planning, collaboration and accountability."

Eatontown Mayor Anthony Talerico, running for re-election as mayor

I was born and raised in Eatontown and am a proud product of the Eatontown public schools. I graduated from the University of Scranton with a bachelor’s in accounting and Monmouth University with an MBA. I initially practiced as a Certified Public Accountant in New York and New Jersey, focusing on auditing, forensic accounting and business valuations, and eventually opened my own accounting consulting practice. I later had a career change and now am a registered nurse on the oncology floor of a local hospital.

Prior to serving on the governing body, I was a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Eatontown Sewerage Authority. I am also a life member of the Eatontown Volunteer Ambulance Corps. I served on the Borough Council from 2010 – 2018, with many of those years as Council President. While on Council, I was liaison to or partnered with nearly every Borough board, committee and commission. My first term as Mayor began in 2019 and I was re-elected for a second term beginning in 2023. As Mayor, I am a member of the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority and currently serve as its Vice Chairman.

My administration has been extremely aggressive about seeking grants, securing over $7 million since I became Mayor. Of that amount, 80% have required no match from the local taxpayer. Being able to address our infrastructure needs through grants is something that helps the taxpayer. I have and will continually seek grant opportunities wherever they arise.

The governing body is only able to control a small piece of your tax bill. I am proud that the municipal portion of the tax bill is less now than it was when I was first elected. I think this speaks to the fact that the administration is very conscious of costs and does what we can to keep them as low as possible.

I believe that a significant part of my administration’s success has to do with the relationships we have fostered across party lines at all levels of government — local, county, state and federal. Not only has this helped us secure grant funding, but it gives us a seat at the table where decisions are being made elsewhere that affect Eatontown.

The borough is experiencing a dynamic change with the Netflix development. We successfully negotiated a financial arrangement with Netflix affording us $47 million in an upfront payment and a $5 million Community Benefit Agreement payment. In addition, we will see $78 million in payments over 30 years. At the same time, our Downtown is beginning to see changes as well. We declared the area as an Area in Need of Redevelopment, a zoning structure that gives the Borough greater involvement and connection with property owners as they redevelop. Since then, several property owners have come forward to discuss ways they can improve their buildings. Recently, we were able to secure a $1 million no-match grant from the NJEDA which we are using to improve our parking lots, sidewalks and lighting. I predict you will soon see businesses improving their facades. We are capitalizing on the excitement of Netflix to stimulate the property owners in the Downtown to invest in their properties.

I have used social media to communicate the status of projects in town and take the opportunity to explain various Borough initiatives. I number my updates so readers can go back and read them sequentially to understand the projects. I use my posts as an opportunity to provide updates on the mall, Howard Commons, Netflix, the Wampum Dam repairs, flood mitigation, park projects and other significant items affecting the Borough. I am proud of my service to the community am thankful the residents have given me this opportunity.

The Republicans challenging them are: Councilwoman Maria Grazia Escalante, Kevin Gonzalez, who's been on the town council before and seeks to get back on and Ali Mehdaoui; this is his first time running for political office. Meet The Republicans Running For Eatontown Mayor And Council

Election Day is Nov. 3. Early, in-person voting runs Oct. 24 - Nov. 1. There is no place to vote early in person in Eatontown, but here are the 10 early-voting locations in Monmouth County: monmouthcountyvotes.gov/voter-information/polling-places/ Vote-by-mail ballots were already mailed out to homes.