Five candidates seek council nominations Four incumbents and one newcomer will seek four nods from party BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer WOODBRIDGE - The newcomer said he wants a change. Frederick "Fred" T. Fry, 62, Colonia, will vie for the four, four-year, council-at-large terms against Incumbents James Carroll, who has been on the council since 1994, Gregg Ficarra, who replaced former Councilwoman Caroline Ehrlich in January, Patricia Osborne, who has been on the council since 1996 and council President Brenda Yori Velasco, who has been on the council since 1996, in the June 5 primary. Fry, who has lived in the township since 1960, said the way things have been going, he feels the township is heading in the wrong direction. "There's too much overbuilding," said Fry. "There's no place for the kids to go anymore," he said. "I don't understand why the township won't buy the property for the Rahway Bus Co. on Inman Avenue in Colonia and make it into a computerized center for the kids. It's perfect because it already has two brick buildings, it has existing parking, and it will not disturb the wetlands on the site. Or maybe a satellite police station since Inman Avenue is the farthest from the police station." A developer currently wants to build 100 age restricted units on the current Rahway Bus Co. site on Inman Avenue at the intersection of Delaware Avenue. "Residential quality of life comes first," said Fry, "and that starts with the council." Fry said the problem is the township's quest to bring in ratables, such as the possible condominiums on the current Rahway Bus Co. site and the construction of the Walgreens on Inman Avenue, which are both close to surrounding homes. "I have lived here for over 40 years, when the Woodbridge Community Center was clay pits and before the Woodbridge Center Mall and Menlo Park Mall," said Fry. "My taxes have not gone down over the years, but in fact they have gone up. We were probably in better shape 40 to 50 years ago." The four incumbents have said they are running on their record. Carroll said he looks forward to serving the needs of the Woodbridge Community. "This Democratic council and newly elected Mayor John E. McCormac have made great strides in making Woodbridge an even better place to live in just a short period of time," he said. Ficarra, a supervisor of physical education and athletics in the Perth Amboy School District and president of the state athletic directors association, is looking forward to his first election since being appointed to the council in January. "I'm excited because there are so many positive things happening in town that will affect the quality of all our lives," he said. "Being a part of that process is invigorating." Osborne, a longtime teacher in the Woodbridge Township School District, took a leading role in the Iselin Visioning Meeting that helped create a master plan to address the traffic, parking and congestion issues of the Iselin Business District. The township is currently continuing the process with other sections of the township. "My record over the last 11 years as your at-large council representative clearly demonstrates that I can shoulder the responsibilities of serving the Woodbridge residents," she said. Yori-Velasco, a former educator and an active community member, said she is proud of her involvement in programs such as Christmas in April, which is now called Tooling Around the Township, the Jack Fay Civic Award and the Youth in Government Day Program. "My career in education, commitment to our community and 11 years as a Woodbridge councilwoman enables me to better serve the families of Woodbridge," she said. Fry said everyone on the council are "good people," but he feels they need to take a deep breath and slow down. "There's no checks and balances," he said.