Summit Councilwoman To Run For Union County Board of Freeholders

The Summit Republican City Committee nominated Council President Dave Bomgaars and Councilman Tom Getzendanner for re-election to their seats in Ward II and Ward I respectively.

But the real news of the night was the unexpected announcement by Councilwoman Ellen Dickson that she would run for Union County Freeholder. Dickson will join Bryan Flanagan of New Providence and Elyse Bochicchio Medved, a former Rahway councilwoman on the ticket for freeholder.

"Neither Summit nor New Providence are represented," said Phil Morin, chairman of the Union County Republican Committee. "Only seven out of 10 towns are represented in our nine freeholders."

Dickson said the decision to run for Freeholder came about very recently and she has every intention if elected to keep her post on Common Council as her term does not expire until 2011. Dickson served as council president in 2009.

"She decided this is what she wanted to do," Summit Republican City Committee Chairman Chip Dickson said getting choked up about his wife's decision to run for Freeholder. "This is just great."

Bomgaars, who currently serves as council president, will be running for his second full three-year term on council. He has previously filled portions of terms left vacated by former council people. Getzendanner will be running for his third three-year term.

Fifty-nine Republican delegates out of more than 200 attended the mini-convention and unanimously voted to nominate Bomgaars and Getzendanner.

Getzenndanner and Bomgaars sat down with Patch earlier this week to outline their decisions to run for re-election and their goals if re-elected.