By STEVE PRISAMENT
Staff Writer

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP – Democrat Tom Schurtz, 58, a teacher at Assumption Regional Catholic School, won the council seat held by Republican Jim Cox in the general election Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Cox, a local developer who was filling the unexpired term of Richard Dase who left last year when he won a place on the Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders, will be replaced at the next council meeting, according to Mayor Tom Bassford.

“This counts as a special election for him because he was filling the unexpired term,” Bassford said. “Now Schurtz will have to run again next year.”

Cox was appointed to Township Council in November, 2007, after Dase won the District 3 freeholder post.

Schurtz won by 7,790 votes to 5,949 pending the counting of messenger and absentee ballots.  There are about 700 outstanding messenger and absentee ballots, according to the mayor.

Democrats picked up a seat on council last year. With this year’s victory, the Republican majority stands at 4-3. Bassford, Bill Ackerman, Al DeSimone and Keith Hartman are Republicans. Meg Worthington, Jim Gorman and Schurtz are Democrats.

“The people of Galloway, it seems to me, have issued a resounding mandate for change,” Schurtz said Wednesday. “They have challenged me and the other members of council to work together to affect much-needed improvements in traffic, fiscal management and accountability to taxpayers.”

Council’s newest member issued a call for unity.

“It is time for all of us to work as one group dedicated to maintaining and improving life in our township,” Schurtz said. “I want to thank the people of Galloway who, with their votes, have placed their trust in me to represent their best interests.”

Born in New York City in 1950, Schurtz is a graduate of Union Catholic High School and La Salle University where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in secondary English education in 1972.

He taught at Newark Central High School from 1973 to 1984.   In 1980, he served as a Democratic committeeman in Woodbridge, N.J.

In 1984, he relocated to Galloway Township and taught at Absegami High School from 1984 until his retirement from the public school system in 2005.

Through the years he has coached football, basketball, baseball, and tennis at the high school, grammar school, and Galloway Township Athletic Association levels.

He now teaches literature to grades six, seven and eight at Assumption Regional Catholic School.

Schurtz has been married since 1974, and his wife, Mary Ellen, is the vice principal at Assumption Regional Catholic School.

They have four adult children all of whom graduated from Absegami High School. Three of the children are teachers in high schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Their fourth is a junior at The College of New Jersey.

Schurtz is a member of Assumption Church and the Knights of Columbus.

In addition to Schurtz, up for reelection next November would be Bassford, DeSimone and Worthington.