Nutley Commission

Holding to old traditions, Nutley strives for new rateables

Candidates: Joanne Cocchiola-Oliver | Carmen Orechio | Mauro Tucci | Tom Evans | Joseph Scarpelli | Al Petracco | Sal Olivo

Tags: Nutley | Carmen Orechio | Joanne Cocchiola-Oliver

NUTLEY - Mayor of the town of Nutley and Commissioner of Public Affairs, 49-year old Joanne Cocchiola is seeking her third term on the Board of Commissioners. Four years ago, she was the top vote getter. That’s why she’s mayor, and the first woman to hold the office in Nutley’s 106-year history.

“All night on Election Night I was neck and neck with (Commissioner) Mauro Tucci,” Cocchiola recalled. “I thought he was going to be the mayor. When I won, my father came up to me and said, ‘You did what I could never do.’”

Her father, the late Frank Cocchiola, a first cousin of Carmen Orechio, served as commissioner for 28 years. So no one who knows Nutley was surprised when the younger Cocchiola followed him into local politics.

“I literally grew up playing shuffleboard at the Elks Club where the
politicians hung out,” said the mayor. “My father loved this town. He bled maroon and gray. Those are the Nutley colors.”

NUTLEY - Chiropractor Joseph Scarpelli, 49, a Nutley native and former Essex County Freeholder and School Board member, wants to serve on the Board of Commissioners in place of his father, Commissioner and former Mayor Peter Scarpelli.

“After seven elections and 25 years, I’ve decided it’s time to go hit the little white ball for a while,” the senior Scarpelli told PolitickerNJ.com.

But he’s not yet not in retirement mode. The 70-year old Commissioner of Public Works, who finished third in total votes last time, serves as his son’s campaign manager, and his son intends to run a full-blown campaign.

Former Senate President Carmen Orechio, 81, has served as a Nutley Commissioner since 1968NUTLEY - Commissioner Carmen Orechio, 81, is a former state Senate President, and a commissioner since 1968. For the last 25 years he has served as the Commissioner of Public Safety, overseeing the police, fire and ambulance services.

They call him the dean.

“Commissioner Orechio is a tremendous resource whenever we get into uncharted waters,” said his colleague Commissioner Mauro Tucci. “That’s because his answers are based not in theory but life experience. We are so lucky to have his wealth of knowledge.”

“I’ve lived in town all my life,” said Orechio, who plans to file his
petitions today to meet the deadline. “It’s been a great privilege to
serve, and I want to do my part to the keep the community safe.”

Under his direction, Nutley has maintained a hybrid fire department, which now consists of 38 career officers and 60 volunteers. The police department is 65-officers strong. Nutley furnishes a detox vehicle and the expertise to combat hazardous materials, which is the result of state and federal grants Orechio helped secure.

Al PetraccoNUTLEY - The 43-year old owner of a Nutley deli, first time candidate Al Petracco also has a number of real estate investments in his home town.

His parents were born in Newark and moved to Nutley to give their family what they believed would be a better life. But after the most recent property revaluation, the elder Petraccos are now paying $10,000 annually in property taxes.

Petracco said he is concerned that seniors like his mother and his father - a career cement finisher - are being priced out of their homes, while he doesn’t see Nutley making full use of its downtown, a diamond in the rough, in his words, and revenue generator waiting to happen.

NUTLEY - Mauro Tucci, the 55-year old Commissioner of Parks and Public Safety, is seeking re-election to a third term in office. A retired township manager, Tucci owns Nutley Pool and Spa, and four years ago was the second highest vote-getter.

Born in Newark where he grew up playing football with future County
Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Tucci said as far as he knows he is only the second commissioner in Nutley’s history who is not a Nutley native.

Running on his record of helping to secure over $1 million in state and county grants for town projects, and maintaining the town’s green character, including its bike and walking paths, Tucci said no one prevails in elections here unless he or she is in touch with the residents. He prides himself on that contact.

NUTLEY - The Commissioner of Revenue and Finance wants a second term on the Board of Commissioners. A certified public accountant and Nutley native, Thomas Evans, 53, is a partner with Price Waterhouse Coopers, and the man on the board who gathers the budgets from the different departments, adds them up and tries to make it all fit.

“I’m the most junior commissioner, but I’m the tallest,” he joked.

Four years ago, Evans was the fourth highest vote-getter on the commission.

NUTLEY - Family businessman Sal Olivo, 56, has served on the Nutley Board of Education for six years and now serves as that body’s board president. In the last election, he was the top vote-getter on the board. His current term comes to an end on April 15.

“I’d like to continue my public service as a member of the commission,” said the candidate, who wants to do a better job of sharing school and municipal services and improving town services overall.

Olivo comes from a line of proud Nutleyites and he’s hoping his family name and record helps translate into votes. His grandfather founded Blue Ribbon Coal, which has stayed in the family and is now called Blue Ribbon Fuel Oil under Olivo’s direction.

NUTLEY - What passes for civic pride in most places would be a form of
indifference in Nutley, where anything less than total commitment to the
town probably means a person is not a Nutley native.

A transplant can endeavor to be a Nutleyite, but it’s a running joke that
one can never put in enough time.

“I’ve been in the community for 35 years,” Planning Board Chairman Phil McGovern told the Nutley Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night in Town Hall, and he paused, seeming to expect the moment of agitation in the room that followed his remark.