Bergen Freeholder will announce next week if he’ll seek two offices in November

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Bergen County Freeholder Chairman James Carroll says he will probably announce next week whether he will also seek another term as mayor of Demarest. 

“At that time I’ll probably make a formal announcement on my decision,” he said.

Although he would not reveal the decision, Carroll is expected to not seek another term as mayor.  He signaled as much to Bergen County Democrats before their convention last night.

Carroll is exempt from the dual office-holding ban by its grandfather clause.  But the dual office-holder label is considered a major liability in what is shaping up to be one of the toughest election battles Democrats have had since winning control of county government three decades ago. 

Carroll came in third place at the Democrats’ convention, 28 votes behind non-incumbent John Hogan.  He did not want to speculate as to why.

“It’s over now.  There were a lot of people in the field. I’m just thankful that the majority of the people support me, and it was an open and fair process,” he said.

After the convention, Republican Freeholder Rob Hermansen – who has clashed frequently with Carroll since taking a seat on the board in January — posted about it on Facebook.

“It seems my fellow Freeholder just may have found religion in the dual office holding category. He should make a campaign promise to only accept the pension for one of …his triple dipping jobs instead of adding them all together. Good Luck Mr. Triple Dipper,” he wrote.

In a phone interview, Hermansen said he was not sure why Carroll finished third in the convention, 28 votes being non-incumbent John Hogan.  But he had theory.

“I can’t analyze the political dealings of the Democratic Party and I don’t really want to, but what it does say to me is for someone who thinks he has all the luster he does as the guy out here right now, there are as many people as in love with him out there as he is with himself,” he said. 

Carroll makes only $2,000 from his job as mayor, but gets approximately $28,000 as freeholder and $50,000 as a member of the Hudson County Parole Board. 

“What Rob Hermansen says is of absolutely no consequence to me whatsoever.  I think what Rob Hermansen’s goal in life is to hear Rob Hermansen,” said Carroll. 

Carroll’s relationship has been nowhere as tense with John Driscoll, the only other Republican freeholder, as it has with Hermansen.

“The truth of the matter is some people are hacks and some people are politicians,” said Carroll.  “I’m not calling anybody a hack, but I think Driscoll is a politician.”

Hermansen had a rejoinder.

“When you’ve been living off the public for so long, you forget what it is to be a statesman,” he said.

Bergen Freeholder will announce next week if he’ll seek two offices in November