Richard M. Onderko

Two-term incumbent Mayor

Mayor Onderko’s leadership has taken Manville in a completely new direction during his term in office. By focusing on our town’s finances, paying down prior debts, and stabilizing municipal taxes under the 2% cap, Mayor Onderko has provided the necessary leadership to help the Borough through a national pandemic and recover from Hurricane Ida in2021—the worst flood in our town’s history.

The flood recovery efforts are still ongoing and require a strong leader who is passionate about helping his fellow residents return home, elevate their homes, or take a Blue Acres buyout. Making Manville more storm-resilient and keeping Manville affordable and safe is worth fighting for.  Mayor Onderko is committed to ensuring Manville gets its fair share of federal and state aid in the months and years ahead.

Mayor Onderko has also followed through on his promise of transparency: the revitalized Manville’s News provides regular Mayoral updates, informational articles from community leaders, and recreational calendars. The “My Manville” phone app is another excellent addition to our communication platforms. He is also one of the most accessible Mayor’s Manville has ever had.

But beyond the nuts and bolts of municipal logistics, Mayor Onderko has clearly put the community first with no special interests. He has brought the spotlight to our veterans, championing Wreaths Across America to visit Manville in 2017 and honoring our local “Hometown Heroes” with personalized banners on Main Street. We are now a proud designated Purple Heart community. He has also worked with our Recreation Department to bring our annual National Night Out celebrations with our police force, and outstanding Community Day events allow Manville to come together for fun and festivity every year. For Mayor Onderko, it is clearly about fighting for his hometown so we thrive as a vibrant, safe, and affordable community while promoting patriotism in our small town.  

Rider University – Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration
Two-term Incumbent Mayor
33 years professional career in IT and Finance - retired. Devoted to the town full-time as Mayor.
American Legion Boys State graduate
NJAFM 2022 Outstanding Floodplain Management Award for the adoption of comprehensive municipal flood ordinances to protect its residents
American Patriot Award Recipient 2023 – VFW Post 2290
MHS Scholarships – Since 2011, he has given back his salary to the community through scholarships. Pictured are the 48 MHS Seniors who have received this award since he has been Mayor.

Dayna Camacho

Council Candidate

Dayna Camacho is a former Councilwoman. She served her term in 2015-2017. Dayna is passionate about Manville and volunteers for many positions in town. She is the current Vice President of the Board of Health and a Vice Chair of Manville Recreation. She is also an alternate member of the Land Use/Planning Board. In 2019, Dayna was named Somerset County Governing Officials Person of the Year.

Dayna is running for a seat on the Borough Council to help shape the future of Manville:

☆ Implement policies that will ensure our Borough is running efficiently and see that as a municipality we are working smarter rather than harder.

☆ Dayna is committed to assisting Mayor Onderko in his fight against overdevelopment in our surrounding towns. Building warehouses and enormous apartment complexes will create more impervious ground cover causing more (water) runoff. This will have a devastating effect on Manville.

☆ Explore new ways to generate revenue for the Borough to help stabilize taxes and hopefully prevent future increases.

☆ Will address public safety and other quality-of-life issues.

Dayna plans to help Manville move forward in a positive direction while keeping our small-town charm. 

Jade Puia

Council Candidate

Jade Puia is a homegrown, lifelong Manville resident. A graduate of Manville High School in 2018, Jade continued her education at Rutgers University studying Communication and Political Science. She graduated in 2023 with a GPA of 4.0 holding the honorary title of Summa Cum Laude. She is also actively engaged in the pursuit of a graduate-level law degree.

1. Fiscal Conservatism: Advocate for responsible spending, efficient use of resources, and balanced budgets to maintain the town's financial stability.

2. Lower Taxes and Limited Government: Work towards reducing the tax burden on residents and promoting policies that limit the size and scope of government intervention in local affairs.

3. Pro-Business Environment: Support initiatives that encourage business growth, attract investments, and create job opportunities within the town. Help small businesses on Main Street flourish and help them attract more business by assisting with ideas for landscaping improvements & advertising. 

4. Public Safety: Focus on enhancing law enforcement and emergency services to ensure the safety and well-being of the community. 

5. Infrastructure Development: Prioritize infrastructure projects that improve transportation, utilities, and other essential facilities to accommodate the town's growth and development. Assist Mayor Onderko with the Rustic Mall provisions. 

6. Education: Advocate for quality education programs. Assist Mayor Onderko in aiding the relationship between the council and the school board. 

7. Preserving Local Values and Traditions: Protect and promote the town's unique identity, cultural heritage, and conservative values! 

8. Community Engagement: Encourage active participation from residents in local governance and decision-making processes.

9. Environmental Stewardship: Promote sensible environmental policies that balance conservation with the needs of local businesses and residents.