The small shore community of Bradley Beach is gearing up for a competitive election this November to replace the current Mayor, Larry Fox. Elected in 2020, Fox’s administration has since been mired in scandals and lawsuits.

These controversies led Mayor Fox to announce in August that he would not seek re-election this year. Councilman Al Gubitosi and resident Bill Psiuk are both vying for the mayoral position. Additionally, there will be a special election for a Council seat previously held by Meredith DeMarco, who was elected in 2022 as the top vote-getter but resigned just nine months later to become Business Administrator, a position appointed by Mayor Fox, with a salary of over $120,000 plus benefits.

Shana Greenblatt and Don Warnet are both seeking to fill the unexpired Council term.

Mayor Fox has publicly endorsed Don Warnet for Council and has been working closely with Bill Psiuk for Mayor, according to sources. Recently, Fox took to Facebook to criticize Mayoral Candidate Al Gubitosi and his running mate Greenblatt for “misrepresenting his financial record and the state of our (Bradley Beach) community.”

Al Gubitosi has been a vocal opponent of Mayor Fox and his administration during his tenure as a Councilman. He led calls for disciplinary action against retired Chief Leonard Guida after body camera footage showed Guida initiating a fight with a police sergeant during a motor vehicle incident last November. Following this, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago released a report detailing several incidents involving Guida, including a racial profiling case where Guida violated the civil rights of a Black man.

“Chief Guida has been an active hindrance to the very law enforcement agency he was entrusted to lead,” Santiago stated. “The picture painted by the report is not pretty.”

Many Council members, including Gubitosi, believe that Guida should have faced punishment rather than being allowed to retire with full benefits.

The election between Mayor Fox’s team, led by Psiuk for Mayor, and Gubitosi’s team is shaping up to be an intriguing contest, filled with discussions on redevelopment of town-owned property, administrative concerns, and tax increases.