BY ROB JENNINGS
STAFF WRITER
Daily Record.com
PARSIPPANY — With Election Day less than six weeks away, both candidates for mayor went to separate Shop Rites Wednesday and volunteered as honorary grocery baggers.
Mayor Michael Luther, a Democrat, went to a Shop Rite in Parsippany. Republican Councilman Jamie Barberio, seeking to unseat the one-term mayor, was joined at a Shop Rite in neighboring Morris Plains today by the borough’s Republican mayor, Frank Druetzler.
Druetzler said his group, which included Barberio’s two council running mates, were kept “”really busy” on the checkout line.
Officials in other municipalities, including Chester, volunteered as grocery baggers at various Shop Rites Wednesday on the 10th anniversary of the grocery chain’s “ShopRite Partners and Caring” program raising more than $20 million for food banks.
In Parsippany, the dueling Shop Rite visits prompted a playful jibe from Roy Messmer, who ran for mayor as an independent in 2005 and expressed surprise at the relatively low-key nature of the campaign thus far.
“I am shocked at how quiet this is,” Messmer said of the mayoral race, adding, “It’s nice they’re bagging groceries, but what about the issues.”
Luther arrived at the Shop Rite on Route 46 shortly after noon, reported to the register staffed by Ronelle Moses and donned a store apron.
“Eggs and bread on the top, right,” Luther asked a store manager.
The first customer, Lorraine Steinheiner, proclaimed her support for the mayor, whose narrow 2005 victory over former Republican Councilwoman Rosemarie Agostini survived a 26-month court challenge.
Though the upcoming election was not discussed by Luther during his visit, his confidential aide, Michele Sylvan, sought to raise his profile by passing out recyclable grocery bags, provided by the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign, with his name on it.
“Did you get a bag? Would you like one? Courtesy of Mayor Luther,” she asked shoppers who were either waiting on line or trying to exit the store.
Parsippany is the only municipality in Morris County with a full-time mayor. The job pays more than $106,000 annually.
According to the county board of elections, Parsippany had 10,154 Republicans, 7,251 Democrats and 13,378 unaffiliated registered voters as of May 14.
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