Council Contest A 2008 Reboot

BRIDGEWATER — The slate of candidates for the Bridgewater Town Council election is a replica of the 2008 ballot. 

Incumbents William “Bill” Miracle, Rosetta Harris and Roscoe E. Burgess are seeking additional four-year terms, while Planning Commission Chairman Steven Schofield is once again trying for a seat on the governing body. 

And like four years ago, Mayor Hallie Dinkel is running unopposed for another two-year term. 

Financial issues continue to be among the biggest concerns for the candidates as Bridgewater continues to grapple with the same economic hardships as local and state governments across the country. 

Burgess, 82, is dealing with serious health issues and couldn’t be reached for comment. Burgess, chairman of the police committee, is seeking a sixth term on council. 

Rosetta Harris

Harris, 77, is retired and previously worked for Wells Fargo and James Madison University’s athletic department. 

She serves as vice mayor and has been on council for 24 years. 

Chairwoman of the town’s community relations committee, Harris said she would like to continue working on the projects she has in the past, which includes providing free activities for Bridgewater residents. 

Her committee is the organizing group behind the summer concert series and other events at Oakdale Park. 

Harris said speaking with the residents is one of her strong suits. 

“It’s really nice to talk to people, and they’re very cooperative,” she said. 

William ‘Bill’ Miracle 

Miracle, 65, is dean of students at Bridgewater College. 

He is seeking a third term on council. Prior to his election, Miracle served on the Planning Commission. 

Moving forward, he said the town must continue to maintain a strong fiscal foundation to provide services and be stewards of taxpayer money.

Main Street beautification is another of his priorities, he said, to attract more businesses and shoppers. 

A resident for more than three decades, Miracle said he wants to ensure Bridgewater has a bright future. 

“It’s like family,” he said. “You just want to make sure it’s taken care of.” 

Steven Schofield 

Schofield, 47, is retired from the Navy after serving for 23 years. He now works part time at Randy’s Do It Best Hardware. 

Schofield has been on the Planning Commission for four years and served on the board of zoning appeals prior to that. 

This is his second attempt to get a seat on the Town Council, with his first try in 2008. 

Schofield said Bridgewater’s big challenge remains the economy, but the town has done well in weathering the downturn. 

He would like to bring a fresh perspective to council and says his interest in running for office is born from his military service. 

“Once you get …  service in your blood, you want to continue,” he said. 

Hallie Dinkel 

Dinkel, 68, is a semiretired Realtor. 

He is seeking a ninth term as mayor. 

Heavy traffic on Main Street continues to be a concern, he said, but like so many issues the town faces, a lack of financial resources is holding up process. 

Once revenues start picking up, the mayor said, Bridgewater will need to get back to work on capital improvement projects. 

“These kinds of things are starting to catch up with us,” he said, “because we’ve been in this austerity mode for five years.”

Contact Jeremy Hunt at 574-6273 or jhunt@dnronline.com