By Nick Sodano, Editor Mount Holly Reporter
Mark Fury’s campaign ads proclaim his leadership style and 1990s mayoral experience in Plainfield as big reasons voters should select him. But Fury refused to discuss that experience with The Mount Holly Reporter, saying:
“If you want to write about management styles from 30 years ago, be my guest.” Mark Fury
And his August 20th campaign announcement said
“All my heroes have FBI files. I got mine from following in their footsteps.” Mark Fury
But such comparisons to slain civil rights leaders naturally beg the question: what footsteps did Fury take that would attract an FBI investigation? His record seems a critical thing that voters should know about.
Unfortunately, when The Reporter offered Fury the opportunity to clarify his record, he refused to discuss it beyond a few perfunctory email comments [see below]. His decision limits The Reporter’s options: either leave Fury’s campaign claims unexplored or provide readers with a review of historic news articles that don’t have the benefit of Fury’s input.
A Review Of Mayor Fury Press Reports: 1993 – 1997
The Courier News described the 35 year-old Mark Fury as a confident corporate attorney who wanted to be mayor of Plainfield in 1993. Fury’s campaign slogan from that year, “Clean House With A Fury”, is being echoed by his current campaign. And several articles from that time described the Democratic party as being excited by the brash candidate.
The periodical “Tap into Plainfield” reported that the Democratic party backed Fury in a 1993 primary race which ousted the incumbent mayor, Harold Mitchell. The Courier News described a Democratic party engaged in pitched factional battles for power. The Star-Ledger noted that party Chairman Jerry Green announced Mr. Fury secured the “organization line”, which gave him the boost he needed to prevail in a crowded field of candidates.
But within the space of 4 years, Fury had burned the bridges between him, Chairman Green and a majority of the Democratic organization which pushed Fury off that same Democratic line in 1997. A few articles and letters to the editor revealed that the party excitement of 1993 had been replaced by disappointment amongst a vocal group of former supporters and colleagues:
“I worked hard to elect Mark Fury four years ago, but I am not supporting him this year ... Fury’s conduct illustrated his attitude toward our citizens and elected officials: do it my way or else!” Dorothy Gutenkauf
The Star-Ledger quoted Fury as saying he could handle the defeat but could not live with “handing the City over to the charlatans and carpetbaggers who will now take possession.”
Articles from late 1993 indicate that the hard feelings began before Fury took office. During December 1993, The Courier News reported that members of the public were upset that Fury tried to get his salary increased before he took office. It would have passed except outgoing Mayor Harold Mitchell vetoed the rise in Fury’s pay for Mayor, which was a part time position.
“The salary ordinance, for which Mayor-elect Fury made a personal pitch to council members and the public, would have increased the Mayor’s compensation from $10,000 to $25,000 ” Mayor Mitchell
Another description of Fury’s leadership style was offered by a fellow elected official regarding the 1994 Plainfield budget debate. Mayor Fury sued his own Plainfield City Council to stop them from cutting $490,000 from his budget:
“Its really unfortunate that it’s come to this. This all could have been resolved had [Fury] the courtesy to send someone to the last budget session”… “I think Fury’s problem is that he cannot accept any level of criticism. Under the charter, one of [Council’s] duties is to set the budget. But he clearly does not want us to exercise our authority” Council Member Edward Sitar.
On February 20, 1995, the Courier News reported on a Fury budget press conference. “Changes including salary increases for department heads and council members are expected to be in the next City budget, Mayor Mark Fury says.” The article went on to say that Fury “believes City Council will work toward having a full time mayor and will also seek raises for themselves.” Finally, the article quoted Fury as saying:
“The people of Plainfield do have one problem. They want something for nothing.”
The articles note that despite the contentious relationship between Fury and various members of the community, he balanced budgets over successive years of his tenure.
But this was not enough to retain the support of activists like Gutenkauf, who said Fury promoted the building of a new school at a contaminated plot of land adjacent to railroad tracks. When the school board rejected his plan, Gutenkauf said he “threatened to initiate a referendum” that would replace the school board with “an appointed Board of Education that [Fury] could control”.
Regarding the 1997 FBI investigation, articles indicate that the FBI began an investigation into Plainfield’s vendor relationships, hiring practices and stewardship of public funds under Mayor Fury. The Mount Holly Reporter wrote to the FBI to get a better sense of the investigation and what it uncovered but the FBI refused to reveal anything about their investigation, citing “privacy” concerns.
Mr. Fury did not comment directly to The Reporter on the FBI investigation. But he did give a vague response about his conflicts with the Democratic party saying:
“The reason they primaried me is because I wouldn’t knuckle under to what I perceived as inappropriate demands.” Mark Fury
MUA RECORD
During 2025, Mr. Fury was appointed as a Commissioner to the Mount Holly Municipal Sewerage Authority by Mayor Banks and Deputy Mayor DiFolco and council member Lew Brown. While he receives a $4,500/yr salary for that sewer authority job, he had difficulty attending many of the 2025 meetings and ironically had tax liens placed on his High Street home for failure to pay sewer bills. As of the date of this article he has not paid any 2026 sewer bill for his home.
2026: “CLEAN UP” REVIVAL
The 2026 version of a candidate Mark Fury recycles much of his 1990s persona. His 1993 slogan about “cleaning house” is now “Clean It Up”. And his leadership style, which included calling his Plainfield opponents “charlatans and carpetbaggers”, also appears to have returned for the 2026 race.
In an October 5th, 2026 email to The Reporter, Fury previewed his leadership style by saying “I don’t get pushed around by powerful interests. I can tell my friends “No” as easily as I can perfect strangers.”
Shortly after that email, he posted denigrating remarks on Facebook aimed at former Fire Commissioner Joseph Sams and others. Fury described Sams as being “small minded” and then said that sitting council members Astor and Burkus are “lacking vision”, not “brave” and do not stand for anything. He also denigrated the military service record of his opponent Pierre Ford by saying that “I’ve been a boss for a long time”… “since before you earned your first stripe.”
Its important to know that running to be a council member in our “Council/Manager” form of governemnt requires the ability to work collaboratively with fellow council members since all five have essentially the same level of authority. A council member who wants to be “a boss” could quickly wind up alienating colleagues.
WHAT DOES FURY INTEND TO CLEAN UP?
It’s hard to know what Fury intends to clean up, because he won’t discuss it. But perhaps Mr. Fury is hoping to clean up the record of Mayor Chris Banks and Deputy Mayor Rich DiFolco, with whom he is allied. The Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Township Manager [Josh Brown] all have Fury signs on their lawns. Fury moved his campaign into the former headquarters building for the Brown/Banks/DiFolco campaign. And Township manager Josh Brown has been seen deploying Fury signs around town. So when Mr. Fury claims he can say “No” to his friends, it seems likely that he is talking about Rich DiFolco, Chris Banks and Josh Brown.
Had Fury decided to have the dialogue requested by The Reporter, we could have asked precisely what messy issues he hopes to clean up. Here is a list of issues that the Brown/Banks/DiFolco team have yet to clean up:
The late budget process: a 9.7% tax increase was delivered by Township Manager Josh Brown in May but there is a June deadline for passage. Other towns deliver their draft budgets in February.
The fumbled Health & Safety Zone surrounding Virtua Hospital that was redesigned and passed by the Planning Board a second time.
The fumbled Historic Preservation Zone which didn’t even get a vote at the Planning Board.
The $100,000 spent annually on unknown public documents at the Iron Mountain warehouse.
The Truck Ban ordinance 2022-10 which still sits in limbo awaiting Resolutions of Support.
The unfilled seats on the Environmental Committee, Planning Board, MUA and UEZ.
The Speeding and Traffic Safety issues in town.
The lack of reports from the Township Manager at Council Meetings.
The “Call For Service” web-app removed from the Township Web Page.
The lack of a user-friendly website.
The malfunctioning sound system at council meetings.
The $20,000 spent on a contractor to make leaf-compost that never makes it into the gardens of Mount Holly residents.
The perennial complaints by residents that their questions to council are never answered.
Fury’s recycled “Clean Up” campaign theme conjures an out of control government that needs a short leash, but the unsettling truth is that Fury is aligned with the very politicians and administrators who have exercised complete control of Mount Holly government for years and failed to clean up many issues.