PARSIPPANY — The Puddingstone Community Club (PCC) will host a pivotal mayoral debate on Wednesday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the Puddingstone Community Clubhouse. The event offers residents a vital opportunity to hear directly from the candidates seeking to lead Parsippany through its most pressing challenges.
Republican Councilman Justin Musella and Democrat Pulkit Desai have confirmed their participation and will take the stage to present their visions for Parsippany’s future. As of this release, incumbent Republican Mayor James Barberio has yet to respond to the PCC’s formal invitation—continuing to avoid direct engagement with the public and civic organizations. Despite repeated outreach and growing public pressure for accountability, the mayor’s silence persists.
Councilman Musella, a vocal advocate for transparency and accessibility, welcomed the opportunity to engage directly with residents and address concerns about development, rising taxes, and town services. His commitment to showing up starkly contrasts with the mayor’s ongoing absence from community forums.
The debate format includes:
• 3–5 minute opening statements per candidate
• Moderated questions from PCC with 3-minute answers
• 2-minute rebuttals
• Audience-submitted questions with timed responses
• 3-minute closing statements
Due to venue capacity, attendance is limited to 80 guests, in line with fire code requirements. For broader accessibility, the debate will be livestreamed and recorded for YouTube. Parsippany Focus has also been invited to cover the event and share the full video with readers.
This is one of two scheduled debates this May. The League of Women Voters is also planning a forum on May 15; however, sources indicate that Mayor Barberio has requested that the event be held over Zoom with no in-person audience.
Councilman Musella and Mayor Barberio will compete in the Republican primary on June 10. The winner will face Democrat Pulkit Desai in the general election this November.
