Four running to represent Republican Party
By: Ken Weingartner
WASHINGTON — Preservation of open space and managing commercial growth are two of the main issues cited by Republican candidates seeking their party’s nod for Township Committee.
There are four Republican candidates seeking the chance to run in the general election for two open seats on the committee. There are no Democrats seeking their party’s nomination in the June 6 primary.
Township Committeeman Jack Mozloom and Republican Club President Cathy St. John are running for the nomination and have received the endorsement of the Washington Township Republican Committee. Henry “Pete” Chamberlin and Joseph Manger, a former member of the Board of Education, also are seeking to represent the party in November.
Voters may select any two candidates from the four, despite the fact that Mr. Manger and Mr. Chamberlin are running as a team and Mr. Mozloom and Ms. St. John are on the same ticket.
Nancy Tindall, who this year is serving as the township’s mayor, is not seeking re-election.
A Candidates Day will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 3 at Robbinsville Hardware on Robbinsville-Allentown Road. All four candidates are expected to attend.
Mr. Chamberlin is a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment and president of the Washington Township Business Association. He owns and operates Chamberlin Tile in Windsor. A top priority for Mr. Chamberlin is working to bring in new business, and retain the businesses already in the township.
“I’ve built a successful business in the township,” he said. “I think I can be a liaison to the business community. I can probably respond to them a lot better.”
Mr. Chamberlin, like all of the candidates, said attracting “clean” commercial ratables should be a priority. Doing so, he said, would help stabilize the tax rate.
“It might take us five to 10 years to do it, so we’ve got to start right now,” Mr. Chamberlin said. “Once people see their new tax bill, they’ll know why I’m running. We need to see if there is anything we can do to stabilize that. That’s how we have to do business.”
Mr. Mozloom, who last year was appointed to fill an unexpired term on the committee, said the township needs to focus on economic development or it would be “left holding the bag.” He suggested have a full-time staffer or committee responsible for commercial development.
He said the township’s location coupled with transportation routes, such as Route 130 and access to the New Jersey Turnpike at Exit 7A, should make Washington attractive to businesses.
“It’s kind of a two-edged sword,” he said. “We have to watch how quickly we develop and what kind of development it is. We’ve got to be smart in the way we zone, too. Part of the reason we moved here was because of the rural nature. We don’t want to overwhelm ourselves with traffic.”
Mr. Mozloom said the new Seaman’s Furniture Co. warehouse and distribution center in the Northeast Business Park was an example of the “kind of thing we need to be thinking about.”
Mr. Manger this year was appointed to the Planning Board. He previously spent five years on the Board of Education, serving as president in 1997, and is a past chairman of the Environmental Commission.
He said the township should work to increase use of the Northeast Business Park, but should be careful “not to put all of our eggs in one basket.”
“There’s a lot of potential out there,” Mr. Manger said. “If you get 10 businesses in the Town Center, it starts to add up.”
Ms. St. John is a member of the township’s Cable Television Advisory Committee and a Girl Scout troop leader in the town. She also is a member of the school district’s Parent Teacher Association.
She said the township should work to bring in small- and medium-size high-tech companies. She cited the recent decision by RCN Corp. to open offices in Lawrence as an example.
“I think we should be in the game if we look into it and see it’s appropriate,” Ms. St. John said.
All of the candidates said they support the Town Center plans, and noted that commercial growth could occur there.
The Town Center will be built around Route 33, which will become the township’s “main street.” The center will be bordered primarily by Route 130, Hutchinson Road, Washington Boulevard and Route 33. It will mix residential and commercial development.
“It is intended to concentrate development on the side of town that already is developed so we can save open space elsewhere,” Mr. Mozloom said. “We need to see that through.”
Mr. Manger said he wanted to make sure there was enough commercial balance in the Town Center. He pointed to vacancies in the adjacent Foxmoor shopping center as a reason for concern.
“I want to see assurances that the Town Center isn’t going to end up 100 percent residential,” Mr. Manger said. “There’s nothing objectionable about the Town Center; it’s in the details. It’s an excellent concept, an excellent idea. The potential is out there.”
Ms. St. John and Mr. Mozloom said there is a need for the Township Committee and the Board of Education to work more closely.
Mr. Mozloom said the governing body should be assisting the school board in efforts to lobby state legislators for more aid. He recently set up a meeting with Sen. Peter Inverso, a Republican whose district includes Washington, and board President Michele Siekerka to discuss the decline in funding.
“This has been a sleepy little place for a long time,” Mr. Mozloom said. “We need to be more active in representing ourselves and our needs to our legislators.”
Ms. St. John said many residents are concerned about the future of the school district, particularly its relationship with Lawrence, where the township’s high school students are sent. On June 6, a school board subcommittee studying the issue is scheduled to release its report.
“That’s a school board jurisdiction issue, but we should help them so they can do what’s best for the students,” said Ms. John, who has a fourth-grader in the district. “Whether that’s trying to find them land or state grants to offset any construction, anyway we can help facilitate that decision.”
Mr. Manger and Mr. Chamberlin said other priorities if elected would be improving communication with residents and restoring a sense of character and pride in the township.
“Most residents don’t know about the Town Center or where it is going to be,” Mr. Chamberlin said. “I’d like to get a newsletter out and an information package to bring them up to date on what it’s going to be like.”
Mr. Manger said a newsletter updating residents on all issues would “give them a real opportunity to comment.”
“We have so much talent in the community,” he said. “This is a prime opportunity to get them involved. We should tell them what we, the community, plan to do. It’s our town.”
Mr. Chamberlin and Mr. Manger said they would work to return Robbinsville’s identity to signs on and around Route 195.
Last year, exit signs on the highway that had read “Robbinsville” were replaced by the state Department of Transportation with signs for “Washington.”
The candidates said many businesses advertise being in Robbinsville, so the sign issue was vital to their success.
All of the candidates agreed on the need to preserve open space in the township.
Mr. Mozloom said Washington should purchase available farmland, strip it of development rights and lease it back to farmers. He said the town should seek assistance from the state to acquire land.
“We can’t compete with the prices being offered by developers for farmland,” he said.
Mr. Manger and Mr. Chamberlin said they would seek to establish links with open space groups, other municipal bodies and property owners interested in land donations to further open space goals.
On another issue — recreation — Ms. St. John said she was interested in creating a 501c3 nonprofit committee for recreational and cultural events. She said she was aware of other towns that had built facilities, including community centers, using such a strategy.
“That wouldn’t put the burden on taxpayers,” Ms. St. John said. “I think recreation is an important part of the community. We just need to be a little more proactive.”