Washington Township mayor and committeeman say they still have work to complete.
By: Mark Moffa
WASHINGTON Mayor Dave Fried and Township Committeeman Doug Tindall announced this week they will seek re-election to their committee seats.
The two Republicans filed their petitions Monday with township Clerk Bernadette DuBuss. It will not be known until next week if they will have opposition in the GOP primary June 4. The filing deadline is 4 p.m. Monday.
It is also not known whether there will be Democratic committee candidates for the primary.
Mayor Fried said he wants to serve a full three-year term on the committee.
"There’re a lot of projects I’d like to see get finished," he said. The mayor said he wanted to continue to oversee the development of the Northeast Business Park and Town Center.
"We’ve also got this road problem," he added.
The mayor was referring to the slow progress with state officials toward the completion of a Southerly Bypass road around Town Center. This bypass would become Route 33 and the current Route 33 would become Main Street through Town Center.
Town Center will seek to combine residential and commercial uses in an area bordered by the new Southerly Bypass, Route 130, Hutchinson Road and Washington Boulevard.
Township planning officials devised a new east/west traffic flow plan involving a Robbinsville Bypass around Robbinsville-Allentown Road (Route 526).
"I really do believe that this work-around will alleviate the need for the (Southerly) Bypass for the next five to 10 years," Mayor Fried said.
Currently, the mayor is in his second and final year of filling an unexpired term. If he wins re-election, he said the next three years would be his last on the committee.
Mayor Fried has a 1-year-old daughter. He was selected by committee members to serve as mayor each of the last two years, but he said this year is his last as mayor, even if he wins re-election.
"I don’t know that I could make that kind of commitment with a business and a new baby," he said. The mayor owns and operates a Washington-based human resources company. He served on the Planning Board prior to joining the Township Committee.
Mr. Tindall, a local farmer, has served one full term as a committee member. He is seeking his second term. Mr. Tindall served eight years on the Planning Board before his election to the committee.
"There are some things that I’d like to accomplish," he said. Mr. Tindall said he has led the effort to preserve open space in the township. "I’d like the opportunity to continue that effort."
Mr. Tindall said that with the future expansion of the municipal complex, the township’s population explosion, and the need to work with the school board on issues of mutual interest, voters should maintain the present composition of the committee.
"We need stability in the town politically," he said. "I think you need that stability and experience which Dave and I bring."
He also cited the committee’s efforts to attract more businesses in order to alleviate the residential tax burden.
"We’ve been in the forefront for trying to provide for some more commercial development," Mr. Tindall said.
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