Candidates Forum Sept. 22

CANDIDATES FORUM, Sept. 22

Brad Fay

Democratic candidate, Montgomery Township Committee
   
I am running for Montgomery Township Committee because I am committed to maintaining the quality of life here in Montgomery, while keeping it affordable for everyone.
   Montgomery has a rich history dating back nearly three centuries. Today, we have access to a multitude of employment, cultural and entertainment opportunities. We have top-rated schools, a diverse and talented citizenry and welcoming neighborhoods in a blend of suburban and rural lifestyles.
   My wife, Diane Fay, and I initially moved to Montgomery for professional reasons. I was in senior management at The Roper Organization. Earlier this year, I founded my own opinion polling and market research company — the Keller Fay Group. Diane and I chose to stay and raise our family here for the strong sense of community. Diane, a former teacher, has found her niche working part-time for the Recreation Department as a leader of Girls on the Run, a self-esteem and athletic program for young girls, and another running program for adult women. Our children, Brendan and Allison, attend the Montgomery middle schools.
   Living in Montgomery, though, comes at a high price, mainly in the form of property taxes. And we are continually faced with outside pressures, such as encroaching residential development, traffic and proportionally less support from the state for our public schools. Maintaining the quality of life here is not a simple task. It takes lots of hard work from concerned and capable residents.
   Many of us have found ways to serve Montgomery — on the PTA, as volunteers of the fire department or EMS, as youth sports coaches or as members of clubs, civic organizations or township commissions. In this spirit, I have worked for Montgomery over the past several years as president of the Van Harlingen Historical Society and a member of the Landmarks Commission. This year, I organized a senior freeze workshop for eligible seniors to help them get property-tax reimbursements from a state program that has not been adequately publicized. In the course of my volunteerism, I’ve met wonderful people, many of them longtime residents, and I’ve spent time preserving historic resources, providing educational opportunities and building community.
   Through these experiences, I have come to believe that the Township Committee is the most effective body for achieving our goal of keeping Montgomery a place we all cherish and that all residents can afford. Over the next few years, the Township Committee is charged with guiding the successful redevelopment of Skillman Village (NPDC) and creating an economically viable gathering place for the community. It will be the Township Committee, in conjunction with the school board, that must fight for better education funding from New Jersey to bring our property taxes back into line. It is the Township Committee that must work cooperatively with the state and neighboring municipalities on effective traffic management strategies.
   I am ready to continue serving the residents of Montgomery, next as a member of the Township Committee, and ask for your support on Nov. 7.
Ashley Hutchinson

Republican candidate, Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders
   
Keith Hamilton’s response to me regarding the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders’ failure to say the Pledge of Allegiance at their agenda meetings completely misses the mark.
   Agenda meetings are subject to all of the formal requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act. Doing the work of the public and spending taxpayer dollars is not a "casual" undertaking.
   Is an agenda created? Are minutes taken? Are we, the taxpayers, footing the bill for the clerk to the board, board counsel, the freeholders and other officials to be there? Yes, yes and yes.
   The excuse that the Pledge of Allegiance was never said in the past is weak. Perhaps Mr. Hamilton and the rest of the board need to be reminded that they are, and always have been, separate from the administration and are not there to do the administration’s bidding.
   On Sept. 12, Mr. Hamilton responded to a request by a veteran to say the Pledge of Allegiance by stating that the board would take the request "under advisement." This response is ridiculous. Why aren’t my opponents — Mr. Colavita, Ms. Cannon and Ms. Muoio — responding? Do they not care? Are they afraid to speak?
   Take some initiative. Take action. Do what is right. Say the Pledge.