Justin Manley Justin Manley said goodbye to friends and supporters Feb. 22, his last meeting as a Metuchen councilman.
Manley, the council’s lone Republican, resigned midterm after deciding not to seek re-election in November.
“My life has changed a lot since I chose to run for office in early 2008. I’ve lost two people my age that were close to me in very sudden losses, and I started a new position as the U.S. chief technology officer of a startup commercial insurance company, Torus,” Manley said.
One of those losses was his brother-in-law, who passed away in May at the age of 33.
“When I reflected upon those changes and prioritized the things most important to me, I decided that I wasn’t going to run for re-election this year,” he added.
Manley decided that instead of being a lame duck for nine months, he thought it might help a replacement with a successful run in November if he or she had some council experience and could serve in his place until then. The local political parties are meeting now to decide who will represent them in the primary elections.
“So while the timing may seem odd to the general observer, it is actually quite appropriate for those involved in local party politics,” Manley explained.
Manley said his only major project that was still in progress when he announced his resignation was the request for proposal for administering the borough website. Manley said that with his background in technology, it was an issue he felt strongly about — even before he was elected. To that end, in 2009 the Cable Television Advisory Committee was renamed the Technology andTelevisionAdvisory Committee, and its membership was expanded. Late last year, the committee reviewed other municipalities’ websites and providers in order to draw up the RFP.
“It was the committee’s and my hope that the borough would issue the RFP in January for bids to find a provider for the contract expiring in February. To date, that has not happened as others have dragged their feet. If I had stayed, I would have liked to see that through to the end, but I think the committee can get it done without me.”
Manley said that as the lone Republican on the council, there was a limit to how much he was able to accomplish this year. However, going forward, the council should be looking at how the development projects on the borough’s radar will impact traffic, he said. If that issue is not addressed, Metuchen “is going to end up in gridlock,” he said. Manley announced his resignation from the Borough Council on Feb. 7, much to the surprise of some.
“I don’t think anyone was surprised that I would announce I wasn’t running in 2011, but I don’t think they expected me to step down as well,” he said.
Manley said there are three potential replacements for his council seat: John Dowd, Kieran Esposito and Stanley Lease. The five remaining council members will likely choose a replacement at their March 7 meeting.
“I don’t particularly back any [one] of three candidates that have been selected to replace me,” Manley said. “I know them all, and for different reasons, all three would make an excellent replacement.”
Manley said that even though he won’t be serving on the council anymore, he will still serve the borough he calls home.
“I love Metuchen, its people and serving to help them,” he said, noting his roles in coaching youth sports, participating at the First Presbyterian Church and helping with the Fuccile Foundation, which he helped launch.
Manley, who has been involved in local politics since 1992, when he was 20 years old, called his last council meeting “a positive but bittersweet moment.”
Many wished him well.
“The comments made at the meeting on Feb. 22 were all gracious and heartwarming,” he said. “Everyone up there, Democrat or Republican, is just trying to do what they think is right for the people of Metuchen.”
However, he is confident that he made the right choice for him and his family.
“Had things gone differently, who knows what I’d be running for this November? But life has taught me to count every moment and focus on what matters most. My wife, children, sister and her children all need me more than the Borough Council does, and so I go.”