Four candidates seek council seats in Milltown

By KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer

MILLTOWN — Two incumbents, one former councilman and one newcomer will vie for a pair of three-year seats on the Borough Council in the Nov. 4 election.

Democrats Randy Farkas and Joseph Pietanza are running together for re-election. Ronald Dixon, a Republican who served on the council from 2009 to 2011, wants a comeback, while his running mate, Gerard Guthlein, is seeking his first term.

Dixon has lived in the borough for nine years. A retired law enforcement officer, he spent 30 years with the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office as a lieutenant investigator and eight years as a police officer in Edison. He worked with the U.S. Justice Department’s Drug Enforcement Administration for 15 years.

He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam era.

In the community, Dixon has been the post commander for American Legion Joyce Kilmer Post 25 in Milltown since 2005.

While working on the Milltown Municipal Alliance, Dixon created the June fishing derby to promote the mantra, “Get Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs,” which has continued annually since 2009.

Currently, he volunteers as a member of the Office of Emergency Management for both Middlesex County and Milltown.

Dixon said he is running for council because he has spent his entire life serving and protecting residents.

“When I retired, I continued to be active in town and would like to continue my public service as an elected official,” he said. “I have always listened to what people say and have always helped when I can. As a prior councilman, I have the experience necessary to get the job done.”

If there was one area that Dixon would work on if elected to council, he said it would be the electrical substation project.

“As the borough has just awarded the contract for the relocation of the electrical substation, it is imperative that the progress of this project be monitored to ensure an ontime delivery with no additional fiscal burden to the borough residents,” he said.

Dixon said he would ensure that progress reports and financial spending be closely monitored.

“I would monitor the project timeline to ensure the project stays on track to prevent delays,” he said. “I was on council when we started this project, and I would like to continue to see it through to completion.”

Dixon said borough officials also need to work on reducing the rates for residents and businesses.

“On my previous tenure on council, we made arrangements to purchase the electric at a lower rate; however, that rate decrease has not been passed on to the residents, and that needs to change,” he said.

Farkas, who has lived in the borough for 23 years, is seeking his third term. He is a senior technician at Sunoco Logistics Inc.

In the community, Farkas serves as a member of the Planning Board as well as co-founder and active participant of the Haunted River Walk, which has raised more than $100,000 for eighth-grade students at Joyce Kilmer Middle School.

Farkas said he chose to run for another term on the council because he sees the progress that has been made in many areas that have been neglected.

“My running mate, Councilman Joe Pietanza, and I promised that we would make improvements three years ago, and we have,” he said. “Most important is the new electric substation, but a close second are the safety improvements and increased communication capabilities for our residents.”

Finally, he said officials have succeeded in providing infrastructure improvements through their aggressive efforts to obtain grant funding.

“We share the belief that we need to continue the progress that has been made through our efforts,” he said.

Farkas said Milltown’s infrastructure requires additional attention.

“We have accomplished a lot, but there is more to do,” he said. “Our forced sewer main is undersized and will need to be addressed. We have aggressively cleared trees away from power lines that have all but eliminated power outages, but that work needs to continue. We are addressing our water-quality issues by relining our water mains and looping dead ends back into the system. But, again, more needs to be done.”

Farkas said only through long range planning and good decision-making will the borough be able to provide value to its residents, now and in the future.

Guthlein has lived in Milltown for 17 years. He has been a licensed funeral director for 40 years and an owner for 30 years. For 17 years, he has been an owner of the Bronson & Guthlein Funeral Home in Milltown.

In the community, Guthlein is a member of the Milltown Chamber of Commerce and the Lions Club. A former Milltown fireman, he is now a member of the Firemen’s Exempt Association. He is a former EMT and driver for the Milltown Rescue Squad, a member of the Our Lady of Lourdes Knights of Columbus, an organizer of the Milltown Groundhog Day Celebration, a 17-year member of the Milltown Fourth of July Committee, a volunteer for the Ronald McDonald House in New Brunswick and a volunteer with the NJ Sharing Network.

Guthlein said he has always been a civic volunteer, but now that he is getting older, he has found that serving with the Fire Department and rescue squad has become too demanding physically.

“Still wanting to remain active, [I] would hope to put my 30 years of business experience to good use on the council,” he said.

Guthlein said, if elected, he would be interested in making sure the development of Ford Avenue is completed in a way to best serve Milltown.

Pietanza, who is seeking his second term, has lived in the township for 19 years. He is a financial controller with Robertson Taylor International Insurance Brokers Inc.

In the community, Pietanza served as past president of the Milltown Little League, past president of the Spotswood Touchdown Club and is the borough webmaster.

Pietanza said he and his colleagues on the council have made many improvements for the borough, including moving the electric substation and garage out of the flood plain; making Milltown safer with illuminated pedestrian crossings and radar deterrent signage; and vastly improving communication with residents and businesses through use of the Nixle system.

“But there is more to be done in all areas,” he said. “As I have said before, being a councilman is like being a homeowner. There is always something that needs to be done, and there is always something you would like to have done.”

Pietanza said he would be honored to serve wherever the council deems necessary.

“Given the choice, I would like to continue with public safety,” he said. “We have made some improvements, but I feel that more needs to be done. And I have a good understanding of what the priorities are in that area.”