FREEHOLD — Democratic Mayor Nolan Higgins and two Democratic members of the Borough Council in Freehold Borough will seek re-election on Nov. 3.
The trio of incumbents will be challenged by two Republicans who are seeking to give the GOP a voice in the town’s government.
Higgins and council members Sharon Shutzer and Ron Griffiths are the Democrats in the race. Robert Gibbons and Michael Gill are the challengers running for council on the Republican ticket. There is no Republican candidate challenging Higgins.
Higgins said he has “a longstanding commitment to Freehold” and can continue to work on behalf of residents.
“I hope to continue to address the needs of our residents by providing our municipal services and having an open forum for people to address their needs to the governing body,” Higgins said.
Shutzer, who has served on the council since 1992, is a retired educator.
“Through the years I have worked hard to be a strong advocate for our residents, and if I am re-elected, I will continue to be a positive, supportive and tenacious voice of the people,” Shutzer said.
Protecting and improving the quality of life for residents, Shutzer said, is her ultimate goal.
“Whether it is working to keep our tax rate stable, promoting public safety, fostering and implementing shared services, maintaining good public services or any of the other aspects of running the town, I am ready, willing and able to meet the challenge,” she said.
The biggest challenge the town is facing, according to Shutzer, is working with the Freehold Borough K-8 School District Board of Education “to ensure that the citizens of this town do not have to pay for the overcrowding of our schools, a problem which we did not create or perpetuate.”
Griffiths is seeking re-election for a second three-year term on the council. He is a retiree after 40 years of employment with two federal agencies: the U.S. Postal Service and the Department of the Navy, mostly spent in human resources.
Griffiths listed three issues he would like to address in a second term: engaging citizens, residential overcrowding and revenue.
“I want citizen input in decisions affecting them,” he said.
Griffiths said he led the town’s first Innovation Committee, which worked on various municipal issues including an update to the borough’s website, and he worked with the Human Relations Committee to hold the borough’s first volunteer day.
He also addressed residential overcrowding.
“This issue must be addressed with a coordinated effort between the borough, the school district and landlords. Overcrowding is a public safety issue that cannot be ignored. Landlords who knowingly permit overcrowding or who gouge renters should be reported to their homeowner’s insurance or the IRS,” Griffiths said.
Commenting on revenue, Griffiths said the state is annually diverting more than $3 million from the school district and the borough combined.
“This has to stop. A borough-owned impound lot is needed to generate revenue. ‘Smart’ parking meters would allow us to provide free or reduced cost parking for residents, while generating funds to reduce taxes,” Griffiths said.
Gill, 22, has been a resident of Freehold Borough for 15 years. He is a recent graduate of Ramapo College and has a degree in communications and journalism. Gill said he would like to bring a “different perspective” to the position of council member.
“I believe the opinions and mindset of a younger resident who has different experiences can greatly benefit the council and the entire town,” he said.
“We collectively need to figure out a way to entice younger generations to not only move to Freehold Borough to raise their family, but to want to stay here,” Gill said.
High property taxes, schools that are struggling in some ways and a high percentage of residents renting and not owning a home are keeping upcoming families from living in the borough, according to Gill.
“If we can make taxes more sustainable, we can get homeowners in the borough who are willing to invest in Freehold Borough and improve it tremendously,” he said.
Gibbons, a former third generation iron worker and the cofounder of an anti-bullying charity, is a licensed life insurance agent.
Gibbons said he is running for council because “the town desperately needs a change.”
“Politicians in our town get elected and then make a career out of the position. We need fresh faces and bolder ideas in both parties for this town to move on the right path in the future,” he said.
Gibbons said escalating crime rates and declining test scores are two of the issues facing the borough.
“I would help these problems by making it the job of the council to help the board of education and the local police in any way to make our community a safer and a better place to live. Our children and the town’s security should be the first and second priority for the Borough Council,” he said.
Term limits, according to Gibbons, will bring “a new and fresh perspective.”