By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
ENGLISHTOWN – Borough Council members Greg Wojyn and Eric Mann are seeking to retain their seats on Englishtown’s governing body in the Nov. 8 election.
There will be two three-year council terms on the ballot. The two Republicans seeking those seats are Wojyn and newcomer Dan Marter. There are no Democrats seeking the full terms, which will run from Jan. 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2019.
Wojyn has lived in Englishtown for 16 years and lived in Manalapan for five years prior to moving into the borough. He is a certified Project Management Professional who works on marketing and information technology initiatives for a global manufacturer of hand and body protection products.
He said he is running to retain his seat on the council “because my core values are focused on serving our community; I felt that when I joined the Navy at 18 and when I came home to get my degree at Rutgers.”
“When I joined the council, I leveraged my military experience, education and project manager skills to help modernize the borough’s antiquated computer and phone system under a very tight budget, this has helped improve our office staff efficiency; to support our police department to acquire low/no-cost, high-quality federal surplus equipment used to keep our citizens safe; to start our first Shade Tree Commission that saved thousands of dollars in tree maintenance and saves insurance costs every year; and to secure land next to Borough Hall at a bargain price. We will have our first large municipal parking lot designed to help our citizens and keep our small businesses,” Wojyn said.
Looking forward to the next three years, Wojyn said his goals are “to ensure our tax dollars are saved in any way possible; to get final clearance from the state to launch the municipal parking lot; to seek county and state assistance to improve Main Street for local businesses; to relaunch the borough’s website that will better serve the community; and to launch a citizen-focused program to get residents to attend council meetings.”
Marter did not file a nominating petition in April to seek a seat on the Borough Council.
According to the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office, Marter and another individual received the same number of write-in votes in the June Republican primary. In September, Marter was selected by local Republican leaders to run for a three-year term alongside Wojyn, according to the county clerk’s office.
Marter has lived in the Englishtown-Manalapan area his entire life. His father owns Englishtown Automotive and Marter worked at the business when he was in high school.
“After college, when my wife and I got married and decided to start a family, we put up a house next to the house where I spent my childhood and where we now raise our daughter. I have been very much rooted into the town for as long as I can remember.
“Englishtown is a great place to live, it’s obviously played a major role in my life and I feel having a seat on council is my way of giving back.
“I think I will be able to provide a new energy and some fresh ideas to help the town improve, while preserving its rich history. I would also love to be able to help set up new fundraising and social events to create more interest in the community, as well as our local businesses,” Marter said.
There is a contested race for a one-year term that will run from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2017. The candidates seeking that seat are Mann, a Republican, and Democrat Steven Bloom.
Bloom could not be reached for comment.
Mann, who is a Navy veteran, and his wife purchased a home in Englishtown three years ago. He previously lived in Holmdel and Old Bridge since relocating to New Jersey from California in late 2001.
Mann was appointed to an open seat on the council earlier this year. He is employed as the international group credit manager for Kyocera Document Solutions America.
“I hope to continue to use my training and experience in accounting and finance to assist in guiding Englishtown in an efficient and cost-effective manner,” he said.
“As 26 percent of assessed property taxes comprise the municipal revenue base, council members must act to both maintain the affordability of living in the borough while ensuring that essential services are delivered in a prompt and orderly manner.
“I strongly believe that good communications make for good and transparent government and that local government, by its very nature, is largely nonpartisan,” Mann said.
Republican Councilman Lou Sarti Jr. is not seeking to retain his seat on the governing body. His term will expire at the end of December.