MARLBORO – Three four-year terms on the Marlboro Township Council will be up for grabs in the Nov. 7 election. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The candidates are Democrats Jeff Cantor, Carol Mazzola and Scott Metzger, and Republicans Patricia Branch, Derek DeLuca and John Dwyer.
Cantor, Mazzola and Metzger currently serve on the council. Cantor has served since 2006. Mazzola and Metzger have served since 2009.
Branch and DeLuca are seeking public office for the first time. Dwyer is a former member of the Marlboro K-8 School District Board of Education. He ran for council in 2015 and is the current chairman of the Marlboro Republican Organization.
Cantor, Mazzola and Metzger were asked to cite their accomplishments as members of the governing body.
Cantor said, “There are so many reasons why I am proud to be a part of this municipal government. First, spending and headcount have remained flat since 2008. We were recently awarded an AAA bond rating and are one of two towns in Monmouth County to receive that rating.
“We have been fiscally responsible and care greatly about our residents. The thing I love best about being on council is being able to help my fellow residents with problems they are facing. Nothing makes me happier than solving problems for our residents,” he said.
Mazzola said, “Reviewing and providing suggestions on the annual budget is one of the most important and largest responsibilities I have as a council member. I am happy to say that due to smart decisions and controlled spending, Marlboro’s municipal taxes have been flat for the past seven-plus years. In addition, Marlboro now has an AAA bond rating which enables the town to borrow at the lowest possible rate.
“As a member of the Economic Development Committee for eight years, I am proud to have been involved in creating programs to attract new businesses such as Costco, Hobby Lobby, Whole Foods and a host of new restaurants and services to Marlboro. I helped launch the Shop Marlboro tax rewards program which provides credits toward annual taxes to residents who join and use the card to shop at participating businesses,” Mazzola said.
Metzger said, “Taxes are one of the most important issues to our residents. We are proud there has been a zero municipal tax increase this year. One of our greatest accomplishments has been the approval of fiscally responsible budgets that have resulted in a perfect AAA bond rating from Standard & Poors. This is the best credit rating possible for any town. We have been successful at preserving open space at critical locations in Marlboro.”
The Republicans were asked why they are running for seats on the council.
Branch said, “I moved to Marlboro in 1999 and consider myself lucky to live in this beautiful town. I am married for 16 years to my husband, Dave, and have two wonderful children in the Marlboro school system. I value the excellent education they receive. While Marlboro is a great town to live in, we can always strive to make it better.
“On the council, I can address community concerns relating to the quality of our parks, our roads, open space and over-development. By nature, I am a problem solver with a fierce determination to bring about positive change. I will be accessible to hear concerns and will work with the mayor and council to create successful outcomes for our community.
“After years of thinking, ‘Why isn’t someone doing something about (a problem), I realized I needed to step up and be the one to do something,” Branch said.
DeLuca said, “I was born and raised in Marlboro. I attended Marlboro public schools and am involved in the community, including serving as a volunteer firefighter. I care about this community and I, like so many others, believe this is a great town, but believe it can be better.”
“As a policy analyst for the state Legislature, I understand that having the right ideas and right policies in place can make all the difference. I am running to offer a new perspective and fresh ideas. I want my parents’ generation to be able to stay here and my generation to be able to move and raise their families here,” DeLuca said.
Dwyer said, “I have been a Marlboro resident for over 21 years, married and the father of three. I spent 25 years in the investment banking industry. My last job was managing over 300 employees at the World Trade Center for Credit Suisse First Boston.
“My life changed on Sept. 11, 2001, when I witnessed firsthand the unimaginable horrors unfolding before the world. I was truly blessed to come home that night, as many did not. Since that day my life goals have changed. No longer am I focused on career.
“I turned my attention to family and community service and have used my work experience to give me insight in addressing tough issues. In 2015, and again this year, I have chosen to run for council in order to contribute my skills to the community and to continue to keep Marlboro a wonderful place to raise a family,” Dwyer said.
The candidates were asked to discuss the issues they believe Marlboro will face in the next four years that will need oversight and action by the council.
Branch said, “I would like to work on long-term planning that thoughtfully addresses township development and our decaying infrastructure. I use the word ‘thoughtful’ because the over-development in town has created congested traffic hot spots which negatively affect the entire community.
“We need to proactively consider issues like increased traffic zones when planning future development. We also need a comprehensive plan to use current and future open space purchases. In addition, I would like to lead the conversation in addressing the concerns of Marlboro residents as it relates to the Permitting Department and how we can make the experience better for all involved,” she said.
Cantor said, “I am convinced Marlboro needs a downtown area. I would like to see the creation of a true downtown area. The problem right now is that certain developers are suing the town for higher density housing, so we would need to come to an agreement with them. I will continue to fight to see that happen. Additionally, I will be focused on keeping our streets safe for our kids.
“As the council’s liaison to the police department, I have been working with them to come up with ways to curb speeding and enhance safety in our community. We also must focus on finding a proper solution to our state mandate for (affordable housing. We cannot continue to over-develop our town to appease an arbitrary number of units the state thinks we need to provide.
“Lastly, I will continue to preserve open space in our community. I also hope to work with the state and county to finally open a park on the former grounds of the Marlboro hospital. I am excited to see 411 acres of parkland that we as a community can enjoy,” Cantor said.
DeLuca said, “I will work to establish better relationships with our county and state officials. One specific area I will focus on is shared services with our county government. As we walk door to door, speaking with voters, my running mates and I are confronted with a common concern: many of Marlboro’s roads are in poor condition.
“The council must explore opportunities to use shared service agreements with the county and surrounding communities to provide better roads at a significant savings to taxpayers.
“Another area of shared services I will explore is a cooperative purchasing program with the county. Marlboro would purchase goods and services at a more cost-effective rate rather than going through our own bidding process. This could mean purchasing anything from trucks to lumber to office supplies at a lower rate than the township currently pays,” DeLuca said.
Dwyer said, “My first commitment to our taxpayers will be to work in a collegial manner with the other council members for the betterment of our community. New voices with different perspectives and ideas on the council are needed.
“The one-party rule that has existed in Marlboro does not lend itself to open and transparent dialogue. I believe new faces will spur conversations and debate, which can only lead to better information flow and better outcomes for our community.
“In 2010, a community vision plan listed Lloyd and Tennent roads as a ‘traffic congestion hotspot.’ Nothing was done about increasing traffic, yet over 1,000 housing units have or will be built in this immediate area. Two major chains and multiple retail stores have also popped up.
“This illustrates the dire need for better planning and a strong commitment to follow plans, to enhance the quality of life in Marlboro, not hurt it,” he said.
Mazzola said, “I will continue to concentrate on policies that promote smart spending and smart planning. I am a huge proponent of preserving open space, such as the recent acquisition of Stattel farm, and will work toward preserving as much additional open space as possible.
“In addition, there are areas in Marlboro in need of redevelopment and I will work toward identifying those areas and work on redevelopment plans. Affordable housing continues to be a concern to Marlboro. I will work toward finding acceptable solutions to fulfill our (affordable housing) requirements,” she said.
Metzger said, “We have residents with incredible talents and diverse skills. I look forward to engaging interested residents to serve on town committees and boards. We will continue to work on shrinking the size of local government and deliver services in the most cost efficient means possible.
“We have a vibrant Teen Advisory Committee and I look forward to continued engagement with the younger segment of the population. We will continue to work in a collaborative fashion as we continue with smart planning for our future,” Metzger said.