SOUTH AMBOY – Residents of South Amboy will have three mayoral candidates to choose from during the general election on Nov. 6.
Current Mayor Fred Henry, a Democrat, will face Republican Peter “Pedro” Pisar and Independent Brandon Russell for a four-year term as mayor.
Henry has served as South Amboy’s mayor since 2011. He is a lifelong South Amboy resident who is a retired English and history teacher. He served on the City Council from 1992-2010 before he was elected as mayor.
Henry is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and coached various high school sports.
Pisar is a 20-year resident of South Amboy who is a retired Middlesex County Sheriff’s Officer. He volunteers to assist drug-addicted individuals by helping place them in recovery centers.
Russell is a 24-year-old lifelong resident of South Amboy who is a chargeback analyst for Tzumi Electronics, an electronics manufacturer. He graduated from Stockton University in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in business studies. Russell coaches the Sayreville Junior Bombers football team as well as soccer and basketball for the South Amboy Youth Athletic Association. He is an Eagle Scout and is involved with the South Amboy Elks and Roots to Addiction group.
Henry said some of his greatest accomplishments during his tenure as mayor have been helping the school referendum pass; going to Trenton to help secure the low interest loan to benefit the taxpayers of South Amboy; helping to bring in ratables such as Lighthouse Bay, the recently opened Woodmont Cove and Venetian Healthcare; encouraging the implementation of Nixle for better police-community communication; initiating the meeting to reestablish the Historical Society of South Amboy; closing the sand company on the waterfront to improve quality of life; and creating budgets since 2013 that produced a surplus that has increased each year to last year’s surplus of $2.4 million – while changing the tax rate by a total of just four cents the last three years.
“I will continue to seek and approve sound ratables for the city,” Henry said, if he is re-elected. “My track record is good as evidenced by our stable tax rate. I would like to resume our ferry service. This has been a long, hard road but recently we opened the proposals for the design of the terminal and parking lot and hope to award this contract very soon. We will continue to do everything we can to combat the opioid crisis as we all know that is a major problem. And revival of the Arts District and our downtown business district.”
Pisar said he is running for mayor “because I believe that I am the best candidate to create change through my three-point plan that entails improvement, innovation and greater involvement for the community.
“As mayor, I will work to attract new businesses, including a supermarket, to improve the downtown commercial area, which will help stabilize/lower taxes and create economic growth for the city. I would look to support existing businesses by creating a strong core economic business development organization that will be based on not only input from business leaders but from members of the public as well. Now is the time for appropriate redevelopment. Proper redevelopment will address the city’s traffic, congestion and parking problems. We need to stop the overdevelopment of expansive townhouses and look to develop the waterfront as well as the downtown area. Furthermore, we need to eliminate wasteful spending by taking a transparent look at where every dollar is appropriated, determining where we can save money.”
He said city officials need to be innovative in their thinking and work together to find real solutions instead of just pointing out problems.
“Solar power is becoming increasingly dependable and affordable, which is why the City of South Amboy needs to look at instituting this type of energy source to provide clean power while saving taxpayers’ money. Another innovative idea that we need to consider is to finally create a viable water taxi system solution that will not burden the taxpayer and will provide a streamlined, quick route to New York City for residents and commuters,” he said.
Pisar said he wants to create an open and transparent form of government.
“Communities are made up of people and we need to do a better job embracing, recognizing, listening and caring for our citizens in every way possible. We should have more community programs for our youth, seniors and veterans which will provide them with positive opportunities to become more involved in their city. I would also work as a tireless advocate to help stop the opioid/heroin drug problem in South Amboy, which has claimed far too many lives. My ideas involve the application of strategies and tactics from my unique, aggressive, and practical anti- drug plan,” he said.
Russell said he is seeking the position because “The last 30 years of South Amboy politics have seen nothing but housing projects and tax breaks. When I am elected, I will change the trajectory of South Amboy’s future by focusing on bringing in new businesses, filling vacant properties, and selling investors on why they should invest in our city. Specifically, the Manhattan Beach Project is projected to bring in 4,000 new residents to a city that barely has the capacity to serve the nearly 9,000 residents we already have. By shifting the focus from housing to business, we will create a sustainable system that isn’t reliant on increasing property taxes to create more revenue. By eliminating tax breaks and investing in a diverse economy, we will create a reliable surplus and lower the tax rates.”
He also said his generation is feeling the effects of the opioid epidemic.
“I will improve on these issues by creating more city-sponsored programs focused on getting youths focused on their future and how to stay on the right track. I will also seek to increase civic engagement by creating events that newcomers to South Amboy will be interested in attending. South Amboy’s strength is in its ability to come together as a community and with a changing demographic, we must make an effort to reach out to these new citizens. In essence, we just need a more proactive approach focused on increased education and opportunities for the youth. Keep these kids focused on the dangers of substance abuse, how to set goals, and how to accomplish those goals — this epidemic can end with us.”
He also said the biggest problem with American politics is a lack of transparency, and electing politicians without holding them accountable for their track record.
“In South Amboy, no one knows what the administration’s plans are and when you ask questions, you are typically not taken very seriously. Under my leadership, all public meetings will be recorded and published on the city’s website, the Mayor’s Blog will be updated weekly, and the progress of all projects will be updated consistently. Closed door meetings will be summarized and the important details will be made available to all citizens. Transparency starts with the mayor and as the mayor, I will hold all departments accountable for their budgets and find new ways to limit costs,” Russell said.
Contact Peter Elacqua at [email protected].