OLD BRIDGE — Two candidates will compete against each other in each of the six, four-year term ward seats available in the upcoming election Old Bridge Township Council election on Nov. 7.
Ward 1: Democrat David W. Merwin will face Republican Robert C. Thompson Sr.
Thompson, 62, who is a lifelong resident of the township, is seeking his first term on the council. He worked as a manager for General Motors for 30 years.
In the community, Thompson coached Little League Baseball for eight years, served as vice president of Laurence Harbor Little League, and is a current member of the Old Bridge Recreation Board.
“I am deeply concerned about the over-development being proposed in the township,” he said. “I believe it will impact the quality of life in our area for years to come. Concerns such as traffic are issues we will deal with on a daily basis. Increased enrollment in our schools will be a factor and could cause us to have to add additional schools in the future. Increased taxes will cause difficulty for our seniors as well as our young families raising their children.”
Thompson said he believes that the township’s children are its greatest asset and the township has to provide them with the programs and environment they deserve.
“I believe with virtually all parents working it is essential to keep our small parks in our area in good condition,” he said. “We have large parks in town, but our youth cannot visit them on a daily basis. I will strive to resolve these issues in the future.”
Merwin could not be reached by press time.
Ward 2: Incumbent Republican Mary R. Sohor will face Democrat Zeeshan Siddiqi.
Sohor, 62, who is a 40-year resident of the township, is seeking her third term on the council. She spent 30 years working at the Peterpank Diner in Sayreville, where she was a manager, and currently manages the Motor Vehicle Commission office in the Dayton section of South Brunswick.
“I have been a resident of Old Bridge Township since my husband and I got married and moved here in 1977,” Sohor said. “Together, we spent many years involved with the PTAs (Parent Teacher Associations) at McDivitt, Carl Sandburg and Old Bridge High School, where I was involved in countless bake sales, flower sales, concert choir, school plays and marching band.”
Sohor said as her children grew up and went off to college, she became more involved in the township, serving as a Housing Authority commissioner, and most recently a member of the council.
“I am running because my neighbors in Ward 2 deserve a representative who puts their needs first,” she said. “I’ve been an independent voice who stands up for what is right. Since I’ve been elected, the township’s finances are improving, we aren’t selling public lands to make payroll and I’ve been able to bring residents and township officials together, resulting in many improvements to roads and other public amenities in town.”
Sohor said there are still areas that need roads repaved and curbs installed, and intersections that need traffic lights.
“I would like the opportunity to continue advocating for those projects,” she said.
Sohor said she would like to improve the township’s coordination of services with Middlesex County.
“While we have worked hard in Old Bridge to keep our taxes under control, county taxes are still a big part of our property tax bill,” she said. “I think it is important going forward to try to see some benefits from the county [including] improvements to Route 516 as well as trying to get a bulk pickup for residents.”
Siddiqi could not be reached by press time.
Ward 3: Democrat Edina Brown will face Republican Frank R. Weber.
Brown, 37, who has lived in the township for more than seven years, is seeking her first term on the council. She works in the mental health community with outreach and education.
In the community, Brown is a class parent and PTA member at Madison Park Elementary School and serves as a county committee member. She also is an Advisory Group member of AACT-NOW (an affiliate of NAMI-NJ) and an executive board member of the Middlesex County Federation of Democratic Women.
“The needs of the people in our community require a councilperson that is dynamic, outspoken, yet compassionate,” she said. “I embody those strengths, and I know that I will use my energy to tackle existing concerns, like encouraging business/ratable growth that will lower taxes, humanely decrease the number of stray cats in our neighborhood, and seek better options for renters.”
Brown said she will use her voice to speak up for the people of Ward 3 and all of Old Bridge if need be.
“I will be compassionate enough to create programs that nourish and build up community members of all ages,” she said.
If elected, Brown said she would like to continue a similar sentiment as her door to door campaign work.
“I will continue speaking with community members even after the election, listening to their concerns and needs so I can serve in the best possible way,” she said.
Weber, who is a 43-year resident of the township, is seeking his first term on the council. He is a vice president of Global Association of Risk Professionals.
In the community, Weber served 18 years on the Old Bridge Board of Education. He served three years as president and two years as vice president.
Weber said he served as president during the highly successful referendum and suggested change to the school nursing program, which has saved millions in taxpayer dollars.
Currently, Weber has been on the Board of Trustees for the Old Bridge Public Library Board for six years and is serving in his fourth as board president.
He served three years as president of the Old Bridge Soccer League (OBSL) and two years as president of the Old Bridge Girls’ Soccer Association, during which time the OBSL donated an irrigation system for Ticetown and Higgins fields and was instrumental in expanding both travel programs.
“I have the desire to make Ward 3 and Old Bridge a better place to live,” he said. “This town has been a great place to raise a family and I am grateful for that and want to give back. I believe my successful prior community service, and positive changes it helped bring about, qualify me to make those improvements.”
Weber said Ward 3 is the largest gateway for traffic entering Old Bridge.
“[The area] will be highly impacted by uncontrolled growth of single family homes and apartments, which will stretch our resources and lead to higher taxes to support those resources,” he said. “I understand these issues as both a former Planning Board member and the person most heavily involved in the studies of housing impacts during the [school] referendum.”
Weber said the township also must successfully fight the terrible opioid epidemic.
Ward 4: Republican incumbent Alan Rosencranz will face Democratic candidate Mark Razzoli.
Rosencranz, 60, who has been a resident in the township for 31 years, is seeking his second term on the council. He is employed at Banking Financial.
In the community, Rosencranz is currently on the Parks and Recreation Committee, a commissioner for the Old Bridge Redevelopment Agency and a member of the Finance Committee.
“I’m running for reelection to continue to keep Old Bridge moving forward,” he said. “We have made great progress in keeping taxes stable and improving services for residents. And since we have been fiscally responsible, we have enjoyed an upgrade in our municipal bond rating, which benefits everyone. It’s gratifying to serve on the council and see the positive results.”
Rosencranz said going into the future, the township has a conceptual plan to make use of the Cottrell Farm for recreational and community purposes.
“This will be an exciting time for all of Old Bridge,” he said.
Razzoli could not be reached by press time.
Ward 5: Democrat Annette Tunyla Hopman will face Republican Anthony “Tony” Paskitti. Neither candidate could be reached by press time.
Ward 6: Democrat Kenneth R. Totten will face Republican John E. Murphy, III.
Murphy, 63, who is a resident of the township for 59 years, is seeking his first term on the council. He is retired after working 40 years for the Old Bridge Water System.
In the community, Murphy coached recreational sports for more than 25 years. He also was on the South Old Bridge Fire Department for 10 years.
“Since I have retired I have been taking more of an interest in Old Bridge,” he said. “I have watched or attended all Town Council Meetings for the past three years. I have been very impressed with the actions of [Councilwomen] [Anita] Greenberg, Debbie Walker and Mary Sohor on the direction they are heading for the betterment of Old Bridge.”
On the other hand, Murphy said he is disappointed by the loss of direction of the remaining council members.
“I feel with my knowledge of the town and my past contributions to Old Bridge, I would be an asset to the council to work with these three sitting councilwomen to make a new and better Old Bridge,” he said.
Murphy said he is against overbuilding in the township.
“We should strengthen our master plan to control the growth of our town and make sure the balance is for the good of the community,” he said. “I am for re-organizing the the Code Enforcement department and animal shelter.”
Totten could not be reached by press time.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 7.