Video: Morris Township candidates clash over open space, taxes, communications, Honeywell

Candidates Matheu Nunn, Cathy Wilson, Bruce Sisler and Jeff Grayzel at the Morris Township 2015 committee debate. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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Video: Opening Statements. More videos below.

By Kevin Coughlin

In a spirited 90-minute debate, Morris Township Committeemen Bruce Sisler and Matheu Nunn and contenders Jeff Grayzel and Cathy Wilson clashed along party lines Tuesday over open space, governing style, and development of the Honeywell tract.

The candidates, who seek three-year terms, squared off in Morristown at a forum hosted by the local chapter of the League of Women Voters. Questions were submitted by audience members at the Alexander Hamilton School.

Stressing roots that stretch back generations in the Township, Sisler and Nunn said their mission is maintaining Morris County’s lowest municipal tax rate so that families can afford to stay.

“If we can’t control your taxes, senior citizens have to move out,” Sisler said.  “We have a tight, close-knit community of families, and if those families have to be broken up, because they can’t afford to live here, that’s a huge problem.”

Grayzel and Wilson, trying to crack the all-Republican committee, agreed that controlling taxes is crucial. But they argued that this could be achieved more readily, and residents would be better served, by a plurality of voices on the governing body.

“There are no checks and balances in Morris Township. And that is not how good government should work,” said Grayzel, an industrial engineer who has served a pair of three-year terms.

 

Candidates (from left) Matheu Nunn and Bruce Sisler, incumbent Republicans; and Democrats Jeff Grayzel and Cathy Wilson, at the Morris Township 2015 committee debate. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Candidates (from left) Matheu Nunn and Bruce Sisler, incumbent Republicans; and Democrats Jeff Grayzel and Cathy Wilson, at the Morris Township 2015 committee debate. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

T.V. OR NOT T.V.?

Wilson said the committee has not welcomed her efforts to webcast its meetings, and she was especially critical of Sisler’s style.

“His approach, which I have experienced myself many times, and have seen repeated with many different people, includes a pattern of either not responding at all or responding with criticism and blame,” Wilson said.

“I really believe in my heart of hearts that our community would be better off if we tapped the ideas and the energy and the expertise of more people in our community,” she said.

Televised meetings cost money, said Sisler, who also holds the title of deputy mayor. The Township posts audio from meetings, and sends newsletters to inform the public. During Grayzel’s time on the committee, Sisler said, the Democrat never made any attempt to televise meetings.

Nunn, the Township’s former municipal prosecutor, also took aim at Grayzel, accusing him of criticizing renovations to the Township’s public swimming pools after voting six times for the projects.

Please click icon below for slideshow captions.

HONEYWELL, OPEN SPACE

Both incumbents further blamed Grayzel for driving Honeywell’s global headquarters from the Township to Morris Plains.

“If you think I have that power, thank you,” said Grayzel, who was unseated last year by 14 votes. “I was the only one who stood up and said I want to see Honeywell commit to Morris Township, as we were committed to them.”

Wilson, a retired educator with training in conflict resolution, struck a nerve with Sisler when she described Honeywell’s departure as “a case study in the social and economic costs of conflict mismanagement.”

“Mismanagement?” Sisler shot back. “Fifty four public hearings, two-and-a-half years of hearings where the general public could speak? Come on. Mismanagement? Are you kidding me? Where were you?”

When the rezoned 147-acre tract on Columbia Turnpike is built out with offices and housing, Sisler said, it will increase tax revenues by 57 percent. He pointed to creation of an economic development commission, tasked with attracting more tax ratables, and preservation of the Township’s AAA bond rating, as key achievements.

Grayzel said he wants the Township to become more bicycle-friendly. He took the incumbents to task for failing to back the purchase of the Vallevue Farm on Picatinny Road as open space. The $1.6 million acquisition is being made with a combination of grants and municipal funds.

“We have enough trails,” Sisler countered. “Enough is enough is enough.”

‘WE’RE NOT MORRISTOWN’

Nunn, who was appointed earlier this year to replace Committeeman Scott Rosenbush when he moved to Utah, said the Township must seek a balance of open space, businesses and affordable housing.

“The goal should be to have a mix in Morris Township. Morris Township’s a great place to live. We have parks. We have forests. We have highways. We have side streets. You’re here and you all live in the communities you live in for a reason. We’re not Morristown. We’re Morris Township. And we’re going to continue to plan and develop land use planning and zoning in a way that’s consistent with our master plan in Morris Township.”

The candidates all agreed that a combination seniors / recreation center is long overdue. But Sisler said it would cost the average homeowner an extra $250 a year in property taxes for the next 20 years.  Wilson said a way should be found; seniors feel like they come last in the Township, she said.

Grayzel knocked Sisler for not supporting a shared court system with Madison, an arrangement that has shaved costs for the Township.

“If you’re scared about doing things to save money, you’re never going to save money. You have to take some risks sometimes,” Grayzel said.  Sisler responded that efforts by Nunn and the committee have boosted court savings for the Township.

Diane Gallo from the Summit chapter of the League of Women Voters moderated the event.

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MORE VIDEO FROM THE DEBATE:

Video: Closing Statements

Video: Taxes

 Video: Open Space

Video: Sustainable Jersey?

Video: Shared Services

Video: Affordable Housing

 

Video: Biggest Challenge:

 

Video: Seniors / Recreation Center?

Video: Two Priorities?

8 COMMENTS

  1. I know Bruce Sisler. Quality human being.
    Cares about the community. His record shows it.
    Local government needs people like Mr. Sisler because he works hard and he is accountable .

  2. I ran into Kevin last night at the Town/Township Joint library event honoring the retirement of Mrs. Norton, the library Director (and employee there for 48 years–talk about passion for a career). I learned that Kevin pretty much runs this site – content, editing, film – on his own. Without him, where would these articles and commentary find almost daily coverage? Food for thought.

    Moving on, thank you Mr. Goldberg, and at least one other person for recognizing that I am “reasonable” or, as I like to think, pragmatic; that is what you should expect of every public official at every level. That is not to say public officials should be free of core beliefs and an ability to act with decisiveness; indeed, there is a fine line between having enough information and debate to make an informed decision and “paralysis by analysis.” Of course, then there is “paralysis of losing re-election,” which seems to be endemic in American politics. Simply put, public office is not a place for anyone who is an absolutist–or anyone who is so concerned with re-election that his or her votes are made after sticking a finger in the air to find which way the wind is blowing.

  3. @ourtown
    I agree, Mr. Nunn does seem quite reasonable, and I am glad to see he has posted here and join him in thanking Kevin for this fair and balanced coverage.

    I find it ironic that Mr. Sisler would blame residents for Honeywell’s departure and for exercising their right to participate in the planning process in support of their neighborhood given his attempt to do the same in a Letter to the Editor opposing a plan for a few stores\apartments in his neighborhood. (See link below) Others thoughts on this welcomed.

    “We are standing with our neighbors on this issue because the proposed project and its density will negatively impact the entire surrounding neighborhood”

    “we can expect at least seven vehicles, maybe more.”

    “While we understand that the property owner would like to transform these three buildings into something different, it should not be done to the detriment of the Fairchild section’s character and the resident’s quality of life. The cost (loss of parking for our residents, increased number of apartments, loss of buffer trees and safety hazards) is just not worth it for the neighborhood. This proposed application is simply too dense for our neighborhood.”

    https://www.newjerseyhills.com/morris_news_bee/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/morris-township-plaza-too-dense-for-speedwell-ave/article_e2920a74-80db-11e0-a870-001cc4c03286.html

  4. It is clear that Ms. Sisler’s views are quite consistent with 1950s thinking on suburban land-use planning and development. This type of old school thinking will only deepen the crisis of vacant corporate campuses within the Township.

    It is easy to point fingers and say that people who advocated for their neighborhoods somehow drove out Honeywell, but the truth is very clear – old office parks are a thing of the past.

    Where is the vision from the current leadership? Seeing none (which I now can, thanks to Ms. Wilson’s work to get the meetings – G-d forbid – made available to watch), I will be voting for the two Democrats.

    I will say, Nunn seems quiet reasonable, but the lack of balance of power in the Township is distressing.

  5. Morris Township is run like a private club. If you aren’t part of the club, everything that goes on there is, you guessed it, private.
    I’m born and raised in Morris Township… nearly 50 years of my life were spent here so I’m not a “johnny come lately” to the party.
    I’m a Democrat. And I voted when I lived in the Township, but the Ruling Class (The ones who sit on the Freeholder Board) has determined that Democrats don’t belong in Morris Township politics…
    So, unless more people vote, nothing will change in Morris Township.

  6. Regardless of party affiliation, it’s hard to not favor Mr. Sisler and Mr. Nunn after watching all these videos. When you can answer questions with facts and figures born of due diligence and professional experience, I have far more faith in their ability to lead the township. I respect all the candidates for their willingness to serve, but Mr Grayzel has a long history of going against the grain on every topic (I honestly don’t think he can help himself) and Ms. Wilson doesn’t seem to have any grasp of the realities of running a municipality. I vote for knowledge and experience, not party lines, and this doesn’t appear to be fair fight, Grayzel and Wilson are way over matched.

  7. An new voice or two is needed on the committee. Sisler’s prickly, know-it-all personality is a problem. He doesn’t realize that open space preservation, green and trails KEEPS SERVICES AND TAXES LOW and attracts seniors and increases property values (and thus rateables — Just look at Chatham next door). Build, build, build will make Morris Township more like Morristown, which is exactly what he’s trying to avoid.

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