Morristown council election scorecard: Who’s running, and why

Where does your candidate stand on the issues?  What are the issues?

MorristownGreen.com invited the candidates in Tuesday’s Morristown council race to share their details with you. Below is what they submitted.

Polls are open from 6 am to 8 pm on Nov. 3, 2015. To find your polling place,  click here.  To see the candidates discuss a wide range of issues, watch our video. 

 

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FIRST WARD:

Two candidates are vying to succeed Council President Rebecca Feldman, an Independent who is stepping down.

 

NAME: Chris Russo

WARD: First Ward

PARTY: Democrat

AGE: 36

OCCUPATION: Co-Owner of Superhero Events, Pharmaceutical Sales

EDUCATION: Management Major, Economics Minor from Gettysburg College

GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS:

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE: I’m an organizer of many running events that donate large sums of money to numerous local and national charities including the Community Soup Kitchen, The Seeing Eye, and different organizations within Morristown High School. I’m able to bring thousands of people together for great causes. I work with many facets of local government already to put on these events.

THREE TOP ISSUES:

1. Issues on the Morristown Green (noise, rowdiness)

2. Traffic (congestion, speeding, etc)

3. Affordable Housing

MY VISION FOR MORRISTOWN (MAX. THREE PARAGRAPHS, PLEASE): I believe Morristown is moving in the right direction. I want to keep it moving that way. We’re a well known city where people want to live and visit. I’m all for growth, but it’s important that our growth is sustainable and we don’t lose the small town character that has made Morristown so great. I love to see flourishing businesses, but I want to make sure the success of these enterprises doesn’t come at the expense of the residents. I know we can all work together, and I know that residents and local businesses can happily coexist. It’s important that many residents who have been here for decades don’t get priced out of the town that they helped to make so great. I’m confident that Morristown will be the most desirable place to live, work, and play in New Jersey!

WHY AM I THE BEST CANDIDATE (MAX. THREE PARAGRAPHS, PLEASE): I know how to bring people together. I’ve always been a strong leader in any role I’ve taken on. I have the ability to be the voice for ALL the citizens of Morristown. I have the ability to communicate with people from all different walks of life. I LISTEN TO and HEAR what people’s needs are. I consider myself to be a great communicator, whether it be a one on one conversation, or speaking to a large group. I know Morristown very well, but most importantly, I know many residents of the town. Over the last six months or so, I’ve had the opportunity to hear what the important issues are to the residents of Morristown. If elected, I will work for ALL of you. I would be honored to serve the public and make Morristown an even more amazing place than it already is.

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NAME: Bob Iannaccone

WARD: First Ward

PARTY: Republican

AGE: 58

OCCUPATION: Health Care Executive/Attorney

EDUCATION: BA Loyola College, MBA Rutgers Graduate School of Business, JD Seton Hall Law School

GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS: Trustee and former President P. G. Chambers School, 20 years;  Board Member and Coach Morristown Junior Colonial Lacrosse, 7 years; Committee Chair and Former Treasure Morristown Boy Scout of America Pack and Troop 34, 14 years

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE: Morristown resident 34 years, 12 years a renter on Altamont and Elm and 22 years as a home owner on Georgian Road; Attorney in private practice with extensive land use and regulatory experience, 12 years; Healthcare Executive, 16 years, currently Senior Vice President with Barnabas Health; served on numerous policy and regulatory committees for the New Jersey Department of Health and the New Jersey Hospital Association; Served on Governor’s Commission on Rationalizing Health Care Resources; Worked with our community on numerous local issues such as the recent day care center review.

THREE TOP ISSUES:

Build our Town’s sense of community.  Our goals should be to enhance the quality of life for our residents; the primary focus should not be development and redevelopment.  We need to work for a more inclusive government that is opening up more opportunities for residents to contribute and have input. We need to ensure that we maintain affordable housing options for residents.
Implement our recent Master Plan.  Prior Master Plans developed by Morristown never made it into ordinance; we need to be certain that the intent and details of our recent Master Plan are translated into an ordinance that will ensure harmonious development with our neighborhoods.  More importantly we need to ensure that the  “life elements” outlined in the Master Plan- such as recreation facilities, safe streets, waking neighborhoods, services for seniors, and the protection of our environment- are equal or greater attention when priorities are established.
Maintain affordability with the appropriate level of services. The Council needs to work with the Mayor and administration to ensure our taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and efficiently.  Together we need to find new ways to lower the cost of living in Morristown and partner to provide necessary services.  There will be opportunities to enhance our other goals as debt service payments are lowered and new rateables come on the tax rolls.-we need to spend those dollars to benefit the quality of our environment and the lives of the residents in Morristown.  We cannot become a Town where tax abatements are a standard practice taking away much needed funds from our municipal and school budgets but rather are only used when there is a clear public benefit to the Town’s residents.

MY VISION FOR MORRISTOWN (MAX. 3 PARAGRAPHS, PLEASE):

Morristown must to continue to evolve while never forgetting its history. Morristown needs to:

• continue to enhance its historical role as a center for leadership, commerce, transportation, culture and recreation in Morris County and New Jersey;
• recognize and support its neighborhoods and communities as the “homes” of its residents;
• embrace its ethnic, racial, economic and social diversity with housing options and age appropriate programs and support services for its residents;
• protect our environment with a sustainable infrastructure with an emphasis on providing  access to “green” space;
• encourage the active participation of as many of its residents as possible to truly maintain ourselves as a caring community

WHY AM I THE BEST CANDIDATE (MAX. 3 PARAGRAPHS, PLEASE):

We need a balanced Town Council.  As your Council Person I will remain independent of the administration and only will represent the interest of the First Ward. I owe nothing to any person, party or business (including any attorney, developer, or bar owner).  I have financed my campaign solely with my own funds and those of residents in our Town.  My only obligation is to represent the First Ward Residents the best I can. We need to put residents and community first.  I will ensure that any development in our First Ward is brought before its residents first and that any proposed development is harmonious with its immediately surrounding community and does not further compromise our traffic, safety or health.

We need a Council Person who knows our First Ward, our Town and its residents.  I have lived in the First Ward for 34 years, both as a renter and as a home owner.  I have contributed my time and skills to our youth recreational leagues, not-for-profits and working with neighbors on issues affecting our community. I have raised two children in Town with my wife Karen. I know what residents need and expect. We need representation that has the knowledge to address complex issues.  I have a background in law, finance and as a health care executive.  I bring skills which can develop a budget and evaluate operations to ensure our community is affordable.

 

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SECOND WARD:

Two candidates are vying to succeed Councilwoman Raline Smith-Reid, a Democrat who is stepping down.

NAME: Sidney S. Williams Jr.

WARD: Second Ward

PARTY: Republican

AGE: 47

OCCUPATION: Pastor

EDUCATION:
Howard University, BBA
University of Pennsylvania, MBA
Wesley Theological Seminary, M Div
Payne Theological Seminary Doctoral Student

GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS:

Morris Area Clergy Council, Past President
Visiting Nurses Association, Board Member
Morris County Housing Authority, Board Member
Big Brothers Big Sisters, Board Member
College of St. Elizabeth, Advisory Board
Spring Street CDC, Founder and Board Chair
Whippany River Watershed Action Committee, Volunteer

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:

15 years Corporate Finance
Former School Board Member, East Orange
Collaboration with the Concerned Citizens of the 2nd Ward
THREE TOP ISSUES:

Lower property taxes for seniors
Storm Water Mitigation in the ‘Hollow’
Workforce Housing for families

MY VISION FOR MORRISTOWN (MAX. 3 PARAGRAPHS, PLEASE):

My vision and my commitment to Morristown is to improve the quality of life for all Morristown residents by addressing the economic, educational and social needs of our community, while preserving the cultural and ethnic diversity of the area. This will include the renaming or designation of certain streets to reflect the legacy of Morristown Residents who contributed greatly to the vibrant community of the Second Ward.

As the Councilperson for the Second Ward I want to specifically address the concerns raised by home owners, business owners and the residents of Manahan Village as it relates to code enforcement, zoning and taxes. Additionally, I want to ensure adequate maintenance of all public facilities, sidewalks, streets, etc.

I look forward to working with the Town Council and the Administration to ensure that we exercise wisdom and discernment in all matters, while maintaining our excellent credit rating and fiscal responsibility.

WHY AM I THE BEST CANDIDATE (MAX. 3 PARAGRAPHS, PLEASE):

It has been 50 years since the “Hollow Redevelopment Project” was started and there remains confusion as to the progress our Town has made. Hundreds of families were removed from the Second Ward with the promise that the area would be re-developed. Going forward, it will take a bi-partisan effort, Republicans and Democrats, at the Federal, State and Local levels to fulfill the commitment that was made to the Second Ward residents in 1965.

In recent years, many new families have made the Second Ward their home (including my own) and we bring a diversity of opinions and ideas about the way forward. Our Ward is now comprised of Republicans and Democrats and over half are unaffiliated with either party, as well as hundreds of unregistered voters. The best candidate must be wiling and able to listen all residents and not only those who share the same political views or have been here for five generations or longer.

The Second Ward deserves an experienced leader who is well informed of Morristown’s history and is also able to bring new ideas and a fresh perspective grounded in a track record of community service.

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NAME: Hiliari Davis-Oyesanya

WARD: Second Ward

PARTY: Democrat

Awaiting response.

 

 

 

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THIRD WARD:

Democratic incumbent Stefan Armington is running unopposed on Nov. 3, 2015.

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FOURTH WARD:

Councilwoman Alison Deeb, a Republican, seeks a third term. She faces a challenge from Democrat Justin Davis. 

 

NAME: Alison Ann Deeb

WARD: Fourth Ward

AGE: 52

OCCUPATION: Morristown Council Member since 2007; previously, Development Director for a statewide environmental nonprofit and corporate experience as a management consultant.

EDUCATION: Master’s degree in Public Administration; Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Communications, The George Washington University

GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS: Seeing Eye Puppy Raisers; Windmill Pond Townhome Association, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT); Great Swamp Watershed Association; Whippany River Watershed Action Committee; Macculloch Hall Historic Museum. Lifelong parishioner of St. Anthony’s Orthodox Church, Bergenfield.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE: Council Liaison to the Environmental Commission, Morristown Partnership, Morristown Parking Authority. Development Director for the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) and corporate work experience as a management consultant.

THREE TOP ISSUES:

I have walked door-to-door on every street in the Fourth Ward this campaign, and I believe the top three issues facing Fourth Ward residents are:

1) Zoning and Traffic. The Town Council needs to adopt zoning laws that are compliant with the newly updated Master Plan. The Town needs to enforce zoning laws in parts of the ward where zoning has been an issue. Development needs to be sustainable from a traffic management standpoint. Traffic congestion and residential parking, impacts from over-development, still need to be addressed in areas throughout the Fourth Ward. There have been some improvements but some areas still need to be addressed. There is a need for a comprehensive traffic study in conjunction with new development. This includes residential parking for Morristown residents. Parking on residential streets is still a problem in many neighborhoods.

2) Quality of Life / Neighborhood and Historic Preservation. Quality of life and neighborhood preservation is a significant issue for residents of the Fourth Ward who live near the special improvement district and center of town. A better balance needs to be maintained between out-of-town visitors and town residents; between pedestrians and drivers; between late-night bar patrons and local Fourth Ward residents. We’ve made some improvements but there is more work to do in these areas with achieving balance for everyone.

3) Continued Park Maintenance, Open Space and Beautification. There’s been lots of improvements to parks and open spaces but park maintenance and beautification continues to be an issue for the town. The Footes Pond neighborhood is concerned about potential flooding if Footes Pond is not properly maintained. At my urging, there has been an environmental study of Foote’s Pond and its future maintenance is included in the new Master Plan. Further, a plan for the Hillcrest Open Space was introduced at a neighborhood meeting. The plan needs to be finalized. I am the best candidate to move these plans forward. The next step is implementation.

MY VISION FOR MORRISTOWN (MAX. 3 PARAGRAPHS, PLEASE):

From a town standpoint, my vision is for a broad retail mix, not just bars, restaurants and eateries. For example, I’d like to see more art galleries, a bookstore, clothing stores, another musical venue. I’d like to see better maintenance and beautification of our parks and open spaces (i.e., Robert Tracey Veterans Memorial Park, Foote’s Pond, in the Fourth Ward). I’d like to see a more equal distribution of alcohol liquor licenses throughout the central business district not concentrated in any one block or area. I’d like to work more toward smarter, sustainable development, for example a comprehensive traffic study and then real improvements as a result of that study. I’d like to see residents, walkers, joggers and drivers live more harmoniously with one another so we can all enjoy the benefits of living in our great Morristown.

From a governing standpoint, I’d like to see a higher performing and functional governing body that is more deliberative, more transparent and less political. I’d like to see the town council implement and develop the zoning ordinances that are in compliance with the master plan. I’d like the Morristown Partnership work more closely with the residents of the town and the governing body and continue their work on improving retail economic development and relationships with local businesses.

WHY AM I THE BEST CANDIDATE (MAX. 3 PARAGRAPHS, PLEASE):

The voters have a clear choice between two different candidates for the Fourth Ward tomorrow. My opponent’s literature has come out with grand plans but not one shred of policy, planning or tax implication. My opponent has worked his entire career for Essex County politicians and Essex County has the highest taxes in the state. That is not my experience. We must keep Morristown moving forward but we have to keep an eye on spending and taxes. We don’t want to drive people away from Morristown. I have innovative ideas and offer creative solutions.

I am an experienced senior member of the Morristown council and have been on the council for the last eight years. Parks, roads and our downtown has improved. Macculloch Hall Historic Museum is thriving with its new Executive Director who is implementing exciting programs like the Sunday July concert series. Working with the Administration, I have implemented traffic and parking solutions in many parts of the ward. We have done this all with a 0 percent tax increase for the last several years. The Morris Newsbee endorsed me over my opponent because I am “a quality candidate with a proven record.” I have been recognized for my activism in favor of parks and open spaces with an “unparalleled record of constituent service.” I truly believe I am the best representative to keep Morristown moving forward as we have been for the last eight years. Smart, sustainable growth and positive improvements to the town without increasing taxes. I know I can keep doing this good if not better over the next four years. I learned a lot my first two terms and am confident I can keep moving Morristown forward.

I am actively engaged in the community as a longstanding volunteer. I am extremely responsive and accessible to constituents when they contact me. I serve the interests of Fourth Ward residents, not my own personal or special interests. Mostly all of my campaign contributions are from Fourth Ward and Morristown residents because I have worked diligently over the last eight years to represent their concerns and interests. They trust me. I am an experienced community leader, effective communicator and understand the issues in the town and the fourth ward. I know how to get things done and will continue to be the Voice for the Fourth Ward.

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NAME: Justin Davis

WARD: Fourth Ward

AGE: 34

OCCUPATION: Deputy Chief of Staff to Former Governor and State Senator Richard Codey

GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS:

Endorsed by the SEIU
Worked with NJ Mental Health Association, ARC of Morris County, Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, NJBIA, Women’s Political Caucus of NJ, NJEA & MCCEA, NJ Alzheimer’s Association.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:

Over the past 11 years I have worked to make government at all levels do a better job of serving people effectively and cost efficiently. Working with former governor and state Sen. Richard Codey, I have helped to deliver their fair share funding to local towns for schools, roads and rail transportation, open space preservation, and smart economic development. I work in conjunction with local mayors and town councils to enable them to carry our their agendas for their municipalities. I also work with individuals to help them cut through government red tape and solve problems for individuals, their families and neighborhood. Finally, working with Gov. Codey, I have learned how important bi-partisan cooperation is to making government work the way it is supposed to.

EDUCATION: Drew University, BA Political Science

THREE TOP ISSUES:

• Keeping taxes stable
• Controlling Development
• Comprehensive plan to deal with traffic

MY VISION FOR MORRISTOWN (MAX. 3 PARAGRAPHS, PLEASE):

My vision for Morristown is the keep our downtown vibrant, preserve the historic character and charm that makes Morristown unique, keep taxes stable, and ensuring that Morristown keeps being a great place to live, work, and raise a family. I believe that government works best when it is a collaboration between citizens and elected officials. The centerpiece of my vision for Morristown is to encourage greater citizen involvement. After the campaign, I will continue to go door to door regularly to discuss with Fourth Ward residents the issues that face our communities and to listen to their needs and ideas for solutions. When important controversial issues come before the council, I will hold community meetings to fully discuss the issues and assure every citizen of input into my decision making. I am always telling people, “come with me to town hall, and together, we will move Morristown forward.”

WHY AM I THE BEST CANDIDATE (MAX. 3 PARAGRAPHS, PLEASE):

My experience working with federal, state, county and local governments over the last 11 years for former governor and state Sen. Richard Codey gives me a unique perspective on how municipalities are run and were we can do better. I bring a more global view point that is not currently represented on the council. I will keep taxes stable, recruit diverse businesses to invest in Morristown to bring in new ratables, and preserve the historic character and charm this town has by controlling development. Beyond my experience in government at all levels, I bring my determination to be a totally available, accessible and open representative. Unlike some local representative, I will be highly visible in the community. I will not simply attend Municipal council meetings and then drop out of sight. You will always be informed of where I stand on the issues, always know that I am listening to you and taking your point of view into account, always see me at community meetings and events, and always know that I am a strong advocate to preserve and enhance the special quality that we enjoy in Morristown.

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WHERE TO VOTE ON NOV. 3:

VIDEO OF CANDIDATES FORUM

MORE 2015 ELECTION COVERAGE