Final Thoughts From Morristown Candidates

Before heading to the polls , Morristown Patch presents a final summary from the council candidates for Morristown's four wards.

"Issues important in Ward 1 are important townwide. Every street may have a unique and particiular structural problem or issue. But, in general, the issues we face are similar. Everything we vote on is for the entire town. It's important for all of us to be thinking about complete responsibility. ... Issues of balance of uses and how we make sure mixed use still provides a balance conducive to impacts of non-residential uses. It's a balancing act, somewhat new for Morristown, and one we're learning from. ... We're seeing now all the positive benefits smart growth brings to town. ... If you want to bike ride instead of take the car, how do I make a left turn onto South Street from Elm. ... To me, they are Morristown issues. ... We're only as strong as our weakest link."

–Rebecca Feldman, Independent councilwoman, Ward 1

Several attempts to contact Jenny Peters, the Republican council candidate for the First Ward, were unsuccessful.

"My experience is important. And, that goes for several reasons. The budget and understanding it. Not only that but, I still think there is still some education that needs to be done about affordable housing. And, I think I am prepared to do it. ... My experience is well-rounded. I know the community. ... Of course, traffic calming remains an issue. I think we still have a lot of work to do with that. ... I just hope more people get involved, and more people feel comfortable contacting me. It's 12 years now (as a member of Town Council). They should feel confident in contacting me if they have issues, or they feel there are issues and/or ideas within the town. That's what I'm there for. I'm reachable."

–Raline Smith-Reid, Democratic councilwoman, Ward 2

"It's been a difficult time for people of the second ward. The Town Council is not as assertive as I think it could be with JCP&L and other issues the Department of Public Works has direct authority with. ... The mayor has shown some good starts working with JCP&L, especially the last couple months. ... If I am elected, I would use whatever power I have to bring pressure [to JCP&L]. It may be easy for JCP&L to ignore one person, hard to ignore 100 people writing letters. That's what I want to do. ...  I want to really focus on my ward, but work with the other six members of council. What can we do to make everything better ..."

–Naveen Nadipuram, Republican council candidate, Ward 2

"The next big step in the () redevelopment is the site plan review. What will be critical is to make sure the developer does an environmental impact statement and traffic analysis, and show what impact 280 units will have on traffic at the Speedwell/Early intersection and surrounding, more residential areas. ... I think another big challenge for council will be to improve the Speedwell Avenue business district. Clearly, over the last 10 years, there's been a lack of investment privately and publicy. ... How do we improve public perception of Speedwel Avenue? I look forward to talking to residents, business owners on...what incentives are needed to get business owners interested in investing."

–Stefan Armington, Democratic council candidate, Ward 3

"I've been doing construction contracts for 40 years. I've never seen a contract where the developer can determine on their own what they can and cannot do and can walk away whenever they see fit. ... Council should be making all the decisions. He's (Mayor Tim Dougherty) been handing it (Speedwell Redevelopment Project) to them to vote for. There's just way too much opportunity for corruption. ... Before we build a bicycle path for a few people, or build a park behind Town Hall, we should be hiring police officers, and using that money to make people safe. ... That's our primary function, making citizens safe. Nothing comes before that."

–Ed Ramirez, Republican council candidate, Ward 3

"Taxes are too high and clearly an affordable housing issue. Whether you rent or own, if I can't afford to pay my taxes, that's an affordable housing issue. It's all relevant. ... I think it's important to let people know that I have been working very hard on the power situation in Morristown since the library explosion in 2010. I wrote Resolution 179-2010, which documented the history of explosions and demanded a cause for the library explosion. ... I have a proven track record of performance and as Councilwoman, I will continue to hold JCP&L accountable and keep a close eye on the BPU investigation. I have already met with the JCP&L SRM and Power Consultant and and will do all I can to ensure Morristown residents have safe and reliable power."

–Alison Deeb, Republican councilwoman, Ward 4

"I think I'll do a better job of working with the rest of the council members. You have to have the right kind of temperment. My experience is based with real people, real business opportunities. That's the kind of leadership we need on the council. ... This was a bad storm, but we need to get the grid updated for the 21st Century, to protect us from future issues of storms. With climate change, it's only going to get worse. ... One of the things I bring is a background as a mortgage banker, financial planner. I'm working on eliminating wasteful spending. ... We need to do a systemwide approach to alternative energy. A lot of private companies work with the public together. They'll fund a lot of these projects for solar. There is definitely opportunity there."

–Denis Ciklic, Democratic council candidate, Ward 4