Bedminster Republicans

TO THE EDITOR: This past week’s issue of The Bernardsville News featured the headline, “Affordable housing focus of campaign” in reference to the race for Bedminster Township Committee.

Really?

As I read further, I came to understand that it was the issue being created by the local Democrats running for office.

I sit on many boards in Bedminster, including serving as the chair of the Bedminster Land Use Board, president of my local condo association and treasurer of the Hills Village North Master Association. I’ve never seen or heard from these folks, and by their own admission, they do not serve in any voluntary capacities with the town, their homeowner associations, the Bedminster School or any other organizations.

Yet they are defining the issues? I highly doubt it. Based on the article, both were hard pressed to identify actual issues in dispute.

The fact is, both the Bedminster Township Committee and the Land Use Board with leadership from Mayor Larry Jacobs have been extremely proactive in anticipating, as opposed to reacting to, the real issues facing our community.

Over the past 18 months, the pandemic has introduced a host of issues that Bedminster had to deal with head-on. Our residents have faced food challenges, loss of income and threats to their very health.

In each and every instance, the mayor and committee have risen to the challenge and served the interests of the community at large, be it in the form of a local food pantry, vaccine clinics, COVID information resources or access to parks and trails in the midst of crushing lockdowns.

Some of the problems facing us come from external sources we have little direct control over, but we work them aggressively regardless. For example, persistent power outages in The Hills and poor cable service are two issues that the Township Committee has leveraged their influence to address.

As a result, we’ve seen dramatic improvements in JCP&L’s performance, and Altice has now agreed to run fiber to the home for all Hills residents. These aren’t headline grabbing issues, but they are the ones residents want solved.

Most recently, Mayor Jacobs, through our Planning Board, initiated a detailed study with the county to look at the AT&T property. AT&T is the single largest commercial ratepayer and comprises a significant portion of the Bedminster tax base.

They are now a Texas-based company, and their lease on the campus expires in 2023. Their departure would have a significant impact on the Bedminster taxpayer.

We have worked exhaustively with the landlord, AT&T, our planners and outside consultants to understand our options and identify preferred outcomes. Rather than letting fate determine our future, we are driving the project to ensure the most favorable results for our residents.

Be it the unexpected, including responses to floods or fire, or the mundane, like recycling containers or speed signs, the mayor and committee proactively tackle the problems and get results.

Traffic safety improvements on Routes 202/206? Check. Addressing the eyesores in Pluckemin Village? Check. Revamping the budget in times of crisis to keep taxes flat? Check.

On Nov. 2, I plan on voting for the team that consistently works the issues, as opposed to creating the headlines.

Please join me in re-electing Mayor Larry Jacobs and Committeewoman Renee Mareski to the Bedminster Township Committee.

CAROL GUTTSCHALL
Heatherwood Lane
Bedminster Township

Editor’s note: This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

TO THE EDITOR: to be blatantly honest, I’m kind of sick of politics.

As an individual involved in local government, that might come as a surprise. Unlike Washington D.C., we have something unique here in Bedminster, a functional government that puts the people first, not the party or politics.

We’re all volunteers, after all, just doing our part to better the community we know and love.

However, when I see uninformed attacks from the other side of the aisle, I wonder if it’s just a ploy to distract from a lack of involvement and no real platform on their end.

Most recently, the Mayor and Township Committee have been accused by the Bedminster Democrats of not properly administering the affordable housing program. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Democrats, having aligned themselves with a real estate agent interested in gaming the system to his advantage, have based their assertions on hearsay and secondhand information instead of facts. Like I teach my students, an argument without accuracy, validity and evidentiary support will leave one believing in logical fallacies. I can think of no better example than these affordable housing allegations.

You see, I am proud to say I got my start here through the Bedminster affordable housing program, as did my colleague, Committeewoman Renee Mareski. It afforded both of us a chance to be part of this incredible community, and was a first step into home ownership that we otherwise may have not been able to attain.

I am forever grateful for this opportunity, and I wish nothing more than to provide this opportunity to future generations to come, as is the purpose and intention of the affordable housing program, both here in Bedminster and throughout the state.

Like any institution, there are always opportunities for improvement. Last year, Mayor Jacobs and the committee took action to replace the current administrative agent with a professional services organization that has a long history and proven track record of managing affordable housing programs throughout the state.

Imagine my surprise when we were suddenly criticized for making a substantive improvement to an underwhelming and underperforming program.

But as the story unfolded, I came to realize that the objections were coming not from those who wanted to part of the affordable housing program, nor from those who have been part of the affordable housing program, but rather from those who were looking to take advantage of the program and didn’t get their way.

As a teacher, I have rules in my classroom. No cheating. Take turns. No cutting in line. These rules are there for a reason – so that every one of my students has a chance to participate fairly and equally.

The same should hold true for the affordable housing program. Apparently, that’s not what the opposition supports.

Most recently, the committee, in response to new state requirements mandating additional affordable housing beyond what previously and currently exists, zoned for newly required affordable rental units. We did it in a thoughtful way, integrating the units within the community, just as The Hills did 40 years ago.

We accomplished this without spending taxpayer money or depleting the existing funds that sustain our current affordable housing program. Those funds are there to help individual homeowners make improvements, provide down payment assistance and maintain the program going forward. The program is administered by our new professional affordable housing agent with input from our new Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.

We’ve set up the program for the inclusion of the next generation of individuals who want a chance to join our community through the affordable housing path. It’s called equity. I, and the rest of the Township Committee, are proud to have preserved the program and ensure its viability for years to come.

Anyone who knows me can attest that I am a planner and a doer. I have never been, and will never be, content to sit on the sidelines.

I’m dismayed when individuals who aren’t even involved take cheap shots and cry foul play for personal or political gain. “Do your homework” not only applies in my classroom, but it’s a lesson for real life as well.

I know who’s done the work, put in the time and has their facts straight. On Nov. 2, I’ll confidently be voting for Larry Jacobs and Renee Mareski for Bedminster Township Committee, and I encourage you to do the same.

GINA LISA-FERNANDEZ
Deer Haven Road
Bedminster Township

Editor’s note: The writer, a Republican, is a member of the Bedminster Township Committee. This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

TO THE EDITOR: Feb. 13, 2021, was the worst night of my life.

I was woken up around midnight to the sound of someone yelling, “Get out, get out, the building is on fire!”

The building 53 in Village Green was on fire. My first thought was that I was having a bad dream but, unfortunately, I wasn’t. Within the next few minutes, I found myself running out of my condo into the freezing cold night wearing pajamas, a coat and shoes.

I cried as I watched the firemen battle the flames rising from the building, wondering if everything I own would be lost.

The following days and weeks were full of so many emotions; scared, thankful that I, and everyone in the building, got out safely, and full of many questions as I played the night over and over in my mind.

Needless to say, it was all quite traumatizing. However, I am so very grateful to the many people who reached out to me in the days that followed to offer their prayers and assistance as needed. I was grateful to the Bedminster-Far Hills Fire Department and the other fire departments that responded to the scene and worked in the freezing temperature to get the fire under control.

However, the fire department was just one of many groups that were instrumental in helping the residents of building 53. Bedminster Township, in particular the Township Committee, immediately reached out to see what they could do to help.

I spoke with Mayor Larry Jacobs many times over the following weeks. He promised his help in any way that he could, whether it was the use of Town Hall as a meeting place, making sure that the township processed any paperwork or requested permits as quickly as possible, or providing lists of resources that we could call for help.

I am personally very grateful to Mayor Jacobs for all that he did for us to try and get the rebuilding process started as soon as possible.

Many residents from Bedminster, as well as surrounding towns, reached out wanting to know how they could donate to the fire victims. Renee Mareski worked with the township to set up a donation program, which was truly appreciated.

The fire is not the only time that Major Jacobs and Renee Mareski have gone above and beyond to be available to Bedminster residents and offer their help.

I think that Bedminster is very fortunate to have them as well as the rest of our very responsive Township Committee members.

On Nov. 2, I will be supporting Larry Jacobs and Renee Mareski for re-election and I hope you will, too!

LISA ROBINSON
Larkspur Court
Bedminster Township

Editor’s note: This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

BEDMINSTER TWP. – The administration of the township’s affordable housing program has emerged as a key issue in a four-way contest for two seats on the Township Committee on Nov. 2.

Running for the three-year terms are Republican incumbents Larry Jacobs of Hillside Avenue, the current mayor, and Renee Mareski of Crestmont Road in The Hills.

They are challenged by Democrats Giuseppe Zaccagnini of Stone Run Road and Uttara Patla of Smoke Rise Lane, both residents of The Hills.

The four candidates were interviewed separately by this newspaper last week.

The Democrats, who are making their first bids for public office, say they want “a seat at the table’’ and offer fresh perspectives. The five-member committee is currently all Republican.

“I want to make sure there’s transparency and accountability,’’ said Patla, 52, a native of India who has lived in town for 22 years. “Change is good. We need a new set of eyes. I think there’s a few problems that need to be fixed.’’

A corporate communications professional for Prudential Financial, she has a master’s degree in education and communications from the University of Illinois.

Her running mate came to Peekskill, N.Y., from Italy as a teen-ager. A retired attorney and educator who has also worked and lived overseas, he has lived in Bedminster since 2016.

“I have valuable experience and career skills and a full international life,’’ Zaccagnini, 72, said. “I think those skills would be highly transferrable to the proper running of the store, the proper oversight of departments.’’

Jacobs and Mareski tout their experience as longtime volunteers and elected officials.

Jacobs, 57, an environmental attorney, was first elected in 2012 and is seeking his fifth term on the committee. He is in his third year as mayor, a post selected by his colleagues, and would like to remain at the helm.

He said the biggest challenge facing the township is “making sure our land use master plan is viable for the long-term.’’

A big issue will be ensuring the AT&T complex remains in use if the communications giant opts to leave town or downsize operations here. The township has already initiated studies in case that happens.

“AT&T is our biggest commercial ratable and also an employment center,’’ Jacobs said. “That building has been practically vacant since the beginning of Covid. We need to make sure we are situated for whatever comes to that site. If we can keep them there, that’s great, but we have to be a realist. I think we’re going to see a reduced presence by AT&T and want to be sure we have plans in place to put that property back in play as quick as possible.’’

Mareski, 61, is seeking her second term on the committee. She grew up in neighboring Bernards Township and is a 1977 graduate of Ridge High School. She’s lived in Bedminster for 24 years.

She previously chaired the township Environmental Commission. She works full-time as a purchasing agent for a wine distributor and also teaches adaptive horse-riding.

She had served as a representative to The Hills Village Master Association and is the only committee member currently living in the huge development. Mareski said her focus remains on the environment.

“I want to be able to continue to work on managing our resources, our parks, working with the Jacobus Vanderveer House, to make sure they stay in good working order,’’ she said.

She said the all-Republican committee represents all township residents.

“None of our ideas or issues fall into conservative or liberal categories,’’ she said. “They’re resident issues. What can we do, what can we do to take care of our Bedminster residents.’’

Jacobs and Mareski both volunteer regularly at the township’s Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.

The challengers have not served on any municipal boards or committees in town, but said they’ve heard from other Democrats here who claim they were blocked from appointments by the GOP.

“We asked for the opportunity to submit a name and the mayor basically just brushed us off, saying they already had a short list,’’ Zaccagnini said.

“I love this town and think I can contribute a lot with a pair of fresh eyes and new ideas,’’ he added. “My experience spans a lot of time and many places of the world. My lack of direct experience with town governance is more than made up for by the skill sets which I consider transferable. Hopefully we make the headway and get a seat at the table.’’

He said that he “acquired professional experience from governance of large corporations’’ and doing extensive contract work as an attorney.

“There’s not a lot to complain about,’’ Patla said about the town, saying she considers it a “privilege’’ to live here. “But you do you need to have multiple perspectives. A lot of what we’re seeing that goes on, there’s not a lot of challenging. You have to have diverse voices around that table. That would be very important for the town.’’

Affordable Housing

The most divisive issue discussed involves affordable housing.

The Democratic challengers say the incumbents lacked proper oversight over the resale of affordable units, allowing some 30 rentals to lose their affordable status. This resulted in the need to rezone property to allow for replacement low-cost rentals to meet state requirements.

“As I understand it, Jacobs and Mareski, both board members of BHHS (Bedminster Hills Housing Corp.), basically dropped the ball,’’ said Zaccagnini. “All of this would not have been necessary had they provided the appropriate oversight as board members.’’

He said the “Main Street monstrosity’’ under construction on Lamington Road and another major housing project “in the pipeline’’ on Route 202-206 at Burnt Mills Road will cause a future “traffic congestion nightmare.’’

Zaccagnini said the township could have negotiated for an extension of affordability requirements with the owner of multiple rental units to keep them off the market, but failed to act.

“We would have avoided having a shortage on the rental side,’’ he said.

The incumbents defended their record, saying they have taken the necessary steps to replace the BHHC – which for years handled low-cost home sales here – with a more professional administrative agency that manages affordable housing resales for dozens of state municipalities.

Jacobs said the challengers are “ignorant’’ of the complicated legal issues involving affordable housing and are being misled by individuals with personal financial interests.

“I don’t believe our opponents are educated on the workings of the affordable housing program,’’ he said. “We’ve seen this before. They pick up an issue and are so desperate to find some fault with the Township Committee that they’re not willing to do the due diligence from their sources.

“We know who is behind this and their motivation is not pure,’’ he added, “people whose motivations are not in furtherance of the affordable housing program.’’

Jacobs said when he first joined the BHHC board as mayor, he learned that “the opportunities for self dealing and conflicts of interest were rampant.’’

As an example, he played back a recorded phone message left to the BHHC from a real estate broker who informed that he had a buyer for an affordable unit. He had worked out a deal, the broker said, and was seeking an application form.

Jacobs said that’s not how the affordable housing program is supposed to work.

“You’re supposed to have a waiting list,’’ he said. “It’s not cherry picking, who gets access to affordable housing.’’

He detailed several other actions involving the BHHC that he said were questionable, including approval of grants made directly to homeowner associations in The Hills.

He said he also learned the BHHC “was spending legal money to go to the foreclosure and using the affordable housing money to buy units at the auction, buying them, and if they needed repair they’d fix them back up.

“I said it didn’t make sense,’’ he said. “You’re spending money on lawyers and doing all this work and selling them at a loss.’’

Another major snafu led to the eventual termination of the BHHC, and ongoing litigation against its attorney.

Jacobs said that when 30-year affordability requirements were expiring on hundreds of Hills units, the BHHC attorney incorrectly informed the agency that the homeowners were not required to pay a “recapture fee’’ back to the affordable program when the homes were sold.

“It seemed inconsistent with the whole mission of affordable housing to me,’’ he said. “No money coming back to the affordable housing program.’’

He called it a “total windfall’’ for the owners of income-restricted homes to sell them and profit.

About a year later the BHHS learned that the owners were actually required to pay the fee. But in the meantime, numerous sales transactions occurred without the fee being collected.

Jacobs he said some members of the BHHC didn’t want to take action to get the money.

“Now we’ve got board members saying we can’t go after anyone, we have to let everyone go,’’ he said. “I’m sitting there as the mayor, I’m responsible, along with the Township Committee, for the affordable housing program to maintain the integrity and the vitality for the affordable housing program, and I’ve got a board that was ready to let it go.’’

He said recapture fee applied to about 600 homes overall.

“I have an obligation to make sure we have the funds available to be deployed appropriately,’’ he said. “Folks on the board who owned units or were otherwise involved in those transactions do nothing and now my blood is boiling.’’

He said he told the group he would recommend the Township Committee terminate BHHC as the administrative agent if no action was taken. “You are not going to jeopardize the affordable housing program because you don’t want to pay your 20 percent recapture,’’ he said.

The committee ultimately went out to bid and replaced with BHHC with CGP&H, LLC, which on its website claims to be “the only full service affordable housing implementation company in New Jersey.’’

Jacobs and Mareski say the change has worked out well.

“They are working out fantastic,’’ Mareski said. “It’s a complicated process, qualifying homeowners. They have a lot of experience and are handling it in a fair and equitable manner.’’

Jacobs said there is now a long waiting list for Bedminster affordable homes.

But Zaccagnini said the new management company has problems.

“Their presence is scarce,’’ he said. “You can not reach a human being on phone.’’

Jacobs denied that there was a realistic opportunity to negotiate with the owner of numerous affordable rentals to keep them off the market, saying the owner wanted millions of dollars that the township didn’t have.

He also defended the township’s rezoning of land in Pluckemin Village for a 160-unit housing development that will include 24 affordable rental units.

The project would be built on the south side of Burnt Mills Road between the Chase Bank and Pluckemin Schoolhouse Park.

Jacobs said the project was “put in the right spot’’ and would “improve the commercial and retail experience in Pluckemin.’’

He also said that if built, the developer “has the obligation to improve the traffic’’ at no expense to taxpayers.

The challengers raised no budgetary issues during the interviews.

Mareski noted that there was “no raise in our taxes this year.

“The Township Committee did an amazing job the last two years,’’ she said, noting that the focus was on issues involving Covid and employment. “This continues to be our focus. Our residents come first. We do try to make our pennies squeak.’’

Jacobs said he gets “satisfaction knowing that Bedminster remains a place where folks are happy and proud.’’

“They appreciate the efforts we have been undertaking.’’ he said.

But the challengers say another perspective is needed in the local government.

“Having me involved in the decision-making process would be highly beneficial in providing the necessary checks and balance and accountability,’’ Zaccagnini said.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

TO THE EDITOR: On Nov. 2, I look forward to voting to re-elect Larry Jacobs and Renee Mareski to the Bedminster Township Committee.

I have been a resident of Bedminster Township for 20 years. Bedminster is widely recognized as an exceptional town, in large part due to the well-run local government – led by Mayor Jacobs and a hard-working Township Committee exemplified by his running mate Mareski – that grasps local issues, addresses them head on and produces positive results that benefit our community.

They are approachable and very responsive to our community when issues arise.

Larry and Renee’s dedication to serving Bedminster residents is evident in their responsible stewardship of Bedminster’s tax base.

Larry is adept at balancing the committee’s fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers with the delivery of outstanding community services. He knows that time spent on the dais is the smallest part of his job. He spends a great deal of time making certain that each municipal department and volunteer committee delivers value, runs efficiently and manages spending.

His leadership style is infectious. From the construction office to the Historic Preservation Commission, Larry encourages department heads, committee chairpersons, township employees and members of volunteer boards to focus on positive outcomes that benefit Bedminster residents.

He also leads by example, driving around town to survey storm damage, being on-site in response to emergency situations and volunteering to direct traffic at the Bedminster Farmers’ Market every Saturday.

Renee has parlayed her own experience living in affordable housing and serving for many years on the Crestmont HOA Board into her present Township Committee role as an advocate for all homeowners associations in Bedminster.

Most recently, she has been the conduit for the HOAs to connect directly with Altice to learn about their plans to improve services and influence next steps.

Renee is also the township liaison to several volunteer boards, e.g., the Environmental Committee where she previously served as chairperson. She is a strong supporter and promoter of programs that enhance our quality of life and engage residents.

Renee’s leadership has spawned favorites such as Moth Night and Bat Night, and she is always open to ideas for new initiatives for community outreach and involvement.

The role of Township Committee member goes far beyond attending the Monday evening meetings where official township business is conducted. Larry and Renee have achieved positive outcomes for Bedminster through their sound decision-making, delivery of community programs and services and advocacy for residents.

We all win when local government works for you. I encourage you to join me in voting to re-elect Larry Jacobs and Renee Mareski to the Bedminster Township Committee, so that all of us can continue to benefit from their leadership, dedication and results.

JEFFREY S. LEONARD
Wescott Road
Bedminster Township

Editor’s note: This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

TO THE EDITOR: Community. That is what Mayor Larry Jacobs, Committeewoman Renee Mareski and the Bedminster Township Committee have brought our municipality over the past several years.

They created a farmers’ market to promote our rural culture. The market has been an unprecedented success, not only for the farmers, but also as a gathering place where several hundred of us meet every week to shop and talk about our families and the week’s events.

Mayor Jacobs and Committeewoman Mareski consistently champion efforts to improve quality of life for our residents.

When COVID-19 was shutting down society, Jacobs, Mareski and the Township Committee kept our parks open, ensuring that our hike and bike paths continued to be a place for Bedminster residents to keep fit and enjoy the outdoors.

Working together as a team, they opened a food bank, so those of us with a steady income could help those who found themselves suddenly without.

They also moved quickly with special use permits, cutting red tape to allow our local businesses to survive the unprecedented economic impact of the governor’s lockdown.

Jacobs, Mareski and the Township Committee brought Bedminster together to mourn the loss of Bedminster Police Sgt. Alterek Patterson, an early casualty of the pandemic and a local hero.

Although COVID-19 hit New Jersey hard, Bedminster has enjoyed a relatively high vaccination rate, and one of the lowest infection and mortality rates.

While our mayor and Township Committee continued to keep taxes low, promoted our local economy and preserved our open space, they did much more, ensuring throughout the crisis that we kept our sense of community.

I will be voting to re-elect Mayor Larry Jacobs and Committeewoman Renee Mareski for the Bedminster Township Committee on Nov. 2, and I urge you to do as well.

STEVE PARKER
Airport Road
Bedminster Township

Editor’s note: The writer is a former Mayor and member of the Bedminster Township Committee. This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

TO THE EDITOR: I recently came across a flier from the local Democrats running for office in Bedminster. It was entitled, “Bedminster…Unique and Exceptional.”

I couldn’t agree more!

How did we get there? Through the hard work and dedication of the Bedminster Township Committee, headed by Mayor Larry Jacobs and supported by Committeewoman Renee Mareski, the Republican candidates for re-election.

Larry has led the committee through nine years of budget work, scrutinizing every line item to protect the interests of taxpayers. The results he has delivered are unequivocal: Bedminster leads in low taxes in all of Somerset County.

But leadership is also about making tough calls. Our bucolic town is faced with challenges that have to be met head-on with planning and proactivity.

Faced with new state-mandated affordable housing requirements, Larry and the Land Use Board led the township’s response to make sure that the scope and scale of these projects were kept in check, while ensuring a design that was appropriate to Bedminster.

And with the possible departure of AT&T from its former corporate headquarters, Larry has championed the effort with the landlord and county officials to preserve the viability of the campus. Larry is not about to leave Bedminster taxpayers on the hook for an empty building.

Never one to take no for an answer, he tirelessly advocates for Bedminster. With an accident-prone intersection at River Road and 202/206, Larry lobbied the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to make needed improvements in signaling and signage.

When the utility companies couldn’t deliver, he pushed the Township Committee to address the issues and effect change.

And while others casually dismissed the idea of a weekly farmers market to support both residents and local agriculture, Larry pushed forward, creating what has become the new town square every Saturday morning. You’ll see him there weekly, directing traffic and greeting customers.

But perhaps the greatest testimony to his leadership has been his unwavering response in times of crisis.

During his tenure as mayor, he has helped Bedminster respond to the global pandemic, keeping our parks and trails open, ensuring folks had access to COVID information and vaccinations, and helping those who were food challenged.

When fire tragically stuck the Village Green section of The Hills, Larry cut through the red tape, pushed for a rapid response by the agencies involved and directed a donation drive to help those in need.

When Ida flooded roads and threatened life and property, Larry worked with our first responders and FEMA to make sure citizens received the support they needed, both during and after the storm.

Folks, Bedminster needs a leader like Larry.

Larry’s running mate, Renee Mareski, is the voice of the people. She is amazingly astute at listening to the needs of Bedminster residents and artfully crafting solutions.

As a former member and later chair of the Environmental Commission, Renee has heeded the calls to embrace and preserve Bedminster’s rich ecosystem – championing environmental programming, preserving the Bedminster Pond and driving (pun intended) the push for our municipal fleet to go electric.

As a longtime resident of The Hills, Renee has worked to improve pedestrian safety, advocated for affordable housing residents and been the principal liaison to the Homeowner’s Association community.

She knows the pressures that the combination of taxes and association fees places on residents, and is always asking the question, “Do we really need to spend that money?”

And the Farmers Market? You may not realize it, but Renee is on the set-up crew, arriving early every Saturday morning to get things in place before leaving to work her second job as a horse riding instructor for children with special needs.

Bedminster is a better place because of the contributions Larry and Renee make to our town. They have dedicated their time and energy to municipal service, and can leverage their deep experience to address the challenges and issues that will confront us in the years to come.

Come Nov. 2, I strongly encourage you to vote for the team that has consistently demonstrated both leadership and dedication, and delivered strong results. Join me in voting to re-elect Larry Jacobs and Renee Mareski to the Bedminster Township Committee.

R. COLIN HICKEY
Desiree Court
Bedminster Township

Editor’s note: The writer is a member of the Bedminster Township Committee. This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

TO THE EDITOR: When you cast your vote for Bedminster Township Committee, ask yourself how much sweat equity has each candidate put into the betterment of Bedminster?

For me, the answer is easy. Larry Jacobs and Renee Mareski, who have devoted countless hours over many years to serving the residents of Bedminster, can count on my vote to re-elect them in November.

As longtime residents of Bedminster, Larry and Renee have consistently addressed local issues that impact the quality of life for all township residents.

Their desire to help the community initially led them to volunteer to serve on boards and commissions where their contributions resulted in beneficial outcomes for Bedminster. Both moved up the ranks in their service to Bedminster before being elected to the Township Committee.

Now, as members of the committee, Larry and Renee continually advocate for Bedminster residents, making certain that their collective voice is heard. Depending on the issue they, and the rest of the committee work with representatives from utility companies, service providers, and state and county government so that these entities understand the needs of our residents and are prepared to take action.

Over the past year, this advocacy has produced positive results. Under the leadership of Mayor Jacobs, the Township Committee has successfully applied the swing weight of local government to accomplish what one person or the homeowners’ association could not do on its own: help residents impacted by the fire in Village Green; adjust the new Somerset County recycling program to accommodate smaller receptacles where appropriate; reduce the frequency of power outages; improve Internet performance; and secure safety improvements to the River Road intersection on state highways 202/206.

Not only are Jacobs and Mareski proven leaders who understand and successfully execute the business of governing Bedminster Township for Bedminster residents, they are also hands-on volunteers who support numerous community programs such as the Bedminster Farmers Market, the pop-up food pantry, and a wide variety of environment and recreational programs.

Although Jacobs and Mareski each maintain a full-time career, they are faithful volunteers at the Bedminster Farmers Market.

Every Saturday morning from Memorial Day through mid-December, Renee works the early shift, setting up traffic cones, signage, tents, tables, trash cans and sanitizing stations, before she moves on to another passion, equine therapy.

From 9 a.m. through 1 p.m., equipped with radio and orange signal baton, Larry directs traffic in the parking lot. When the market closes, he transfers to cleanup detail, putting everything away that the early shift set up.

It’s not unheard of for Larry and Renee to work for Bedminster on Sundays – preparing for Township Committee meetings, responding to questions on FaceBook, or even surveying storm damage and road conditions.

Based on their strong work ethic, demonstrated commitment, and dedication to Bedminster residents, I will be voting for Larry Jacobs and Renee Mareski in November for re-election to Township Committee and I urge all Bedminster residents to do so as well.

JIM CHRISTIE
Fairview Drive
Bedminster Township

Editor’s note: This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

Just three months after its appearance spurred concerns that it was slowly dying, things are looking better for a popular, man-made fishing pond off Route 202-206 near the AT&T office complex.

At the Township Committee meeting on Monday, Aug. 16, Committeewoman Renee Mareski said the pond had undergone its third chemical treatment this season as “it looks very nice.”

Mayor Larry Jacobs observed that “just a few weeks ago, the algae was still there.”

Mareski credited the improvement to the township having gained “a little more experience” with pond maintenance.

The six-acre, municipally owned pond was created by the state Department of Transportation (DOT) during the construction of Interstate Routes 78 and 287 in the 1960s. The DOT excavated soil from the site, creating a pit that ultimately filled up with water runoff.

Located near hike-and-bike trails, the pond has been known to have large carp. But when last summer brought extreme heat and humidity, the pond acquired a “skunky” odor and lacked its usual presence of swans and ducks.

On March 17, the committee approved an Environmental Commission proposal to try to improve the water quality through a two-year trial of increased treatment for weed control. Also approved was an Eagle Scout project to measure the depth of the pond, as well as measurement by a drone.

The cost was projected at $7,000 to $10,000 per year, excluding $1,500 for the drone measurement.

The number of treatments was increased from just one every spring to five per year, so at least two more are planned in 2021.

Mareski said after the meeting that the Eagle Scout pond measuring project, which would utilize a marked pole from a canoe, is planned this fall. She said the pond will be easier to clean if its depth is at least eight feet.

After weed control is implemented and pond depth is determined, plantings would be made in the more shallow areas to “restore balance” to the pond.

“We will do an evaluation next year to see how the treatments are going,” Mareski said.

The Bedminster pond, though public, is not widely known and has limited parking and access. There are two relatively small, unpaved and unlabeled parking areas along Route 202-206 that are used as access.

The pond is nevertheless known among local fishermen. An online state Division of Fish and Wildlife list of “places to fish” has a chart that includes the Bedminster pond and denotes it as having Largemouth Bass.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

Aug 19, 2021

BEDMINSTER TWP. – Despite two significant storm-related outages in The Hills development last month, a utility representative told the Township Committee on Monday, Aug. 16, that upgrades have and will continue to be made.

The outages occurred on Tuesday, July 6, and Thursday, July 8. Both involved the Greater Crossroads Circuit and each affected about 644 Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) customers in Bedminster, according to township officials.

In response, the committee invited Carol Bianchi, regional affairs director for JCP&L, to discuss efforts to reduce outages in The Hills.

Bianchi, a Basking Ridge resident and former Bernards Township mayor, began by providing more details.

The July 6 outage occurred during high winds and rain that caused a tree to fall on a primary wire and knock out power for about 225 minutes, she said.

The July 8 outage occurred during Tropical Storm Else which caused a lightning strike at Greater Crossroads and knocked out power for about 189 minutes, she said.

But Bianchi noted that so far this year, those are the only two outages from Greater Crossroads to have impacted more than 100 people. Last year, she said, the total was 14.

Greater Crossroads is one of five circuits that serve the township, along with the Somerset, Peapack, Chambers Brook and Dead River circuits.

Bianchi said JCP&L will focus on a circuit if it has “a bad year,” and the utility pursued upgrades to Peapack and Chambers Brook before turning its attention to Greater Crossroads where it “identified issues.”

The upgrades included the addition or replacement of equipment and supplemental tree trimming. Among the new equipment was the installation of a trip saver, which minimizes outages caused by a branch or animal temporarily coming in contact with the line.

The performance of Greater Crossroads is “actually very good this year,” Bianchi said. “I think we’re seeing that improvements are happening.”

Restoring power can take longer than people would like, she noted. She explained that JCP&L crews must first isolate a site and make it safe, repair high voltage lines and prioritize restoration to critical services.

But the utility also takes preventative measures, she said. They include circuit inspections in five-year cycles, infrared scans of circuits every four years, wood pole inspections every 10 years, and vegetation removal in four-year cycles.

Mayor Larry Jacobs saw improvement.

“We monitor complaints from our residents,” he said. The complaint level “seems to have abated and we attribute this to our relationship” with JCP&L.

He also praised Bianchi as being responsive.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

Jul 12, 2021

BEDMINSTER TWP. – After devoting far more time to the issue than its Somerset Hills neighbors, the Township Committee became the last of the five governing bodies to adopt a ban on marijuana-related businesses on Tuesday, July 6.

Some towns prohibited marijuana uses “within a couple weeks,” Mayor Larry Jacobs said moments after the vote. He said that in contrast, the committee brought in experts, attended talks and reviewed the issue with township boards and local residents.

“We took a little bit more of a deliberate approach than some other towns,” Jacobs added. “It may have irritated some folks that we didn’t move instinctively or reflexively. But I think that what we did was appropriate. We wanted to give it consideration and we wanted to hear from others.”

Towns across New Jersey have been reacting to state legislation, signed into law on Feb. 22, that legalized recreational marijuana while giving towns until Aug. 21 to “opt out” of allowing marijuana businesses within their borders.

If a town does not “opt out” by Aug. 21, it would be required to permit such businesses for the next five years.

Municipalities have the right to prohibit the cultivation, manufacture, wholesaling, retailing and distribution of marijuana, as well as marijuana shops. The one thing they can’t stop is the delivery of out-of-town marijuana to local homes.

In the other Somerset Hills towns, elected officials decided early on that marijuana businesses were not in the interests of their community.

The Bernardsville Borough Council and the Far Hills Borough Council each adopted a ban on April 12, followed by the Bernards Township Committee on May 25 and the Peapack-Gladstone Borough Council on June 15.

The public hearing in Far Hills drew comments from five out-of-town residents who opposed the ban. But none of the governing bodies heard opposition from their own constituents. The Bedminster Township Committee probed the issue more deeply. In its meetings between April and June, its discussions of the marijuana law added up to more than four hours, including a two-hour presentation by the township’s legal counsel.

As the committee prepared to hold its public hearing, Jacobs said the state has formed a commission that will devise regulations for how marijuana businesses will operate. But he said those regulations are unlikely to be in place before the Aug. 21 opt-out deadline.”So to some extent you’ll be flying blind,” the mayor remarked. He said that in seeking community feedback, “there does seem to be a consensus that until the regulations are in place, it’s appropriate for Bedminster to opt out.”

Other committee members agreed.

“We’d be irresponsible to permit something that we have no idea what we’re permitting,” said Committeeman Doug Stevinson. He called the ban “a no-brainer.”

During the public hearing, Paige Nielsen, youth engagement coordinator for Bernardsville based Community in Crisis, a non-profit group, introduced two Ridge High students from Bernards Township.

Student Jabeen Sheikh said allowing marijuana businesses would give the false impression that the drug is not detrimental. He said it increases the risk for depression, suicide and even psychosis.

Student Maura Medenilla said youths use fake identification to illegally purchase alcohol and could be expected to do likewise at marijuana shops.

The committee went on to adopt the ban in a 4-0 vote, with Committeewoman Gina Fernandez absent.

The committee also voted to re-introduce an ordinance that would ban marijuana smoking, vaping or aerosolizing at public places like parks, shopping centers and parking lots.

A public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, July 19.

“Our focus here is not some moral statement or judgment,” Jacobs said. “This is about the impact on third parties – the smell, second-hand smoke.”

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

Join us for our 2021 Campaign Kickoff and Fundraiser on Wednesday, May 26th at 6 PM. Enjoy pizza and your first cider with a suggested donation of $40 per person. Please make checks payable to “Jacobs & Mareski 2021.” Burnt Mills Cider is located at 3540 Route 206 North, Bedminster.

More information here: Spring Cider with Larry & Renee | Facebook

The Bedminster Republican Municipal Committee proudly endorses Mayor Larry Jacobs and Township Committeewoman Renee Mareski for re-election to the Bedminster Township Committee. Jacobs and Mareski have provided wise and steady leadership during extraordinary times.  They safely guided the township through the pandemic while keeping our parks, Farmers Market and recreational facilities open.  They supported our local businesses by instituting policies and regulations that enabled their continued operation in the midst of the crisis.  Recognizing the economic stress placed on our community, they opened a Food Pantry to help those in need, and tailored the municipal budget to keep spending to an absolute minimum.

They have led our town through Presidential visits, protests and an economic recession, all while the eyes of the world were on Bedminster.  With more challenges ahead, including the post-COVID economy, business recovery, and our affordable housing obligations, Bedminster needs prudent, experienced and mature leadership moving forward.  Mayor Larry Jacobs and Committeewoman Renee Mareski have proven themselves to be advocates for the community, and bring with them a wealth of knowledge to ensure that Bedminster continues its tradition of excellent governance paired with an unsurpassed quality of life.

The Bedminster Republican Municipal Committee will hold their candidate’s screening via Zoom at 7pm on March 23, 2021.  The committee will be screening candidates for Township Committee and will decide on two nominees for the organization’s endorsement.  Prospective candidates who wish to be considered and members of the public who wish to attend, should contact the Bedminster RMC at [email protected] by March 14^th.

EDITOR: While the results are preliminary and things could certainly change, I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to the residents of Bedminster for the confidence they have placed in me as reflected at the ballot box.

As is the case every October, candidates for elected office invade the physical and digital landscape. Corners are occupied with signs, Facebook feeds become filled with political advertisements and strangers knock on doors at the most inopportune times.

While these are the necessary evils of campaigning, the fact that you allow us to interrupt your daily routine is greatly appreciated and never overlooked.

This year’s election season brought with it the most anticipated Presidential election in many years, and emotions ran high on both sides of the political aisle. Despite that, the good folks of Bedminster took time out to share with me their thoughts and feedback – often with much candor – and for that I am deeply thankful.

Public service is a privilege that I do not take lightly or for granted, and I look forward to the opportunity to continue to work on behalf of all our residents.

Regardless of where folks may stand on politics during these challenging times, I think every resident has a strong interest in maintaining the quality of life and low taxes that are the hallmark of Bedminster and township government. I will continue to advocate for all residents and will maintain a strong focus on tackling and resolving local issues.

I would also like to express my thanks to Jeff Beyer.  Running for office is never an easy job, and both campaigns focused on the issues in a positive and respectful manner.

Now that campaign season is over, I am eager to get back to work. What has always been paramount to me is listening to your thoughts and taking action.

I look forward to continuing to serve the people of Bedminster.

R. COLIN HICKEY
Bedminster Township Committee

Editor’s note: This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

EDITOR: I write in support of Colin Hickey’s candidacy for Bedminster Township Committee.

Colin is an exceptional committee member, and he deserves re-election.

I have worked closely with Colin over the past several months as the outside attorney for Bedminster – and a consortium of other municipalities- that banded together to fight New Jersey American Water’s proposed rate increase.

Colin immediately understood the complicated issues surrounding ratemaking, and how best to counter the inflated request. With his help and leadership, N.J. American was forced to reduce its request to a small fraction of its initial demand.

Colin’s hard work, integrity and selfless devotion to the Bedminster public must be rewarded with another term.

Vote for Colin – he’s earned it.

WILLIAM K. MOSCA JR.
Smoke Rise Lane
Bedminster Township

Editor’s note: This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

Voters in four of the Somerset Hills towns will decide contests for municipal seats in the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election.

Board of Education seats will also be filled in the election, but there are no contested school board races in the local communities.

In Bedminster, residents will fill one, three-year term on the Township Committee.

Republican incumbent R. Colin Hickey is seeking re-election against Democrat Jeffrey Beyer.

Beyer, a business owner, is calling for more balance on the five-member Township Committee, which is comprised all Republicans. He was critical of the committee’s recent decision to replace the Bedminster Hills Housing Corp. (BHHC), which has long managed the township’s affordable housing sales, with an outside firm, with the little advance public notification.

We agree with him on both fronts. There could be better balance on governing body, which sadly has never spoken a critical word about President Trump’s political activities in town, even following his reckless decision to attend a fund-raiser at his private club here after knowing he was exposed to the coronavirus.

And the decision to terminate the BHHC – a significant change which very well may have been the correct move – was nonetheless sprung on the community with virtually no notice and little opportunity for public input.

Regardless, Committeeman Hickey is not fully responsible for the decision and deserves another term in office based on his extensive contributions to the community.

Hickey has been an outstanding asset to the governing body, working effectively on multiple fronts.

A professional consultant, he has led the township’s effort to fight an exorbitant rate increase proposed by the New Jersey American Water company. He has also worked with JCP&L to help bring about real improvements to end power outages. Both issues directly impact a significant number of township residents.

Hickey has also lent his expertise on technology issues and been a hands-on volunteer with other community efforts, such as the establishment of a food pantry during the pandemic.

On Nov. 3, Bedminster residents should re-elect Colin Hickey to the Township Committee.

Editor’s Note: The entire article with endorsements for neighboring towns appears in The Bernardsville News.

EDITOR: In 2020, despite the global pandemic and national politics dominating the headlines and our own dinner conversations, the importance of a well-run local government dedicated to serving its residents has become crystal clear. As a former longtime Mayor of Bedminster, I can assure you that Colin Hickey rises to the task – in exemplary fashion – time after time.

Here are but a few of the challenges that Colin has tackled on behalf of our local residents and businesses:

Concerned about the financial health of residents facing furlough or job loss, Colin supported deferred tax payments and a revamped municipal budget that cut spending and reduced our already low tax burden. In addition, he has been leading the fight against the usurious rate filing from New Jersey American Water, who have been seeking a double digit increase in the midst of the pandemic.

For 10 weeks, when our residents seldom left their homes, Colin ran a pop-up food pantry at the Bedminster Township Municipal Building. His grassroots approach attracted hundreds of donations and helped over 650 families put food on the table when they needed it most.

As if these challenges were not enough, Bedminster residents were hit with multiple long-lasting power outages in 2020. Colin compelled JCP&L to open lines of communication and upgrade their facilities. The improvements are already apparent, yet his tireless work continues.

In addition to helping our residents, Colin continually looks for ways to sustain local businesses. He, along with the entire Township Committee, have come up with multiple creative solutions to help them recover from the shutdown. Examples include approving temporary signage, al fresco dining, extending the Bedminster Farmers’ Market through early December and more.

Colin understands that he was elected to work on local issues that impact Bedminster Township residents, and he is committed to that end.

I will be casting my vote to re-elect Colin Hickey to the Bedminster Township Committee. I encourage my friends and neighbors to do the same.

BOB HOLTAWAY
Bedminster Township

Editor’s Note: Bob Holtaway is a former Mayor of Bedminster Township.  This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

BEDMINSTER TWP. – A Republican with a record of advocacy and a Democrat with “another point of view” will provide a choice in the race for a Township Committee seat in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

On the ballot for a three-year term are GOP incumbent R. Colin Hickey, who is serving his fourth year, and Democrat Jeff Beyer, who is making his second straight bid for the committee after running unsuccessfully last year.

Hickey and Beyer each discussed the issues in separate phone interviews with this newspaper.

The five-member governing body has been all Republican since Democrat Carolyn Freeman served out her term at the end of 2014.

Few local issues have sparked dissent during the coronavirus pandemic, but Beyer was critical of the committee’s Oct. 5 decision to hire a new organization to run its affordable housing services.

The committee replaced the Bedminster Hills Housing Corp. (BHHC), which had an administrator and several local board members, with CGP&H, LLC, of Cranford.

The BHHC had drawn criticism last year for neglecting and then reinstating a large “recapture” fee for residents who sell formerly income-restricted homes on the open market. The plan to replace the BHHC was not publicly disclosed until the Oct. 5 meeting agenda was posted online.

“The people in the BHHC reached out to me because they got so frustrated,” said Beyer, who voiced objections at the Oct. 5 meeting. “They got a letter saying there would be a change” yet the Township Committee “never sat down and discussed it with them.”

While Beyer acknowledged that the BHHC “had problems,” he said the committee allowed little time for rebuttals and “rushed” the change through. He said the process of decision-making “needs to be opened up.”

“We need some balance on this Township Committee,” he asserted. “It’s always the same people in lockstep.”

Hickey disagreed. “If he had been paying attention, he would have known this had been under discussion since last year,” he said. “He hopped on last weekend.”

CGP&H will provide “a much more comprehensive service” than BHHC has, Hickey said. Moreover, he said the committee learned that the BHHC had internal disputes such as rival factions stacking board seats.

“I wish Jeff had fully researched this because he may be unwittingly playing into the hands of people with their own self-interests at heart,” he said. “It’s a very complicated issue with a lot of players and it’s very difficult to boomerang in at the last minute.”

Hickey, 55, of Desiree Court, was appointed to the committee to fill a vacancy in August 2017 and was elected to a full three-year term that November.

He works as an independent consultant, helping start-up business. He previously worked for AT&T as its executive director of corporate development.

He has been a township resident for 28 years, spending the first 15 years in the Stone Run section of The Hills development. He and his wife have a daughter in college.

Beyer, 73, of Riverwood Avenue, serves on the board of the Clarence Dillon Library and is chairman of the Democratic Municipal Committee.

He owns a business, Enhancement Technologies, Inc., in Liberty Corner, that serves an international client base in the architectural products industry. He was a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Vietnam.

A 32-year resident of the township, he and his wife have two grown sons.

Initiatives

“I can manage a budget, I can certainly help them (on the committee) keep the taxes low but I’d also like to see some investments,” Beyer said. “Interest rates are low now. Let’s take advantage of this opportunity.”

Beyer said the committee has done “nothing new or exciting” aside from launching the annual Farmers Market and the COVID-19 food pantry.

Hickey, however, cited numerous initiatives that he or his committee colleagues have led.

In the spring of 2019, he said, his background in utilities led Mayor Larry Jacobs to ask him to reach out to Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) representatives to address chronic power outages in sections of The Hills.

He and residents in The Hills worked with JCP&L to make improvements to underground wires, transformer boxes, overhead wires and the problematic Greater Crossroads circuit station, he said. Outages, he said, have been reduced but additional improvements are still sought.

The committee also spearheaded a legal fight against a proposed New Jersey American Water rate hike that would cost township homeowners an average of $90 to $100 per year, Hickey said.

Lawyers funded by the township and six other towns are leading the cross-examination of New Jersey American officials in hearings before the state Board of Public Utilities, he said. He expressed hope for a favorable settlement.

Also, he and Mayor Jacobs persuaded the state Department of Transportation to consider signage and traffic signal changes at the Route 206/River Road jug-handle, where motorists were making hazardous U-turns, he said.

As a member of a subcommittee to enhance technology and communication, Hickey said he helped to revamp the municipal web site, which went from being “dated and archaic” to a “much more user friendly” site offering more content, updates and online payment options.

The new site was inputted with pandemic-related information on which businesses were open, their hours and how they could be reached, he noted.

Hickey also said the pandemic led him to help create the township food pantry to collect food for local residents in need. He said that with help from Deputy Township Clerk Robin Ray and generous donations, the pantry served 650 families between April and June.

As the governing body’s liaison to the Recreation Committee, Hickey said he was involved in sending out a recreation survey that drew 576 responses in August and September.

The survey asked what programs and facilities residents might want to see, he said. “We had some ideas but we wanted to hear from residents. It was a way to get user input. It will inform our planning and budgeting.”

“I think I’ve been a very good advocate for the residents,” he said.

Community Center?

Beyer said that as a member of the library board, he saw the library’s leadership work to upgrade it from just a book depository to more of a community center.

He said that led him to think about the possibility of building an actual community center in the township. Neither The Hills nor the Bedminster and Pluckemin villages have a real “center,” he noted.

Such a project is something people could rally around because it could provide after-school activities and function as a center for music and the arts, Beyer said.

“I’m not saying I’m going to be a tax-and-spend Democrat but there are ways to build something like this without crippling the tax base,” he added. He said funding could also come from grants, possibly open space funds and in the form of donations from some of the township’s wealthier sources.

Hickey, when asked about the idea, questioned why the township would want to “replicate what we already have” at the library.

“It has become the community center,” he said. Moreover, he said The Hills has its own clubhouses to fill the role.

“I’m not sure it financially makes sense or is needed,” he said. “I’m not sure where you get the money to build and operate it and I’m not sure it’s a good investment of taxes.”

With respect to the 2020 municipal budget, Hickey said it was virtually finished in March when the impact of the pandemic hit. He said the committee chose to revisit the budget and cut spending to shrink the municipal tax increase from 1.6 percent to 0.64 percent.

“We pared everything down,” he said. “We looked at capital items, we deferred employee salaries. Our objective is always to do the right thing.”

Affordable Housing

A looming issue is development from state-mandated affordable housing quotas.

The township is required to zone for 28 income-restricted rental units by July. Five are being provided in the Elite Properties apartment complex under construction on Lamington Road, leaving 23.

The owner of land that includes the Bank of the America building on Burnt Mills Road has offered to build the 23 units. But with affordable units typically subsidized by a five-to-one ratio of market-priced units, township officials have said a project may need to accommodate about 150 apartments.

“We need to hear from the public in terms of what they want,” said Hickey. The project is “not even half-baked right now. There is no site plan.”

Beyer expressed familiarity with the 23-unit obligation but was unaware that the development site would be on Burnt Mills Road.

The estimate of 150 apartments “sounds like a lot of housing,” he said. He characterized the nearby intersection with Route 206 as “brutal.”

Beyer said some 900 new homes are planned further south on Route 206 in Bridgewater Township, and “the only way from Bridgewater to get to (Interstates) 78 and 287 is through that little checkpoint of Pluckemin.

“We’ve got to come up with some sort of solution because it could be a traffic nightmare,” he said.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.

EDITOR: I have been lucky enough to call Colin Hickey my neighbor since moving to Bedminster and here is why I will be voting for him for a second term on the Bedminster Township Committee.

In the three years that he has served thus far, Colin has been a strong advocate for Bedminster, and has clearly demonstrated that he is here to serve the residents of our community. It is clear that he understands the job.

First and foremost, Colin always considers the needs of Bedminster residents, and is not distracted by the national political stage. In a world where politics are dividing our country, Colin has never cared about what party the residents are affiliated with. Instead, he continually focuses on how to best help his community.

As a member of the Township Committee, Colin helps bring about great activities and services that benefit the public. Colin’s lengthy record of service for Bedminster includes the establishment of new environmental and recreation programs, the latest being Family Movie Night.

He also serves as the township liaison to the Board of Education. This requires hours of dedication, commitment, and hard work, all of which Colin delivers.

Colin’s business credentials have enabled him to shepherd the adoption of new technology to improve municipal services. During his tenure, the township website has been revamped, tax payments have gone online, social media is now used to promote municipal programs and respond to resident inquiries, online survey tools are used to solicit feedback, and public meetings are now accessible and recorded via Zoom.

Colin regularly monitors social media and responds consistently to residents’ concerns and questions.

He has been instrumental in helping our residents find their voice when dealing with JCP&L power outages, driving the utility to make much needed infrastructure improvements.

He has been at the forefront of fighting New Jersey American Water’s proposed rate increase. Rather than leave residents to fend for themselves, Colin understands that his job is to advocate on their behalf.

Colin is a devoted volunteer and can be found dedicating his Saturdays working at the Bedminster Farmers Market.

When the pandemic started, Colin created the Bedminster Food Pantry, which he created to help the food challenged in our community. He was there every morning receiving donations with a smile on his face, and he then worked tirelessly to sort and organize the donations for pickup. No matter the cause, he is always eager to do more.

I don’t vote down the party line when it comes to elections. Rather, I look at the individual, and vote on performance, not promises. Colin’s performance speaks for itself.

Public servants are accountable to the citizens who choose to employ them. Colin takes this responsibility seriously. Please help make certain that Colin is able to continue his good work.

Vote Colin Hickey for Bedminster Township Committee.

DANNA FRANK
Bedminster Township

Editor’s note: This Letter to the Editor originally appeared in The Bernardsville News.