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HAWORTH, N.J.—For residents of Haworth, 2018 is an important election year: voters will select the borough’s mayor, two council members that will serve three-year terms and another council member to serve an unexpired two-year term.
In a sad note for the borough, Anthony Volpe, a Republican who served on the council from 2012 until earlier this year, tragically died on Aug. 3 after battling cancer, leaving a vacancy on the governing body.
In this article, Northern Valley Press will present the credentials of both candidates at the top of the municipal ballot: incumbent Mayor John W. Smart seeks a second term, and he’s challenged by Haworth Planning Board Chairman Thomas P. Ference, who has held that post for 29 years.
In the race for Haworth Borough Council, Democrats Councilman Glenn Z. Poosikian and Heather Wasser are candidates for the two three-year terms, as is Republican Councilwoman Regina Duffy, who is seeking a second term. To fill the unexpired term, voters will choose between Republican Christine Park and Democrat Dina Siciliano.
Candidates were asked to submit a 250-word statement outlining their backgrounds and issues that are of importance to them; they appear in alphabetical order by last name. Asterisks denote incumbents.
Thomas P. Ference
“In my years as Chair, the Planning Board successfully protected the natural environment of the west side of the Borough from development through a ground-breaking Conservation Zone. It achieved two rounds of affordable housing [COAH] certification, preventing multifamily housing and crowding, and it adopted the Borough’s first fully-integrated Master Plan. As Soccer Commissioner, I worked with a corps of volunteers to build an outstanding youth program.
“These experiences taught me the value of careful planning and of trusting our volunteers—and that full and open communication is essential.
“To move Haworth forward, we need to reenergize our volunteer spirit and revitalize our Boards and Commissions—the Planning and Zoning Boards have been allowed to go largely dormant as the Mayor and Council have assumed more control. These are key components of government—for assembling expertise, for providing checks and balances to the Governing Body, and for securing the character of the Town.
“We need to regain local control of our affordable housing strategy, now in State-appointed external hands—to increase transparency in matters such as the potential use of the Schaeffer property for multifamily housing and the expenditure of major funds for the prospective renovation of the downtown—and to improve the provision of basic services.
“Building on my experiences and accomplishments as a community leader and a management professional, I believe my colleagues and I are well-qualified to bring fresh air and openness to a governing process that has become increasingly closed and removed from the citizens of Haworth.”
John W. Smart*
“It is an honor to be your Mayor, and it is inspiring to see what we are capable of when we work together.
“I am running for another term because there is more work to make Haworth the best it can be. We have more to do to upgrade our parks and playground facilities and to renovate the streetscape of our downtown business district.
“We have built a solid foundation for success by reducing our total debt and obligations from over $10 million when you first elected me to under $7 million by the end of this year, and by increasing our financial surplus.
“We have built excellent relationships with our Police and Public Works departments, our Library Board and staff, and the School, as well as with Suez, PSE&G, Orange and Rockland and the Country Clubs.
“We work well with neighboring towns to share resources and reduce the cost of services for the benefit of our taxpayers.
“We have received great cooperation from the downtown merchants and owners to upgrade and maintain their properties, especially on Stevens Place. We have made cost sharing arrangements with Suez, Haworth Country Club, and PSE&G that have saved taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars.
“These relationships and our strong financial position enable us to respond in a collaborative way to manage Haworth’s many important and valuable programs and services, address issues as they arise, and adopt new ideas to serve our residents better. I ask you to re-elect me as Mayor.”
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