[slideshow_deploy id=’899′]WESTWOOD,N.J.—Incumbent Westwood Borough Council Republicans Raymond Arroyo and Alyssa Dawson are challenged by Democrats Jodi Murphy and James Whelan in the Election Day contest for two three-year terms on the borough’s governing body.
Voters will elect their representatives on Tuesday, Nov. 6. The governing body currently consists of five Republicans and one Democrat. Mayor John Birkner Jr., a Democrat, holds the gavel.
We asked candidates to submit a statement outlining their backgrounds and issues that are of importance to them; they appear in alphabetical order by last name. Asterisks denote incumbents.
Raymond Arroyo*
“A former Democratic candidate for Westwood Council recently asked: ‘Why would you put yourself through this?’ ‘This’ referred to the nasty process of getting elected in a poisonous, political atmosphere where you’re dismissed or embraced because of party affiliation rather than any actual accomplishment or merit.
“I am running because I know my 14 years of public service to Westwood have been thoughtful, deliberative, and demonstrably effective. I believe that the two mayors, 10 council members, 12 borough professionals, various department heads including two police chiefs, the borough employees, all the excellent volunteers with whom I’ve worked, the local merchants, the commercial property owners, and everyone who knows me would, partisanship aside, agree with that statement.
“When I was re-elected in 2015, Mayor Birkner singled me out as someone ‘whose ideas inspire and excite (him).’ I haven’t changed. I still have ideas. My knees may ache but there’s nothing wrong with my head.
“I am willing to give Westwood’s residents three more years of my life because, as stated elsewhere, my desire to serve flows from a single source: a profound sense of gratitude for the life my wife and I have been able to make here for ourselves and our son.
“Alyssa and I still envision Westwood as a town, not a city. It’s the Westwood that welcomed Jo Ann and I as pilgrims fleeing Brooklyn’s urban blight. Preserving Westwood’s small-town culture is worthy of our efforts; despite the swirl of national partisan politics that threaten to engulf us.”
Alyssa Dawson*
“I became the state’s youngest female in public office on May 15 of this year. At 25 years old, my youth has unfairly been confused with inexperience. Those who know me would beg to differ. I graduated summa cum laude and immediately landed a job in the governor’s office where I spent three years solving real-life problems for constituents, writing briefings for the governor and lieutenant governor, and ultimately working on one of the most highly contested gubernatorial races in the nation for Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.
“This past January, I began a new career at one of the region’s most prominent PR firms, where I manage accounts for clients battling sensitive legal and reputational crises.
“I have been fortunate enough to call Westwood home, and I want to ensure that our youth have the same opportunities I had growing up. In just short of five months as a councilwoman, I have unapologetically championed efforts to ban marijuana establishments, utilizing my knowledge of the state legislative process to prevent Westwood from becoming the ‘drug hub’ of the Pascack Valley.
“My time in Trenton allowed me to witness multiple state budget processes—tax increases, unmanageable debt, and credit rating decreases. Westwood is quite the opposite—stable property taxes, reduced debt, and credit rating increases, thanks to our current council members.
“If elected, I will continue to utilize my state experience to combat unaffordable mandates and maintain our borough’s reputation of fiscal responsibility.”
Jodi Murphy
“Longtime Westwood resident and single mom Jodi Murphy is running for a seat on the Westwood Borough Council this November. Murphy is an important part of the Westwood community, holding positions including co-coordinator of the Westwood Mayor’s Wellness Campaign, assistant program manager for Westwood for All Ages, Westwood Recreation Advisory Board member, Sustainable Westwood member, municipal liaison to the WWRSD Green Team, instructor and newsletter editor for the Forever Young Program and PTO co-president for Brookside Elementary School.
“‘Westwood is a special place to me. My grandparents moved here in 1952 and raised their six children, two of whom still reside in town including my mother Anne. My son is the fourth generation in Westwood, and I am raising him here.
“I have been an integral component and driving force in the development of programming to improve the lives of Westwood’s senior population. Through Westwood for All Ages, and the Forever Young Program, I have a direct role in making Westwood an age-friendly community.
“‘Over the years my view and appreciation for this town has grown and my involvement in the community has continually broadened. Now as a single mom with a child in the school system and involved in town programs, I see things from a unique perspective. I will work to bring Westwood to the fullest of its potential while keeping costs down, and create a greater sense of community for all residents.”
James Whelan
“I decided to run for Westwood Borough Council because I believe that I can make a positive difference in the lives of all Westwood residents, regardless of age, color, or sexual preference.
“I am a lifelong Westwood resident and promise to completely devote myself to this position and everything that it entails. I decided that I wanted to get involved last year during our string of pedestrian related accidents and felt that there wasn’t enough being done to help keep our residents safe. I think the orange flags that the Girl Scouts put on our streets is a great start and would like to add to that by installing lights onto the crosswalks like we see in neighboring Hillsdale. I don’t know if that is the root cause why we see less pedestrian related injuries in Hillsdale, but it would certainly be a start.
“My other main points of focus are to make our local government more accessible to the residents, by offering to air every town meeting on WCTV (our public access channel) or by streaming meetings live on Facebook.
“I would also like to use Westwood’s Stigma Free Initiative to focus on the current opioid epidemic that is destroying communities large and small, and helping anyone who desires help or questions answered.
“I can guarantee that I will always put the residents of Westwood first, and never put the needs of any one person above the rest, regardless of how much property or wealth they might own.”
