Incumbents Jim Rilee, Tim Smith and first-time candidate Kathy DeFillippo are each seeking one of the three, at-large seats on the council during the Nov. 8 general election.
The three Republicans presented their plans to deal with traffic woes plaguing Route 10 and Route 46, reduce municipal taxes through what they called "sound fiscal management," improving and increasing the local water supply, preserving and acquiring more open space, controlling residential development, promoting shared services with the K-12 school district and redeveloping the Route 46 business corridor.
"For years, we have been trying to work with different government agencies to improve the traffic situation on Route 10 and Route 46, as well as Howard Boulevard," Rilee said.
Rilee has been a member of the council for the past eight years, and served as mayor in 1999 and 2002. He and his wife, Stacey, have lived on Eyland Avenue in the Succasunna section of the township for 13 years. They have one daughter who graduated from Roxbury High School. He is employed with Allied Management, the company that owns Bottle King Liquors.
He has been a member of the Planning Board since 1999. He is also a Morris Tomorrow Trustee. He is also a former member of the Morris County Open Space Trust Fund.
Smith has been on the council for a year. He was appointed when Mayor Tom Vickery died, and defeated Alpaugh in a special election last November.
He is a former Planning Board member, and was the chairman in 2004. He is also a member of the township’s water and sewer committee, the open space committee and the township’s economic development committee.
He and his wife Tara live on Hillary Terrace in Ledgewood and have three school-aged children. He is an investment advisor who owns his own firm.
He said the state Department of Transportation (DOT) has agreed to revamp and move forward with now-stale plans to connect Commerce Boulevard across to Route 10 and Route 46.
"Today, we are fighting for open space funding to try to preserve a part of the Villages property (on Shippenport Road in Landing) that is under the greatest residential development pressure," he said.
The township is under a court-settlement order to permit the construction of up to 180 homes on the vacant tract, but both incumbents said they are working with the developer and for funding to purchase and preserve up to 30 acres of the property as open space.
DeFillippo has been a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment for the past year. She has been a PTA member and volunteer in the district since 1984 and is a former vocational rehabilitation counselor.
The three Republicans said that they don’t support increased residential development at all, but they do favor redevelopment, especially along Route 46 in Ledgewood.
"I helped spurn the Route 46 redevelopment project that started at the Ledgewood Circle Mall and at Dianne’s Gifts and Collectibles. That area looks fantastic now, and it is extending further down the highway," Rilee said.
As a member of the zoning board, DeFillippo said she has worked with several property owners along Route 46 in Ledgewood who have come forward with plans to improve aesthetics, drainage and other aspects of their businesses.
As a member of the economic development committee, Smith said he and the committee have focused on redeveloping and encouraging development along Route 46 as well.
"We have had commercial realtors in several times to discuss several potential tenants, as well as the problems they’ve experienced in getting interested commercial property owners to make their property more marketable," Smith said.
"As long as it stays zoned for light industrial uses, which the Republicans on the council were responsible for doing, there will not be any houses built there, and I think that’s the best thing for the township," Smith said.
All three candidates also addressed claims by their opponents, who have said that an all-GOP council will rubberstamp decisions through without question and/or debate.
"I take exception to that," Rilee said. "There is plenty of controlled but serious debate on this council. We agree a majority of the time, but that was the case when we had a split council as well. But, there is significant debate on the issues."
DeFillippo said she has been attending meetings all year, and said she feels she is well aware of the time demands and the workload associated with being a member of the council.
"Things don’t get bogged down in arguments. There may be some disagreement and some debate, but a lot of things that are good for the community are getting done," she said.
She also said her past experience in the business world, where she was in charge of overseeing other employees and working with attorneys, doctors and insurance companies, will allow her to bring much needed skills to the table.
"They are a diverse group, with diverse thinking, but they get things accomplished. I know there is a constant effort by all of the members to keep costs down, and I agree with that," she said.
"Much of local government is giving the administrative approval to mundane things. About 90 percent of what occurs at our council meetings is just formalizing things going on in town. That may appear to be rubberstamping things through, but if it’s something like owing a constituent money back for recreational fees, there’s just no need to debate it," he said.
"Important issues do get vigorous debate, but in general, I think the lack of acrimony should indicate that the township is moving in the right direction," Smith said.
"When we asked Kathy to run with us, we didn’t ask her how she would vote on issues. We knew she was fiscally conservative, but we didn’t say we wanted her to vote on things one way or the other," Rilee said.
DeFillippo said she will take her role as a councilwoman seriously, and said she gives a 100 percent effort to serving on the Board of Adjustment.
"I see it as a great opportunity to make decisions to enhance and preserve the township. People say the zoning board is boring, but I take it very seriously," she said.
"I pay close attention. I ask a lot of questions. I reach out to people. I listen to their concerns. Between the three of us, we have more than 20 years of experience on the council, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board," she said.
Smith said the philosophy of the GOP team is that they are in favor of redevelopment in important areas. "There are areas in the town that need it. We are willing to permit limited industrial development and commercial development in appropriate areas of the township, and we are against added residential development in the township," Smith said.
"We have worked with, and will continue to work with, council members, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board to rezone when appropriate and to deintensify zoning that exists," he said.
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