By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – One Democrat and one Republican are seeking a three-year term on the Township Committee in Freehold Township this year. Voters will head to the polls on Nov. 8.
Democrat Richard Pelaia is seeking the seat that is currently held by Republican Barbara McMorrow. McMorrow is serving as mayor in 2016.
McMorrow joined the committee in 2010. She previously served on the Borough Council in Freehold Borough and on the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders.
“It continues to be an honor to be asked to run for public office and a privilege to serve on the governing body,” McMorrow said. “Each day, I work hard for the residents of our family town and I want to be re-elected so I may continue to do so.”
McMorrow has been a resident of Freehold Township since 1998 and is a retired educator.
“My career in education, as well as my service on the Borough Council in Freehold Borough and on the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, has provided me with valuable opportunities to develop the skills I use every day as a committeewoman, from working with budgetary matters to developing consensus among people and building a strong sense of community,” McMorrow said.
“We are proud of our AA+ bond rating which supports the fiscal responsibility we have to our residents. We have reduced our overall debt from 2009-15 by $8.65 million, with a $1.29 million reduction in 2015. Our decision to self-insure our healthcare has resulted in savings of approximately $1.5 million, plus $2 million in reduced market premiums. We have over 50 shared services agreements with our town as the lead agency in more than half of those agreements,” she said.
McMorrow said if she is re-elected she will continue to address the important issues facing Freehold Township and work to enrich the quality of life for residents.
According to McMorrow, issues facing the township include complying with affordable housing mandates and finding ways to offset the lack of an increase in financial aid from the state. Actions taken to enrich the quality of life include the construction in 2015 of a playground that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the installation of an emergency generator at the Freehold Township Senior Center this year.
Pelaia is making his first bid for public office. He said the time was right to run for office after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and from which he is now free.
“After being diagnosed with cancer last year I decided the time was now,” Pelaia said. “If not now, when? I felt that Freehold Township had become the personification of status quo politics for too long. The township needs better checks and balances to run effectively.”
Pelaia has been a resident of Freehold Township for 14 years and works as a recruitment consultant.
“For over 25 years, I have worked in the search and staffing industry and served in various executive roles at Fortune 500 companies,” Pelaia said. “I have had to work with and or lead cross-functional teams, people at various levels within an organization and navigate through political bureaucracies. This will allow me to better work with people from all parties and beliefs.
“The 2016 budget is under the tax levy cap by only $89,276. There is not great flexibility for future spending. The total year-end surplus is down $273,000, yet the committee used $496,626 less as revenue in 2016 vs. 2015.
“Salaries are a bit out of control with (the township administrator) making more than the governor and (the tax assessors) getting raises of over 10 percent. Our legal services in 2015 were $248,000, yet the committee appropriated $400,000 in 2016. If there was bipartisan discussion when the budget was put together, we may not have had to raise taxes in 2016,” Pelaia said.
Pelaia said if he is elected to the committee, he will better address Freehold Township’s municipal taxes and home assessments, improve transparency in the township by better explaining the budget, work toward streaming or televising the committee’s meetings and not having too many executive (closed) sessions.
Pelaia said he will split his committee salary in half if he is elected and donate one half in the form of a high school scholarship and one half to the cancer team at CentraState Medical Center, where he was treated.
The most recently elected members of the committee receive a salary of $8,900 and longer serving members and the mayor receive a higher salary, according to a document provided by Pelaia.
Specifically regarding the tax assessors, McMorrow said, “The tax assessment department has undergone a transformation in the last four years from a tax assessor and two administrative assistants to a department with two licensed certified tax assessors (CTA) and no administrative assistants.
“One CTA is the tax assessor and one is the deputy tax assessor. When the deputy tax assessor recently passed his CTA license, he was promoted from an administrative assistant to the civil service title of deputy tax assessor, resulting in a salary increase commensurate with his new credentials.
“In addition, the 24 percent commercial ratable base of Freehold Township requires a higher level of expertise in the department to field appeals on the state court level as opposed to other towns where 95 percent of their appeals are heard at the county tax board level. The overall cost of the Freehold Township tax assessment department is in line with other municipalities of the township’s size,” McMorrow said.
Republicans hold all five Township Committee seats.
