By JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer
SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Republicans Michael E. Kushwarra, Brian Wojaczyk and Paul Saltin will challenge Democratic incumbents Joseph Camarota, Charlie Carley and Jo Hochman for three, four-year terms on the South Brunswick Council on Election Day, Nov. 8.
Republican Paul Saltin, 74, has lived in South Brunswick for seven years. He is semi-retired, managing his own real estate investment property. He also owns and serves as a consultant to an online news organization.
Saltin is a court-appointed special advocate for CASA of Middlesex County, advocating in court for children who have been removed from their home because of neglect, abuse or endangerment; a member of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks where he chaired the veterans committee; a member of the South Brunswick American Legion; a previous volunteer for Hasty Acres Stables, providing therapeutic horseback riding for children and adults with challenges; and was also a trustee on the Board of Directors for The Pointe at Turnbury housing community, serving as its first elected president.
“At present, the biggest challenges we face are the best ways to comply with the court-ordered affordable housing situation; signing a good, viable new contract for our solid waste removal; and finding ways to improve our continuing traffic problems. There are some simple things that can be done to help improve traffic congestion in our town if the council would be receptive and open their minds to alternative solutions,” he said.
Democrat incumbent Joseph Camarota, 62, has been a councilman for 12 years. Living in town for 28 years, he currently works as a family entertainment consultant.
He has served on the Recreation Advisory Board, Zoning Board, Economic Development Committee, Kingston Village Advisory Board, Municipal Alliance Against Substance Abuse Board, Board of Health, Transportation Advisory Board and Hugs for Brady Board of Directors. He is a VFW Post 9111 auxiliary member, a past board president of Women Aware, a St. Augustine parishioner and a recreation/travel soccer coach in South, East and North Brunswick.
Camarota considers some of his greatest accomplishments as a councilman to be increasing and improving parks, renovating the Community Center, implementing the Route 1 Shoulder Running Plan to expand Route 1 to three lanes each way during peak traffic hours by utilizing road shoulders, improving the township’s tenancy review process and maintaining a stable municipal tax purpose rate.
“The health, safety and welfare of every resident in South Brunswick is our most paramount concern. While being fiscally responsible and keeping a leveled municipal tax rate, we must maintain our level of services, in particular, within the police, public works, health, EMS, fire and safety and transportation departments,” Camarota said.
He is also focused on improving traffic flow on Route 1, as well as abandoning the proposed Williams Transco natural gas compressor station project.
Democrat incumbent Charlie Carley, 49, has lived in town for 21 years. He is a civil engineer.
He has served on the Senior Advisory Council, Emergency Medical Services Commission and Planning Board while serving on the council for 12 years.
His greatest accomplishments include “working to keep a lid on the municipal portion of the property tax in a difficult economy and working with the Senior Advisory Council to improve services to the senior community [including] the construction of the Wellness Center, the expansion of programs and the upcoming upgrades to the Senior Center,” he said.
“I am very concerned about the potential impacts of state government’s mandate-by-inaction relative to affordable housing. When you hear about a town being obligated by the courts to provide 1,500 affordable housing units, understand that the ‘developer’s-remedy solution’ often mandated means that those 1,500 affordable units end up being part of, say, 3,000 units overall.
“That’s where we are at in South Brunswick, a town with about 15,000 housing units, 3,500 of which were built to satisfy the previous round of affordable housing. We could be ordered to increase the built environment of this town substantially — it is of deep concern.
“If re-elected, I would continue to work to make sure that our town manages development so that the schools aren’t swamped and already congested roads don’t become impassable from increased traffic,” Carley said.
He also noted that 63 percent of the property tax bill goes to the Board of Education, 19 percent to county government, 17 percent for municipal services and the balance to the local fire district.
“Our team has a proven record of keeping an eye on spending, and there’s no reason we’d change that now,” he said.
Carley would also like to help create public-private partnerships that spur the beautification of Ridge Road through downtown Monmouth Junction from the post office to the firehouse.
“The homes here are attractively maintained, but many of the commercial properties lack curb appeal, and there is a lack of parking. The industrial uses may be better located elsewhere in town. The road layout assures that traffic crawls through during rush hours. We’ve started with planning studies and assessments, and I’m excited to be involved in a process that can yield a better living environment for us,” he said.
Democrat incumbent Josephine (Jo) Hochman has been a South Brunswick resident for 40 years.
She is currently the liaison to the Women’s Commission, Advisory Board of Health, Shade Tree Commission, Arts Commission, Municipal Alliance and Human Relations Board. She also serves on the New Jersey League of Municipalities.
She was chairwoman of the Planning Board for seven years and served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment for four years. She was a member and chair of the Municipal Alliance for more than 10 years. She was a 13-year member and two-year president of the Federation of Women’s Clubs.
She was a Parent Teacher Association president for four years and served on the President’s Council. She was a member of the High School Site Council and also was chair of Project Graduation. She volunteered for the EPIC Parenting Program and was subsequently hired as the program coordinator for South Brunswick; this led to coordinating and training statewide through Prevent Child Abuse NJ.
Her continuing goals are to celebrate the 20th year of the Women’s Commission, partner with the library to bring a performing arts center to town, combating the emerald ash borer and providing health services to residents.
“As a member of the Board of Health, I have attended several trainings to obtain the most up-to-date information about the risks involving Ebola and especially this summer with the Zika virus. I advised residents at council meetings how to take precautions from inviting mosquitoes to their area,” she said.
She also seeks to halt the compressor station project.
“The Williams compressor station is a threat to over 1,000 residents living on the west end of the township. This also encompasses houses of worship and schools. … This will not benefit South Brunswick or any of its neighboring towns and definitely needs to be thwarted,” she said.
Kushwarra declined comment for the story.
Wojaczyk could not be reached by press time.
Contact Jennifer Amato at jamato@gmnews.com.
