RUMSON – Four candidates are seeking two three-year terms on the Rumson Borough Council in the Nov. 6 election.
The candidates are Democrats Marnie Doherty and Sarah Orsay, and Republicans Mark Rubin and John Conklin.
Rubin and Conklin, who are current council members, did not respond to requests for comment for this election preview.
Asked why she is running for office, Doherty said, “What got me to take the leap and actually run is my experience being on the steering committee of the annual Running and Winning Workshop. The workshop is run by women from the League of Women Voters of the Greater Red Bank Area, the AAUW Northern Monmouth Branch, Hadassah and the Junior League of Monmouth County.
“Since 2010, we have brought hundreds of high school junior women from around Monmouth County in contact with publicly elected New Jersey women in government. The young women learn about a number of different elected positions and the importance of community service while also experiencing the power of the individual voice in the preservation of our democracy. Each year I’ve participated in the workshop pushed me closer to jumping into the ring myself and here I finally am,” she said.
When asked what she would like to accomplish if she is elected, Doherty said, “We want residents to feel like they have a say in what’s going on around town. Communication with people in the borough is our No. 1 priority from simple Facebook posts to a regularly updated town website that publicly displays council meeting agendas and detailed reports on decisions that have been made.
“Sarah and I have been involved in many of the same community related activities in Rumson for years. Throughout our years of conversations a common theme was always there – the lack of connection between many residents and what was happening at Borough Hall.
“If people felt a deeper sense of belonging, they might be more apt to attend a local event or participate in a more profound way. I am an idea person and I like to gather folks together who I know will get a job done well and have a good time doing it,” she said.
Doherty, who is a photographer, moved to Rumson in 2004. She has served as a board member of the Rumson Education Foundation and the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School Foundation. She has served as the chair of fundraisers and has allocated grant money for educational projects in Rumson’s public schools.
Asked why she is seeking a seat on the governing body, Orsay said, “As Rumson’s director of parks and recreation for three years and then as the borough’s communications director, I learned a lot about how the borough operates and the council’s role in representing residents, making important decisions that impact the community’s financial, social and physical well being.
“I believe my professional background, which includes years as a senior manager in finance, CEO of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, and as a borough senior staffer, positions me well to add value to the council.
“I am eager to use my knowledge and experience in creative problem-solving for the benefit of my fellow taxpayers and residents. Marnie and I each have two children at (Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School) and are very active in the community and in touch with the pulse of residents. We are eager to continue serving our community and would be honored to be members of council,” she said.
Asked what she would like to accomplish, Orsay said, “Our first priority would be to bring 21st century communication and greater transparency to council activities. Many residents we have spoken with feel they don’t have a handle on what is going on or who is representing them.
“Marnie and I wish to improve communication by providing a detailed agenda in advance of council meetings; live-streaming council meetings; publishing a quarterly detailed e-newsletter on borough activities; and putting up a tasteful electronic bulletin board that can be kept current.
“We wish to enhance community life by adding programs, events and activities for residents of all ages. These would be self-funding and not be a burden to taxpayers. Finally, I would like to examine ways we can be more efficient with taxpayer funds. I have a proven track record of managing budgets and creative problem solving,” she said.
Orsay is the head of business development for Malachite Capital Management. She worked as Rumson’s director of parks and recreation from 2013-16. She has worked with the Rumson Tree Shade Commission and volunteers annually for the Kelleher Kids Triathlon.
