When township residents head to the polls this November, they will be casting their ballots for several races including the school board and mid-term elections.
This year, residents will also have a choice in the municipality’s five-person township committee, as Republicans Kyle Melander and Vanessa Meades look to claim to seats on the committee board against Democratic incumbents Stephen Benowitz and Eric Holliday.
At 27-years-old, Kyle Melander (R) has been a New Jersey resident for over 20 years. He is currently employed by the U.S. House of Representatives where he is an aid to a member of congress. Since graduating from Rowan University, he has worked with and for elected officials at all levels of government. With his experience in the public sector, he aims to bring a new perspective that has seen what works and doesn’t in neighboring communities.
At 50-years-old, Eric Holliday (D) is a current committeeman, seeking another three-year term with the township. Holliday is a retired a sergeant from the New Jersey Department of Corrections, having served 25 years, and an instructor at the Correctional Officer Academy. In addition, He was a member of the New Jersey Law Enforcement Supervisors Association, where he served as trustee, Sergeant of Arms and president before retiring.
At 36-years-old, Vanessa Meades (R) has lived in Bordentown for five years. Meades has experience in the medical field as a mobile intensive care paramedic and is involved in multiple religious and recreational programs as well.
At 73-years-old, Stephen Benowitz (D) is the current township mayor and has lived in the township since 1969 with his wife Ellen. He has two children who attended Bordentown schools. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Rider University, an M.Ed. degree from Trenton State College (The College of New Jersey) and 30 doctoral credits from Rutgers University. He served as a teacher and Director of Education for the NJ Department of Corrections. After a career as Director of Special Education at Burlington County Institute of Technology, Benowitz retired. He was elected to the Bordentown Township Committee for a 3-year term in 2013 and re-elected in 2016. He’s served as mayor of the township in 2014, 2017 and 2018.
In order to provide candidates with an equitable platform to discuss their plans for the township committee, all four were given the same questions and the same amount of space for their responses.
Meades did not provide the Register News with a response in time for publication.
Why are you running for a spot on the committee? What drives you to public service?
Benowitz: I have resided in Bordentown Township for 50 years. My wife, Ellen, and my children were raised here. I love this community and the people who live here. I am running for re-election in order to continue the work that I have aided in accomplishing over the past six years. The following are some of the projects that we have completed: increased commercial/business development; obtaining grans for the bike path connector road, etc.; flat local purpose taxes for the past five years; improving our recreational facilities; expanded Public Work facility including recycling; a road program that included 37 roads; increased transparency; improved website; increased contact with H.O.A.s; increased community events; sound financial planning with a AA+ bond rating; decreased the budget this year by $500,000. Public service to me means giving 110 percent in making Bordentown Township the best place to live for all of us. This is accomplished by my always being available to residents and putting in many hours to plan for the future of Bordentown Township. The salary that I earn as a committeeperson is donated back to local organizations and causes. I do not keep any of this money.
Melander: Since a young age, I have been taught to do more for our community. I am a first generation American and son of two parents who lived the American dream – this has been by driving force to dedicate my life to public service. I am running for township committee because I believe our government lacks the proper government oversight. We have been embarrassed by the FBI investigation and water contamination and its time our committee put more effort into an open communication with public employees.
Holliday: As an effective member of the township committee since 2015, I know what it takes to be effective in my second term. By placing myself out there and taking a place on the committee, I can ensure that the progress we have made continues to move forward. I have always looked for ways to give back to my community through public service including serving on the Zoning Board and Planning Board. It is a matter of pride and self-respect to ensure that I am a committeeman the township can be proud of. Many positive things have been accomplished by the committee and I need to make sure they are not undone. Through committee oversight the township has increased its public works work force and services as well as increased our police force to continue to keep our town safe. We are planning for the future and putting money away for a rainy day. We need to ensure those we elect will keep our taxes stable while providing better services and preparing for the future. I am running to protect what we have built.
Other than taxes, what would you say are the most pressing issues facing the Township? If elected, how do you plan to tackle those issues?
Benowitz: The most pressing issue in Bordentown Township is to continue to make it affordable while maintaining the quality of life. The past five years have seen the local municipal taxes remain flat. This should continue in the future. Bordentown Township is financially sound as proven by our AA Bond rating. The reasons for the financial positions are driven by businesses that have chosen to locate here and prudent, financial planning. We are looking forward to having other businesses such as a new Wawa, a CVS and Team Campus Phase II come to Bordentown Township. The quality of life continues to improve with such additions as the new Public Works Facility; our investment in our infrastructure; more events; the upgrading of our parks and the continuation of the Bikeway Project. In 2019, we are planning expanded recreational facilities for our children, continued park upgrades, and pursuit of highway safety.
Melander: The most pressing issue in Bordentown is the lack of government oversight. For nearly two years I have been hearing from residents their stories of contaminated drinking water and their efforts to bring it to the attention of the township committee. Some individuals words fell on deaf ears and some received passive answers. Water is the most basic necessity of life which is why I believe this has to be an issue that has to be addressed. Currently, the issue is finding the source and the exact area in Bordentown where residents are affected – I believe our town should do more to work with Bordentown City to find the source of the contamination by utilizing Public Works to test residential areas.
Holliday: Our residents and I concerned about the Bordentown City Water System and the elevated levels of lead in the drinking water in some of our homes. High levels of lead can lead to health effects and this is a concern not only for me but also of the entire township committee. The township committee has been working very closely with the City of Bordentown to tackle this issue. Bordentown City has had several town hall meetings including most recently last week. Bordentown City continues to collect data and is working closely with the New Jersey Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to develop a corrective action plan which includes transparency, testing and education. The state has reported no lead exceedances from the city’s water source and distribution service lines, so the city is currently working to collect data from residents to determine if this issue stems from the internal plumbing of homeowners. I want to make this very clear; the township committee is committed with working with the City of Bordentown to rectify this issue. There is nothing more important for the township committee than the health and safety of our residents.
One of the common refrains from residents is the fear of pedestrian safety given the area’s high truck traffic congestion. Do you feel that is a real concern and if you do, what is your plan to allay those fears?
Benowitz: Pedestrian safety is a major priority for our residents due to the major highways that bisect our Township. The Connector Road will ease truck circulation problems and ease the traffic circulation for our residents. The Police Department is reaching out to our community including presentations to our school children, seniors, and all segments of our population. The Street-Smart Program may lead to additional pedestrian crosswalks and installation of signage. This is also an educational program making all persons utilizing our highways to be alert as both pedestrians and motorists. We have met with NJDOT and will meet with them in the near future to enlist their help in making our highways safe. There are many intersections on Routes 130 and 206 that would benefit with our efforts such as: Farnsworth Ave and Rt.130; Ward Ave and Rt. 130 and Dunns Mill Road and Rt. 130.
Melander: I do believe that pedestrian safety is a true concern in Bordentown and I believe the Committee could do more for our residents. One example is creating a more accessible path to Bordentown City which would benefit both towns. I believe we could utilize either a joint project in upgrading Farnsworth Avenue or utilizing shared services between the towns would lead to an increase of traffic to the City while creating a safe method of travel for our citizens. If elected, I would work with the City to create a reciprocation agreement for a free Uber ride program so residents can enjoy themselves at night without getting behind the wheel of a car. A few towns across New Jersey have instituted a similar plan which resulted in a surplus in revenue and a drop in DWI arrests.
Holliday: Road safety has been a major township focus this year – Bordentown received a $2.1 million grant to construct a connector road between Rising Sun Road and Dunns Mill Road, as well as a $12,000 pedestrian safety grant. The township committee has been working very hard to tackle the ongoing problem with the highways and county roads that go through our community. The committee has worked very hard to bring these grants to our community so our town is safe for our residents. This year, dynamic speed signs have been installed on Rt. 528 and police enforcement of pedestrian safety have been stepped up. We have been working closely with Burlington County Traffic Engineer’s Office and the Department of Transportation as we continue our efforts to make our roads safe for everyone.
How would you say you differ from your opponents? Why should voters choose you?
Benowitz: I have the experience and have been able to produce results that benefit the residents of Bordentown Township. I have served the past six years. In moving forward, people have witnessed positive changes that have continued to make Bordentown Township a great place to live. Time and commitment are qualities that are necessary to make our government work for our bosses, my neighbors that reside in Bordentown Township. I am constantly visible and accessible to everyone. My efforts as part of the township committee have made a difference in the quality of life for our residents as evidenced by what has been accomplished. My running mate, Eric Holliday, is part of these efforts that continue to move us forward. By choosing us, Eric and I pledge to not only continue the accomplishments we have made, but also look toward the future to improve our community even more. We will continue to improve recreational facilities, provide more services to our residents and continue planning for our future while slowing down tax increases.
Melander: I differ from my opponents because I have worked in public service where my job is to help constituents on a day to day basis. I also will bring fresh ideas from what I learned in public service and modernize our government. Voters should choose me because Bordentown has tremendous potential to expand and modernize and I am the one who can deliver.
Holliday: Steve Benowitz and I are running as one team. We have been in every neighborhood going door to door and meeting with our residents to hear what they have to say about our great community. The feedback has been tremendous, and our residents love the direction their community has been going over the past three years. Both Steve and I have been long time residents of the Township and we know how our residents feel and expect from us. We work for our residents, our bosses. The residents have been extremely happy knowing that their municipal purpose tax has not increased in the past five years. They have seen our services continue to grow with our new recycling center and our upgrades to our parks. The residents feel safe as we continue to maintain our police department staffing requirements. Our residents know we have done this through sound planning and being fiscally responsible. In addition to supporting good economic opportunities, I am committed to making long term investments in our infrastructure through our road program and continuing to protect our precious environmental resources for generations to come. I want to keep our local government accessible and transparent to our residents. I want to continue providing Bordentown residents with a great sense of community. I want to give them the representation they deserve by being continually visibly active in the community. By voting for Steve and me, we will continue to make Bordentown a great place to live and work. Let us continue moving Bordentown Township forward.
What, in your opinion, makes Bordentown Township somewhere you want to serve?
Benowitz: I have lived in Bordentown Township for 50 years. I have the knowledge and desire to do the best job that I can for the people that I have the pleasure of serving. I am a member of the community and want to continue to make a positive difference for the community that I love. The continued diversity in this Township makes me realize how wonderfully this community has evolved over the years. Welcoming everyone to our community and providing the maximum service that government is able to provide makes everyone’s life much richer. Bordentown Township; has been a great place to raise my children. I want this same experience for all the families that live here. Our residents should feel safe and comfortable in make Bordentown Township their home. Although we are separated by highways; there is a sense of community. Neighbors still look out for each other. I want to increase the sense of community through more events that reach out to all of our community. Our community should be an inclusive community.
Melander: Bordentown Township is my home and it is where I want to serve. I got an apartment in Pointe Breeze after college, moved to a house in Williamsburg Village with my fiancé, and now planning a future here in Bordentown. I moved here because I knew the value we served as the Crossroads of New Jersey – It is definitely the most convenient place to live if travel the state. I also knew the business development potential we have which could go a long way in keeping our taxes lower and to modernize our town. It is the town I started my professional career and a family in which I would be humbled to have the honor of serving you, the residents of Bordentown Township.
Holliday: This has been my community for several years. I want to work to make my town better as a whole. I see Bordentown Township as a place I will be for decades to come and only through fiscal planning can we ensure that we are in a better place than we are today. I seek to move the township forward, so I can enjoy it in my golden years and reflect back on what I have contributed to this community with pride.
