MILLSTONE – Four residents are seeking two three-year terms on the Township Committee in Millstone Township in the Nov. 6 election.
The terms of Republicans Gary Dorfman and Nancy Grbelja will end in December. They are both seeking re-election. Dorfman and Grbelja are being challenged by Democrat Ivette Fagundo and independent candidate Charles DeNardo.
DeNardo has resided in Millstone for 27 years. He has served on the township’s Open Space Council for more than 12 years and has been a member of the township’s ad hoc committee since 2014, helping to develop the new Millstone Park.
“I am seeking a seat on the Township Committee to be a voice and to represent everyone in our community, regardless of political affiliation, toward the common good of our township needs,” he said.
DeNardo is the president of Lease Line Inc., a full-service truck leasing company.
“My professional background includes over 40 years of experience as a business executive, cultivating positive sales, marketing and partnership strategies in a highly competitive truck leasing industry,” he said. “These skills would enable me to show leadership, motivation and determination in resolving any issues presented to me.”
If elected, DeNardo said he will have direct involvement in the development of Millstone Park to ensure it will successfully fulfill the athletic and recreational needs of young residents. He said he would also work toward assisting the Department of Public Works with expenditures.
“My background in fleet maintenance would enable me to assist the DPW to lower its overall expenditures,” DeNardo said.
Dorfman, who is serving as mayor this year, joined the committee in 2010. He has lived in Millstone for 20 years.
“I have been effective serving the interests of the Millstone homeowner,” Dorfman said. “During my tenure, I have helped move the town to a sustainable financial and tax plan; at the same time, expanding community services and programs while maintaining the rural character of the town. I have helped protect the town against outside forces that would jeopardize our community. My relationships with county and state legislators have been valuable to make this happen.
“One example of this was a teenage youth group home which we have been able to get closed due to its negative community impact and disservice to the group home’s residents,” he said. “I have been involved in the transformation of the rescue squad services to be able to better provide services, and to do so minimizing tax impact.
“Most importantly, we have been able to manage the township’s affordable housing obligations and protect the master plan and zoning. These are the key factors to protecting homeowner value and keeping taxes under control.
“As mayor, I am proud to have been able to pass a budget which did not increase a homeowner’s municipal taxes, while expanding services and investment into the roads program,” he said.
Dorfman has been responsible for product management and business development in the technology and banking industries and is currently an account executive for a business process solutions company.
If re-elected, Dorfman said he will manage the township’s affordable housing obligations to the satisfaction of the state Superior Court, doing so with minimal tax impact and without changing the rural character of Millstone.
Amid concerns he has with the current state administration in Trenton, such as a planned reduction in state aid to the Millstone Township K-8 School District and the possibility of Millstone being forced to merge with neighboring municipalities, he said he would also look to protect the interests of residents.
“I am committed to protecting the life experience of living in Millstone by protecting the zoning and master plan,” Dorfman said. “Our town is a rural, green, large lot, residential community. … Our residents chose to live here because they value the rural atmosphere, peace, quiet and privacy. There are some, who though well intentioned, don’t realize the impact denser zoning would have on homeowner value, taxes and the environment.”
Fagundo is making her first bid for public office and said, “I have lived in Millstone with my husband and daughter for 22 years and we love Millstone for its beauty and peacefulness.
“Coming from a tough neighborhood in Brooklyn where I spent the first half of my life, Millstone is a stark contrast with its park-like features. I have always felt my daughter has been so fortunate to have grown up around such beauty while attending the Millstone school district,” she said.
Having worked in various school districts assisting students in different grade levels, Fagundo said she learned that one of the major concerns students and parents share is the cost of education. If elected, she said she will work toward developing a plan with Township Committee members to create a work-study program to allow students to earn a stipend to ease the college burden.
Fagundo also said she will seek financial and technical resources from the organization Sustainable Jersey, which helps develop sustainability programs for schools, municipalities and homeowners, and work with the state to assist with affordable housing and foreclosures in Millstone.
“Sustainable Jersey grants can mitigate some of the financial burdens in the school district that are affected by budget cuts,” Fagundo said. “I also think Millstone should be more affordable for our young people and senior citizens. It would be an advantage to work with the state to build affordable homes for our children so they may reside in Millstone or for our seniors so they may continue to live in the community where they raised their children.”
Grbelja, who is serving as deputy mayor this year, joined the committee in 2004. She has resided in Millstone for 20 years. Grbelja is a liaison to Monmouth County and state agencies, serving on boards at the county and state levels.
“I have been an asset to the Township Committee,” she said. “I have been actively involved in the development of the township’s master plan, land use ordinances, affordable housing plan and other supporting documentation, thereby having a true and unique understanding of its intent and meaning.
“In addition, my service on county related boards and councils adds to this foundation, providing our community with additional information and access to other services and opportunities. This combination has given us a unique edge and the ability to help maintain the rural character of our community and its great quality of life, as well as giving us opportunities to take advantage of grant opportunities.
“Millstone Township is a gem that is hidden away within our county. It took a lot of hard work over the years to keep it from being destroyed. The fight has not been easy, but one thing I do know is that virtually all residents will say they moved here because of the open space and quality of life of our community.
“A review of social media will demonstrate that our residents enjoy ‘our’ world. I feel I have been an important part in delivering and maintaining the component to our residents,” she said.
Grbelja is employed by the New Jersey Education Association, where she has worked for 25 years.
“On a daily basis, I an involved in conflict resolution, negotiations, dispute resolution and consensus building, which are skills that are beneficial on the Township Committee,” she said.
If re-elected, Grbelja said she will develop and implement a housing plan that satisfies the Superior Court-mandated obligation without damaging the environmental sensitivity, rural character and quality of life of the community; continue to find creative areas for shared services to keep taxes as low as possible while servicing and meeting the needs of residents; and maintain the rural character and quality of life of the community by aggressively promoting Millstone’s open space and farmland preservation programs with partners to minimize the impact of development in surrounding municipalities.
