FREEHOLD — Two incumbent Democratic members of the Borough Council in Freehold Borough are running unopposed for new three-year terms on the governing body.
The terms currently held by Democrats Adam Reich and Margaret Rogers are on the 2022 ballot. Voting is already underway with vote-by-mail ballots and early in-person voting will take place from Oct. 29 through Nov. 6. Election Day is Nov. 8.
Reich and Rogers are seeking re-election to new terms that will run from Jan. 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2025. No Republicans or independent candidates are seeking the council terms.
Reich is a lifelong resident of Freehold Borough and joined the Borough Council in 2020. He served on the Planning Board from 2012-19 and was the panel’s chairman. Reich served on the Freehold Borough K-8 School District Board of Education from 2004-11.
“I am running for re-election to the Borough Council for several different reasons,” Reich said. “However, one of the important reasons is that we are in the beginning phases of fantastic new redevelopment opportunities for our community and I want to ensure the progress made thus far continues under the guidance and vision our residents have for our town.
“I also want to make certain the redevelopment in our borough is sensitive to our robust history, conservative enough to fit within our townscape and beneficial to our residents, commuters and businesses in and around the downtown area.
“Underlining and emphasizing my motivation, Freehold Borough is my hometown and I love living here, working here, being a member of the governing body, helping our residents every day and shining a spotlight on all the wonderful things that are going on here,” Reich said.
Professionally, Reich is a project architect and coordinator with Zimbler Architecture, Freehold Borough.
“My professional experience in the field of architecture has taught me to approach problems creatively yet methodically,” he said. “This has previously served me well when I was a member of the Planning Board and a member of the Board of Education.
“This process continues to be a major part of how I research and make decisions on resolutions, ordinances, proposals and other items that come before us on council.
“It also gives me a certain insight into the planning and development process which is integral to my evaluation and input on redevelopment opportunities that we are fortunate to be considering for our borough,” he said.
If re-elected, Reich said the issues he would address over the next three years are civic involvement, rising taxes and the cost of living, and smart development that honors the borough’s history, while keeping the borough moving into the future.
“There is a core group of volunteers in our town and I would love to see more people participate from more/different walks of life,” he said. “(Cost of living) is an ever-present
issue and it is something we have been working on through a major grant writing campaign and with our finance committee and chief financial officer keeping a careful watch on our budget.”
Rogers, who is serving as council president in 2022, has been a member of the Borough Council since 2019. She previously served on the Freehold Borough K-8 School District Board of Education from 2013-18.
“In the four years I have served (on council), we have made a lot of progress to make improvements to the town, while keeping tax increases to a minimum. I would like to continue that work with a focus on opportunities for small business and addressing the needs of the underserved community.
“I also want to help create an environment that welcomes responsible businesses and creates an attractive living environment to those who wish to move into Freehold Borough,” Rogers said.
Professionally, Rogers worked for more than 10 years in finance and for more than 22 years in information technology.
“I think both of these fields, as well as my current position working with differently-abled students, have all helped me develop the project management, analysis and people skills I need in order to help the community move forward,” she said.
If re-elected, Rogers said the issues she would address over the next three years are redevelopment, the underserved population and small business development.
“Freehold Borough is a treasure and we need to use smart redevelopment methods to improve the attraction of the town, while not lowering the quality of life for the residents who call our town home.
“While we have many resources in place (for the underserved population), there are still areas that need improvement. We need to deal more assertively with absentee landlords and building maintenance. We also need to provide education and opportunity for our residents to have a voice in the town’s decisions.
“We need to continue to work with the downtown organization to improve conditions and create a welcoming environment for even more small businesses and entrepreneurs,” Rogers said.
Democrats hold all six Borough Council seats and the mayor’s office in Freehold Borough.
