I am writing in support of the candidacy of Marylou Ferrara for mayor of Hopewell. I have known Marylou for several years, and I admire her decades-long record of contributions to her community.
In fact, it would be hard to engineer a candidate more beautifully designed for the role of mayor of our unique and beloved town. First, Marylou has direct mayoral experience from her two terms of service as the mayor of Hopewell Township. Some of the achievements of her tenure were the introduction of live video coverage of municipal meetings, the creation of a Historical Preservation Commission, and a new Township Master Plan based on natural resource and infrastructure capacity.
Marylou has played important roles on numerous boards, including the Watershed Institute, the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the Sourland Conservancy, and the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum. She is currently Vice Chair of Hopewell Borough’s Planning Board, and also cofounded Hope Rises Up, a progressive organization dedicated to racial justice, LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Aesexual) issues, and community building.
Marylou is an energetic and charismatic mom and grandmother who will bring that energy and sense of interpersonal warmth to the role of mayor. I look forward to seeing her grace our town with her talent, experience, and intelligence in the role of mayor.
Betsy Keller
Hopewell Township
