Old Bridge At stake: Four-year mayoral term and three four-year at-large Township Council terms Brian J. Cahill (R) Seeking council term Cahill, 48, has a wife, Therese (Terry), and children, Jeanne, 22, Brian Jr., 14, Shannon, 11, and Nicole, 9. He is employed as director of operations for Verizon Communications. Cahill has resided in Old Bridge for 14 years. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in business management and economics from Empire State College and a Master of Business Administration from Wagner College. He has served as an executive board member with the Cheesequake Baseball and Softball Association, and as parliamentarian with the Old Bridge Republican Party. Where they stand: What made you decide to become involved in politics and serving your community? Brian J. Cahill My initial interest in politics really stemmed from the attempt by Mayor James Phillips and the Democratically controlled Township Council to sell the Crossroads property and build 850 homes on it. I watched the council meeting where this was being discussed. Residents from all over town came out to the meeting to express their displeasure with the plan, which fell on deaf ears. The plan to develop was clearly rubber-stamped, this after Mayor Phillips, Ed Testino and Pat Gillespie stood on my front porch and vowed to preserve open space. I became so infuriated, I felt I needed to get involved. Solon Fotis (R) Seeking council term Fotis has a wife, Ruth, and two children, Peter, 11, and Michelle, 6. He moved to Old Bridge from Staten Island 14 years ago. As a supervisor for 15 years with New York City Transit, he said he has been involved in major improvements in the transit system such as service increases and implementation of the Metro Card. He has been serving in the Army National Guard for over 21 years and is a staff sergeant. He was one of the first responders at ground zero on Sept. 11, 2001. He has been an active leader in his children's activities, such as Old Bridge Wrestling and Cub Scouts. Solon Fotis (R) I have always wanted to be involved in politics to improve and make a positive difference in my community. I have never before had the opportunity. When this opportunity presented itself, I jumped in with both feet and hit the ground running. I know that I can make a difference in Old Bridge. I have been serving our country for over 21 years in the U.S. Army National Guard. Now I am ready to serve our community. Patrick Gillespie* (D) Seeking council term Gillespie, 41, has a wife, Kris, and two daughters, Gabrielle, 10, and Chloe, 8. A resident of Old Bridge for over 30 years, Gillespie attended Old Bridge schools and earned a bachelor's degree from Siena College. He is employed as the New Jersey State Smart Growth ombudsman. He has served on the Township Council for almost eight years and is currently the Township Council president. He has worked for Congressman Frank Pallone as his district director, and now serves as the deputy director of the Senate staff of former Gov. Richard J. Codey. * denotes incumbent Patrick Gillespie* (D) I am motivated to run for office to preserve the quality of life for our community. I believe that sound land-use policy is the key to our future. That is why I want to eliminate the blanket 20-year approvals some developers get. I have also supported the township's fight in court against 2,000 more housing units. These court battles against more development prompted me to seek a change in our land use ordinances. This, combined with preserving 417 acres of open space and 74 acres of farmland, will ensure Old Bridge preserves its quality of life. Richard Greene (R) I've served on the Township Council for over eight years. I decided to become involved and run for office because of the decisions that the council majority members were making at the time. In particular, there was a movement to eliminate the township attorney's position and contract legal services out to politically connected individuals. Fortunately, the voice of the residents prevailed and the proposal was overturned. I strongly believe that elected officials should always act in the best interests of the residents. I believe that my accomplishments on the Township Council and voting record clearly show that I support the residents of Old Bridge. Richard Greene (R) Seeking mayoral term Greene has a wife, Pat, and three children, Richard, Kristen and Erin. The family has resided in the township's Sayrewood South section for 29 years. He currently represents Old Bridge's 5th Ward on the Township Council. Greene retired after working approximately 30 years for the City of New York. He was a senior staff member with the New York City Council and served as chief budget and policy analyst with the New York City Independent Budget Office. He is a graduate of St. John's University and holds both a bachelor's and master's degree in mathematics. He has been involved in youth activities and projects on a municipal and state level. Owen Henry (R) I decided to get involved in government (not politics) when certain events took place and continue today. This cast doubt in my mind that Old Bridge is being run by personnel who are acting in the best interest of the town. As a Planning Board member, I have seen little action taken by the governing body in regard to ordinances that would help the Planning Board control the development process. This, and a desire to increase my community service, has led me to seek one of the council at-large seats in this election. Owen Henry (R) Seeking council term Henry, 48, has a wife, Donna, and two children, Owen Jr., 25 and Valerie, 23. He has resided in Old Bridge for 46 years. He attended parochial and public schools in Old Bridge. He graduated from Cedar Ridge High School in 1977 and Trenton State College in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He owns and operates Owen Henry Contracting Inc., an industrial contracting firm serving the utility industry. The company is a member of the Old Bridge Chamber of Commerce. He has served on the Old Bridge Planning Board since 2001 and has been serving on the Old Bridge Environmental Commission since 2000. James T. Phillips* (D) When I ran for mayor of Old Bridge four years ago, I promised to change Old Bridge's direction by preserving more open space and farmland, fighting overdevelopment, improving public safety and investing in our parks system. For too long, Old Bridge had fallen victim to overdevelopment. I have started to change that legacy by preserving 417 acres of open space, 74 acres of farmland and 85 acres of woodlands. We have also reduced the number of new homes approved during the last four years by 90 percent. I want to continue these changed policies to preserve Old Bridge's quality of life. James T. Phillips* (D) Seeking mayoral term Phillips, who has a wife, Janet, and three adult children, is a lifelong resident of Old Bridge. He is employed as the Middlesex County treasurer. His training is as an accountant and financial officer. He is a graduate of Villanova University and attended the Bloustein Graduate School at Rutgers. He said he has also tried to use his experience as a former state senator and county freeholder to improve the quality of life in Old Bridge. He said one of his most valuable experiences was the years he spent serving in the Laurence Harbor Volunteer Fire Company. Joe Pruiti (D) This is my first time running for office. I have already volunteered my time in various ways, but I want to do more. I view my life in Old Bridge as the embodiment of the American dream. After coming here from Italy, my parents, through hard work and determination, were able to provide us a better life. Relying on the support of our community again, I was able to provide the opportunities for my children to get an education and succeed in life. I want to give back something to the community that helped me realize my American dream. Joe Pruiti (D) Seeking council term Pruiti has a wife, Jacqueline, and two children, Sebastian, 21, and Jessica, 19, both attending college. He has lived in Old Bridge since 1977, when his family emigrated from Italy. He has a bachelor's degree and a Master of Business Administration from Seton Hall University. He is employed as a financial controller. This is his first time running for elective office. He has served for many years as president, board member and coach in the Old Bridge Basketball Association. He said one of his most rewarding experiences is his years as a coach for the Camp Robin basketball program. Matthew A. Sulikowski (i) I am retired from teaching after 36 years, 33 of which I taught in the Old Bridge district. My experience, paired with a year and a half on the Board of Education, make me the best individual for the position of mayor. Now I will give back some of the knowledge I acquired. Since 60 to 70 percent of property tax dollars go into the school system, it is important for elected officials to be well versed on how the district operates. I feel that I can make a positive impact. I have many innovative, cost-saving ideas that could help the community save tax dollars. Matthew A. Sulikowski (i) Seeking mayoral term Sulikowski, 60, has a wife, Michele, and two children, Matthew, 31, and Melissa, 28. He is retired from a career as a high school teacher. He has lived in Old Bridge for seven years. Sulikowski is currently serving his second year of a three-year term on the Old Bridge Township Board of Education. Edward Testino* (D) I am running for re-election to keep our community safe. Public safety is the most important service we provide at the municipal level. The mayor and council have worked together to increase our police force from 81 officers to our fully authorized membership of 104. This means that we will have more officers on patrol and reduced overtime costs. Putting those 23 new cops on the street reflects a commitment I made long ago to protect our community. We have also made sure these officers are well equipped, with every car outfitted with a computer and cardiac defibrillator. What is Old Bridge's strongest quality and biggest weakness? Brian J. Cahill Without a doubt, Old Bridge has a tremendous sense of community. People care about this town, as evidenced by the many charitable organizations, the volunteer sports leagues and community associations. Residents are proud to call Old Bridge their home. The double-edged sword in our town is our open space. The beautiful farms and woods that make up this town are prime targets of the current administration, wishing to sell them to the highest bidder. If elected to council at large, I will insist on a master plan that matches the zoning regulations to preserve our precious open space. Solon Fotis (R) Old Bridge has many great qualities, starting with its residents. Old Bridge is comprised mostly of hard-working middleclass taxpaying families who all contribute to the greatness of Old Bridge, and make it what it is. Our biggest weakness is the tax burden on our residents. Many of the families have told me that if Old Bridge continues on this path, they will be forced to seek affordable housing elsewhere, especially the seniors. It's not fair to spend your whole life contributing to this town and then not be able to afford to stay when you retire. Patrick Gillespie* (D) The greatest strength of any community is its people. When people work together as a team, then the impossible becomes possible. For example, the Township Council and the Board of Education have agreed to a number of shared-service agreements. In particular, we have helped the board install new boilers at the Madison Park and Carpenter schools, upgrade school security at Old Bridge High School and perform drainage improvements at Salk Middle School. We have forged ahead on these issues even though the Township Council has cut $3 million from the Board of Education budget in the last two years. Edward Testino* (D) Seeking council term Testino, the father of four children, Justin, Ryan, Jacqueline and Tyler, is a lifelong resident of Old Bridge. He is a product of the Old Bridge school system, graduating from Cedar Ridge High School in 1976. He earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Delaware and a law degree at Oklahoma City Law School. He also has a Master of Law degree from Georgetown University. He is a practicing attorney with an office on Route 34 in Old Bridge. He has served for 12 years on the Township Council. Richard Greene (R) Old Bridge's main attraction is the quality of life that has attracted many of the residents to live and raise their families here. I look at Old Bridge as a collection of neighborhoods, with each neighborhood having its own characteristic or predominant quality. Old Bridge's biggest weakness is that township officials have not developed a plan for the future growth of the township. As residents, we should know what Old Bridge will look like in five, 10 or 15 years. We must, for example, revise our master plan so that specific areas of the township are earmarked for good, clean economic development for tax stability. Owen Henry (R) Old Bridge's best quality is its rural setting, along with its cultural makeup. It is a large town in area and contains a large population. The separation of developed lands and specific uses must be maintained in order to guarantee a high quality of life for current and future residents. The biggest threat to Old Bridge's future, or its weakness, is its inability to control development. James T. Phillips* (D) Old Bridge is a wonderfully diverse community of over 40 square miles and over 60,000 people. The strongest quality of any community is the ability of people from different backgrounds or regions to pull together around a common goal. I have found that working together as a team is the best way to get positive results for the community. For example, the township together with our partners at the Western Monmouth YMCA recently broke ground on a new year-round facility to be built at Mannino Park. The township administration and council have also worked together to reconstruct Veterans Park. Joe Pruiti (D) Old Bridge's greatest strength and weakness both stem from its size. Our community is over 40 square miles and over 60,000 people. Quite often, people only identify with their ward or particular neighborhood. The challenge is to bring people together to work as a team. I am running under the Team Old Bridge banner because when we work together, we can achieve great things. Preserving open space, fighting overdevelopment, providing more recreational opportunities can only come about when the mayor, council and citizens work together. I know from my years as a basketball coach that teamwork brings positive results. Matthew A. Sulikowski (i) Old Bridge has many strong qualities. It is centrally located with most of the major highways that go through our town. We have our waterfront area, which we can take advantage of by building restaurants and retail establishments that would bring jobs and needed tax dollars into our community. Edward Testino* (D) Many people ask me about Old Bridge's tax rate. We continue to face challenges, like many other towns, regarding our school taxes. For our part, we have stabilized the municipal tax rate. Since I was elected to the council, the municipal tax rate has remained largely flat. We have done this by enacting over 20 shared-service agreements with other local governments. These agreements allow us to stretch your tax dollar as far as it can go. We at the township, working together with state and county agencies, have received over $23 million in grants during the past four years. The Crossroads tract continues to be a source of contention. What do you think should be done with the land, and what are your thoughts on the proposal for a data center on 300 acres of it? Brian J. Cahill I think the data center proposal is a horrible idea and I have spoken out on this at a recent council meeting. First and foremost, the Crossroads tract should be preserved as open space. Old Bridge already has zoned property for commercial use whereby we can bring in good clean ratables. The mayor has proposed giving the builder a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) program. A PILOT program allows the builder to only pay municipal taxes, and they get a pass on the school taxes. This is just fiscally irresponsible; our residents are all concerned about taxes. This doesn't make sense. Solon Fotis (R) Ideally I would love to see it stay as open space. However, if that is not possible, then we need to bring in some type of environment friendly industry that can produce tax revenue for the town and long-term relief for the residents. As far as the data center, there are just too many unanswered questions. Is it good for the future of Old Bridge? Does it pose a threat to the residents? Will the rapid advances in technology make it obsolete before completed? At what cost will this come to the residents? Patrick Gillespie* (D) This property should be used primarily to provide tax relief; however, we cannot forget our most vulnerable. Within the 500 acres of township land, we should use a small portion for the proposed Middlesex County nursing home. The need for this facility is tremendous and the county has grappled for many years to expand Roosevelt Care Center. A senior citizen with limited financial means needs options, especially if they require around-the-clock medical care. We have an obligation to take care of the people who have built our community and find a safety net for them to remain here. Richard Greene (R) I've been vocal on the issue of preserving as much open space as possible. The township recently purchased the 200-acre Cedar Ridge property for $17.5 million. We are trying to preserve the 64.5-acre Cottrell Farm property that the developer has offered to sell for $17.5 million. When you consider that the township purchased the 500-acre Crossroads tract for $1.2 million, it was a bargain that we should maintain as open space. I have many concerns about the data center proposal. First and foremost is that it could be a potential terrorist target. The residents of Old Bridge don't need this in their backyard. Owen Henry (R) As a resident, I was disappointed in the administration's decision to go against public opinion and move forward with the Crossroads redevelopment plan. I feel the land should be left alone for the foreseeable future. Being on the Planning Board, as with all applications, I will listen to all testimony and judge the proposed data center based on its merits. I hope the public attends the meetings and voices their opinions, pro or con. James T. Phillips* (D) This property was purchased many years ago to provide the township with tax relief. The data centers proposal could bring a $1.4 billion investment in Old Bridge and result in good-paying jobs for our residents. These data centers are highly sought after because of their property value with little service costs. These centers generate less traffic than a convenience store and do not create any new education costs. Many other communities, such as Princeton and Bernardsville, already host these facilities. The new tax revenue generated by these centers could equal $2 million per year or $0.06 on the municipal tax rate. Joe Pruiti (D) Changing the course of development in Old Bridge is a tough task. Finding tax relief is also difficult and a struggle that many towns face. I know from being a financial controller that you have to balance your revenues and expenditures. The proposal for a data center could provide additional tax revenue and only generate minimal future expenditures. The cost of education is the bulk of every local tax bill. These office park-type buildings generate no additional education costs. The tax revenue from this ratable could provide substantial relief without creating any significant burden on our services. Matthew A. Sulikowski (i) The 500-acre township-owned Crossroads tract should be used for a residential retirement community for single-family dwellings, owner-occupied multifamily buildings, recreation, cultural and medical facilities, picnic grounds and fishing ponds, retail service establishments, office for medical services, banks and financial institutions, restaurants and places of worship, an office district to house corporate offices, and a convention center/hotel, a park with botanical gardens and walking trails serving as a sort of cultural center in the town, and a data processing and information center. Edward Testino* (D) The township purchased this property for economic development, and the property has sat unused for many years. The data center proposal could bring clean ratables, increasing revenue to the township while generating very little demand for services. Many towns already host these facilities, much to the benefit of their taxpayers. We should follow the example of Princeton, Bernardsville and Hopewell in pursuing these facilities. This project could generate many new unionized construction jobs and more than $1 billion worth of investment. Those are numbers too good to ignore, and we should continue the review process that has begun. What new programs or projects would you endorse and work on over the next four years? Brian J. Cahill 4) I will bring fiscal responsibility to the township, preserve open space and ensure we have a functioning Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to bring in good clean ratables. I will work on the township's overspending, and apply good, strong management principles to reducing waste. The master plan needs to be in alignment with the zoning regulations, which will give the township the legal right to stop building where we want it stopped. Having a working EDC, not the nonexistent one we currently have, will attract businesses to this town and enable us to receive good clean ratables for years to come. Solon Fotis (R) 4) Our first project will be to tackle the tax burden. Trimming the fat by examining the budget, finding the waste and making cuts where necessary. We will seek to attract good clean industry in order to provide tax relief for the residents of Old Bridge. In conjunction with fighting overdevelopment, we will look for ways to ease the congestion throughout the town. Once we accomplish this, the sky is the limit. Patrick Gillespie* (D) 4) With your support, I want to continue the progress that we have begun during the past four years. We have preserved 417 acres of open space, including the Cedar Ridge II property; we have preserved 74 acres of farmland and are actively negotiating to purchase the Cottrell Farm. I would also like to finish the work I have begun, to eliminate blanket 20-year approvals for developers. We have brought the police department back to full strength by hiring 23 new officers. Maintaining this commitment to fully staff our force at 104 officers will require fiscal discipline in other areas. Richard Greene (R) 4) My focus over the next four years would be to revise the township's master plan so that the current haphazard development of the township will stop. We need strong planning and zoning ordinances that protect the township from continually being on the defensive with developers. I would also prioritize attracting good, clean commercial development in designated areas of the township in order to reduce our taxes. We have a great opportunity to attract a developer to build a marina on our waterfront. That project would have the capability of attracting other commercial projects like restaurants and shops along the waterfront. Owen Henry (R) 4) Old Bridge needs to be more aggressive in the energy conservation movement. Cost savings must be implemented with the application of modern technology and a mandated energy policy, which conserves and develops alternate sources of power along with potential revenues such as solar panels. The current master plan must be amended to reflect the appropriate future of Old Bridge, which assures the township's prosperity and maintains a high quality of life for its residents. Old Bridge needs a mass transit overhaul, which includes a transportation center and adequate facilities with the future in mind. James T. Phillips* (D) 4) There are many projects that, with your support, I would like to continue working on over the next four years. In the short term, I look forward to completing the pending negotiations to purchase the Cottrell Farm. A long-term project is to refurbish Lombardi Field. My administration, working together with the Old Bridge Board of Education, is now examining the scope and cost of this project. Over the past four years, we have cooperated on several shared-service agreements. Completing this project would result in additional recreational opportunities for our kids - a goal both the school district and I share. Joe Pruiti (D) 4) One thing that many Old Bridge residents have expressed to me is their need for bulk garbage pickup. Without it, sometimes there is no reasonable way for homeowners to dispose of couches, easy chairs and other pieces of large furniture. The township already works with the county to provide household hazardous waste disposals; we should consider bulk pickup as well. Perhaps that could be a model for the township to provide some form of this service. Without this service, residents will continue to be inconvenienced and there could be an increase in illegal dumping along our roadways. Matthew A. Sulikowski (i) 4) I would promote shared services with other towns and the Board of Education. I would work with the Board of Education to keep costs more reasonable and hold the board more accountable. I would create a Human Resources Department to examine positions within the township and see where changes could be made to find savings. I would streamline township jobs to make it cost efficient. Along the Route 9 corridor I would like to see a parking deck and a hotel with a heliport, which would eliminate many of the small parking lots along this route. This would be a boom for the township, along with more jobs. Edward Testino* (D) 4) I would like the opportunity to continue the many recreational improvements and open space purchases the township has made in the past four years. Particularly, I would like to link up the many different parcels of open space we have into a series of greenways or linear parks. These greenways can be used for hiking, jogging or bicycling trails and to preserve critical wildlife habitats. We have already preserved 417 acres of open space and worked with the state to preserve another 85 acres of environmentally sensitive forestlands. We should continue to pursue these acquisitions in a coordinated manner.