Brick Township Council Election 2025: Dan Ward

BRICK, NJ — Patch is publishing profiles of local candidates in the 2025 election, set for Tuesday, Nov. 4.

In Brick Township, voters will be casting ballots for three seats on the Township Council and for mayor. The council seats and mayor's seat are four-year terms.

The council slates are Democrats Heather deJong, Dan Ward and Rocco Lepore and Republicans Lisa Reina, Greg Cohen and Perry Albanese.

The candidates were asked the same questions by email in early October. Patch is publishing the answers from the candidates who have replied. Here are the answers from Dan Ward.

Name: Dan Ward

Age: 36

Family: His mother, who is also a Brick resident. A sister and brother live out of state.

Education: Stevens Institute of Technology, B.E. in Chemical Engineering; Illinois Institute of Technology, M.S. with Thesis in Chemical Engineering.

Occupation: Professor of Chemistry at Ocean County College.

Overdevelopment has been a hot-button discussion for years, with every proposed business sparking discussions about traffic and what will serve Brick Township residents well. What ways do you believe Brick can respond to the concerns?

Brick is one of the few towns in Ocean County that has managed to hold the line on overdevelopment. While surrounding communities like Lakewood, Jackson, and Toms River have seen major population growth, our town has remained stable. That’s because we’ve made protecting Brick’s suburban character a real priority.

Look at the recent proposal for the 100 Drum Point property. When developers tried to cram a 60-unit apartment building in the inappropriate zone, the Zoning Board appointed by the Crate Team unanimously rejected the plan.

Over the past decade more than 800 acres have been preserved under the Ducey and Crate administrations. The township continues to acquire key parcels to prevent unwanted construction and preserve our open space.

Our responsibility now is to stay vigilant. Brick has proven that with strong zoning and active community involvement, we can protect our open space and our quality of life — even as the rest of the county grows around us.

The issue of homelessness in Ocean County is not going away. Rising rent costs combined with scarce availability have pushed even moderate-income residents to the brink and in some cases left them homeless. What role should Brick have in assisting those in need?

What makes Brick special is the sense of community — people here genuinely care about one another. You see it in how the town works with local nonprofit organizations to help residents who’ve fallen on hard times, and especially in how we treat our veterans.

Brick is partnering with Homes Now to build handicapped-accessible apartments specifically for veterans who need a safe and affordable place to live. That project shows our values in action — taking care of those who took care of us.

We’re also working with nonprofit partners to help residents facing hard times. No one should be left without a safe place to stay, and in Brick, we do what we can to connect people with the support and stability they need.

This is what community means — stepping up for each other and making sure everyone has a fair chance to get back on their feet. That’s the kind of town I want to keep building.

What is the issue facing Brick that you believe is the most pressing and how would you approach solving it?

Nationwide, inflation is stressing every single household. Food, fuel, housing and everyday goods and services are all increasingly hard to afford, and Brick is no exception. We can’t stop inflation, but we can and have made sure that municipal property taxes have remained under control.

Unfortunately, the Brick School Board led by School Board President Madeline Iannarone has not done the same thing. While municipal tax increases are well under the rate of inflation, Madeline Iannorone and the school board increased school taxes over 12 percent in just two years, costing the average Brick homeowner $404, based on the average valuation of about $300,000. There is simply no excuse for that kind of tax increase when families and seniors are struggling to pay their bills.