Watch Chatham Borough Council Candidates Virtually Debate On Submitted Questions

CHATHAM, NJ — Democratic incumbents and Chatham Borough’s Republican candidate debated on Wednesday night in a virtual forum hosted by the Morristown Area League of Women Voters and the Morris County NAACP Branch.

Chatham Borough Council President Carolyn Dempsey and her running mate Councilwoman Jocelyn Mathiasen are up for re-election in November, with Republican candidate Freddie Bicknese challenging them for one of two, three-year council seats.

The debate was introduced by the Morristown Area League’s President, Donna Guariglia; and Vanessa Brown, President of the Morris County NAACP Branch, the two groups co-hosting. Michelle Bobrow, a member of another League chapter, moderated the debate.

The candidates agreed in advance to time limits for each question answered, as well as any rebuttals.

Each candidate was asked about their backgrounds, here is what each had to say:

Bicknese: He has been a borough resident for the past 11 years, married to a Korean immigrant and the couple has two children, who attend school within the School District of the Chathams. He has been an attorney since graduating law school in 2001 and has a business degree from Rutgers. His law practice focused on finance and business litigation, however, he’s taking a break from his career for his wife to focus on her’s, as he devotes more time to helping their family and supporting his wife in her career. Bicknese said this could permit him more time for public service. He describes himself as a “moderate Republican,” who believes in fiscal responsibility, lower taxes and trying to stabilize taxes. On national issues, he tends to be moderate and has been referred to as “liberal” by more conservative Republicans, believing in climate change and other issues. He believes balance needs to be achieved on the council with it currently 7-0 with Democratic leadership. “I don’t think it would hurt to have one to two Republicans on the council,” he said.

Dempsey: Her family found the borough about two decades ago after attending the July 4th parade. She described herself as active in the community from the start, whether through church, her children’s schools and “lots of volunteer work in Chatham.” She ran for council three years ago, she said to “bring more empathetic leadership and broader representation” to the council. Her leadership has brought new ideas to the table, she said, which have come from the community. She called her running mate Mathiasen’s leadership and perspective “invaluable,” with her background in local government. Dempsey has served on the Historic Preservation Committee even before she was on the council, has been chair of the Community Services Committee, the liaison for the Board of Education, involved with the Recreation Committee and Public Arts Council. She loves helping people, she said, whether it’s issues like speed limits, bringing vitality to the downtown, refurbishing parks and other borough needs.

Mathiasen: She has worked as an assistant to a city manager and as a department director in city governments in New Jersey and across the country. “I can look back and find ways where I made a real difference,” she said. “I believe I’ve made a difference in Chatham as well.” She’s chaired the Budget and Finance Committee for the last two years, helping to troubleshoot parking issues related to the COVID crisis, without jeopardizing the borough’s AAA bond rating, she said. She’s also chaired the Communications and Technology Advisory Committee, she said expanding ways to communicate with residents, during the pandemic and two natural disasters. She said residents can now apply for pet licenses and alarm permits online, with plans to expand more permit applications online. The borough, she said, has grappled with issues that are on the national stage including within the schools, marijuana legislation and “increasing intolerance” toward certain ethnic groups, naming “Black, Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islanders” among them. However, she believes the council has set a welcoming tone in Chatham Borough, in spite of fractures across the country.

Among some of the questions asked of the candidates:

What would they suggest to revitalize downtown Chatham, attracting new businesses, improving its overall appearance and density:

Dempsey: She has been proud of helping to spearhead the summer concert series, which she said has helped to draw people to the downtown. She calls for smart redevelopment in the downtown area.

Mathiasen: She commented that the downtown is thriving more than it had three years before, with more outside seating and restaurants. More can be done with focusing on revitalizing crumbling buildings downtown, naming the paint store among them. The Economic Development Advisory Committee has helped downtown merchants and the downtown overall, including more seating there and encouraging takeout from local eateries.

Bicknese: He said there are many empty shops downtown, which could be attributed to the pandemic or economic cycles, but the council should do whatever it can to help improve the overall economic condition of the downtown. He sees development of Post Office Plaza on a small-scale only, as part of that, with nothing considered that could “harm Chatham’s overall charm” or increase traffic. He said more events that could encourage people to dine and shop local, as well as tax incentives for business owners and residents could help.

What were the candidates opinions of Post Office Plaza’s proposed redevelopment?

Mathiasen: She said that it’s been an ongoing project for years started with past councils, with one of the concerns that one council member was involved with a sale of the deli building. She said that the council is not responsible for investments and profits investors make into that development, something investors suggested at one point. She said Post Office Plaza should be something on a smaller scale to enhance the downtown.

Bicknese: During his campaigning, he said about 50 percent of people have disliked what has been proposed already for the redevelopment area; and others would like it to remain a parking lot. The other half, he said, would like a small development of nothing larger than 200 units; and no greater than three stories. He is in favor of the borough’s affordable housing settlement, but said the project should be balanced with economic incentives while managing density, overpopulation and traffic.

Dempsey: She also advocated for a development of manageable scale that would benefit the downtown and keep the “village-like” feel of the downtown, especially important to her with involvement in the borough’s Historic Preservation. She suggests striking “the right balance,” opposing something that would alter Chatham’s charm, while boosting foot traffic in the downtown. She is in support of the amendment to the fair share housing agreement, with the plan reducing the density by 58 percent.

What are the candidates recommendations for downtown parking?

Bicknese: He was against the idea of a parking garage, which he called an “eyesore,” with female residents telling him of their safety concerns with a garage. He suggested a reassessment of fees, which he said the borough could be undercharging. He said that parking could be opened up perhaps to people from other towns, who would need to pay 50 percent more than borough residents, to make up for lost revenue. He advocated for a balanced approach for parking and traffic.

Dempsey: Parking awareness is the issue rather than the space, she said she has found, with “a lot already behind Main Street.” Dempsey suggested more signage to alert drivers of parking behind the stores. The train station parking is returning, with a lesser revenue loss than during the 2020 portion of the pandemic, which was approximately $300,000, versus a $100,000 loss in 2021.

Mathiasen: She said there are two separate issues with the downtown and train station, which is complex. A parking study already performed found there wasn’t a significant parking deficit, Mathiasen said, but signage could be improved. She suggested signage as well to let people know they can park for free at the train station, if they are heading to the restaurants; and can walk from there. For those who have disabilities, she suggested more handicap parking provisions in the downtown.

What steps have the Mayor and Council taken to maintain the AAA bond rating?

Dempsey: She said the borough’s CFO, Administrator and the Budget and Finance Committee, with Mathiasen as chair, have done an “incredible job” in maintaining the rating. With COVID issues such as the hit on parking and the joint court, they “did an amazing job keeping us afloat.” She called the River Road development a potential to increase revenue over the next three decades. She said the borough is aiming to be debt free in the next 20 years.

Mathiasen: She said that municipalities in New Jersey are challenged by the 2 percent tax increase and property tax burden, with costs beyond their control increasing more than that percentage each year, including pensions, insurance and healthcare. She said past councils worked on tightening their belts and taking advantage of shared services. User fees have additionally helped, including for zoning and water and sewer connection fees. She said the tax burden should be shifted away from residents and more on businesses.

Bicknese: He said that there should be a re-examination of the 10-year financial management plan, which he believes hasn’t been reviewed or changed since 2017. He suggests looking at the budget line-by-line and seeing where shared services could be implemented. He said the contract on the borough’s “Green Bags,” should potentially be re-examined.

The candidates were asked more about Chatham’s official “Green Bags” and the “Pay As You Throw” system, whether each believed if they should be kept, discarded or if an alternative should be implemented.

Mathiasen: She said residents were surveyed on the pay as you throw system and people have been recycling and reducing more, however the program administration has been complex and frustrating for residents, she said. She suggested other ways, such as standard cans like Morris Township has and a “one-armed bandit” garbage pickup and cans, as trash pickup options the borough should explore.

Bicknese: He suggested either finding a different bag vendor or pressuring the bag vendor on the current contract, with many not happy to have to purchase these bags regularly at the supermarkets. He suggested encouraging residents to compost more; and looking at the budget line-by-line, as well as shared services.

Dempsey: She said some residents surveyed liked the pay as you throw plan, not paying for what everyone throws. For bulk trash everyone pays the same. She would like to see a move to the one-armed bandit, with the environmental commission, she said, encouraging composting.

To listen to all of the questions asked and to watch the full live-streamed debate, click on the video below:

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.