Chatham Township Committee Election 2022: Stacey Ewald

CHATHAM, NJ — Four candidates are running for two open seats on the Chatham Township Committee this November.

Democratic incumbent Stacey Ewald is running alongside Michael Choi and will face Republican challengers Ron Rubino and Dawn Flynn for their seats on the governing body in November.

Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the office of the clerk. (All of the candidates were given the same questions).

The responses received will get published between now and Election Day.

Are you running for office in Chatham? Contact Vianella Burns at vianella.burns@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Chatham Patch.

Here are candidate Stacey Ewald's answers below:

• Name: Stacey Ewald
• Age: 57
• Town of residence: Chatham Township
• Position sought: Chatham Township Committee
• Party affiliation: Democrat
• Family: My husband, Bob, and I moved to the Township 25 years ago. We raised our children, Jane and Will, in Chatham Township. They both attended the Chatham public schools.
• Education: Master's Degree in Finance from NYU; BS in Actuarial Science from NYU
• Occupation: Chatham Township Committeewoman; Professional background - Internal Audit Management at a fortune 100 financial services firm
• Previous or current elected appointed office: Chatham Township Committee since 2020; appointed as Mayor in 2021.

Why are you seeking elective office?

I'm seeking re-election to the Township Committee because I want to continue to build on the successful measures put in place the last couple of years to stabilize our budget, rebuild our surplus and open space trust fund, and reaffirm our AAA bond rating.

My running mate, Michael Choi, and I also provide the checks and balances necessary to ensure transparency in local government and to prioritize community centered decision-making over party politics.

I have lived in the Township for 25 years and have volunteered for the betterment of the community, through the PTO, the Chatham Education Foundation and other not-for-profit organizations.

During my time on the Committee, I was able to effectively leverage my community network and my finance background to renegotiate the affordable housing agreement, to keep the Noe Pond Club from overdevelopment and to stabilize the budget so that we could enjoy a flat tax rate this year while being able to invest in our community. I'd like an opportunity to continue to build on these successes for the benefit of Chatham Township residents.

I love Chatham Township and want to make sure it's a "best place to live" for future residents.

If elected, what do you hope to accomplish while serving on the council?

To build on the strong financial foundation I worked toward these last couple of years by continuing to pursue grant funding and shared services, by maintaining the developer fee and Open Space tax, by effectively managing the use of surplus and reserve accounts and by planning ahead for infrastructure and capital improvements.

Continue to provide the resources our police force needs to address the recent increase in car thefts and to ensure the safety of our children, both in school and in our community.

It is my goal to have a community centered master plan update so that we can plan proactively for our future and address ageing infrastructure and underutilized facilities, zoning and land use updates, our 4th round affordable housing obligation, walkability, climate concerns and more.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing residents right now and what do you intend to do about it?

The three most pressing issues are: the increase in car thefts, the remediation of the Rolling Knolls superfund site, and the upcoming 4th round of affordable housing which is due in 2025.

The Township Committee has provided resources to our police force to help them deal with the car thefts. I will continue to support the police in their efforts. I will also continue to leverage State and Federal resources so that we are attacking this problem from all angles. Finally, the most effective approach so far has been to educate our residents. Although car theft attempts are the same this year as last, fewer cars were stolen this year because residents are locking their cars and taking their key fobs.

As a sitting Committee member, I cannot comment on what I would do about the Rolling Knolls Superfund site, however, I will state that I fully supported the Memorandum of Understanding the Township signed last year, along with the property owners and the Great Swamp Watershed Association, saying that all parties were committed to working toward a solution that allows for passive public access.

Last year, I served with a group of community volunteers on an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee so that the Township could take control of our affordable housing planning rather than being at the mercy of developers. I'd like to continue to build on those efforts so that the Township is able to meet our affordable housing constitutional obligation in a way that makes sense for our current and future residents.

Chatham has seen an increase in car thefts over the past year or so. Do you think the town is doing enough to combat this issue? If not, what needs to be done to better prevent these crimes?

I think the town is doing everything possible to combat the car thefts from funding additional cameras, license plate readers and patrol cars to coordinating with our counterparts in neighboring towns, at the County and State level and even with our Congresswoman and federal officials. The Township Committee has supported our Police Dept and will continue to do so to keep our residents safe.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence that you can handle this job?

On the Township Committee, my accomplishments include:

• Facilitating a renegotiation of the Affordable Housing agreement to reduce the 74-unit apartment complex to 62 units, to include veteran priority for 25% of the units and, to move the location from the environmentally sensitive, wildlife corridor of River Road to the Charlie Brown site;
• Secured a Final Judgement of Compliance in our affordable housing litigation, protecting Noe Pond from overdevelopment;
• Ensured collection of developer fees to shift the burden of fulfilling the town's affordable housing obligation from residents to developers who profit from knock downs and rebuilds;
• Stabilized the operating budget despite budget pressures from diminished surplus, implementation of the affordable housing agreement, principal balloon payments on debt, and revenue loss from COVID. Implemented the developer fee, set the Open Space tax at 2 cents and restructured debt. As a result, in 2022 there was NO municipal tax increase from the prior year, we were able to rebuild surplus and reaffirm our AAA rating, and we were able to begin investing in our parks, playgrounds and facilities.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am a 25-year Chatham Township resident. I have an undergraduate degree in Actuarial Science and a Master's Degree in Finance, both from New York University's Stern School of Business. My professional background is in Audit Management at a Fortune 100 financial institution.

I have a deep history of volunteering for the betterment of our Township and I find that the best outcomes happen when we engage our talented and expert residents in our local government.

Chatham Township has dealt with overdevelopment, increased traffic and deteriorating facilities for years. It is my goal to implement a Master Plan process so that residents are a part of deciding what our town will look like 10/15/20 years from now and how we'll get there.

I hope you will support my re-election campaign so we can continue to build on our strong financials, implement proactive planning for the future, and work together to shape both the present and the future of Chatham Township.