Election 2021: Chatham Borough Council Candidate Jocelyn Mathiasen

CHATHAM, NJ — The Nov. 2 General Election is getting closer and Patch has asked local candidates to share their thoughts before the election.

Editor's Note: Are you a candidate on the ballot? Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the office of the clerk. The responses received will be published between now and the General Election. Candidates who would like to participate but did not receive one (for whatever reason) may contact jennifer.miller@patch.com.

One of these candidates is Jocelyn Mathiasen, who is currently serving on Chatham Borough’s Council. Freddie Bicknese, a Republican Chatham Borough Council candidate, is challenging Mathiasen and fellow Democratic incumbent Carolyn Dempsey, for one of their two seats, which are up for grabs on Chatham Borough’s Council.

Mathiasen's responses are below:

Name: Jocelyn Mathiasen

Age: 54

Town of residence: Chatham Borough

Position sought: Chatham Borough Council

Party affiliation: Democratic

Family: Husband, two sons, 22 (just graduated from Boston College); 20, Sophomore at Champlain College

Education: Master of Public Policy, Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government; Bachelor of Arts, Oberlin College, Government

Occupation: Consultant

Previous or current elected appointed office: Currently a Borough Council member

Why are you seeking elective office? I believe I've done a lot to improve Borough operations and our community as a whole, but there is more to do. The work is hard but gratifying and I enjoy having a positive impact on the town where I live. I believe the current council works extremely well as a cohesive but diverse group, and that my expertise in public policy, public management, and communications is key to that success.

The single most pressing issue facing us is recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. What do you intend to do about it? We formed an Economic Development Advisory Committee right before COVID hit, and the group nimbly focused on ways to help our downtown businesses through the COVID crisis. I believe there are more ways for us to make the Borough friendly to business, including streamlining permitting operations and improving Borough-business communications. I hope to champion both of these efforts. One of the other terrible fallouts from COVID is an expanding mental health crisis. There are a number of mental health resources that we need to promote and fund more fully. De-stigmatizing mental health struggles is important to me, and one way that I believe we can help set the tone in our community.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? I have significant knowledge of municipal government and the ins and outs of government financial management. I do an extensive amount of research before I come up with a position on an issue. I am a bridge-builder who works with people from different groups to find a way to move forward. I believe local government has an important role to play in environmental protection, in creating a sense of community, and in setting the tone for the the community.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? I have worked in local government for 20 years, helping streamline operations and making them more efficient. My intimate knowledge of how governments deliver services has been extremely beneficial as we reorganized the Borough after some key staff changes this year. When I ran for office, I promised to improve communications, transparency, and accessibility of the local government and I have accomplished all of these, although there is more to do. Under my leadership on the communications and technology advisory committee, we have implemented a fantastic communications plan, which allows us to get information out to residents on everything from COVID policies to special events to public safety alerts quickly and using multiple platforms. We also collect information from residents.

The best advice ever shared with me was: Everyone staffs somebody sometimes, even the President of the United States. Figure out who you should be staffing, and support them in every way possible.

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