Re-elect Mike Choi and Stacey Ewald

Please join me with numerous neighbors in support to re-elect Mike Choi and Stacey Ewald to the Chatham Township Committee. I have noticed throughout the past weeks that numerous letters have been written supporting them. And rightfully so. In this day and age, it is so hard to find such honest, capable, dedicated, hardworking people willing to spend their time governing our community. At the committee meetings, they are professional, polite, and willing to listen to all opinions, including ones they don’t agree with. They are not unnecessarily confrontational, but will voice strongly when they need to on what they believe.

The first time I met Mike was during a hearing when he was on the planning board. Unlike others, after listening to all opinions from the public he carefully explained the pros and cons of the application before voting. Mike was later elected to the Township Committee and is now mayor. Mike has 25 years of experience in real estate and private equity.

Stacey has been on the Committee for many years and served twice as mayor. You can’t find a nicer lady but don’t kid yourself she is very capable. In the past she’s served on just about every board you can think of—from Finance and Public Safety to Recreation and Environmental. She brings 16 years of financial leadership to the table.

They have handled tough issues during their committee service. State mandated affordable housing is a particularly difficult issue to solve in our town due to the lack of developable land. They have handled it as good or better than anyone could. They have protected the town from builders’ remedy lawsuits which would have allowed builders to develop extensively with only a portion reserved for affordable housing. They have negotiated the number of units required, developed affordable housing in a local area close to stores including shuttle transportation to the Madison railroad station.

They’ve brought in millions in grant funding and made sure developers pay their fair share. Together, they’ve helped get Chatham’s finances back on solid ground—with a healthy surplus and smart debt restructuring. Thanks to their careful budgeting, Chatham kept its AAA bond rating while still delivering the services we count on.

So please get to the polls this November 4th and join me in voting for Mike Choi and Stacey Ewald for Chatham Township Committee.