Garwood Voters Encouraged To Submit Questions For Candidate Debates

GARWOOD, NJ — Garwood Borough residents are encouraged to submit questions that might be posed to the candidates for Garwood Council and mayor during upcoming forums.

The forums will take place at The Pointe, the condominium complex between Maple and Chestnut Streets. Questions may be sent to PointeForum22@gmail.com.

Voters have also been invited to attend the discussions for council candidates on Tuesday, Oct. 18, and for mayoral candidates on Tuesday, Oct. 25. Both sessions will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the clubhouse at The Pointe.

The council candidates are as follows: Brenda Caffrey and Stephen Napolitano, Republicans, and Marc Lazarow and Clarissa Nolde, Democrats.

Brenda Caffrey, a lifelong resident of Garwood, works in the accounting department at Levin Management Corp. She and her husband, John, have three children and two grandchildren. She holds an associate degree in secretarial science. She was a class mom at Lincoln School and, for 10 years, a member of the board of People for Animals. She devotes much of her time to helping local animal shelters and rescue groups.

Steve Napolitano, a fifth-generation Garwood resident, has been active in the community as a former councilman, treasurer of the Educational Foundation of Garwood, recreation committee treasurer and Planning Board member. He and his wife, Lori, have two children. Napolitano earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting at Rutgers University and is a partner at Hunrath, Napolitano, Quigley and Taylor CPA in Springfield.

Marc Lazarow and his husband have lived in Garwood for 13 years, and he has served two terms on the Borough Council. He has volunteered with the Garwood Green Team and the Education Foundation of Garwood. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of New Jersey and a master’s from Kean University. He has taught at the Edison Intermediate School in Westfield for 20 years.

Clarissa Nolde has lived in Garwood for 22 years with her husband, Gonzalo, and their three children. She has been an instrumental music teacher in the New Brunswick public schools for 13 years and has taught countless children through private lessons. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and a master’s from the Juilliard School. She is a volunteer at the Musical Club of Westfield, working to provide financial aid for college music majors.

The mayoral candidates are as follows: Jennifer Blumenstock, a Democrat, and Kimberly Salmon, a Republican.

Jen Blumenstock has been a councilwoman for six years. She spearheaded the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and founded Garwood’s Green Team. She is president of the Garwood Lions Club, volunteers with the PTA and is a member of the Education Foundation of Garwood and the Union County Commission on the Status of Women. Blumenstock holds degrees in political science and journalism from Rutgers and a teaching degree from William Paterson University. She and her husband, Andy, have two daughters.

Kim Salmon, a sitting councilwoman, is married to John Salmon, a lifelong Garwood resident, and is the mother of two girls. She leads two local Girl Scout troops, is a member of the Educational Foundation of Garwood and has regularly attended council and Board of Education meetings over the last five years. She is also a local real estate agent.

After the formal discussions at The Pointe, light refreshments will be served, and voters will be free to continue their conversations with the candidates, according to the announcement.

Parking will be available in the large lot behind the commercial buildings on North Avenue between Maple and Chestnut Streets. A stairway leads from the lot to the clubhouse.