Meet The Gloucester Township Council Candidate: Shaylynn Lattie

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Nine candidates will run for three open seats on Gloucester Township Council in this fall's general elections. Three Democrats, three Republicans and three candidates running under the Restore GT slogan have filed to run for the open seats.

Patch asked each candidate to complete a questionnaire outlining biographical information, their platform and their stands on a handful of issues. Patch will run profiles using these responses in the months leading up to Election Day.

Profiles are presented here in the same format as the questionnaires given to the candidates. There were no further instructions, and none of the responses has been edited (beyond basic proofreading and formatting). Readers can make their own judgments on how the candidates did or didn't answer the questions.

Here is the profile submitted by Shaylynn Lattie.

Age (as of Election Day)

33

Party Affiliation

Independent

Family

Shaquille Lattie Sr (Spouse) Shaquille Lattie Jr. (Son)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education

M.S. Administration of Human Services

Occupation

Residential Program Director in acute behavioral health 3 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

N/A

Campaign website

RestoreGT.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

Though I believe GT is a great place to live, I would like to see improvements in its current policies and practices. I believe that the township could be more fiscally responsible and operate more efficiently with proper guidance and support. If you haven’t had a chance to, please visit RestoreGT.com and check out the 2021 Citizens Budget.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing our township is a lack of transparency, and I intend to partner with Sam Sweet (Candidate for Mayor), Joe Allen (Candidate for City Council), Dawn Sabella (Candidate for City Council) and existing members of council to improve this by:

• Ensuring that all council meetings are telecasted live so that all members of our community can participate;
• Forming a financial analysis committee to seek more efficient ways to govern;
• Allowing residents to voice their opinions during meetings without interruption (time permitting);
• Providing answers to the questions being asked, with information that is readily available. If the information is not available at the time of the meeting, I would table the question until fact finding is completed and report out on the findings.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The critical difference between me and the other candidates seeking this post is that I am not a politician; I am a concerned resident who would like to raise their family in a sustainable environment for years to come.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The current administration has failed the community by over borrowing funds and not stabilizing taxes for its residents.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Our campaign is defined by transparency, we will not hide from you. We will be present, and we will examine all available information to make informed decisions. We will not vote in private because your opinions matter to us. It’s going to take teamwork to Restore GT!

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

My current position requires me to make hard decisions every day to ensure the health, safety and well-being of the individuals in my care. I am responsible for the fiscal management of my program and ensuring that all controllable expenses are managed while actively ensuring a strong stream of revenue. I know how to ask the right questions, to get the right answers, and I do not rest until I see improvements. I believe in teamwork and in uniting groups of people around a shared mission. The mission here is clear, we must Restore GT, but not at an additional cost to the tax payers!

The best advice ever shared with me was:

If you do right by people, then you have done enough.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Your opinions about the current state of GT matter to me. I am open to hearing from you, and I cannot wait to see you all at our parks and local eateries soon. To learn more about our campaign, please visit us at RestoreGT.com