Election Profile: Carrie Virgilio For Hazlet Township Committee

HAZLET, NJ — Two seats are open on the Hazlet township committee and four candidates are running in the upcoming Nov. 2 election.

Incumbent Republicans Tara Corcoran-Clark and James "Skip" McKayare being challenged by Democrats David Personette and Carrie Virgilio.

Virgilio, 38, touts over ten years of experience in operations/project management roles and holds a dual Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and History at Rutgers University.

She lives in Hazlet with her husband Francesco and two sons that attend Hazlet Middle School and Cove Road.

READ MORE: Hazlet 2021 Election: Who's Running, All The Ways To Vote

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Why are you seeking elective office?

I believe that we all have a duty to use the skills we have to make our community and our world a better place. I have experience in planning, managing, organizing, and finding creative solutions to difficult challenges. As a homeowner and a parent, I believe that our community deserves a competent local government that serves as a good steward of taxpayer dollars.

The single most pressing issue facing our community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it:

I believe the most immediate issue to be resolved is the recent changes to our recreation department and summer camp. Many families in our town relied on this camp as an affordable option for their children to learn, grow, and socialize with their peers each summer. The camp also provided our youth counselors with opportunities for professional development. Staff that have faithfully served our community for over 20 years were removed and one of the most important programs for our children was privatized. When elected, I intend to work with the other members of the Township Committee to roll back these changes, reestablish the independent, all volunteer Recreation Commission, and ensure that the summer camp is accessible and affordable to every family.

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

While in some cases I do see merits in outsourcing township projects I am more inclined to keep programs running through the township instead of private companies.

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

Although I may have different ideas than Ms. Clark and Mr. McKay, I believe that they have worked hard for our town. I honor that.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

Together with David Personette, we are running for two seats on the Township Committee. In addition to recreation programs, we want to focus on ensuring that our roads are not just repaired around election time but all year. And that they are maintained. Homeowners like David and me pay a lot in property taxes. We are blessed to have excellent police, fire, and although not taxpayer-funded, first aid. That said, I do believe we can be better stewards of taxpayer dollars when it comes to spending. The answer is not always a tax increase.

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

As a lay leader in my church, I have a great deal of experience running successful projects and programs that solely rely on the support of volunteers.

I am gifted at seeing what is needed and filling that need. When COVID hit and we were forced to shut down our worship services I organized a virtual parent support group and a "neighborhood" ministry. The neighborhood ministry connected small groups of people within the church based on location so that everyone would have a network to rely on.

Members of my church have suggested for several years that we would benefit from a year-long Stewardship campaign instead of one that only lasted a few weeks so I went ahead and established one. I worked with a committee to brainstorm monthly themes, determine which actions would be most beneficial to our goals, create a workable plan to meet those goals, and followed up with other team members to ensure timely completion of tasks.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

I come from a long line of strong female role models and every woman in my family has always said, "If you see something that needs to be done then get up and do it."

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

I whole-heartedly subscribe to the idea of servant leadership. As a member of the Hazlet Township Committee, I will do my best to serve our community and our people.

Additional reporting by Nicole Rosenthal