Election Profile: James 'Skip' McKay For Hazlet Twp 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" McKay are being challenged by Democrats David Personette and Carrie Virgilio.

Skip McKay is the CEO of a financial firm Cumberland River Financial Group and holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from Rutgers College and an MBA from Rutgers Graduate School of Business. He previously served on the Land Use Board for two years and was also a volunteer Chairman of the Work First Foundation in New York , which placed

He became a Navy SEAL after graduating from Raritan High School. He continues to mentor young men into the SEAL community, including one mentee in SEAL training currently and another awaiting enlistment who hopes to be Hazlet's third Navy SEAL.

McKay is a widower and the proud father of three children. His youngest daughter Jennifer is the captain of the Hazlet First Aid Squad.

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

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Why are you seeking elective office?

I ran for office to serve my hometown. One of my passionate accomplishments was to put CPR pumps in our police cars. Having seen the numbers of CPR events we had in town; I knew this technology would save lives. Since 2019, those CPR pumps have saved over 50 Hazlet citizens; mostly seniors, who have gotten to the hospital alive to be treated by doctors. The work to
improve the town is not done. Most recently and beyond repairing 24 percent of our town roads and keeping a tight lid on the budget, we have begun the process to open Town Hall five days a
week to improve services to our citizens. For too many years, the Town Hall was restricted to four days a week thwarting residents from obtaining permits and/or services directly. The new labor contract will reflect a five day opening.

What is your vision for Hazlet in 2022 and beyond?

The pandemic challenged town leadership in a manner never seen before. Revenues were down, costs were escalating and lives of our citizens at risk. We used our new CPR Pumps extensively and added two more units to decrease time to get them in service when a CPR event occurs. We have added a medical oxygen generating system so our seniors would not have to fear should we have a power outage and their oxygen concentrators failed. All these efforts while never slowing our road improvement program and keep the budget stable. Hard decisions had to be made to accomplish these objectives and we made those decisions. In 2022, we face more budget challenges and the need to find more cost sharing arrangements such as using the County’s road salt facility in town as we do the fuel depot. Recreation has come back with a roar and the Hazlet Pops is leading the way! We are bringing back a town bonfire in two weeks so get your Halloween costumes ready for a special Trunk or treat event.

Why should you be elected over other candidates?

I have been connected to Hazlet since moving here in 1959. I attended Hazlet schools and graduated from RHS to become Hazlet’s first Navy SEAL. After the Navy, I earned an MBA from Rutgers and have had a wonderful career in Financial Services. I have been a volunteer on the First Aid Squad and served on the Land Use Board. Hazlet is and will always be my hometown. The opportunity to serve our citizens during this pandemic has been challenging but this committee has never stopped pressing for positive changes.

What is the most important issue facing the Hazlet community and what are you planning to do about it?

Taxes and the budget decisions are always the hardest items facing the town. We have seen the onset of inflation from the minimum wage increases, a challenged supply chain and resultantly material cost increases. We want the quality of life to continue to improve in town while keeping taxes stable. We are employing new technology to gain productivity, join shared service opportunities wherever possible and outsource services when it provides a cost reduction. My experience running financial enterprises is an asset as we face these economic challenges, not of our making but from the state and federal levels. Hazlet must remain affordable!

What are other important issues you are running on?

Our platform is simple. Keep Hazlet affordable while facing all the oncoming mandates and inflationary pressures from the state and federal levels. Sustain our strong road improvement program, we have many roads still in deplorable condition from years of the town having no road program. Support our wonderful Volunteer First Responders and Community groups as they make our community stronger. Continuous improvement in the quality of life in our hometown.

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

As I cited before, the CPR Pumps placed in our police cars have saved many lives in my first term. Nothing more important than saving our citizens lives! Mayor Clark and I have done that. I
am unaware of any other elected officials that have achieved anything more important. We have made further improvements including the oxygen system, added cleansing systems to ensure
our ambulances are always disinfected between transports of COVID patients. At the height of the pandemic, we have focused upon all the right tasks in the last year. This year I partnered with RHS’ outstanding Band Director Ray LaHaye to create the Hazlet Pops Band which has been amazing due to our wonderful volunteers and the over 40 people who played in our Parks this summer. I championed the new Hazlet Hsometown Heroes Banner program which has received rave reviews and was featured on Channel 12 News among other places. Our 911 ceremony also has received excellent reviews and now our Town has recently been told we will be awarded the Governor’s “We Value our Veterans” award on Veterans Day.

Is there anything else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am “all in” for Hazlet. Always have been. My father was elected to town committee in 1965 and passed away in 1966, at a charity ball game playing for the North Centerville Fire company team. He was prouder to be a volunteer fireman than a town committeeman. My daughter is the Captain of the Hazlet First Aid Squad and I used to ride four times a month before being elected to town committee. My family has been “all in” for Hazlet for decades and proud of it.

Additional reporting by Nicole Rosenthal