Get To Know Sparta Township Council Candidate Christine Quinn

Editor's Note: Patch sent out questionnaires to every candidate who filed a petition of candidacy by the deadline. We sent them to the email addresses registered as the official campaign emails at the County Clerk's Office. We will run the responses in the order they were received with no edits. Those candidates who did not receive a questionnaire should double check their spam folders, or contact russ.crespolini@patch.com for a form.

Name: Christine Quinn

Age (as of Election Day)

54

Position Sought

Sparta Township Council

Party Affiliation

Bi Partisan

Family

Husband: (Ron - 5o+ year resident of Sparta, Lake Mohawk) - Children: Breianne, Ryan, Aimee, Amanda (Boo) and Billy - Grandchildren: Victoria, Kamryn, Sophia, CJ and Logan

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

The Berkeley School / ATD Master Trainer / Seton Hall / William and Mary

Occupation

33+ Years @ BASF – ATD Master Trainer, Collaboration Tech. Coach
Workforce Enablement: Change & Learning / Digital Solutions

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Proudly Serving on Sparta Town Council since 2013; Sparta Mayor 2016; Sparta Deputy Mayor 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020

Campaign website

https://www.facebook.com/Hertz...

Why are you seeking elective office?

Josh and I (Hertzberg and Quinn) are seeking the support of our fellow Spartans in seeking re-election to the Sparta Town Council in November. We remain committed to the principles and values that brought us to seek office originally – each centering around a core of serving, preserving and securing the place we collectively call home. #spartafirst
The single most pressing issue facing our community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Strategic planning, balance and sustainability. Thgroughout my tenure on the council, we have worked very hard to build a fiscally sound, secure, strategic today and tomorrow (future) for our township and it's residents. We have increased infrastructure as well as services and, in 2020, were able to implement over $2m in improvements across the township - at a ZERO % tax increase (the first time in decades this has been done). If elected, I plan to stay the course and continue to build on this foundation.

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

It's critical during challenging times to have consistency. Since serving as a volunteer within this community (1993) I have had the privilege of building an amazing network, establishing strong relationships with residents, businesses and organizations across all demographics within our township. Through these connections, strong relationships have been forged - and through these, trust has been earned on all sides. This is one of the critical differences that Josh and I (Hertzberg and Quinn) bring to the table. We are both committed, active volunteer-residents within Sparta Township for decades. We know, understand and are connected to our community. #spartafirst

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

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

I / We (Hertzberg and Quinn) remain committed to standing behind these core principles and values: 1. Safety and Security: Police and emergency responders fully supported 2. Proven Fiscal Responsibility: We will continue to provide fiscally sound strategic solutions for Sparta 3. Quality and Integrity of Education For Our Children 4. Critical Infrastructure: Continue upgrades to roads, buildings, systems and facilities 5. Proven Leadership: Continuity in critical times - The RIGHT team at the RIGHT time 6. Preservation and Planning: We remain committed to our history while building our future. #spartafirst

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

Tangible Results Include: Delivering a municipal budget with ZERO increase - Upgrades to key infrastructure (including roads, fields and facilities) performed on-time and on-budget - Building a fiscally sound, stable Sparta (with a AA+ bond rating and fortified reserve) - Introduction and implementation of Sparta Township Emergency Preparedness (CERT and Public Safety) - Introduction and adoption of Stigma Free program in Sparta Township (first township in sussex to do this) - Planning Board initiatives including "Quality of Life", strategic ordinance review and updates and Master Plan review and considerations.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My grandmother (a life-long volunteer) told me to always "leave things better than they were when you got there". Simple and straight forward - (just like my grandmother)

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

Our platform, simply put: "Continued Commitment to Community" #spartafirst