Election Profile: Mark Dykoff For Lacey Township Committee

LACEY, NJ — In less than two weeks, Lacey Township will head to the polls and cast their votes for two committee members. Patch has asked local candidates to share their thoughts before the Nov. 2 General Election.

Patch sent out emails to all candidates to the email addresses listed for their campaign provided to the office of the clerk. The responses received will get published between now and Election Day.

Here is the response from Committeeman Mark Dykoff, who is running for reelection.

Name: Mark Dykoff

Age (as of Election Day): 61

Party Affiliation: Republican

Family: Wife Tammy, married 38 years; daughters Melissa, 32, Lindsey, 24, both graduates of Lacey school system; granddaughter Sophie Belle, 3.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Education: HS Graduate

Occupation: Recreation Director Berkeley Township, 2 years; Manager NJMVC, 7 years; Administrator NJDOL, 2 years; Operations Manager Liberty Overhead Door Co., 25 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Former Lacey Township Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Current Committeeman, 17 years.

Campaign website: https://m.facebook.com/LaceyGO...

Why are you seeking elective office?

I believe the experience and knowledge I bring the the township committee is very valuable. Also, I love Lacey township and the people who have chosen to make it their home. I am confident that I can continue to help make Lacey the great place to live that it is.

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

I see overdevelopment to be the most pressing issue facing Lacey township. It is for this reason that I have focused my efforts of late on Land Use. We as a township must work within the confines of the law on this issue. By gaining knowledge of these laws we will be able to help guide future development in the township.

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

Unfortunately I know very little about the other candidates as it relates to their knowledge, experience and ability to govern in the public sector. I know that there is a difficult learning curve transitioning from the private to public sector. I worked in the private sector for 25 years and now I bring extensive knowledge and experience in the public sector gained not only in my 17 years on the township committee but also in my 10 plus years as a public employee specifically in Management and Customer Service This has afforded me a working knowledge of municipal and state operations specifically as it relates to Labor, Finance and Land use.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

As an experienced Township official I am greatly involved in all aspects of the day to day operations of the township. Having said that, this will continue but as of late my main focus has been on overdevelopment and the decommissioning of the Oyster Creek Generation site. To that end, let me say that, for the first 15 years which I served on the Township Committee, I was the Liaison to the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. One of the reasons I sought re-election three years ago was that I felt my experience would be of great benefit in the transition to Holtec. With that being said, Committeeman McDonald and I have taken the lead on communications during the decommissioning process and have been able to have successful negotiations with the management at Holtec. We have been in constant contact with them throughout every faze especially as it relates to safety. Our latest efforts along with Township employees and professionals have been focused on the financial end as it relates to property tax assessment, Energy Receipt tax as well as exploring host community funds as it relates to the spent fuel casks that remain on site. All these will help to to ensure the revenue stream from the site remains uninterrupted.

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

I believe my accomplishment's are evidenced by the great place that Lacey Township is. For over 17 years, I along with my fellow elected officials have worked extremely hard being fiscally responsible and listening to the residents concerns. I have always sought increased knowledge that helped me better understand how government works and do the best job for the residents of Lacey I possibly could.

The best advice ever shared with me was: Actually the best was, before I make an important decision, think about what my most trusted person would think which is my wife Tammy

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

My positions have been and will continue to be, making Lacey Township a great place to live. I believe I have a handle on the major issues facing the Township and pledge to continue to work tirelessly for the residents.