Election 2021: Chester Township Council Candidate Brian Curley

CHESTER, NJ — The Nov. 2 General Election is getting closer and Patch has asked local candidates to share their thoughts before the election.

Editor's Note: Are you a candidate on the ballot? 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 be published between now and the General Election. Candidates who would like to participate but did not receive one (for whatever reason) may contact jennifer.miller@patch.com.

One of these candidates is Brian Curley, an incumbent councilman who is running as an Independent in the election for one of two, three-year seats. He is running against another incumbent, Republican Councilman Tim Drag, as well as Republican candidate John Butkus. Curley’s responses to the questions are below:

Name: Brian F. Curley

Age: 60

Town of residence: Chester Township

Position sought: Re-election to Chester Township Council

Party affiliation: Independent

Family: Wife Karen and Daughter Maura

Education: Bachelor of Arts (Johns Hopkins Univ.); Juris Doctor (Widener University Commonwealth Law Sch00l); Master of Laws/LL.M. (Temple University Beasley School of Law)

Occupation: Certified Civil Trial Attorney – Business/Employment/Civil Rights

Previous or current elected appointed office: Incumbent Chester Township Council – Current Term Jan 2019 to Dec 2021

Why are you seeking elective office? I am running for re-election for the following reasons:

• As an Independent candidate because I believe in putting community before party.
• For transparency and full disclosure of the Township Council.
• To seek input from residents to best serve their needs individually and collectively.
• To bring independent thinking and proven experience to the Township Council.
• To do what is right for the community, not special interest groups.
• To get the job done without grandstanding and concentrate on the final result.
• To help the little guy – the individual residents who would otherwise be ignored by Town Hall.
• To protect Chester’s critical natural resources and the character of Chester.
• To bring real fiscal conservativism and keep spending to what is most effective.
• To do what is right even when not politic, popular or safe – but because my conscience requires me to act.
• To hold local government accountable, to take care of all residents’ needs -- to work for the good of all.

The single most pressing issue facing us is recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. What do you intend to do about it? As the Township Council liaison to the Township Board of Health, Fire, First Aid, and Police, I played a small role in making sure that Chester Township navigated the COVID pandemic in the best route possible. Throughout the COVID 19 pandemic, Chester Township maintained among the lowest rates of infection and mortality in Morris County and the State of New Jersey. The performance of our First Responders – EMS, Fire, Police, as well as the Township Health Department managed by the Washington Township Health Department, ensured that Township Residents were protected to the maximum extent. I would continue through my liaison positions to support those individuals to make sure they get what they need to continue to protect the health of Chester Township residents to the maximum extent possible.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? Experience, education, training, and the ability to think and act independently. Through my legal training and years of trial practice, I know when to ask the right questions to get the critical answers needed to make the best decisions for Chester Township and its residents. I will not take a position that is not first thoroughly explored and questioned. I will not follow along to get along, nor will I hide from taking a tough or controversial position if I believe that position is what is best for Chester Township and its residents. I will make sure that every resident of Chester Township knows that they have a voice.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? I have a proven track record of taking on difficult Township issues and making sure that all angles are explored in the process. For example, I successfully negotiated a difficult contract renewal with the Chester Police Union which blended what was best for the Police and the Township, and which served as the basis for the Union contract with the Chester Township DPW. As another example, when I came aboard the Township Council in 2019, the Township was on the verge of completely mismanaging the replacement of the windows at the old Telecordia Building which the Township leases to the New Jersey Highlands Council. By way of bringing in an eminently experienced architect and connecting the Township to a window replacement company, the project was competitively bid for the lowest cost and most effective result. In another example I stood up for elderly Township residents who could not get the Township Council to approve their connection to natural gas to save thousands of dollars in heating costs. By bringing together the gas company, the Township engineer, I was able to navigate approvals to allow the natural gas connection. There have been numerous other instances where I believe my independent voice on the Council brought about the best results for Township residents.

The best advice ever shared with me was: A paraphrased quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. – “There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but must be taken because one’s conscience says it is right.” That quote is the polestar on which I strive to achieve as an elected official.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.