Election 2023: Mendham Township Committee Candidate Amalia Duarte

MENDHAM, NJ — Election Day is nearing, and Mendham voters will soon head to the polls to cast their votes for the open seat on the local township committee.

Patch sent questionnaires to all candidates, seeking their responses. Here is the response from candidate Amalia Duarte.

Editor's Note: Patch emailed all candidates at the email addresses listed for their campaigns in the clerk's office. The responses will be revealed between now and the general election on Nov. 7. These comments will be published with just minor stylistic changes. Candidates who wish to participate but did not receive an invitation should email vianella.burns@patch.com.

Name: Amalia Duarte

Age: 61

Town of residence: Mendham Township

Position sought: Mendham Township Committee

Party affiliation: Democrat

Family: Immediate: Son, Matthew, 21, and daughter, Elena, 26

Education: New York University, B.A., Double Major in Political Science and Journalism

Occupation: Public Affairs Director, ECLC of New Jersey, a nonprofit that provides "Education, Careers & Lifelong Community" to individuals with special needs.

Previous or current elected appointed office: Mendham Township Committee

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running for re-election to continue working on issues that are important to residents and to find solutions that will make a difference in our town. I have a six-year track record of problem-solving; working to keep residents informed and voting for fiscally responsible budgets that keep our taxes down.

If elected, what do you hope to accomplish while serving on the committee?

I want to work on issues facing our community, including the removal of dead and dying ash trees; finding a new community use for the old police station; investing in recreation and Brookside Beach; and supporting the expansion of our senior programming through the Recreation Department.

I want to continue leading the Mendhams Stigma-Free Task Force and providing support and education to remove the stigma around mental health and substance use. It would be an honor to serve my community for another three years.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing residents right now and what do you intend to do about it?

Some of the important issues are the crisis of dying ash trees on public and private property that pose a danger if they fall. We started to address this problem at our last meeting by introducing an amendment to the Open Space Tax Ordinance that would carve out up to $150,000 from the Open Space Tax Trust toward dead tree removal over the next six months at several critical locations.

At the same time, I have partnered with elected officials from across the state to push for state and federal funding to remove ash trees. We are proposing a resolution asking for funding at the State League of Municipalities conference in November.

The bigger question is whether to maintain the Open Space Tax since our debt payments on previous land acquisitions finish at the end of 2024. I am in favor of reviving the Open Space Committee so they can provide feedback to the Township Committee on how we should move forward.

One option is to hold a referendum to give residents a voice in the matter, as has been done three times in the past.

Another issue we face is aging facilities, including the old Ralston Firehouse, buildings at India Brook Park; and the old police station. I am working on a proposal to repurpose the old police station. I launched a town-wide survey and held two listening sessions with residents to gain their input.

The survey found that 70 percent of residents want to see the old station reused for community purpose, including meetings, workshops, senior programs, classes and more. I want us to work on a long-term facility maintenance plan. I continually hear from residents about communications and that they feel out of the loop.

If re-elected I will propose that we create a standing Communications Committee to ensure we are doing everything possible to keep residents informed.

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

Reopening the Ralston Playground was among my major accomplishments for our town. I decided to run in 2017, after the Township Committee refused to fund rebuilding the playground, which was made of wood and needed refurbishment.

At the time, I was serving on the Recreation Commission, and I co-chaired the “Rebuild Ralston Playground” campaign, which raised more than $100,000. After I got elected, the Township Committee agreed to provide funds to rebuild the playground, and we reopened it. The ribbon-cutting at Ralston Playground has been one of the highlights of serving on the Township Committee. It’s a great feeling to get something done for the community.

I am steadfast in speaking out against the dangers of overdevelopment. I was the only Township Committee member to vote against rezoning the Irene Spring Tree Farm property to allow for greater development.

I also pushed, for nearly a year for the Township Committee to agree to explore joining the Highlands Council to protect the environment. I have served as liaison to the Environmental Commission for six years.

For those initiatives and others, I was endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters as an “environmental champion.” I am not afraid to take a stand on issues that I believe are important to our community. We must maintain our open space and preserve the local environment. Residents move to Mendham in large part because of the open space and trails. We have to be careful stewards of our community.

Another achievement is founding and leading the Mendhams Stigma-Free Task Force. We have provided educational family workshops; the annual “Stomp Out the Stigma Walk;” a recent “Hike for Hope;” installed bright yellow stigma-free picnic tables to draw attention to mental health; and provided resources and information on the town’s website. More importantly, we are encouraging open conversations. Recently, I was having breakfast with a group and a resident openly discussed her child’s social anxiety issues. She disclosed to us that it’s not something she would have talked about a few years ago. I believe the Task Force is making a real difference in our community.

I am proud of leading two Ad Hoc Communications Committees that helped to update the town's Website; created a promo video; and started the town’s first monthly email newsletter, which I write and publish. I have worked to improve transparency by holding regular office hours with residents and being highly accessible.

I spearheaded the establishment of the Sewer Advisory Committee to give residents of Drakewick and Brookrace a voice in decision-making that impacts their neighborhoods. I researched and wrote the ordinance (local law) to establish this committee, which includes neighborhood representatives along with township officials. It’s been very successful in addressing their problems and concerns.

I proposed and started a program for students to serve on the town’s Environmental, Historic and Parks & Recreation subcommittees. Since it launched in 2018, students have gained experience in local government and provided assistance to those committees on various projects.

I have been advocating for an expanded road maintenance program, and, this year, the township is investing twice as much as in 2022 to repave and fix long-neglected streets and getting more in state grants from the Department of Transportation.

I am proud of supporting a fiscally conservative financial plan to pay down debt and have voted in favor of every budget.

During COVID, I organized outreach calls to our seniors to check in and offer help. In early 2021, I facilitated scheduling vaccination appointments for some of our community’s most vulnerable older residents.

I organized local elected officials across the state to endorse a Resolution asking federal officials to restore the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction.

Earlier this year, I helped the Arts Council of the Mendhams gain approval for their first outdoor art exhibit of stone sculptures at Pitney Park.

I helped The Sharing Project find a permanent home at the old T-ball field next to the Mount Pleasant Tennis Courts.

Finally, I am proud of the recent work I did to change our recycling back to single-stream, which is much more convenient for residents. I had been listening to residents complain about having to separate their recycling, and not having sufficient room to store it in between pickups. Some residents even admitted they would throw out recycling when too much accumulated.

When I learned that our town’s recycling rate was one of the lowest in Morris County, I set up a meeting with the Morris County Utilities Authority (MUA) to discuss the situation and options. The MUA agreed that we could go back to single-stream recycling and the MUA would not charge the township any additional fees. When I heard this news, I jumped on the idea! At the next Township Committee meeting on Sept. 11, I proposed the idea to the entire Township Committee, and there was unanimous agreement to move forward immediately. This was a win for the community, and I hope it leads to better recycling.

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

I have delivered results for the community. I have listened to residents’ concerns; and worked hard to get things done for the township. I am proud of the long list of accomplishments that I have achieved in my six years on the Committee.

Outreach is something I do every year, not just during an election. I show up at town events, meet with residents in their neighborhoods to understand problems, like flooding, firsthand and work to facilitate solutions.

I pride myself on answering every email or call within 24 hours, if not sooner. During this election cycle, I have knocked on the doors of more than 600 homes to meet residents, answer questions and talk about issues.

It would be a privilege to continue serving the community. During my time on the Township Committee, I have served as liaison to just about all of the sub-committees and volunteer groups, including the Environmental Commission; Fire Department; First Aid Squad; Historic Preservation Committee; Mendham TV; Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee; Police Department; Surrounding Town Outreach; and Shared Courts.