Summit Common Council Candidate Profile: Lisa Allen

SUMMIT, NJ — New Jersey's Primary Election Day is coming up on June 7, and two candidates are running to be re-elected to Summit's Common Council.

Incumbents Lisa Allen and Danny O'Sullivan are running unopposed to keep their seats on the council this year.

Patch sent out questionnaires to local candidates and will run profiles for those running this year.

Below are Republican candidate Lisa Allen's answers:

Name:

Lisa K Allen

Email:

LisaAllenNJ@gmail.com

Campaign website:

LisaAllenNJ.com

What office are you seeking?

Summit Common Council, Ward 2

Party affiliation?

Republican

What is your educational background?

M.A. of Public and Organizational Relations, MSU

What is your occupation?

Legislative Liaison for Assemblywoman Munoz, District 21

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

My husband Patrick and I have been married for twenty years and have two sons who currently attend Summit High School - Trevor (17) is a Junior and Zach (15) is a Freshman.

As I write this, we are going through the process of looking and applying for colleges with Trevor, which seems unbelievable to me. For all those parents who have gone through it, many can attest, it’s exciting and sad all at once. When we moved here, Zach and Trevor were only 3 and 5 years old, so we enrolled them at the Learning Circle, and subsequently Franklin Elementary when both started first grade. We have been lucky to call Summit our home since August 2009.

As a family, we truly prize the excellence of our Summit Public Schools.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

What do you think is the most pressing issue facing Summit constituents at this time? What do you intend to do about it?

I believe there are several pressing and ongoing issues that Summit faces, those include: pedestrian safety, noise and air pollution as well as flooding created by excessive development, affordability, and maintaining aging infrastructure and converting it to greener technology. Broad Street West is also an important topic that will continue to be front and center over the next few years.

With that said, needs and concerns shift so this question is ultimately best answered by listening to the community and hearing what they care about. For example, when the pandemic happened, city business had to adapt. And more recently, with Broad Street West Re-Development on the agenda, that has prompted responding to citizen concerns. It is my job to truly understand what residents want and then represent their will. Summit has always stood out as an amazing community because of the long tradition of citizen involvement with their government.

Government at all levels has power – how we choose to use that power is crucial – my objectives is to learn and then represent the collective best interest of our community.

The proposed Broad Street West redevelopment has caused a lot of dialogue in Summit. What are your hopes for this new development? Do you have any concerns about it?

It certainly has created a lot of dialogue and I am inspired that the community is engaging. The best communities are designed as a partnership between residents and Councilmembers. We are elected to represent the needs of our community to ensure their (your) will is carried out. Summit is filled with smart, educated, creative residents across diverse and socio-economic backgrounds who all care deeply about our community and why we live here.

On the positive side, Broad Street West can potentially offer an opportunity to beautify that area, offer new housing for empty nesters, provide expanded affordable housing, and potentially bring in needed revenue as we feel the increased costs of inflation, increased statewide taxes, and constraints on municipal costs.

With that said, I have expressed publicly several times that I am concerned that the size, density, and lack of parking for the Broad Street West building that could impact our quality of life and increase congestion.

Additionally, I am genuinely concerned that the current project is outside the scope of the City of Summit’s Redevelopment Plan that was written in 2017. For those who are unaware of the Redevelopment plan, it is a legal document that was written and voted on by a bi-partisan group of elected officials, city staff, and Summit volunteers. Its purpose is to contain oversized development that does not match the character of our town and diminish the quaint feeling that attracts people to visit and live here.

Progress happens and Summit residents understand a building must be built. However, as an elected official, I believe we must honor our community and those who worked tirelessly on both the Master Plan and Re-Development Plan to ensure we do not alter the character of our town.

Ultimately my goal is to create public trust through active collaboration both within our community and within council, bringing all parties and all voices to the table to be heard on this project.

Summit has seen an increase in car thefts over the past year or so. Do you think the city is doing enough to combat this issue? If not, what needs to be done to prevent thefts?

Car theft has become a serious issue across our state. The Summit community and the Summit Police Department – who are among the best, continue to strive to stay ahead and protect the community. I see this firsthand as a member on the Safety and Health Committee.

Their strategies include more technology, more patrols, increased communication between local municipalities and the county, and of course, increased resident engagement. Residents have been instrumental in working with the City by sharing video footage when car or other crimes occur. Police have also been actively meeting with PTO’s in our schools to discuss how we can keep each other safe.

As a woman, mom, and resident, safety is always on my mind - whether I’m walking alone at night through the parking lot, my kids are walking to town, my son is on the road driving, or we are out with our friends. The reason we moved here is because of our safe neighborhoods and I believe safety is a community effort. When we see something says something, lock our cars, and ensure the police department is sending out timing communication when crime occurs.

Equally importantly, as a Councilwoman, I am committed to providing the resources our department needs to ensure as crime evolves, so does their techniques and technology to keep up with the demand and stay ahead of the curve. I’ve said this before and I will say it again – safety is a verb and while we may be doing good things today, there is always room to do more.

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

As I look over my life to date, I have always chosen roles that serve people and focus on customer service. My first job in high school was working for a fast-food restaurant; in college I paid my way through and graduated debt free on waitress tips. Following graduation, I worked in sales and marketing for a startup. Then, I accepted a job and moved to NYC to become a technology recruiter which led to my career at JPMorganChase as a Human Resource Business Partner.

Locally, I’ve served on the PTO (ending my tenure as SHS PTO Co-President), and for several years hosted a talk show on HomeTowne Television – Summit’s Community Television Station featuring topics and people integral to Summit. I’m also a lifelong learner. In my early 40’s, I went through a yearlong program to become certified as a life coach and a few years ago fulfilled my goal of earning my graduate degree. We are always growing and evolving as humans and I hope my works will inspire others, as others have inspired me.

My experience has, and always will:

• Focus on serving community, first and foremost. It is the passion that guides what I have accomplished to date.

• Serving the citizens of Summit is the best platform to listen and learn the hopes for all residents, then bring those ideas before the public to work collaboratively with other members of Council and Mayor. We are all in this together.

• This commitment as your public servant is mirrored in my current career, as a Legislative Liaison for New Jersey State District 21, where I work on behalf of Summit and our surrounding communities.

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

Yes. My mantra has been, and always will be, as your elected official:
- People over politics
- Relationships over rhetoric
- Good government requires good stewardship

I have a deep gratitude for the life Summit has provided for me and my family and I want to preserve that for future generations. Summit is unique in that we are rich with diversity, in a quasi-small-town setting, that offers something for everyone. The walk to school culture, parent volunteerism, town wide sports, multiple community centers, vibrant downtown, and safe neighborhoods has provided an opportunity to meet and develop deep friendships across all facets of life. It has been a wonderful place to raise a family.

As your Councilwoman, I know I am elected by you; therefore I am ultimately and always responsible to you, not the other way around. Over the last year I have been working to build trust and demonstrate I am committed to all Summit residents. Campaigns allows that to be examined, and it will continue to deepen as your re-elected voice on Council in our local government