Westfield Town Council Candidate Profile: Amanda Como

WESTFIELD, NJ — New Jersey's General Election is coming up on November 8, and two candidates are running for one open seat on Westfield Town Council.

After Councilman of Ward 1 James Boyes stepped down from the council in April, citing a conflict of interest, a vacancy was left on the council. Councilwoman Emily Root was appointed to fill the vacancy and is now running again, as the term expires in 2022.

Republican candidate Amanda Como is running against Democratic candidate Root for the Ward 1 seat.

Patch sent a questionnaire to both the candidates and will publish profiles ahead of the election. (All candidates were asked the same questions).

Here are Republican candidate Amanda Como's answers below:

Amanda Como

Campaign Website

como4westfield.com

What office are you seeking?

Westfield Ward 1 Councilperson

Educational background?

University of Delaware, Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising and Management, Fashion Institute of Technology, Associate in Applied Science Fashion Merchandising Management

What is your current occupation?

Owner of Amanda Bradford Home Design Service and most importantly, a Mom to two teenage children.

Do you have a family? Tell us about them.

Yes. My husband Brad and I have two teenage children. Our son Grant is a Sophomore at Westfield High School and our daughter Julia is in 8th grade at Roosevelt. We also have a four-legged family member named Winston, he’s a Miniature Schnauzer that’s full of personality!

Have you run for office before? If so, what position?

Yes, I ran for Ward 1 Town Council in 2021.

Why did you decide to run for Westfield Town Council this year?

I decided to run again because I believe Westfield deserves a Town Council that represents a diversity of thought, ideas and approach when it comes to making critical decisions for the future of our town.

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

If elected, I hope to bring a differing perspective and check and balance on the issues we’re facing as we move Westfield forward. Having run last year, I connected with many residents that do not feel seen or heard when it comes to their concerns regarding overdevelopment, improving our athletic fields and safety. I want to stand up and speak up for those constituents by respecting and relaying their thoughts, opinions and ideas to my fellow council members.

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

The most pressing issue facing Westfield residents right now is the lack of representation of our community members on Town Council. There is not enough balance when it comes to diversity of thought, ideas and approach during decision making. As I speak with residents, they are concerned with overdevelopment, improving the sports fields for our children and the safety of our town. As community leaders, we must listen. I am confident there is a way to serve everyone and do it well. If we are proactive, empathetic and anticipate the needs of as many constituents as possible, we’ll be better serving our community. I plan to make those unheard voices a priority.

Many residents are concerned about overdevelopment in Westfield, particularly in regards to The Sophia development planned for Ferris Place and Prospect St. What is your stance on the new development and what do you say to residents who believe it will cause overcrowding/traffic and change the character of the town?

I do not and did not support the Sophia project at the size and scale it was approved to be built. I am disappointed with the council’s decision. I even signed the petition against it, along with 1,200 other residents. Clearly those dissenting voices did not matter. I would have happily supported a much smaller building that was set back from the street like the surrounding homes. A structure more appropriate to the neighborhood and more considerate of the neighbors, would have been a more welcome addition. Last year when I canvassed on Prospect St., I spoke face to face with neighbors visually upset about the proposed plans. One resident felt she was being pushed out of her neighborhood after decades of living in her home. She eventually, and sadly, listed her home and sold it. I was very sad to see this happen and believe it is a failure of our local government. Ironically, the person who purchased her home had relocated from the Edison school area because of the proposed plans there, only to be in the same situation across town. He and his wife are not happy with the direction Westfield is heading with overdevelopment and are frustrated with the decisions our Town Council is making. To the residents that have these legitimate concerns regarding overdevelopment I say, “I hear you and agree.” I will be your voice at the table.

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

Westfield is fortunate to have fantastic Police Officers who are working hard to mitigate the worrisome increase in auto theft as well as other crimes. However, we must have real leadership from our local government to address these issues and have a conversation that focuses on solutions not band-aids.We need more officers out on patrol, especially at a time when auto theft and burglary are most prevalent. We simply cannot except that it’s normal or safe to have criminals roaming our properties and trying to gain access to our vehicles and homes on a regular basis. A higher visibility of police at night in our neighborhoods and at our town entry points is what residents are telling me they want to see. We need to let those coming into town to afflict harm on residents know that we are no longer an easy target. We must also move away from shaming our neighbors for being victims of crimes. There is far too much apathy for the criminals committing these crimes and not enough love and support for those we care about, our families, friends and neighbors.

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

As a full-time mom and business owner, I am confident I can handle just about anything. The reason I am running for Town Council is because of the years I have spent involved and advocating for our wonderful and inclusive community.As an active community member for over 15 years, I want to represent the residents and neighbors that have shaped my experience here in Westfield. I have always tried to step-up and fill a role to help when there was a need. A class parent, softball and basketball coach, Girl Scout leader, and PTO Board Member. Now I see a need on the Town Council and I want to be a common sense voice for our community. Because of my experience and ground level involvement, I will always put PEOPLE above politics and common sense above personal interest. As your Councilperson I will listen and represent residents, not outside interests.

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

We have to move forward, grow and evolve to make sure Westfield thrives and prospers in the future. I am for smart, well-paced and critically thought out development. Recently our decision making has been hasty. We have handfuls of projects in the works, simultaneously, without having anything completed.Have we anticipated the negative drawbacks of these developments? Certainly, there will be some, no plan is perfect. What plans do we have in place in the event of poor decisions? How have we been proactive to address possible overcrowding of our schools and infrastructure? What is the plan to increase emergency services that our police and fire department provide for Westfield? With an increase in residents and employees coming to our town, won’t we need to take that into consideration? How will we pay for those additional needs, is there a plan? Can it be done without raising taxes? If so, how? My commitment is that I will always apply common sense when making decisions and couple that with the feedback I receive from our valued residents. It is time for our local government to start working for Westfield again.

*Editor's note: Como's answers were submitted after the deadline and after candidate Root's were published.