Westfield Ward 4 General Election 2025: Keith Boran

NEW JERSEY - The general election season is in full swing in the Garden State and Patch has asked local candidates to share their thoughts before Nov. 4.

Editor's Note: 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. Contact edward.callahan@patch.com with any questions regarding coverage.

Name: Keith Boran

Age: 47

Town of residence: Westfield

Position sought: Ward 4 councilman

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: My wife Aislyn, three children, and three dogs

Education: BA Johns Hopkins University, MBA Baruch College

Occupation: Stay-at-home father

Previous or current elected or appointed office: None

Why are you seeking office?

Nature, service, and leadership.

Nature is a passion of mine, and I want to help in any capacity, on its behalf.

Service, after spending the past 24 years as an equities trader I closed that chapter of my life, and opened a new one dedicated to helping and serving others.

Leadership, I was inspired by Mike Domogala and share similar views on the future of Westfield.

What's your reaction when you see businesses, etc. vacate downtown? What do you look for in new tenants?

Disappointment but understanding, as inflation has increased rental prices and in many instances sales have failed to keep up. Tenants are more likely to succeed when they offer services/sales with a unique in-person experience which is tough to replicate online, whether that be in the form of food/beverage, sports/physical, boutiques, experiences, etc.

Lastly, better parking options are essential for their consumer base.

What's your approach to overdevelopment concerns in Westfield?

Less is more would be my approach. Many of us relocated from urban environments (NYC, Hoboken, etc) to escape the constant development and enjoy the lovely small town feel of Westfield, which recent moves of the current administration jeopardize.

Talk to me about public safety, whether it's your idea on how to help prevent vehicles being broken into around Westfield, or some other concern, where do you see an opportunity to improve?

I will continue to support and provide our wonderful police department with all the tools and equipment needed. I believe we should make use of AI and other technologies to aid our police, as the safety of our residents is absolutely paramount.

What do you believe is the most important concern to address when implementing a project such as the multi-million dollar proposed improvements to Houlihan-Sid Fay Fields?

Sports will need to go on during this project, which means construction vehicles and activity in the already congested parking lot and surrounding area. We will need to look out for the safety of our children which is the most important issue, while traffic and congestion concerns are next on the docket.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I think every candidate is looking to help this town in particular ways and hence, there are lots of similarities.

Being driven by my strong affinity for nature sets me apart. It drives me to make the changes that will actually lead to real improvement.

During my career, I worked at a trading desk which was driven by team dynamics. That experience has trained me to listen to all ideas and views and overcome differences in tactics and personalities, to achieve a common goal.

I want our children to play sports on well-maintained grass fields in our town, grow and maintain our green, open spaces, and avoid overdevelopment.

What's a motto you live your life by?

Smile more today than yesterday.

What does it mean to you to represent Westfield?

It means everything to serve the people of Westfield.

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