Washington Township Mayoral Candidates Discuss The Issues

The winner of Washington Township's GOP primary mayor election Tuesday will most likely take the seat in November, as no Democrat has entered the race for the position.

Current Mayor Janet Sobkowicz and her former running mate, Councilman Joe D'Urso, are both seeking the Republican nomination for the position in a contentious campaign that has drawn public criticism of both candidates from residents.

On many issues, the candidates still see eye-to-eye. Both seek to control spending and taxes. Both want to find a home for the DPW equipment which currently sits in the Municipal Complex parking lot, exposed to the elements year-round. Both support a new road repaving program, the township's first since 1993.

Municipal Staff

Despite their similarities, there have been many public disagreements between D'Urso and Sobkowicz. The two have frequently debated staffing issues, starting with the township's administrator in 2010, according to D'Urso.

D'Urso said he believed a candidate should be hired full time for the position, while Sobkowicz has authorized only part-time administrators. He also said the township needs to hire a new treasurer, CFO and finance director. The township has been using temporary staff since Jacqueline Do — who had filled all three positions — retired last year. The person filling in as CFO is only available at night, which creates a situation where there is not enough interaction with other officials and staff, D'Urso said.

"There's no accountability in the finance department at all," he said.

Sobkowicz has maintained that the CFO should remain a part time position and that the combined efforts of the treasurer's assistant and tax collector have allowed the finance department to operate effectively.

"That office is functioning very well," Sobkowicz said.

D'urso also said he believes the DMF/DPW needs a new supervisor, while Sobkowicz said she would like to hire more help for the building department and possibly combine its office with the zoning/planning office to make things simpler for residents.

Police Department

Another major disagreement between Sobkowicz and D'Urso came last year when the council voted in favor of entering a contract with Westwood for a shared civilian dispatching service and the mayor said she would not sign the deal. 

D'Urso emphasized that he had no intentions to "merge" the Washington Township Police Department with any other, but did still support the use of civilian dispatchers.

Using civilians instead of police officers would bring enough savings to allow the township to hire another officer and cover vacations, reducing overtime pay, according to D'Urso.

"I think that's smart business planning," D'Urso said. "You don't need an officer answering the phone."

Sobkowicz has also advocated for civilian dispatchers, noting that police overtime is generally down with their increased use.

Shared Services

Sobkowicz pointed to a pending agreement between the township, Westwood, Emerson, Westwood Regional Schools and Emerson Schools for a lightning detection system as an example of her willingness to work with other local officials. Still, she said she would not pursue shared services just for the sake of doing it.

"Shared services work great, but some may not," Sobkowicz said.

D'Urso said he wanted to work with other area towns to share equipment — and possibly storage — for the DPW, while Sobkowicz said she would like to have a new DPW building built.

D'Urso also said he wants to investigate entering a paving cooperative in order to seek better rates for the upcoming road repaving program.

After Four Years

For Sobkowicz, "maintaining the town's residential character" is a key issue which she wants to ensure won't change by the end of the next mayor's term.

"The town has always been small and residential, and I want to keep it that way," Sobkowicz said.

D'Urso said he would have a new townwide road repaving program well underway and switch emergency dispatching completely over to civilians by the end of the next mayor's term. 

He also said he hoped to create a better atmosphere for township employees who he said were "on pins and needles" because of Sobkowicz's management style.

"There needs to be direction in that building," D'Urso said. "It's time for change." 

Sobkowicz said she hoped to continue with field upgrades, add more summer programs and build up the township's Office of Emergency Management.

Each candidate said they thought things in the township government would operate more smoothly if they were the one elected mayor.

Council Candidates

Each mayoral candidate has two council candidates running with them. D'Urso is running with incumbent Councilman Fred Goetz and Lauren Thomson, the president of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary and a member of the Republican County Committee.

Sobkowicz is joined by Peter Calamari, a frequent attendee of council meetings, and Tom Sears, a firefighter and planning board member.

One Democrat, Rosa D'Ambra, is also seeking one of the council seats. No Democrat is on the ballot for mayor.

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