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Photo of Sivaraman “Ram” Anbarasan

Sivaraman “Ram” Anbarasan

Have you held any elected position before, and if so, what:  I have been serving as a Commissioner at the Franklin Township Sewerage Authority for over two years. Membership in any civic organizations: Chairman of the Board and Past President of New Jersey Tamil Sangam (www.njtamilsangam.net), a 30 year old non-profit organization that provides a forum for people of Tamil (an ancient Indian language) origin to celebrate their arts and culture.…Read More

Have you held any elected position before, and if so, what:  I have been serving as a Commissioner at the Franklin Township Sewerage Authority for over two years.

Membership in any civic organizations:

Chairman of the Board and Past President of New Jersey Tamil Sangam (http://www.njtamilsangam.net), a 30 year old non-profit organization that provides a forum for people of Tamil (an ancient Indian language) origin to celebrate their arts and culture.

What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:     

  1. Keeping taxes low: By far this is the top Issue we hear from the people we meet. Our council’s record of 0%, 0.5%, 0% tax increases in the last three years is unprecedented. I will continue to work on business retention and attraction to increase the tax base by offering assistance to companies in securing state and federal grants, as well as making it easier for businesses to work with various township offices. On the expense side, I will look for ways to bring in efficiencies in operational processes through the use of technology which might reduce costs. Wherever possible, I will be a strong proponent of “Shared Services” to gain economies of scale and save money.
  2. Job Training for Unemployed Youth: Our Township is home to many employers in manufacturing, distribution and healthcare sectors. For example there are more than 15 manufacturers in the town and there is a constant demand for entry level technicians at such companies throughout the state. With my strong experience in statewide workforce development initiatives, I plan to work with our employers to design and offer our unemployed youth job training programs to meet the employer labor needs while offering career pathways to our youth.
  3. Enriching Our Diverse Community:  With over 70 places of worship our township is home for a diverse population. We already provide a wide variety of services and facilities to our residents in terms of recreational activities, cultural and celebratory events, sports fields to name a few. I will continue to bring awareness of these rich cultures to all. Further as a resident of an active adult community, I am aware of the enormous talent that our retirees in the active adult communities possess. Many of them might be looking for stimulating outlets for spending their time. I will put together no-cost programs, from tutoring high school students to mentoring small businesses and create an environment of knowledge sharing and interaction among residents.
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Sivaraman “Ram” Anbarasan

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Arsha Bodha Center

Arsha Bodha Center is an ashram dedicated to the traditional teaching of Vedanta, Sanskrit, Bhagavad Gita, meditation, Vedic chanting, and related spiritual practices.

Every week, a variety of classes and programs are conducted which are free of charge and open to all. The ashram is a nonprofit organization, supported by tax-deductible donations.

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Arsha Bodha Center is an ashram dedicated to the traditional teaching of Vedanta, Sanskrit, Bhagavad Gita, meditation, Vedic chanting, and related spiritual practices.

Every week, a variety of classes and programs are conducted which are free of charge and open to all. The ashram is a nonprofit organization, supported by tax-deductible donations.

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84 Courtelyous Lane Somerset 08873

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Catherine Barrier

Township Resident Since: 1988 Employment: Rutgers University (English Department-Writing Program/ESL) & The Jointure: Child Enrichment & Adult Education What is the single biggest issue facing your constituents, and what is your plan to address it?: The constant increase in taxes is the biggest issue facing the residents of Franklin Township—now and in years to come if things do not change.…Read More

Township Resident Since: 1988

Employment: Rutgers University (English Department-Writing Program/ESL) & The Jointure: Child Enrichment & Adult Education

What is the single biggest issue facing your constituents, and what is your plan to address it?:

The constant increase in taxes is the biggest issue facing the residents of Franklin Township—now and in years to come if things do not change. Year-after-year, I have heard residents complain of the higher tax burden they are forced to bear as the almost exclusively one-party Town Council has determined yearly budgets and as numerous businesses have continued to relocate outside of town. These things have got to change! As a former Councilwoman-At-Large in Franklin, I successfully worked with my then fellow Council Members to keep taxes stable and to push for economic development in town, and if elected to serve again, I would be committed to: 1) trying to find ways to get more for each of our tax dollars, 2) trying to enter into more shared-services agreements—to help reduce taxes, 3) developing a marketing plan to try to attract businesses (i.e., commercial ratables) into town and fill many of our vacant commercial properties, which would bring in more revenues and take some of the growing tax burden off town residents, and 4) streamlining the process for businesses to get established and feel welcomed here, so there could be a win-win situation for all parties involved.

Why should people vote for you?:

People would do well to vote for me because I am not part of “the status quo”; I have not been on the Council for the past 12 years, but since I was in the past (2000-2003), I know what the job entails, and my previous service record as a Councilwoman-At-Large is a good one. During my previous tenure, I did not play party politics; I always put Franklin’s—and my fellow residents’–interests first, and I am a fiscal conservative, so I will want to be convinced of the merits of any proposed expenditures before I vote for them. I have a varied business background in addition to my teaching experience—having worked in large corporations here in the U.S. and abroad, then with different real estate firms, and with varied small businesses, as well as having served on the Business and Industry Advisory Board in the past (while a former Councilwoman)–and I am eager to address our need to bring more businesses into town. Finally, if elected along with my running mates, Mayor Chris Kelly, Scott Siegel, and Raleigh Steinhauer, I will be able to help bring back some of the checks and balances that should be present in our local government because the majority party will need to convince at least one of us Republicans of the value of a project before any bonding (i.e., borrowing of money) can be done in town, and I believe we need such checks and balances to have a “healthy” local government.

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Stefanie Branham

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Beverly Briggs-Lawson

What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them: 1. Fiscal responsibility – franklin has constantly bonded excessively; this must be paid back.. Sometimes, if you cannot afford something it must wait as we do in our personal lives. 2. Public safety – I was a police officer, so I know something about public safety.…Read More

What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:

1. Fiscal responsibility – franklin has constantly bonded excessively; this must be paid back.. Sometimes, if you cannot afford something it must wait as we do in our personal lives.

2. Public safety – I was a police officer, so I know something about public safety. I know and respect all franklin men and women in blue. We should expand community policing to bolster public safety.
Also, I am a desert storm marine veteran. Public safety is in my heart and one of my major concerns. My life has been dedicated to protecting and serving.

3. Taxes – we need to provide property tax relief through eliminating wasteful spending, as well as restore transparency and accountability to our local government.

Photo of Beverly Briggs-Lawson

Beverly Briggs-Lawson

Membership in any civic organizations: I am a member of the Somerset County Federation of Republican Women, and a former member of the Somerset County Commission on the Status of Women. What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
  1. Open & Transparent Communications: I believe that open and responsive government is essential to the community.
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Membership in any civic organizations:

I am a member of the Somerset County Federation of Republican Women, and a former member of the Somerset County Commission on the Status of Women.

What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:

  1. Open & Transparent Communications: I believe that open and responsive government is essential to the community. No backroom deals. I will make sure all council business is conducted in open council meetings. Residents deserve to know what the council is doing. Similarly, not everyone can make the 7pm council meetings. I plan on holding other venues and opportunities to meet with townspeople at various locations throughout the township. An example would be “Coffee with the Council”, similar to what the police do, making us more accessible to residents.
  2. Fiscal Responsibility: Running a township as large as Franklin requires a large budget, but much of that funding has come in the form of bonds that must be paid back. Now we’re faced with not only ongoing budgetary spending but we also must add principle and interest payments on debt borrowing. We need a return to sound fiscal responsibility that eliminates wasteful spending, reduces debt burdens, and provides tax relief to residents.
  3. Fast-Track Businesses: Franklin has many vibrant businesses and our easy access to roads, rails and talented people means we’re an ideal community to start and/or expand businesses. But, the drawbacks are excessive red-tape, permitting requirements, timelags, and fees that cost businesses time and money. I will work to ensure we remove these barriers so that our town and businesses can prosper.
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Calvary Baptist Church

Calvary Baptist Church is currently home to ~100 members, located just a few miles west of downtown New Brunswick, NJ. We primarily serve Central New Jersey, although our members commute from as far away as New York City. We are blessed to be in close proximity to two major universities, Rutgers University and Princeton University.…Read More

Calvary Baptist Church is currently home to ~100 members, located just a few miles west of downtown New Brunswick, NJ. We primarily serve Central New Jersey, although our members commute from as far away as New York City. We are blessed to be in close proximity to two major universities, Rutgers University and Princeton University.

But with so many churches out there, what makes us different? What are we really about?

We believe that these questions are best answered by highlighting the five distinctives that characterize our church and our mission. These are: 

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5 Franklin Street East Millstone NJ 08875 USA

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Community Baptist Church of Somerset

We would love to have you come and worship with us. We are multi-ethnic and multi-cultural. We believe that God is still very active in the world and what He says in His Word is still true, that we can still expect miracles to occur in the lives of those who believe in Him. Community Baptist Church of Somerset NJ is located on 211 DeMott Lane, 08873.…

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We would love to have you come and worship with us. We are multi-ethnic and multi-cultural. We believe that God is still very active in the world and what He says in His Word is still true, that we can still expect miracles to occur in the lives of those who believe in Him. Community Baptist Church of Somerset NJ is located on 211 DeMott Lane, 08873. Sunday worship times are 8:00am and 11:00am.

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211 DeMott Lane Somerset NJ 08873

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Christine Danielsen

Incumbent having served three prior years No civic organizations Top three issues:
  • Student achievement / test scores / graduation rate – I would love to see the students of the Franklin Township Schools reach their highest academic potential. As a Board member, I will continue to strive to make sure they are equipped with the tools necessary to achieve that goal, ensure the schools are run by capable and experienced administrators as well as caring and knowledgeable instructors, and offer a well-balanced curriculum that lends itself to all levels of student achievement.
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Incumbent having served three prior years

No civic organizations

Top three issues:

  • Student achievement / test scores / graduation rate – I would love to see the students of the Franklin Township Schools reach their highest academic potential. As a Board member, I will continue to strive to make sure they are equipped with the tools necessary to achieve that goal, ensure the schools are run by capable and experienced administrators as well as caring and knowledgeable instructors, and offer a well-balanced curriculum that lends itself to all levels of student achievement.
  • Construction / Capital Improvements/ Referendum – As Chairperson of the Facilities committee, I have devoted countless hours to the construction projects approved by the Referendum. Most notably, but not limited to, the new Elementary School on Claremont Rd and the addition at Elizabeth Avenue School. The construction projects have all begun and I would love the opportunity to see them through to the end; to deliver the quality facilities we promised the Franklin community and the students of Franklin Township. I will continue to work closely with the administration, architects, engineers, construction companies, and stakeholders to bring these projects to conclusion. I will also work closely with the staff, administration and coordinators as we transition to K-5 and two Middle Schools.
  • Communication / Transparency – I firmly believe that a student’s success is enhanced when they themselves, their families, school staff, and the community at large are more engaged. I would love to see more communication and involvement by all, in the education process. Communication and transparency can also help to restore pride in Franklin Township Public Schools.

 

Photo of Andrew L. Dars

Andrew L. Dars

Experience If not, have you held any elected position before, and if so, what: As a 30-year resident of Franklin Township, I am most proud of having served on the boards of our Housing Authority as well as serving as Trustee for our public library. The opportunity to have a positive impact on the community in which I’ve been a part of for so long, and that has given so much to me and my family, was one of my most rewarding experiences.…Read More

Experience

If not, have you held any elected position before, and if so, what:

As a 30-year resident of Franklin Township, I am most proud of having served on the boards of our Housing Authority as well as serving as Trustee for our public library.

The opportunity to have a positive impact on the community in which I’ve been a part of for so long, and that has given so much to me and my family, was one of my most rewarding experiences.

Additionally, having children who attended our public schools, provide me the opportunity to volunteer at numerous school functions In addition to volunteering as both coach and team parent for our recreational kids baseball and soccer leagues.

Membership in any civic organizations:

Per the recent Covid restrictions, as well as my own increased obligations to this campaign for Council of the 3rd Ward has made taking a leadership or general role  some of our local Civic Organizations a difficult task at the moment.

With that said, I believe membership Civic organizations is extremely important and whether I earn this position or not I fully intend to rejoin past civic organizations such as the food bank or our public parks groups.

Separately, I feel it should be noted that in addition to civic old visitations I also value memberships in various business associations such as both the Franklin and Somerset small Business Association.  membership in organizations like this can provide great new business contacts that could benefit our town as well as help educate its members find the ability to network for new opportunities and businesses to come to Franklin. I so value the skills I’ve received from these organizations that help to develop my networking contacts as well as the ability to communicate and negotiate with fellow members I believe it should be the responsibility of all Councilmen to be as active as we can two as many types of civic organizations and business associations as their time allows.

Issues

What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:

  1. I want to stop the consistent and routine tax hikes- I feel this can accomplished by seeking out new and innovative ways to increase profitable revenue such as working with local universities and business associations with the goal of creating business partnerships with startups, entrepreneurs, and other small business. If we can provide some level of benefit or cost savings to entice this business to move their operations to Franklin it’ll be a big win for our local economy especially at the retail level.
  2. Do whatever is possible to either halt or slow down the race to over-build!!! I do understand that new construction does offer the promise of increased revenue. Yet when you consider the huge costs associated with upgrading, fixing and maintaining an outdated infrastructure, as well as costs for cleaning soil contamination caused by the building, you have to ask, are we really making, saving or are we delaying or just losing our small business talent to towns cities and other states that are more affordable to ours.
  3. I want to improve public access to Municipal services. In some cases, the only way to interact with various departments for transactions is in person. I’d like to review all services with the goal of one stop shopping for all needs, i.e, permits, fines, taxes; all forms the public needs. Although we do have some automation, it is not consistent. It would be efficient if it were streamlined within all departments. Let’s, if possible, add true working automation in addition to an in-person option
Photo of Nishita Desai

Nishita Desai

Experience If incumbent, how many years have you served: I am an incumbent and I have been on the board for 3 years. Membership in any civic organizations: I enjoy volunteering, I am happy to give my time to better the community and be a role model to our youth.…Read More

Experience

If incumbent, how many years have you served:

I am an incumbent and I have been on the board for 3 years.

Membership in any civic organizations:

I enjoy volunteering, I am happy to give my time to better the community and be a role model to our youth.

I have volunteered and chaired blood drives for New York blood services for past 7 years. I also chair American Red Cross and American Cancer Society. I have mentored Girl scouts on their journey to Gold award. I am also a Co-leader of a Girl Scout troop for past 10 years and also have served as service Unit 67’s registrar. As a women scientist, I believe we need to mentor girls to help them enter STEM fields, with the help of Women in Science and Engineering and Johnson and Johnson I have led events to train 100 girls each year for 3 years.

I have scouted for food for the Franklin Food Bank in my neighborhood. While my Daughter was at Sampson G smith school I helped with the stage crew and construction.

Issues

What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:

During my first term, I wanted to work on 3 major issues: communication, safety and higher-level courses while preparing them 21st century jobs. Another goal was to introduce more Career and Technical  Education(CTE). In order to accomplish my goals, I worked on communication, safety and curriculum committees for all three years.

On the curriculum committee we introduced honors courses for middle school as well as high school. We also offered many AP courses making sure the students of all races have equal access through our AP equity initiative. The gifted and talented program was introduced at the elementary level. STEM programming is offered across every grade. Equal opportunity to good education is given students of all background- in order to give equity we work teachers and guidance so they can identify students who might benefit from the additional support.  Languages like Latin, French, Spanish are now being offered and taught in middle school. Many CTE programs were introduced in the last three years as well.

The safety and security of the school has improved drastically with improvements at building level as well as training of staff. Safety and security play an extremely important roles especially now in light of COVID.

My goal for the next term is to continue working on safety, security and equity while providing rigor education.

We are living in most unprecedented times, with the COVID-19 pandemic and racial unrest, My first goal, as board member is to address both of these issues. We have to move forward while keeping in mind the safety and security of our faculty, safety and students while providing the best education we can provide the circumstances. In order to accomplish our goals we have added it to the district goals for the school year 2020-21. The main goal is to ensure safety for everyone while offering rigorous programming. Virtual learning ad social distancing has been difficult for mental health of our students. I want to work with the board to increase social emotional support offered to all students so they can learn to their fullest potential.

We are also addressing equity issues by offering equal access to all students regardless of their race. I am very proud to be chair of curriculum committee where we can work with curriculum supervisors to introduce a more diverse curriculum. We have just approved courses for high school students on race gender and equity as a graduation requirement. I plan to continue to work on AP equity initiative.

Until now our curriculum was Eurocentric which didn’t offer perspectives from any other ethnicities. The curriculum didn’t reflect the diversity of the people who live in Franklin. As you know, Franklin is an extremely diverse community and we should reflect this sort of diversity in the curriculum as well. “Research has shown that students who attend diverse public schools learn more exhibit less racial prejudice” The Century Foundation. Research has also shown that when you teach through a lens that includes the history of the students’ ethnicity, they are more likely to succeed at school. I believe in racial justice in education. If the students find themselves in a safe caring environment, our students will find more success.

As a result of COVID, we had to learn a lot about planning, how to teach while socially distanced. It has taught us that we can teach using our tools such computers, zoom, different applications to reach students in ways we never did before.  The students have also learned to work differently and hopefully we can continue learning from these experiences so that we can truly prepare students while are ready with the 21st century skills

I feel that the teachers have worked on different ways to engage students because we had to teach virtually. We have offered computers and hot spots to all students in Franklin who requested it. We have leveled the playing field for all students, now we have to keep working with teachers to continue to provide professional development such that we can teach learners of all kinds.

I hope you put your trust in my team and me: Smith, Desai, Patel to continue moving forward for your, your children and the community. VOTE ALL THREE!

 

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Dr. Lee

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789 Home Street Somerset NJ 08873

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Emmanuel Baptist Church

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145 Warren Street Somerset NJ 08873

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Emmanuel Tabernacle Baptist Church

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127 Coddington Avenue Somerset NJ 08873 USA

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Eternal Life Christian Center

Eternal Life Christian Center began as New Brunswick Assembly of God, located at 56 Bayard Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey in the mid- 1950's. The church relocated to its present location at 322 Franklin Boulevard, Somerset, New Jersey on May 4, 1958. In the 1990's, we became known as Eternal Life Christian Center. In expanding the vision, "The Personal Touch Church That Loves", church facility upgrades were made and in the fall of 2002 the Educational Enrichment Center was opened.…Read More

Eternal Life Christian Center began as New Brunswick Assembly of God, located at 56 Bayard Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey in the mid- 1950’s. The church relocated to its present location at 322 Franklin Boulevard, Somerset, New Jersey on May 4, 1958.

In the 1990’s, we became known as Eternal Life Christian Center. In expanding the vision, “The Personal Touch Church That Loves”, church facility upgrades were made and in the fall of 2002 the Educational Enrichment Center was opened. It serves as the home of The Academy and host to ministry and special events for the community.

As changes in directorship transpired, the congregation continued to increase in numbers and cultures, as the Lord would again change the leadership. In the Spring of 2008 the Lord brought Pastor Daryl A. Perkins to Somerset. He was officially ordained as our Senior Pastor on July 13, 2008!

Since Pastor Perkins’ arrival, ELCC continues its focus on the family and winning souls for Christ. With our church mission, “Building Lives for Eternity Today!” it is Pastor Perkins’ aim to grow God’s Kingdom and invest in the next generation of the church body. With increasing growth and community outreach, we will expand our territory. ELCC has stood the test of time and demonstrated that God is Faithful!

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322 Franklin Blvd. Somerset NJ 08873

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First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens

Worship, Discipleship, Stewardship, Fellowship, & Pastoral Care are the cornerstones for conducting ministry at First Baptist. These tenets provide a means for the members to remain in fellowship with one another while serving and being served. Worship Worship is our foremost value. Jesus says in John 4:24, "God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." For us to worship God in spirit and in truth we must make sure we obey all of His commandments as given by Him in the Bible on how He is to be worshipped.…Read More

Worship, Discipleship, Stewardship, Fellowship, & Pastoral Care are the cornerstones for conducting ministry at First Baptist.

These tenets provide a means for the members to remain in fellowship with one another while serving and being served.

Worship
Worship is our foremost value. Jesus says in John 4:24, “God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” For us to worship God in spirit and in truth we must make sure we obey all of His commandments as given by Him in the Bible on how He is to be worshipped.

Discipleship
In obedience to God’s Word, we are dedicated to making disciples.

The word “disciple” means learner–a disciple is one who studies and accepts the teachings of Christ. Discipleship is evident first in belief and then in practice.

Stewardship
Stewardship is the act of managing or directing our God-given resources and talents to advance the kingdom of God. Every member is encouraged to take seriously his or her responsibility to contribute to the life of the Church both in serving and in giving.

Fellowship
Fellowship is devotion and commitment to a covenant relationship of love, support and accountability between and among the people of God. At First Baptist we accomplish fellowship goals through our “Small Groups Ministry.”

Pastoral Care
Ministries that address the care and nurture of members who have special needs, are in crises, have emergency needs, or are experiencing special circumstances are coordinated by the Deacons, Missionaries and the pastoral staff.

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771 Somerset St. Somerset NJ 08873

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Alhaji “Noah” Fofanah

Membership in any civic organizations: A big passion in my life is remembering my Sierra Leone heritage. I am a member of the Sierra Leonean Community of New Jersey (SLCNJ) where I work to mentor our youth. The goal is to keep our local young men and women out of trouble and to provide counseling to them about college.…Read More

Membership in any civic organizations:

A big passion in my life is remembering my Sierra Leone heritage. I am a member of the Sierra Leonean Community of New Jersey (SLCNJ) where I work to mentor our youth. The goal is to keep our local young men and women out of trouble and to provide counseling to them about college. I’m also a founding member of the Sierra Leone American Veterans Organization (SAVO) where I help both veterans and active service men and women with how to cope with life challenges. Lastly, I am a member of the Sierra Leone Soccer team management which is popular in the Franklin Township community.

What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:     

Franklin is a large and diverse town with a great history, great people, and a great future. I firmly believe that diverse voices on Franklin’s council are needed to advocate for better and more recreational facilities for our young, protect our open spaces for future generations, and work with businesses interested in locating in Franklin so that we can have jobs and prosperity.

In conclusion, whenever people ask my why I’m running, I say, “If I am elected as your councilman-at-large, I will be loyal to the people of Franklin Township and fight the good fight for them. I will fulfill my duty as a councilman by doing what is morally right and professional. I will treat each and every citizen and fellow council members with the respect they deserve. I will put the welfare of Franklin first, before my own personal interest or party. Integrity will be my focus, always doing what is right morally and legally.” Of course, this all aligns perfectly with FTGOP’s motto “One Franklin, One Family.”

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Kimberly Francois

Township Resident Since: 1987 Employment: Senior Information Technology Program Management Consultant in Health Care Industry If incumbent, what term will this be (second, third, etc.): Fourth term What is the single biggest issue facing your constituents, and what is your plan to address it: The biggest issue facing our township is keeping taxes stable.…Read More

Township Resident Since: 1987

Employment: Senior Information Technology Program Management Consultant in Health Care Industry

If incumbent, what term will this be (second, third, etc.): Fourth term

What is the single biggest issue facing your constituents, and what is your plan to address it:
The biggest issue facing our township is keeping taxes stable. With the rising costs of Health Care and pension benefits for our Township 250+ employees, energy costs, maintaining the infrastructure, as well as road paving, snow plowing, and general cost of living increases are a burden to the taxpayers. In order to maintain our quality of life, public safety, and current service levels I will continue to work hard to control taxes and spending by eliminating waste, reinvesting in our business community, expand the economic development program, and provide more youth services.

Why should people vote for you:
As a former two term Mayor, At-Large Councilwoman, and currently serving as Deputy Mayor I have a total of eleven years of experience serving on the Franklin Township Council. Included in my many accomplishments in Franklin Township, I am particularly proud of my work as Mayor to spearhead the development of the Senior Community Center, and the creation of the Teen Recreation Program which has been in existence since 1996. I am the Founder and Leader of the Franklin Youth Initiative (FYI). As the Leader of FYI I established the Teen Drop In Center at the Middle School, and for the past eight years FYI has provided job training, jobs, and life skills training for our youth. FYI has a Corporate Sponsor and the programs costs have not impacted the taxpayers. I want to continue to champion my work that is underway to spearhead the development of a Franklin Township Youth Center. This Youth Center is a huge investment in the future of our Township and will have positive impact on property values, public safety, provide a safe zone for our youth against gang activity, and make Franklin an even better place to live for families.