The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Mount Carmel Church
P.O. Box 126 Somerset 08873
New Jersey Buddhist Vihara
For people who undergo stress in all stages of their lives-- be it acute, episodic or chronic - the NJBV will be a healing center.…Read More
The overall goals of the NJBV will be to serve all of humanity at a time of need – particularly when one is emotionally distressed. It will cater to a wide range of people, from pregnant mothers and young children to adolescents, adults and the elderly.
For people who undergo stress in all stages of their lives– be it acute, episodic or chronic – the NJBV will be a healing center. Some of our stress management programs will be aimed at curbing emotional distress: a combination of anger, irritability, depression and anxiety, constant worry, poverty, egotism, dysfunctional family life, unhappy relationships and childhood trauma.
Death is a common perimeter that all of us have to face. Dealing with death, and going through the process of losing a loved one, is one of realities in life we all have to experience. Our programs focus on how to overcome the sorrow and sadness from the loss of our loved ones. In recent years, the media have been saturated with articles on the problems facing today’s teens, including drugs, alcoholism, school drop outs, teen pregnancies, gangs, violence in schools, sexually transmitted diseases, poverty, racism, suicides, HIV/AIDS, illiteracy and truancy.
We will have ongoing programs to meet the needs of all of the above. We will cater to those who feel isolated and lonely or who complain that “nobody is listening, and nobody really cares.” Instead, we will listen to their needs and provide a place for them in finding consolation. Divorce is another form of stress and grief on all parties involved. The breakdown of a family is one of the most pressing issues facing the current generation, followed by violence in neighborhoods and communities, along with poverty and global warming. Shocking statistics tell us that within the United States, the divorce rate hovers around the 50% mark. This is a phenomenon that is gaining momentum all over the world. We will offer classes, workshops and interact with parties involved in divorces. The anger management programs will make a difference to our day-to- day life.
Old people have been held in great respect by Buddhists who have traditionally looked after them with devotion, but unfortunately socioeconomic problems are eroding this. They need to be cared for, have a social network and be happy during the golden years of their lives. We will have programs designed to entertain and care for them. This project is something that we could complete in a short period of time. The overwhelming support from our temple community is encouraging and the vision they have makes the difference with regard to funding the project to completion. .
Therefore I only request you to participate with loving kindness and compassion. (Metta and Karuna).
With Metta Ven Bhanthe Hungampola Sirirathana Nayaka Thero Chief Incumbent of New Jersey Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center
4299 Route 27 Princeton NJ 08540
Charles Onyejiaka
- Work hard to build upon the good government practices and strong record of constituent service.
- Work with my other council colleagues to keep this year’s budget below 2009 levels. …
If incumbent, how many years have you served: One year
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
- Work hard to build upon the good government practices and strong record of constituent service.
- Work with my other council colleagues to keep this year’s budget below 2009 levels.
- Focus on addressing the issues that matter most to 3rd ward residents.
I want my community to support me by voting for me on Tuesday November 8th election day, so that together we can keep our community a great place to live and to raise our families.
Charles Onyejiaka , Ward 3
Thomas L. Palczewski
- Schools need to provide parents/children the option of remote and or classroom training. …
If incumbent, how many years have you served:
If not, have you held any elected position before, and if so, what:
Board Member – Lacey Township Board of Education
Membership in any civic organizations:
12 years – Religious Education Instructor
10 years – CYO Basketball Coach
Issues
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
- Schools need to provide parents/children the option of remote and or classroom training. Students are falling behind because they are not disciplined to benefit from on-line curriculum and faculty have not yet developed their ability to teach in a non-classroom environment.
Solution:
There is no excuse for closing the school to classroom training. Private schools are open and offer parents the option of either classroom, remote learning – or both. Parents should have the option of choosing which type of learning is best for their child.
People are working at hospitals, department stores, restaurants, and supermarkets, etc. There is no reason why classroom training should be closed.
As an individual Board Member I would support the commencement of classroom training. However, since powerful “Unions” have closed our schools to traditional classroom training, parents need to demand that classroom training be an option for all students.
- Schools need to better prepare students for college. According to “Great Schools.com”, only 42% of Franklin Township High School Students who attend college returned for a second year.
Solution:
An academic high school should mimic the environment that a student will face when attending college. Grades should be realistic (not inflated) so that there are no false expectations as to how the student will perform in college.
Guidance to students / parents should be improved. Guidance Counselors should be referred to as an Academic Coach. Every marking period, the Academic Coach should be required to meet with each student that did not meet academic requirements. A plan of action should be made for each student and parents should be continually notified of the student’s progress.
School Administrators should interview a cross section of recently graduated college students and obtain input as to what challenges they incurred in college. This information should be used to modify the high school curriculum to improve the student’s success in college.
- Middle State Accreditation is required to validate the effectiveness of our school district.
Solution:
MSA is a voluntary, peer-based assessment of a school district. Neighboring school districts (East, North and South Brunswick) have achieved MSA accreditation whereas the Franklin Township School District has not.
Just about all NJ schools are accredited by the State. State accreditation only indicates that a school has met minimum requirements and is generally based on a self-assessment by the school district. Whereas accreditation by the MSA would identify the effectiveness of the school district.
I would welcome a professional peer review and accreditation by the MSA – a non-biased / independent organization. This information would provide a basis to further improve the school district.
Parul Patel
- School Health Safety - During these unprecedented times, it is important that we ensure a safe and healthy environment for our children, staff and administrators when returning to school. …
Experience
If incumbent, how many years have you served: N/A
If not, have you held any elected position before, and if so, what: No
Membership in any civic organizations: Franklin Booster Club, PTOs of Franklin Middle School and Franklin High School
Issues
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
- School Health Safety – During these unprecedented times, it is important that we ensure a safe and healthy environment for our children, staff and administrators when returning to school. For this transition to occur, we should do the following:
- Ensure appropriate safety protocols are in place to effectively sanitize our facilities and follow all safety guidelines such as social distancing and wearing a mask for everyone.
- Making sure the air quality is acceptable by maintaining the HVAC systems and ensure proper filtering systems.
- Improving our districts anti-racist education among students, staff and the wider community while also making educational equity a part of our strategic curriculum planning.
- Schools should be safe and free from racism and discrimination.
- Our students represent many different nationalities, religions and socio-economic backgrounds and I would like to see all students have equal access to programs and instruction to ensure they are able to at minimum achieve grade level standards.
- Reevaluate current curriculum and programs to ensure removal of any ethnocentric bias.
- Provide consistent professional development for all staff regarding multicultural education and anti-racism in order efficiently teach and support students of different nationalities, religions and socio-economic backgrounds.
- In order to retain and recruit highly qualified teachers and staff it is important we do the following:
- Treat school staff with respect
- Give staff the support they need (professional development, supplies, continued education)
- Include staff in decision making and listen to their feedback to find out what works what needs improvement
- Reevaluate wages and salaries to ensure we are in line with similar districts to ensure we are able to attract and retain talent.
Ed Potosnak
- Executive Director of New Jersey LCV--Leading Statewide advocate for Environmental Protection
- Member of Franklin Township Board of Education (Former President)
- Serve on the local Franklin Township Task Force Opposing NESE
- Trustee of Sustainable Jersey Former Member Franklin Township Planning Board
- Member, Rutgers University Glee Club Advisory Committee
Experience
If incumbent, how many years have you served:
I have served for seven years on the Franklin Township School Board, three as President ushering in stability and increased academic performance. In addition, I serve on the local Franklin Township Task Force Opposing NESE and on the Board of Sustainable Jersey.
If not, have you held any elected position before, and if so, what:
Membership in any civic organizations:
- Executive Director of New Jersey LCV–Leading Statewide advocate for Environmental Protection
- Member of Franklin Township Board of Education (Former President)
- Serve on the local Franklin Township Task Force Opposing NESE
- Trustee of Sustainable Jersey Former Member Franklin Township Planning Board
- Member, Rutgers University Glee Club Advisory Committee
Issues
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
I am running for Township Council to apply my experience in public policy and environmental protection in order to enhance the quality of life in Franklin and control spending. My priorities are ensuring the public is supported during this COVID crisis with local testing, vaccinations, and expanded employment opportunities; attracting high quality businesses back into vacant storefronts and office buildings; improving traffic; and supporting the efforts to build a YMCA in Franklin.
It takes teamwork to protect and improve our community! Together, we stopped the Transco Compression Station 206, successfully advocated for the preservation of more open space, prevented development of the Consolata property creating a new Community Center, and expanded recreational opportunities for our youth. At the same time, thanks to our Mayor and Council, Municipal Taxes have been kept stable for the past 4 years, our infrastructure continues to improve, and we become ever more environmentally sustainable as a community. It is for this reason, that I ask for your vote on November 2nd. I know that we can keep Ward 1 and Franklin Township moving ahead and I look forward to continuing to fight on our residents behalf in the months and years to come.
Ed Potosnak , Ward 1
Praise Presbyterian Church
Praise English Ministry began in October 2010 as the college and young adult ministry of Praise Presbyterian Church. The ministry started from a calling that many of the staff and laypersons felt to reach out to the local community and create an extended family of God where passionate worship and intimate fellowship are central missional goals. We feel especially called to reach out to those who have grown up in the church but have since left, either due to bad personal experiences or a feeling of God’s absence in their lives. We are blessed to be so close to Rutgers University and being able to serve the campus for so many years.
15 Cedar Grove Lane Somerset NJ 08873
Rajiv Prasad
Township Resident Since: 1977
Employment: Healthcare Marketing Executive
Incumbent: Running for third term
What is the single biggest issue facing your constituents, and what is your plan to address it?
Commercial Property Vacancy rates lead to lower rental incomes and tax rebates in the millions of dollars that shifts more of the tax burden to residential taxpayers in order to keep the town operational
My plan to address this is already being implemented where we are re-zoning Hamilton Street and Davidson Avenue for mixed use, with ground floor retail, first floor small office use and the second and third floors for small residential housing. This is to target the Millennial generation that wants to live, work and play in the same place… We must attract higher commercial ratables to avoid rebates and increased tax burden on residential tax payers. Already, there have been seven developers who have expressed an interest in redeveloping the re-zoned Hamilton Street. We are working with the County to redevelop Davidson Avenue, with Rezoning, Destination Marketing, better traffic flow and access etc.
I have also been working successfully to get people to invest in Franklin Hotels, Banquet Halls, Gas Stations and Convenience Stores etc., by utilizing a business friendly personal approach that welcomes Commercial investment in Franklin.
Why should people vote for me?
Specifically here are some details of my successful track record since taking office on the Franklin Town Council:
We cut Municipal spending in order to address the reality of significantly declining County, State and Federal Govt. revenues, at a time when the demands for healthcare, pensions, union contracted wages increased. The mandated spending forced on us by the State and Federal Government also increased. In short, we learned to do more, with less. With town reserves at the time allowing us to stay solvent for a maximum of two years, we turned that situation around so that we now have enough reserves to see us through any similar economic downturn and have seen an increase in our Municipal Bond Rating to one of the highest in the State of New Jersey.
We did an external operational audit to increase efficiency and reduce costs. We implemented Shared Services Programs with the County and adjacent towns to reduce costs and leverage collective buying, eliminating duplication of services and overhead.
We launched a successful program to fix crumbling roads and water systems and have implemented a long term plan for maintaining these roads and investing to minimize any breakdowns. We buy water more cost effectively in order to keep rates low, and have worked to eliminate waste due to leaks and a planned replacement of worn out meters.
We invested wisely in preservation resulting in one third of Franklin being maintained forever as open space and for active recreation facilities for our residents to enjoy. We built Middlebush Park and are moving forward with Catalpa Park, based on a recreation needs survey of residents and recommendations by an external expert consultants. We instituted open government by televising meetings for the Council, Planning and Zoning boards and the Board Of Education. Our newsletter and website have won awards for resident communication.
I understand the needs of seniors and have instituted programs to keep them safe through our Police Chief’s pioneering Blue Angel Program which I hope to see expanded in the future
This is not the time to bring in novice apprentices to steer our ship. Franklin needs steady, tried and tested leadership with a proven track record. A lot of the programs implemented are now paying off and need to be completed to benefit our residents. This is why residents should vote for me, proven leadership that works and it is important that we stay the course of success moving forward.
Frank Provenzano
- National Association of Counties, Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee, Member;
- Somerset County Youth Services Commission, Member;
- Raritan Valley Community College, Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, Member;
- Somerset County Police Academy, Law Enforcement Education Committee, Member;
- New Jersey Sheriffs’ Association, Past President;
- National Sheriffs’ Association, Member;
- New Jersey Association of Crisis Negotiators, Member;
- Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness School Security Task Force, Member;
- Somerset County Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Advisory Committee, Member;
- New Jersey COPS Magazine, Advisory Board Former Member;
- Italian-American Police Society, Member;
- John Basilone Parade Committee, Member;
- Somerville Elks, Member;
- Bradley Gardens American Legion, Member;
- Jack Gardner Softball Tournament fundraising event for children with special needs, Former Chairman;
- Operation Shoebox Board, Member;
- Bocce Invitational Board, Member;
- Raritan Borough Recreation Commission, Former Member;
- Little League Baseball and Pop-Warner Football, Former Coach;
- Boy Scouts Distinguished Citizen Award,;
- American Jail Association Member;
- Supreme Court Committee on Court Security committee;
- Thomas Edison Energysmart Charter School’s Advisory Board
- Keeping our residents and our communities safe and secure;
- Confronting the prescription drug and opioid crisis while getting illegal drugs and guns off the streets; and
- Protecting our seniors from consumer fraud. …
If incumbent, how many years have you served:
I am a career law enforcement office who spend 33 years with the Bridgewater Police Department before being elected County Sheriff. I have been Somerset County Sheriff for the last 14 years.
Do you belong to any civic organizations:
- National Association of Counties, Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee, Member;
- Somerset County Youth Services Commission, Member;
- Raritan Valley Community College, Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, Member;
- Somerset County Police Academy, Law Enforcement Education Committee, Member;
- New Jersey Sheriffs’ Association, Past President;
- National Sheriffs’ Association, Member;
- New Jersey Association of Crisis Negotiators, Member;
- Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness School Security Task Force, Member;
- Somerset County Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Advisory Committee, Member;
- New Jersey COPS Magazine, Advisory Board Former Member;
- Italian-American Police Society, Member;
- John Basilone Parade Committee, Member;
- Somerville Elks, Member;
- Bradley Gardens American Legion, Member;
- Jack Gardner Softball Tournament fundraising event for children with special needs, Former Chairman;
- Operation Shoebox Board, Member;
- Bocce Invitational Board, Member;
- Raritan Borough Recreation Commission, Former Member;
- Little League Baseball and Pop-Warner Football, Former Coach;
- Boy Scouts Distinguished Citizen Award,;
- American Jail Association Member;
- Supreme Court Committee on Court Security committee;
- Thomas Edison Energysmart Charter School’s Advisory Board
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
My top three issues are:
- Keeping our residents and our communities safe and secure;
- Confronting the prescription drug and opioid crisis while getting illegal drugs and guns off the streets; and
- Protecting our seniors from consumer fraud. In partnership with local law enforcement, we have helped to reduce violent crime by 15% and overall crime by 8% by doing things like establishing a Gang Unit within the Sheriff’s Office and having three specialized K-9 teams available 24/7 for county law enforcement agencies. We have instituted The Rx Mission Drive-in/Drop-Off which gets unused prescription drugs out of homes and off the streets to help stem our opioid and addiction crisis. Last, but not least, our Project Lifesaver Program provides GPS bracelets to seniors with Alzheimer’s and children with Autism in order to help their families locate them quickly should they ever wander from home.
Crystal Pruitt
If incumbent, how many years have you served:
I’ve been serving on council as of January of 2019, I was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Shanel Robinson once she became Somerset County Freeholder.
Membership in any civic organizations:
I have previously served as Vice President and then President of the Somerset County Young Democrats, third Vice President for the Franklin Township – JFK Democratic Club, and Diversity Chair for the New Leaders Council – NJ Chapter.
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
- Public Safety/Community Policing – Our Police Department does a wonderful job protecting and serving our residents, however, there is still plenty of work to be done. With the amount of population growth and establishment of more robust business districts, specifically the one along Hamilton Street, i t will become increasingly important that we have a Department that can not only support this growing and changing community but also be a part of the community. For many residents, the first and sometimes only interaction they’ll have with their municipal government, is its police department. Strengthening the relationship between our residents and our police only makes the township safer and a more cohesive community. As a diverse community, we have a responsibility to actively cultivate this relationship, and a robust community policing strategy is just one way to do so. I would advocate for and support the infrastructure, personnel, and financial resources needed to properly build out our community policing division. I would also see to it, that we have a strategic plan to recruit and promote more minority and women officers so that department can be reflective of the community it serves.
- Increasing Civic Engagement and Participation – “All politics is local,” is something that I have experienced firsthand during my time on Council. It is of critical Importance that younger people, take ownership of the local government. I would work with my colleague Councilwoman Francois, and Municipal Staff to build out civic engagement programing out of new Youth Center.
- Highlighting Diversity but Emphasizing Inclusion – Franklin Township is an incredibly diverse township, in fact it is often one of the first things we brag about as residents. However, being diverse and multicultural isn’t enough, it is about making sure that all of our residents feel like they have a place and a voice. Connecting with residents is truly a grassroots effort and will involve outreach, something I am wholly committed to. Be it individual events, or partnering with other municipal departments, I plan to roll out a series of opportunities to outreach and engage directly with the residents I am so honored to serve.
Meher Rafiq
Shanel Y. Robinson
Township Resident Since: 2001
Employment: Information Technology Manager
If incumbent, what term will this be (second, third, etc.): Appointed to fill unexpired term of Brian Regan
What is the single biggest issue facing your constituents, and what is your plan to address it:
Increased taxes seems to be the single biggest issue facing constituents. My plan is to look at ways to stabilize taxes, through streamlining processes with an emphasis on Economic Development to bring in new businesses which will increase our ratables which in turn will stabilize and ultimately reduce the tax burden on the constituents.
Why should people vote for you:
I have over 28 years of proven leadership and management experience and 14 years of civic involvement in Franklin Township. My approach to problem solving is from a scientific perspective, using quantitative methods to come to a resolution allows me to be strategic in planning and tactical in execution. This method has afforded me the opportunity to successfully work in a collaborative environment as well as finding resolve in highly stressful and emotional situations, at work and in the community
Darrin Russo
- Community Policing: planning on bringing the Sheriff's Office to the community.
- Efficient use of Resources: planning on using the Sheriff's Office more efficiently on the road, and in the community. …
Have you held any elected position before, and if so, what:
Only elected positions were union positions.
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
- Community Policing: planning on bringing the Sheriff’s Office to the community.
- Efficient use of Resources: planning on using the Sheriff’s Office more efficiently on the road, and in the community.
- Public Education: making citizens aware of what is going on in their community. Teaching our youth about the dangers of texing and driving, under-age drinking and drugs. Also, education about fraud and senior scams.
Beyond the need to review existing services to ensure that the ones we do provide are the most effective and cost efficient possible, it is imperative that we expand our scope to address threats to our public that may not have been as extensive or even have existed in the past as they do today. One area where this is clear is in the area of frauds and scams being perpetrated upon our residents and in particular, our Senior Community. Between phone scams, internet scams, door- to door scams etc., it is hard for even those of us who have been in law enforcement to keep up with the new techniques to steal people’s money that these people are coming up with. This is why the Sheriff’s Office, as an entity that reaches across all of Somerset County is well positioned to not only become a “central clearinghouse” for keeping up with the latest scams being perpetrated and reported in our area but also to become the “central educational center” in fighting these frauds. Working with local police departments, we will be able to reach out deeper into the community in order to educate the citizenry on how to protect themselves and their assets against these thieves. The Sheriff’s Office has really been a largely untapped resource in this regard and I believe we need to change that immediately in order to better protect our residents.
Rutgers Community Christian Church
- We believe that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God."
- We believe that the Bible is the supreme authority in all matters of Christian faith and conduct.
- We believe in one God who eternally exists in three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. …
RCCC Statement of Faith
- We believe that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.”
- We believe that the Bible is the supreme authority in all matters of Christian faith and conduct.
- We believe in one God who eternally exists in three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- We believe that Jesus Christ our Lord is the only begotten Son of God, and God the Son from eternity. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, atoning death and bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
- We believe that the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the blessed Trinity, dwells in every believer. We believe that He is ever present to testify of Christ.
- We believe that man was originally created in the image and likeness of God, that he fell through sin, and lost his spiritual life. We believe the absolute necessity of the new birth in salvation.
- We believe that our redemption has been accomplished solely by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that the salvation of the believer comes only through faith in Christ.
- We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ will be coming in the air to receive His own to Himself into heaven. We believe that this event is the blessed hope set before us and for this we should be constantly looking.
- We believe in the one holy universal Church which is the body of Christ and to which all believers belong, and that the duty of the Church is to proclaim the Gospel of salvation to the world.
- We believe that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are the only sacraments of the Church.
71 Cedar Grove Lane Somerset 08873
Richard Seamon
Township Resident Since: 1993
Employment: Project Manager at Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.
If incumbent, what term will this be (second, third, etc.):This would be my 4th term: 2000-2003, 2010-2013, 4/15-present.
What is the single biggest issue facing your constituents, and what is your plan to address it:
In my opinion, there are two significant issues that will be addressed concurrently and are equal in importance to our community. The first is that our new superintendent, Dr. John Ravally, has inherited numerous ‘interim’ staff members in positions that need to be filled with permanent employees. Considering that all school districts in NJ are competing for the best and brightest, his task will be made even more difficult. Additionally, our district is just getting started with our One Less Move Capital Building Program which, in itself, is a huge undertaking. Fortunately, the Board has recently approved a Construction Management firm that will oversee the day-to-day construction. However, as this building program begins to provide additional spaces in our schools the district will need to continue hiring new administrative and teaching staff. So, over the next three years I would say that District Staffing and Building Construction are two concurrent issues that are inseparably tied together.
Regarding the construction, as I stated the Board has recently approved a Construction Management firm that will oversee the day-to-day construction. The Board Facilities, Transportation and Technology Committee will meet on a continuous basis with our Administration, the CM and both A/E firms to ensure the work proceeds on schedule, within budget and to the requisite quality that we deserve. I hope to continue as a member of this committee in 2016 should I be re-elected. As far as the current and upcoming Personnel challenges, the Board needs to identify, manage and update District Goals and update our District Strategic Plan; in doing so, we provide guidance to Dr. Ravally that he will use when seeking out qualified staff for District administration, individual school principal and future teaching positions. The Board needs to review job descriptions to ensure that the District is seeking the education, certifications and experience that will provide our students with the most qualified staff possible.
Why should people vote for you:
During my first term, I worked on passage of the High School referendum and then participated in all aspects of designing the building along with District Administration and my fellow Board members. During my second term, I served as the chair for the Facilities, Transportation & Technology Committee and the Strategic Plan Committee. Through these committees, I managed the successful creation of the District Long Range Facilities Plan, the initial Capital Building plan (which became the One Less Move Referendum), the current Energy Savings Improvement plan, the SEE Program and the District Strategic Plan. I also worked with District administration to identify funding to complete the FHS stadium. Currently, I’m back on Facilities and working with the team to bring the One Less Move Capital Building Program to fruition.
Our school district is in the midst of a very exciting time; we have a new Superintendent who will successfully lead our schools into the future and; we are beginning a significant facility expansion that will allow the district to address the growing population of our Township, stabilize class sizes, reconfigure our grade levels across all elementary and middle schools, perform priority capital repairs and improvements and expand energy savings upgrades throughout all buildings. I sincerely believe that my background as a Civil Engineer, as well as my experience and knowledge of our school district’s long range facility needs and strategic plan will provide the support that Dr. Ravally and his team need to provide enhanced educational opportunities for all of the children of Franklin Township.
Sami Shaban
Experience
If incumbent, how many years have you served: n/a
If not, have you held any elected position before, and if so, what: Never.
Membership in any civic organizations: I am a member of the township’s planning board, as well as the Somerset County planning board. I also coach basketball and baseball locally and am the proud coach of the 10-year-old 2021 Franklin Township Baseball league.
Issues
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
As a proud father of 4 boys I can tell you that my top priorities are
1. Community: To support a strong sense of community between our parents, students, teachers and staff, and all other members of the community, where we are all working together as a village to raise each and every child as our own,
2. Teacher Retention and Hiring: Teachers and staff are the lifeblood of our school system, and so we need to Increase retention by ensuring teachers and staff are paid appropriately in line with other neighboring districts, and ensuring opportunities for their professional development and personal growth,
3 Safety: To have a safe transition back for our students, teachers and staff.
To deal with the issues, we must work as one community, which for me starts with listening to one another to the thoughts and concerns of students, parents, teachers, administrators and staff, to make the best decision that will allow each and every child to self-actualize their highest potential. Listening to each other will encourage and allow the best ideas to come forward to be implemented. I would also look to encourage more activities for the students and their families that utilize our many parks and facilities, including sports, academic and social programming.
Furthermore, I would investigate more robust ways to support our teachers, counselors, and administrators to provide even more support for our student population. As a parent of a special needs child, I understand that its not just about the right education, but the right education for that child – and if done right at the right time small changes can make all the world of difference. Children in our schools learn differently, and so investing in understanding our children is paramount. Through early detection and intervention, we can get the right level of support to the many children in our district that need it.
In terms of safety, we must listen to the medical professionals and the students, parents, teachers, administrators, and staff to build a plan that provides a safe transition back that is sustainable and has the buy-in of the community.
Shree Swaminarayan Temple New Jersey
1667 Amwell Road Somerset NJ 08873 USA
Scott Siegel
Township Resident Since: 2012
Employment: Guardian Life Insurance Company
What is the single biggest issue facing your constituents, and what is your plan to address it:
While my opponents focus on the budget, I will put my efforts toward addressing the tax levy which has risen almost 16% over the past 4 years.
Why should people vote for you:
I have over 30 of experience in the municipal finance sector, giving me an unique background to understand and address the financial issues confronting Franklin Township.