The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Santhosh “Sam” Velu
- Franklin Township Soccer Club, coach & board member 12 years
- St. Matthias, Employment Ministry, 10 years
- DOL Employment Counseling Services
- Hamilton Business District
- I believe that the present town council has put party first and the needs of Franklin residents a distant second. …
Membership in any civic organizations:
- Franklin Township Soccer Club, coach & board member 12 years
- St. Matthias, Employment Ministry, 10 years
- DOL Employment Counseling Services
- Hamilton Business District
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
- I believe that the present town council has put party first and the needs of Franklin residents a distant second. I used to be a registered Democrat, but I believe so deeply that the wheels have fallen off this council’s all-Democrat bus, that I changed party to run as a Republican for Council-At-Large. We need diversity on the council to restore the public trust, and put an end to back-room dealings and party-first politics. I am relying on your support to make this happen.
- I’m running for Council-at-Large because Franklin is currently experiencing many challenges and it is time for fresh ideas and bold action. I believe we’re best served when public officials listen to residents, uphold the public trust, and work hard on the issues that are important to our town, including preserving open space, transparency and accountability in governance, and strong fiscal responsibility. When elected, I will help attract businesses to Franklin, develop land responsibly (while maintaining open space), and make fiscally sound decisions.
- I would like to see our police department reach the number of officers required by the FBI. The safety of our community is of utmost importance to me. We will find excess money in our budget and be sure that our emergency services are well funded. I would also like to help rebuild morale within our police force.
Deva Villuri
Devakumar Villuri
Experience
If incumbent, how many years have you served:
Not applicable.
If not, have you held any elected position before, and if so, what:
I’ve served as Treasurer and Secretary for voluntary and charitable organizations.
Membership in any civic organizations:
Member of Gideon’s International
Advocate for Protection of Religious Freedoms in South Asia.
Issues
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
- Parents to be equal decision-makers in school policy and overall standards implementation.
- Prepare Public School to compete with both private and charter schools by offering the best measurable goal-based academic experience, in addition to preparing the students to contribute positively to the community and country at large.
- Implement behavioral incentive programs to promote the healthy pursuit of excellence across all grades both academically and in various extra-curricular programs.
Paricia Walsh
If incumbent, how many years have you served:
Served on Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders since 2008.
If not, have you held any elected position before, and if so, what:
Yes, previously served as Mayor of Green Brook, Deputy Mayor of Green Brook & on the Green Brook Township Committee.
Do you belong to any civic organizations:
Somerset County Sexual Assault Response Team, Green Brook 9/11 Memorial Committee, Meals on Wheels, Somerset County Senior Shopper Program, American Red Cross Blood Bank, Somerset County Commission on the Status of Women, Somerset County Governing Officials Association, New Jersey Federation of Republican Women, Somerset County Republican Municipal Committeewoman, New Jersey Conference of Mayors.
What do you see as your three top issues, and how do you plan on dealing with them:
My top three issues are:
- Strengthening our economy and promoting private sector job growth;
- Keeping our county taxes stabile, while reducing the size of government and providing quality services and;
- Maintaining our robust county park system, preserving open space and promoting our excellent quality of life in the county.
In Somerset County, we have among the lowest unemployment rates and poverty rates in the state and our private sector economic growth is twice the state average. Our stable taxes and nationallyrdecognized Triple “A” credit rating have made our county an attractive place for private businesses to invest and expand. Protecting open space and promoting our county park system will also continue to be a focus. Lastly, I am confident that we can continue to provide quality services to our seniors, veterans and families to keep Somerset County strong, while keep taxes in check.
Jennifer Welch
Clara Wilson
Carl R.A. Wright
- Traffic: Speeding in Township
Township Council 5th Ward
Top Issues and How to Solve Them
- Traffic: Speeding in Township
Speeding on certain streets in Franklin is an everyday issue. We need to increase the use of some types of calming devices including speed humps, (not speed bumps), rumble strips, (5 to 8 strips parallel) and speed signs which indicate current speed. Speed humps and rumble strips are hard to use and while they are effective, no one wants them in front of their house or on their block. This issue is one of the primary reasons that I have focused on building more sidewalks on our streets. Our pedestrians, and especially our school children, need to be safe when walking along our roadways. Until we increase utilization of the above measures, reducing the problem of speeding will be especially hard.
- Public safety: The Township has grown and so must our Police Force.
Let’s be clear, Police Officers cost money no matter how large or small the force. The Department of Justice, has guidelines on the proper sized force based on population and crime. We need to ensure that the size of our police force can properly meet the challenges we face in Franklin Township.
3) Maintaining Streets and Parks
While everyone may not realize the extent of our road paving program, we actually spend $750,000 every year on paving/repaving our streets based on a grading system that is used by our Public Works Department. Additionally, if residents inform me of a particular road issue or I drive down a street that just doesn’t feel right, I inform the Township Manager in order to have that street checked and if necessary, placed on our list.
Regarding parks, this is always an issue. While many people focus on building new parks, and new parks are important, I also believe that it is just as important to maintain our current parks properly. Dirty areas and broken fixtures are not acceptable and I would like to increase communication with residents regarding the condition of our parks so that we can address these types of issues right away.
