Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Slogan
Mercer County Democratic Committee
I’m running for Commissioner because I believe county government should be practical, transparent, and focused on results people can see in their lives—safe communities, reliable services, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Mercer County needs leaders who can balance today’s needs with long-term planning, who are willing to listen, collaborate, & make continuous progress.
I am the Chief Client Officer for an engineering firm that focuses on improving our environment & strengthening our infrastructure. This experience has taught me how to evaluate projects & make smart investments that deliver value for Mercer County.
I’m rooted in the community & have a track record of service that’s prepared me to lead, collaborate, & solve problems.
As a community leader and coach, I’ve served as President of Nottingham Little League been a member of the Mercer County Planning Board, I served on the boards of Lakeview Child Care Center & RWJ Hamilton YPG’s. These experiences taught me how to collaborate & build consensus among the team to make the decisions that were in the best interest of the communities we served.
I’ve spent years giving back to the community I love—from coaching my daughter’s basketball teams to my sons’ baseball teams. Coaching is one of the highest honors of my life because it’s about more than the game: teaching sportsmanship, camaraderie, and teamwork, and helping young people build confidence and character. That same mindset of show up, do the work, treat people with respect, and put the team first—is how I serve as Commissioner.
My experience in infrastructure, environmental work, & local leadership has prepared me to be an effective Commissioner. I’m running to bring steady, accountable leadership—listening to residents, collaborating with partners, and measuring success by outcomes. Most of all, I’m running to give back to a County that has given my family so much, and to earn the public’s trust through hard work and results.
Over the next 3 years, Mercer County’s biggest challenge will be affordability. With costs rising for families, seniors, and working residents, county government must avoid adding financial strain by focusing on essentials, managing expenses, and funding what delivers the greatest value.
We must balance our investments with the high level of service residents expect. while limiting the impact on taxpayers. Our budget should prioritize public safety, health and human services, infrastructure, and support for our most vulnerable residents, with clear measures of results and strong stewardship of every dollar.
I will work with our County Executive and fellow commissioners to align priorities, protect vulnerable residents, and spend wisely.
I want to increase citizen participation in county government by meeting people where they are and making our work easier to follow. The Commissioner Board should hold meetings in different communities across the county and expand livestreaming and broadcast options so residents can watch online, weigh in, and hold us accountable. More engagement and transparency will lead to better decisions and outcomes.
Resolving the situation at the Mercer County Correction Center is extremely important. A jail that is more than 120 years old, with conditions described as inhumane, is unacceptable—and the ongoing litigation only increases risk and cost for taxpayers. My focus would be to make the necessary investments to modernize the facility, improve safety and living conditions, and ensure we meet constitutional standards. At the same time, we should invest in education, job training, and evidence-based reentry programming that reduces recidivism and improves outcomes—because fewer people returning to jail is both the right result for public safety and the smartest long-term financial strategy.
We have a responsibility to protect public safety while treating people with dignity, especially neighbors who contribute to our community & support our economy. Our role is to provide oversight & transparency: understand how ICE policies affect our residents and our workforce; ensure county departments follow the law while using resources wisely; work with local law enforcement, service providers, & community partners so families can access accurate information and support. Tearing families apart is inhumane, it harms children, neighborhoods, and trust in government. We should use our voice to advocate for humane reforms and a real path to citizenship, while focusing locally on policies that keep Mercer County safe, fair, and welcoming.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Slogan
Mercer County Democratic Endorsed Candidate
My candidacy is based in experience, integrity and a vast knowledge of County government and its many partners. Prior to being a Commissioner, I served on a local school board, planning board, and as the cross-acceptance representative for the last round of state cross acceptance plans. I had worked in my community to change the form of government utilizing the Faulkner Act and had spent significant time studying various forms of government available to communities. As the only educator in county government, it provides me with a unique perspective to understand community needs. In my profession as a special educator for over 30 years, the impact of governmental decisions on students, parents, and schools was clear. This experience solidified my belief in universal design, the importance of social services, and the need for education at all levels including technical-vocational, special services, and community colleges.My service as a union leader differs from my colleagues and gives me insight into the partnerships needed to support public service. Overarching all is a belief that all people must be treated with dignity and care. That includes our partners serving in municipal government as well as the many non-profits with whom we share a responsibility to provide for our residents. Finally, by knowing the many departments and how they work together within the structure of Mercer County's government it allows my work for residents to leverage dollars, adjust quickly to changes in laws and regulations, and keep an eye on projects and contracts in an effort to provide the most forward thinking, responsive, transparent and cost-efficient government. I believe our communities deserve nothing less.
The need to enhance technology is an area impacting all other areas of county government. As we move to provide technologically advanced usage we will reduce costs and improve services. County-wide reviews of technology have already taken place and implementation will be the next step. Affordability remains a challenge to Mercer County and New Jersey as a whole. The impacts on affordable housing, the transferring of costs created by HR1 legislation to county Boards of Social Services, and food insecurity are all areas that we are addressing by supporting agencies and creating direct service programs. The building of the airport terminal is a current need. Revision of the initial plan, funding, and phasing of the project is ongoing.
There is never enough public participation at the county level. The best projects are those that people take an interest in and become active participants in the process. We are moving towards streaming the Commissioner meetings to provide direct access. Our agendas are accessible online as are the minutes of the meetings. I think it speaks well of the Board that people often come to us with county and non-county concerns because they feel we are a source of information and have created a welcoming environment for the public. It would be my thought to invite government classes at the high school and college level to attend meetings. Also, our internship programs have also been a successful introduction to government leading to careers.
It is a critical need to create an environment that leads to successful re-entry into communities. Corrections cannot be a revolving door for inmates. We must upgrade conditions that exist , so that both inmates and correction officers are in a center that is safe, clean, and providing the re-entry needs that will break what is a cycle of incarceration. These include access to religious services, educational services, mental health services, medical care, and a move towards normative behavioral correction. The age of the facility impacts the cost through need for multiple posts and overtime. Currently an evaluation is being performed and as areas of need in the physical plant are identified they are being corrected.
In 2017, I asked for clarification of legal requirements regarding ICE requests and detainees. We meet these legal requirements and do not participate beyond these mandates. We actively protect from Federal voluntary requests the data of those seeking services from Mercer County. We provide information about what to do if stopped by ICE to residents. If a person is arrested and at the correction center, we do not hold persons beyond their time served or legal limit so that ICE can detain them. We do recognize Federal warrants as prescribed by law. We have passed resolutions calling on the state to pass various bills that expand our ability to protect our residents.
