Politics & Government

Resident Endorses Harris for Mayor

Resident endorses Harris for mayor.

This coming Election Day, I will proudly support Bruce Harris for Mayor of Chatham Borough and encourage all voters to do the same. For over 13 years, Bruce has been the model of the selfless public servant, bringing an infinite amount of his personal time, energy, integrity, and intellect to bear in resolving complex issues facing our town, improving the delivery and cost-effectiveness of municipal services, and maintaining Chatham Borough’s small town identity and superior quality of life.

One of the most important responsibilities of Chatham Borough’s Mayor is to serve as an active and voting member of the Planning Board.  As the Council liaison to the Planning Board for most of the past 8 years, Bruce’s grasp of zoning and land development issues has been without peer. Always actively engaged in the discussion at hand, Bruce was a key participant in the eventual formulation of many recently enacted ordinances aimed at preserving the character of Chatham Borough as an appealing residential community.

For example, Bruce was an integral force behind efforts to keep fast food establishments out of the east Main Street section of our Historic District by prohibiting eating and drinking establishments. He supported efforts to introduce parking requirements for child care centers and institute a comprehensive update to the ordinance addressing uniform signage standards for our town. 

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Perhaps Bruce’s most lasting accomplishment will be the recent business zone study, which will result in Chatham realizing the recommendations of a professional planner to ensure that ordinances result in a zoning plan that reflect the needs and desires of Chatham’s residents.  Bruce was a driving force behind getting the study done, and as mayor he would continue to lend his in-depth knowledge and experience to the task of analyzing and implementing the suggestions of the planner. 

Unfortunately, during the past four years, Nelson Vaughan has occupied the Mayor’s seat on the Board yet has not been an active participant in meetings, nor has he offered any substantive solutions or ideas towards improving Chatham’s zoning and land use ordinances. Chatham Borough will benefit significantly from having an actively engaged mayor who not only possesses a grasp of the issues at hand but is prepared to offer innovative ideas and a vision for a better Chatham. That man is Bruce Harris.

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Peter Hoffman

17 Elmwood Avenue

Chatham Borough


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