Committee Candidates Discuss Taxes, Public Safety

The three Republican candidates for the Chatham Township Committee gathered at the Library of the Chathams Wednesday for a candidate's forum, hosted by the League of Women Voters.

Incumbent Committee Member Robert Gallop and challengers Daniel Miller and Curt Ritter answered questions about public safety, the market garden ordinance, underage drinking, taxes and spending in the township during the 80-minute forum.

Each candidate had a two-minute introduction, followed by one minute to answer questions and an optional one-minute extension. At the end of the forum the candidates had two minutes for their concluding remarks.

Gallop has served as the deputy mayor since 2011 and has sat on the committee since 2007. He is now running for his third consecutive term on the committee.

Ritter is a native New Jerseyan and president and founder of the Chatham Turkey Trot. He formerly sat on the township's Zoning Board of Adjustment and has lived in Chatham for just under 10 years.

Miller is a lifelong resident of Green Village Road and a former member of the township's Planning Board. His plans with a neighbor to plant and sell organic produce on their properties led to the controversial market garden ordinance, which dominated township debates for over a year.

There are two available seats on the township committee up for election this year. No Democrats filed to run in this election.

Primary elections will be held on June 4.