Hagner to Run for State Assembly; Contested Primary in Township

Chatham Township Mayor Nicole Hagner confirmed Monday that she has submitted a petition to run for a seat in the New Jersey State Assembly for the newly aligned 27th legislative district.

Chatham Township was moved from the 21st to the 27th district last week in the state's redistricting. It is currently represented by Mila Jasey (D, South Orange) and John F. McKeon (D, West Orange).

Contested Republican Primary in Chatham Township

In local elections, four Republican candidates signed up to run for two seats on the Chatham Township Committee, ensuring a contested primary election in the township in June 7. Committee Member Bailey Brower, Jr. will run to keep his seat, and is joined in his campaign by Jeffrey Furbish, who currently sits on the Chatham Township Planning Board.

Running against the two are Kathy Abbott, vice chair of the Chatham Township Environmental Commission, and Laura Ali Nonnenmacher, a former president of the Parent-Teacher Organization at Southern Boulevard School.

No Democratic candidates signed up to run.

Furbish and Brower know each other from the planning board and decided to run together for the committee, which will have a vacant seat left when Bill O'Connor steps down this year. 

Besides the Planning Board, Furbish has also coached recreation football and baseball and sat on the Open Space Committee in the township. He is running, he said, to maintain the standards and quality of life already present int he township.

"I believe in an open and responsive local government with transparency on all discussions and decisions," Furbish said.

Brower is currently in his third term on the committee. He said he is most proud of the outreach the committee has done to the community. "One of the things we've really tried to do is interact with the public, encouraging them to get up and speak in the meetings and to use that [public hearing time] for publicity or to make their points," he said.

Brower and Furbish intend to run on a platform of maintaining the current work that the committee has already done. "We have the best school system, best recreation program and one of the lowest rates of crime in the state. We've put money [into the recreation] fields, money in the fire engines and the fire houses, and done this at no increase in tax this year in the township. I don’t remember a single year when the municipal budget came in at a zero increase," Brower said.

Abbott and Nonnenmacher said they plan to run with a platform of modernizing the committee and engaging the public at a higher level. Nonnenmacher, who uses social media and marketing in her small business, discussed the idea of putting the Township Committee meetings on YouTube as well as on the local cable channel, and using social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter to get the public more involved.

The two have not yet decided on a campaign manager, but Abbott said, "Our campaign is about positive energy ... and extending [our] committment to the town."

Abbott and Nonnenmacher know each other from the Morris County Republican Committee. Both said they have thought about running for local office for several years.

Nonnenmacher said, "I have this vision for this town that it could be so much more community-oriented and so much more fiscally responsible." She said she hopes to find ways to encourage local businesses and consumers to the Hickory Square shopping center in the township, and find ways to help older residents on fixed incomes to "keep up with the surmounting real estate taxes."

Nonnenmacher said she also thinks it is important to have the committee reflect the population of the town, especially when it comes to the schools. Only one current committee member, Deputy Mayor Bob Gallop, has children in public schools.

"I think a more diverse group needs to be heard," she said.

Contested General in Chatham Borough

In the borough, Nelson Vaughan (D) will run to keep his current position as mayor against challenger Bruce A. Harris (R). Vaughan is currently serving his first term as mayor. Harris has sat on the Chatham Borough Council for the last eight years.

Council President James Lonergan (R) will run to keep his seat on the council, and Gerald Helfrich (R) will run for the second available seat currently filled by Harris. Marcy Wecker (D) also submitted paperwork to run for Harris' seat and will campaign with Vaughan through the election season.

Vaughan grew up in Chatham and has lived in the borough for most of his life. He said that serving as mayor is an honor that he would like to continue for a second term. "There is still a lot I'd like to do," Vaughan said.

He is "delighted" to run on the Democratic ticket with Wecker. "She gets things done and I just think she provided great balance in everything she does."

Harris has lived in the borough for 30 years and currently serves on the Planning Board and as chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee. He is currently in his third term on the council.

Harris said his time on the council has provided him with “I understand and appreciate how the council works for the good of everyone, and have the ability, skills and expertise to guide our town through the everyday realities faced by a mayor and governing body,” Harris said.

Lonergan is running for his second term on the council. He has served on numerous committees and is the council's liaison to the Memorial Park & Pool Committee, which last year asked the public whether or not to save the municipal pool. He was elected by the council as their president at the start of 2011. He said, "My goal is to get things done, to be reasonable, fair, to take topics and move them forward."

Helfrich said he has considered running for a couple of years but that with three children now in college and a fourth a junior at Chatham High School, the timing seemed right to run now. "When you commit to something like this, you have to make sure your family is committing, too," he said.

Helfrich served on the Board of Education for nine years and stepped down in April 2007. He also served on the Board of Recreation. A graduate of Chatham Borough High School, he has lived in Chatham nearly all his life and currently has a law practice in Denville.

The biggest issues facing the borough, Helfrich said, are financial, especially regarding taxes and pressure from Trenton to enter into shared services with other municipalities and organizations.

"[Shared services has] become a buzzword for the solution to all of our problems," Helfrich said. "But you have to look at it to see if it is going to be cost saving immediately and in the future. You can’t just wave a wand and save money. You have to study to determine if there is really going to be a savings, and whether or not the services are going to be the same or better."

Primary elections will take place on June 7, and the general election will take place on November 8. The last day to change party affiliations for the primary is Monday, April 18. Residents may register to vote for the primary until May 17 through the Morris County Election Center. Office hours on May 17 have been extended to 9 p.m. for the convenience of voters. Those who wish to vote by by mail have until May 31 to apply for an absontee ballot.