Community FAQs
CANDIDATE'S POSITIONS TO BETTER THE COMMUNITY
What is your stance on the current, notable challenge that is Bancroft? Bancroft is the current, most noted challenge that we have to navigate with transparency and consensus. Infrastructure is a challenge. Old stormwater drainage systems and new requirements from the state. There are federal grants administered through the state that are being investigated by the administration. Recent burglaries around town are concerning. I have the experience to help the police and director of public safety and new resources and solutions to help tend off these crimes. Crows Woods is in dire need of rehabilitation. It's an old municipal dump and glass is starting to migrate up to the top. It needs to be capped properly to current environmental standards to keep our kids safe. I'll work with the administration on a grant for this issue. Ordinances regarding zoning and building are antiquated. Were "zoning by variance." The zoning process adds costs - up to $2,000 to the homeowner - before a contractor starts the project. We need to review and rewrite these ordinances to allow the building inspector to approve these. The requirements for new construction need to be changed. Builders are constructing new or substantially rebuilt homes on smaller lots. They increase the building footprint by removing driveway space, pushing cars to park overnight on the street. If we tighten up these ordinances, houses would be proportionate with neighborhood and more affordable.
What is your plan for safety? I would like to implement a public security awareness campaign based on the Look Up Speak Up model. This would be done in conjunction with the county, and funds should be available through the county to pay for it. This campaign would allow residents to report any suspicious behavior to a hotline manned by the 911 communications center, who would pass this information along to the local police. It would cut down on lag times for notification, and allow the proper authorities to be aware of any activity. This will also allow residents to report behavior quickly, without having to determine if a crime is being committed or not. Residents can send the tip in, and let the law enforcement professionals decide what action to take. Implement Look Up Speak Up campaign. Increase amount of stop signs in town, using Collingswood as the model.
How do you plan on maintaining the strength of the schools? One of the main draws of Haddonfield is the school district. My kids were beneficiaries of the school system here. With the recent BOE bond proposal, I like everyone else in town is waiting for the descriptions of the full program and will make any decision based on complete information.
Share your perspective on financing and our government systems. Government budgeting is not designed to be flexible. Everything we do costs, we need stability and to examine needs vs. wants. We need fair, reasonable and well thought out expenditures. We need transparency in these expenditures so the residents understand where their taxes are being used and what are the actual costs of running a uniquely special town like Haddonfield.
How do you plan to help keep our downtown thriving? Our downtown is the soul of our community. Currently there are too many vacancies. As commissioner I will work with our officials to bring in new and vibrant businesses to fill these vacancies. I would also spotlight the Haddon Ave. corridor, and the diverse business community in that area. I will support Partnership for Haddonfield in their efforts to showcase our downtown. Bill supports a strong and vibrant downtown area. Bring in new businesses. Showcase Haddon Ave corridor. Support PfH.
What is your position on zoning? I believe the zoning ordinances need to be reviewed and updated. For a builder to come into a neighborhood and tear down a smaller home to build a much larger one on the same size lot without any variances is evidence of the need for tightened ordinances. Developers know to go big, even in smaller scale neighborhoods, contrary to the character of our older neighborhoods. They take driveway space away, or don’t build a front porch to make the pervious land percentage. The larger footprint at the expense of those features adds to the cost of the flipped house, and makes most housing unaffordable to those who want to downsize and stay in town. We need to reduce the percentage of impervious land for those houses that are to be razed and a new house built. This will make it less attractive to build oversized houses in saller house neighborhoods and give both beginning home buyers, and those who wish to downsize and stay in Haddonfield a chance at affordability.