Milltown
At stake: One four-year mayoral term and two three-year Borough Council terms

Gloria M. Bradford* (R) Seeking mayoral term Bradford, a lifelong resident of Milltown, is the widow of the late Addison Bradford, and has two grown children, Alan Bradford and Diane Salkeld, and three grandchildren. She is retired after 32 years with Johnson & Johnson. Bradford has been mayor for nine years and is a member of the Planning Board, Redevelopment Agency, Middlesex County Mayors Association, and Board of Directors for the N.J. Mayors Association, Senior Citizens Club, St. Paul's Church, Destroyer Escort Sailors Association Auxiliary, Joyce Kilmer Post No. 25 Auxiliary and Milltown Historical Society. She is chaplain for the Milltown Fire Department Auxiliary. She previously served two years as a Milltown councilwoman.

Where they stand:

What is Milltown's strongest quality and biggest weakness?

Gloria M. Bradford* (R) Although Milltown is surrounded by major highways, it maintains the small-town atmosphere. It is a multi-generation town with children often buying parents' or grandparents' houses. Because of its size, residents enjoy personal service by borough employees and outstanding volunteer emergency response teams. Our police department works closely with the schools, interacting with children at all levels. The town has its own electric department, benefiting the residents with quick response to problems, a surplus-generating operation and reasonable rates. Also of great benefit is the fact that Milltown has a full-time mayor, making her office accessible during the day as well as at night. Milltown has an aging infrastructure, and we are experiencing some brown (but safe) water and other problems associated with an aging community.

William Deinzer* (D) Seeking council term Deinzer, 47, has a wife, Cindy Frost Deinzer, and children Zachary, 15, and Hailey, 9. He is employed as Middlesex County's director of consumer affairs and superintendent of weights and measures. He is a lifelong Milltown resident. Deinzer currently serves on the Borough Council and is past chair of its Public Works Committee. He is liaison to the Board of Adjustment and Milltown Rescue Squad. He is also a member of the New Brunswick Elks No. 324, and a member of PBA Local No. 203, and is a basketball coach for Milltown recreation and baseball coach for Little League and recreation. * denotes incumbent

William Deinzer* (D) Milltown's strongest quality is it has a small-town charm and strong sense of community. The biggest weakness for Milltown at this time is the location of the electric substation. After the storm last April, it was evident it was built in a flood plain back in 1967. Realizing that this issue had to be addressed, I met with the FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] officials on four separate occasions. We discussed the importance of having the substation moved to a safer location and obtaining funding to do this.

Brian Harto (R) Seeking council term Harto, 47, was employed by Brownworth Engineering for 30 years as an electrical project designer. He recently left that profession to operate eSoldAuctions, a Milltown business he co-founded in 2005. He has been a member of the Milltown Fire Department for 28 years, serving as fire chief twice. He has coached Little League, served on Milltown's Centennial, Emergency Management and Historical Preservation committees, and also is curator of the Eureka Fire Museum. He was photo editor of the "Images of Milltown" book. He lives with his wife of 23 years, Anne, and their dog Jack.

Brian Harto (R) Milltown's strongest quality would have to be its "everybody knows everybody smalltown charm," and the passion that longtime residents have for protecting that charm. The pride that the residents have in the various organizations they join is also very impressive. This is most evident on the Fourth of July. Our biggest weakness is that we seem to continually watch our historic buildings deteriorate to the point where their destruction is imminent, without offering any solution before it is too late. We do not seem to learn from our previous experiences.

Michael Lewycky (i) Seeking mayoral term Lewycky, 38, is single with no children. He works as a teacher and an artist. His family has resided in the same home since 1971. Lewycky has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Rutgers University and has been accredited by the NJDEP Division of Parks and Forestry. He is the acting vice chairman of the Shade Tree Commission and an alternate member of the Environmental Commission. He is also a member of Milltowners for a $ensible Ford Avenue Redevelopment, and is an active participant in public meetings and an advocate for environmental protection and historical preservation.

Michael Lewycky (i) Milltown's strongest quality has always been its small-town charm and the people who reside here. Our confined borders allow for a sense of community that larger, more populated towns envy. This, ironically, is also our greatest weakness. The near buildout of our hometown allows no opportunity to grow, expand our ratable base, or preserve additional open space. Only the 22.4 acres on Ford Avenue can accommodate these needs. Do we add more residents and dilute, if not destroy, our small-town feel and tax out the longtime residents in favor of strangers? I don't think so.

Mike Skarzynski (D) Seeking mayoral term Skarzynski, 44, has a wife, Diane, and children Jake, 16, and Monica, 15. He is employed as chief of staff at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center, North Brunswick. Skarzynski has lived in Milltown for 16 years. He attended Middlesex County College, Edison. Skarzynski has served for 11 years on the Borough Council, including three years as council president. He served as acting mayor in 1998 and has been the senior citizen liaison for 10 years and HUD representative for nine years. He is a former coach of basketball, girls softball and Little League.

Mike Skarzynski (D) I believe that the greatest quality of Milltown is the volunteer efforts of its citizens. I am very proud of all our emergency service personnel who protect their fellow residents. Our children are nurtured by parents who volunteer in sports and school activities. We are also fortunate to have many volunteers working hard to keep our senior center running smoothly. This is the spirit of Milltown residents, and this spirit enhances our community and augments the good efforts of our borough employees. A concern of mine is the condition of our Joyce Kilmer School. This school could benefit from some repairs. Our children deserve a better facility.

Eric Steeber* (D) Seeking council term Steeber, 43, has four children, ages 21, 16, 13 and 9, and is employed as a land surveyor with Fisk Associates. He is a lifelong Milltown resident. A borough councilman from 1994 to 1999 and 2005 to the present, Steeber has served as council president in 1996 and 2007. He chairs the Finance, Administration and Planning Committee, and has chaired the Public Works, and Environmental, Health and Social Services, and Recreation committees. He serves on the Public Safety and Utilities committees. He is a former Milltown firefighter and soccer coach, and has worked with numerous committees, including the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee, and the Revitalization and Mill Pond Park committees.

Eric Steeber* (D) Milltown's strongest quality is its residents. My fellow Milltowners are very intelligent and street smart. They are also not afraid to tell you what they think about borough issues and always offer creative solutions. They also possess a very strong moral base, instilled in them from good parents. Milltown's only weakness is the lack of an industrial tax base. We make up for this loss by injecting profits from our electric utility into our budget to keep taxes lower, but if we had the industrial tax base also, we could lower our residential tax rate more.

Stacey Waters (R) Seeking council term Waters, a lifelong Milltown resident, is an administrator for IEEE in Piscataway. She currently chairs Milltown's Historic Preservation Advisory Committee. She is secretary of the Milltown Historical Society and treasurer of Milltown's Revitalization Committee. She graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.

Stacey Waters (R) I believe Milltown's strongest quality is our residents. The people of Milltown have a strong sense of community and volunteerism. It is what makes Milltown a great place to raise families and to live. I feel that Milltown's weakest quality has been the lack of effort to preserve our historic properties and to move forward in producing legislation that will help us stop further demolition and preserve the smalltown atmosphere that is Milltown.

Do you support the latest plan for the redevelopment of Ford Avenue?

Gloria M. Bradford* (R) Ford Avenue must be renovated. This area poses a health risk (from contaminated soil) as well as a safety risk (from the state of buildings that create an attractive area for children). The area must be developed in a controlled manner so everyone benefits. We are currently being sued by the owner of the site, who wants to build 550 units. Milltown's plan calls for 276 units, divided into several different types. Is the Milltown plan perfect? Probably not. But it is necessary that we come into court with a plan that will meet our COAH [Council on Affordable Housing] obligation and be an asset to the community. This plan does that very thing.

William Deinzer* (D) I do not support the latest plan. While I do feel that redevelopment on Ford Avenue is necessary, and if done properly will enhance Milltown and increase property value, the latest plan raises many major concerns regarding the variety of housing units and COAH requirements. I will listen to the redevelopment professionals and the residents' comments and make a decision based on what is best for Milltown. I have been a resident of Milltown all my life, and I feel that this project is monumental to the town. I take my position on the council seriously, and I would not make any decisions that would jeopardize Milltown.

Brian Harto (R) No, I do not. It is a step in the right direction, but they are a long way off from making this an ideal plan. It is obvious to me that opening more of the age-restricted units up to buyers of any age would clearly bring more schoolchildren into our already overcrowded classrooms, as well as more traffic. There are currently several successful businesses operating in some of those buildings. I see no reason to disrupt these businesses that are serving and/or employing Milltown residents. Only the unsafe buildings should be considered for demolition at this time.

Michael Lewycky (i) I do not support the latest plan for Ford Avenue nor the previous plans. Imagine your family unable to afford the trendy new restaurant in town. All you can do is watch through the window as the patrons enjoy luxuriant and bountiful food and drink. After several hours of extravagant revelry, the diners exit. This satiated crowd passes silently by your hungry family and scurries into their waiting limousines. The restaurant manager then hands you their bill. Would you pay it? This is what the redevelopment will do "for" Milltown residents. Should we pay for the excesses of others? No.

Mike Skarzynski (D) I support the original plan, which was all age-restricted, owner-occupied housing. I believe this will be most beneficial to our community. It offers an option for our seniors, while not adding to the financial bur den in our school system. We can and should explore other, alternative options for our affordable housing obligation. I support transferring as many units allowed by law to other communities through a regional contribution agreement. We need to address Ford Avenue in a way that is well thought out, so that existing residents are best served.

Eric Steeber* (D) No. There must be a sharp reduction in rental units; we must sell off half of our COAH obligation; we need more open space; the Mill Pond must be cleaned; a traffic plan must be in place; more units must be age restricted, and the plan must prove it will have no further financial impact on residents. Also, I will never support any tax abatement or municipal funds contribution to this project. Finally, a financial impact report on our schools must be performed. Bringing in too many new students could have a tremendous negative impact on Milltown.

Stacey Waters (R)

As someone who has watched the redevelopment of Ford Avenue unfold very closely, and has attended the majority of the redevelopment agency meetings, I am displeased with the latest plan. I fully support the improvement of the site and making sure that environmental cleanup is done properly and efficiently. Don't misunderstand me: I completely understand the town's need to address our COAH requirement, but I am deeply concerned by the newly proposed number of family (non-agerestricted) units and how this new proposal will affect our schools, taxes and infrastructure.

What goals would you like to accomplish as a member of the governing body during the next couple of years?

Gloria M. Bradford* (R) The list of accomplishments that have been completed or started during my nineyear tenure is outstanding. But many of these projects are not finished. This is what I want to do - finish projects like cleaning up brown water by relining the pipes; Ford Avenue must be redeveloped; the housing needs of the fire department must be met; work must continue on the expansion of the bikeway and the Mill Pond Park. All these projects must be accomplished while financial stability must be guaranteed.

William Deinzer* (D)

As an elected member of the governing body and finance committee, my goals have always been to stabilize taxes. This is an important issue for our residents. In the six years that I have served on the council, three of those years had no municipal tax increase. The other three years there was a minimal tax increase. This was accomplished without any services to the residents being eliminated. My goal, if re-elected, would be to continue stabilizing Milltown's taxes.

Brian Harto (R) Obviously, a Ford Avenue plan that would be somewhat agreeable to most of the residents. I would like to promote more volunteerism in Milltown, especially to our newer residents. Volunteers are needed for our emergency services as well as borough committees and other civic groups. The construction of a new firehouse is absolutely essential and should be a top priority for the council.

Michael Lewycky (i) I want to facilitate greater public participation in the matters that directly affect us, and establish improved relationships between the citizens and officials. The growing animosity and distrust evident during meetings have created an environment not conducive to progress. The public's concerns and views have long been attacked by the Democratic majority. Appointed representatives do not represent the public's viewpoints regarding developments and applications. I wish to replace these various planning and zoning board members with residents who listen and care more about us than their political alliances. Respect must be mutually reciprocated. Trust must be earned. Failure cannot be tolerated.

Mike Skarzynski (D) If elected mayor, I will continue to work hard for the people of Milltown. I will strive to keep Milltown an affordable community in which to live and raise a family. I will support a solution for Ford Avenue that would best serve the borough. I would reorder the authority of the Shade Tree Commission. One of my first acts as mayor would be to change their status to that of an advisory committee, to be overseen by the council. This will better serve the needs of our residents.

Eric Steeber* (D) I would like to continue to ensure the Ford Avenue Redevelopment Plan has little impact on our existing residents. I would like to continue to fight to keep taxes and utility rates as low as responsibly possible. I want to continue to improve our parks, schools, roads, infrastructure, professional, municipal and social services at a rate affordable to all. I would like to continue to build Mill Pond Park and our townwide footpath plan. I want to continue to secure grants and lowcost loans to make improvements with little financial impact. I will ensure that all decisions are made by full council participation.

Stacey Waters (R) To push for fiscal responsibility by all parties involved, in order to keep our taxes from increasing. The absolute need for a new firehouse needs to be addressed as soon as possible. I fully support our volunteer emergency services and appreciate the personal sacrifices that they make, and I believe we have neglected them by not addressing the need for the new firehouse. I will work to address this need and look into any funding/grants that may be available to us, so we do not need to increase taxes. Another area I would like to focus on is to continue to work on preserving Milltown's history and its historical properties.

Why should people elect you on Nov. 6?

Gloria M. Bradford* (R) I am proud to be the mayor of Milltown for the past nine years. I am proud of all that has been accomplished during my tenure. I continue to offer the people of Milltown the services of a full-time mayor. I have no hidden agenda, nor do I have any political influence. I continue to offer the same quality of leadership, honesty and integrity that I brought with me nine years ago.

William Deinzer* (D) I feel people should re-elect me on Nov. 6 because I have worked diligently in the best interest for the people of Milltown. During my two terms as councilman, I have obtained funding through numerous grants. These have resulted in improvements to the infrastructure of our borough parks and roads, and upgrades to the outdated streetlights at no cost to the taxpayer. I have enjoyed working hard for the people of Milltown and hope to continue working for them.

Brian Harto (R)

I am a lifelong resident who cares about the well-being of this town, its people, its values and its history. I am an independent thinker who will vote from the heart. I am a Milltown business owner who is in town and available throughout the day.

Michael Lewycky (i) I hope residents will support me for mayor because I am not a politician or bureaucrat, I am just a citizen who cares about our community. I have never changed my position against the redevelopment or my support for Milltown's valuable history and vital environmental resources. If voters would rather hear what they want to know instead of what they need to know, vote for the other guys. If voters want to be taxed out of their homes, vote for the other guys. If you want someone to look out for you and your family, vote for me. Mike Skarzynski (D) I have served on the council for 11 years. In that time, I have worked hard to bring into the borough hundreds of thousands of dollars for many worthwhile projects. I am aware of mayors who, by virtue of their position, are able to bring millions of dollars into their communities. That's the kind of mayor I want to be. As your mayor, I will listen to your comments and concerns. I will always let you know where I stand on all of the issues, and I will be decisive. I believe the people of Milltown are crying out for a change. Given the opportunity, I would be a mayor the people of Milltown could be proud of.

Eric Steeber* (D) I have served the residents of Milltown for my entire adult life. I have a nine-year record as a councilman who has worked to keep taxes, bonding and utility rates low. I actively seek and secure grants to pay for both operating costs and capital improvements. I work with residents and our committees to improve the quality of life for all of our residents. I support our emergency services and work with our Board of Education to improve our schools and reduce their expenses, leaving more money to educate our children. Most importantly, I listen to and heed residents' concerns.

Stacey Waters (R) As a lifelong resident, I am vested in the town and will work hard to keep Milltown the best that it can be. As a volunteer and resident, I have not been afraid to speak my mind when something was bothering me in town, and will continue to do so. I personally understand that all residents wish to be heard and have valuable input. I promise to listen to all with open ears and an open mind. Also, I feel that as the only woman candidate for council, I will be able to provide a different insight.