Week 2: Candidates discuss sustainability and cost savings
This is the second installment of The Sun’s Meet the Candidates series. This week, we asked the candidates to respond to the following questions:
• How will you work to make the township more sustainable?
• How will you work to save money in the township?
MAYORAL CANDIDATES
Stephen J. Buividas, Esquire (Republican)
How will you work to make the township more sustainable?
The township has already done tremendous things in concert with Sustainable Cherry Hill, to promote sustainability. As mayor, I’ll continue to support Sustainable Cherry Hill’s efforts and will work with them to expand what we can do to make Cherry Hill even more sustainable.
My administration would explore some innovative new ways to make Cherry Hill the “greenest” town in South Jersey. For example, I would explore the use of pervious paving surfaces to minimize storm water runoff. I would promote the use of “green” roofs on all new commercial structures where applicable and would explore the potential of creating incentives for residents to collect rainwater for garden irrigation, just to name a few ideas.
How will you work to save money in the township?
Cherry Hill now spends $900 a year for every man, woman and child to provide the current level of services. I believe we can provide those services more efficiently and at lower cost.
Sharing services with other communities — both outside professional services and in-house staff — would be a major area of priority in my administration. Bulk and joint purchasing with other towns would also be explored in earnest. Better overtime and vehicle fleet maintenance are other areas where potential savings can be found.
Additionally, I would explore combining the township’s zoning and planning boards into a joint “land development board” that could adequately perform the functions of both bodies while cutting in half the cost for outside professionals and staff.
If elected, I will serve as a full-time mayor, and as such, would eliminate the Mayor’s Chief of Staff position to save money. A full-time mayor shouldn’t need a chief of staff to help run the township.
Chuck Cahn (Democrat)
How will you work to make the township more sustainable?
My experience building a small, family startup into a successful company that employed more than 250 people has prepared me to lead our township effectively, efficiently and sustainably.
In fact, my business was on the forefront of sustainability, as we turned tens of thousands of paper documents into digital documents, helping to create paperless offices and in turn, save trees. Moreover, our equipment was certified as energy efficient.
As mayor, I will use my 30 years of business experience to evaluate every municipal program and service, from recycling and waste management to purchasing practices, to identify cost-savings opportunities that will protect our environment, conserve energy and create a more sustainable township.
I will promote energy-saving policies and practices throughout all levels of township government and will make the municipal fleet more efficient through better management and the use of alternative fuel vehicles.
I also will make sure our streets are safe for pedestrians and cyclists and will work with Sustainable Cherry Hill in engaging our residents and businesses in efforts to reduce waste and become more energy efficient.
As an incentive for businesses, I will develop a Green Business recognition program to showcase their achievements and promote them as models for successful sustainability activities.
By supporting our businesses, we also are sustaining our economy. I will work to bring in new ratables so we can reuse and recycle our vacant office space and preserve our existing open spaces.
Having grown up in Cherry Hill, I know the value of these open spaces as well as our parks and our trails. To that end, I will work to preserve and protect these special places and will identify affordable opportunities to create new recreational areas and upgrade existing ones.
Additionally, I will promote community-wide clean ups to create a cleaner and greener Cherry Hill, improve maintenance of our public spaces, crack down on property owners who refuse to maintain their properties, and encourage greater participation in the Recyclebank program.
Finally, I will look to secure grants and private funding to help support our sustainability efforts and relieve the burden on our taxpayers.
How will you work to save money in the township?
As a business owner and a member of several community boards, including the Rutgers Board of Overseers, I have always worked hard to balance budgets, meet payrolls and make sure every penny was spent wisely, and I will do that as mayor, too.
I will start by evaluating every line item in the budget to cut government spending and to run Cherry Hill like a business so that we live within our means.
However, I must make it clear that I will not send Cherry Hill police to serve in a countywide police force. Cherry Hill police belong in Cherry Hill. We have the best police force in New Jersey, and we are going to keep it that way.
Instead, I will use my business skills to find practical ways to cut costs, while making sure our services are the best they can be.
I will use technology to improve government efficiency and accessibility and every budget and contract (along with my own schedule) will be posted online both for review and comment. I will make sure contracts are only awarded based on the lowest possible costs and will get more bidders involved in the process to make sure we get the best possible price.
I also will work with the school district to identify areas in which we can cut costs by sharing services and working together to secure grant funding, and I will work with the business community to bring in more ratables and to fill our vacant office space.
Moreover, Cherry Hill needs to get back more of the dollars it puts into the system, and as mayor, I will go to Trenton and fight for the share of taxes we pay.
And one more thing — as a full-time mayor dedicated to cutting costs and dedicated to community service, I will donate my entire salary back to citizens of Cherry Hill.
COUNCIL CANDIDATES
N. John Amato (Democrat)
How will you work to make the township more sustainable?
I am proud to be part of the team that helped Cherry Hill achieve Sustainable Jersey Certification, which recognized our township as a leader on the path to sustainable communities.
I will work to see that the township continues on this path and continues to implement the nationally recognized Green Action Plan with the goals of improving energy efficiency, educating residents and businesses on waste reduction, adopting green purchasing policies and keeping our communities clean.
As a government, we can be models for our residents and make sure we are conserving water, saving electricity and using renewable energy sources whenever possible.
How will you work to save money in the township?
As a licensed public accountant, I will scrutinize every expenditure and will look for smart ways to cut government spending without shortchanging our neighborhoods.
Though I am not in favor of Cherry Hill police joining a countywide police force, I am committed to finding ways to do more with less — such as sharing trash services.
However, we cannot balance the budget on the backs of our seniors. I believe we need to lobby the state to increase the Senior Freeze tax rebate program, and I will fight against Tea-Party Republicans and any plans to do away with Social Security.
Maria Heckendorn (Republican)
How will you work to make the township more sustainable?
Cherry Hill Township, as other communities, faces complex challenges. Communities throughout the state are beginning their pursuit to become a sustainable community. From conversion to renewable energy sources, technological buildings, safe neighbors, quality schools, traffic patterns, just to cite examples, all filter into a sustainable community. Stimulus money, foundation grants and state and federal funding for communities, schools, and religious organizations that are beginning the process of becoming a sustainable community are now available at this time.
First, as councilwoman, a needs assessment must be completed through the creation of a Task Force to identify short and long term goals, and to assess what has already occurred in the community is priority. Becoming a sustainable community is a complicated process but attainable as long as a Sustainable Master Plan is developed. At each designated phase of the process/plan, all sources of funding would be applied for to minimize any cost to the taxpayer. Our goal is to make Cherry Hill a Sustainable Community. Transparency at each phase will be available to all residents. The transformation into a sustainable community will allow Cherry Hill residents and businesses to benefit environmentally, economically, and socially. This program will initiate jobs for our community and create a brighter future for our children and grandchildren.
How will you work to save money in the township?
As the Candidate for Council, I have reviewed the 2011–2012 budget, there are several venues that need to be considered that will save costs to the township Shared Services for community and schools will reduce spending and cut costs to the tax payer. Most municipal services can be shared with other communities with the exception of our fire and police. Sharing similar services such as public works (road repairs, etc.) with other municipalities will have a positive impact by increasing local government efficiency and reducing local government spending.
Cherry Hill Township needs to seek to lower its health insurance plan costs by joining with and participating in larger groups that regularly hold open competition to secure the most cost-effective health plans that provide comparative service. The Bidding Process utilized by the township needs rethinking, so that responsible bidders for Health Benefits participate in the township bidding process. The more responsible bidders the township can entice to participate in our local bidding process, the more benefit the township residents will eventually realize in cost savings.
It is also about finding other revenue streams. I will aggressively pursue grants from the federal and state levels as well as non-profit entities to help pay for innovations that ultimately will lead to cost reductions in the future.
Melinda Kane (Democrat)
How will you work to make the township more sustainable?
I support the efforts of Sustainable Cherry Hill and its recommendations to create a more sustainable township by reducing waste, improving bike and pedestrian access and cleaning and greening our neighborhoods.
In fact, our neighborhoods are key to ensuring Cherry Hill remains a sustainable community for future generations.
If I am elected to Township Council, I will make sure Cherry Hill remains a place we can all be proud of by making sure we maintain our parks and open spaces; developing a comprehensive maintenance plan for our parks and playgrounds, and making our streets safer — whether by installing sidewalks or new traffic signs — so our children, our seniors, all our residents can walk safely to school, the store or just around the neighborhood.
How will you work to save money in the township?
Our taxpayers are overburdened, and we need to do all we can to help ease that burden by making the right choices to reduce spending and eliminate waste.
I will support opportunities for sharing services when they make sense, for instance sharing trash pick-up services with neighboring municipalities.
And I will oppose them when they don’t make sense, like sharing Cherry Hill police with a countywide police force.
I will work to make sure our programs and services — including services to veterans and their families — are being delivered effectively and efficiently, and that programs that aren’t working are eliminated.
I also will make sure that as a government we are accountable and that we review every contract to make sure it is fair to the taxpayers.
Dr. Dolores Kelly (Republican)
How will you work to make the township more sustainable?
If elected, I will continue to work with Sustainable Cherry Hill, and all the efforts this organization has brought forth to make this community beautiful for now and the future of our children. We will continue to support those who care passionately about gardening, achieving zero waste, and making the region more bicycle-friendly. It is important to create awareness, and distribution of resources. We need to reduce and divert waste, increase recycling and develop relationships with the community to better achieve these goals.
How will you work to save money in the township?
There are many ways to save money in the township and shared services is one. Our township needs to pursue all realistic shared service opportunities and create a citizen advisory board to coordinate and insure that best practices are followed.
I would scrutinize every penny of residents’ tax dollars to ensure we can sustain all current services without having to spend more to deliver them. Transparency needs to be introduced to the citizens of this community and creative solutions need to be applied to control spending.
If elected, I will make it my passion to reduce spending and to cut costs wherever possible. We can more efficiently control overtime among township employees and police. For example, policies may call for police court appearances to coincide with normal working hours, rather than time off. While police officers are waiting to be in court they could be given work within the station, such as interviewing complainants and responding to questions on the telephone. Additionally, district attorneys can be asked to subpoena only those officers listed on arrest reports whose testimony is relevant to the case at hand. Reducing sick time and medical leave through better employee wellness programs is also a vital way to reduce overtime.
It is my understanding that the Cherry Hill Fire Department has a program of reducing overtime and continues to implement tools to extensively reduce overtime as a cost-saving measure. In addition, I believe the fire and police departments are doing an outstanding job of protecting our community and we must support them.
The citizens of Cherry Hill need relief from the burden of heavy property taxes. Since 1981 the national cost of living has increased 153 percent, while Cherry Hill’s municipal taxes have increased 1,094 percent. This history of raising property taxes needs to end.
Sara Lipsett (Democrat)
How will you work to make the township more sustainable?
From supporting programs like Recyclebank to implementing initiatives to install solar panels at municipal buildings, I have always worked — and will continue to work — to make Cherry Hill more sustainable.
I am currently a member of the Mayor’s Committee for a Green Future and have been active in the development of a bike and pedestrian master plan to create more opportunities for bicycling and walking routes in the community.
As a Councilwoman, I will make sure the recommendations in the master plan are followed and will serve as a strong advocate for future sustainability programs and projects including programs to reduce green house gas emissions and to use renewable energy sources.
How will you work to save money in the township?
Saving money has to be the priority of Township Council, but not at the expense of our public safety, which is why I do not support sending Cherry Hill police officers to serve in a countywide police force.
We need to be focused on strengthening our police department and protecting our neighborhoods here.
However, I will look at other areas of the budget to make the right choices about cutting spending. I also will work to identify alternate funding sources such as grants to help our Township achieve its goals.
As Horace Mann PTA President, I led efforts to build a new playground so kids could have a safe and fun place to play during recess and after school.
The majority of funding came from grants and private donations. Just like I did with the playground, I will find creative solutions to controlling costs so our taxpayers don’t have to shoulder the burden for new initiatives.
Ann Madden Tufano, Esquire (Republican)
How will you work to make the township more sustainable?
Making Cherry Hill more sustainable requires a proactive commitment from the municipal government and a continued partnership with local organizations like Sustainable Cherry Hill and the It’s In Our Power Campaign. By working hard to preserve our environment and natural resources, we also save the residents money by reducing municipal spending.
We will work to make the township more sustainable by educating residents and local businesses about opportunities to enroll in state and federal energy efficient programs. Additionally, in conjunction with New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program, I will ensure that all of the town’s public buildings undergo a municipal energy audit to ascertain how each building can be made more energy efficient. For any of the buildings that have already undergone an energy audit, I will work to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations made in the audits by actively pursuing state and federal funding.
We will also pursue a green fleet campaign whereby the township’s older fleet of vehicles are sold and replaced with a combination of vehicles that utilize alternative fuels and are hybrid-electric vehicles, reducing toxic emissions and providing greater fuel efficiency. Finally, in order to protect our water quality, I believe that it is important to establish a storm water management program to reduce the amount of pollutants entering local waterways through our streets.
How will you work to save money in the township?
Cost savings goes hand-in-hand with sustainability. By making our community more energy efficient, the township will save money. For example, by using fuel efficient vehicles, our township saves money on gasoline. By bidding for a clean energy provider, the township can secure a lower rate for energy services than with a traditional, more costly utility company.
I will also work to save money by removing politics from the bidding process and ensuring true competition among professional service providers like engineers, lawyers, and health insurance brokers. Incumbent providers of these professional services almost always win new contracts because the current system is designed to protect them. I will seek to implement a 60-day advertising period for all public bids for professional services, allowing non-incumbents the necessary time to assemble and submit successful bid applications. As a result, the township will obtain the lowest price bid for the best possible services. This will result in a reduction of spending and this cost savings will be passed on to the residents of Cherry Hill.
