Ryan J. Vander Wielen urges Moorestown to vote for Gillespie and Donnelly.
Ask any Moorestonian what values in government they hold sacred, and you’ll almost certainly hear common themes: safety, transparency, fiscal responsibility and the like.
Sadly, in recent years our council seems to have strayed from these values. Few Moorestonians reading this are unaware of the water debacle. It’s bad enough that our water was contaminated, but a bad situation was made worse when our council was slow to act when confronted with the problem and subsequently refused to pursue the culprits. The council’s response can hardly be said to demonstrate concern for the public’s safety.
The lack of transparency from this council is perhaps its most disconcerting trait. It consistently exhibits little interest in the public’s input. Recently, there was an attempt to add lighting to Memorial Field and dismantle fields dedicated to our veterans without consulting with veterans or residents abutting the property. At times council members don’t even share information with the sole minority party member. This clearly runs contrary to how a democratic government should operate.
These are leadership problems, plain and simple. These actions are not the outgrowth of partisan policy disagreements, but rather the reflection of a council that has lost sight of the mission to serve its citizens with integrity. Voters from both parties should be troubled by their behavior. Nov. 6 is an important moment for Moorestown.
I will be voting for Gillespie and Donnelly, and I urge you to do the same. They represent more than change: Gillespie and Donnelly are committed to the core values we all hold dear. I have spent substantial time with the candidates and am confident in their dedication to return the council to being a more transparent and vigilant body that works for all Moorestownians. They are eminently thoughtful, compassionate, and qualified, and I am excited about the town’s future under their leadership.
Ryan J. Vander Wielen
