Planning on voting on Nov. 5? Here’s the rundown on who’s vying for a spot on the Monroe Township Council:
Name: Cody D. Miller
Age: 28
Occupation: Director, Foundation and Alumni Relations, Rowan College of South Jersey
Political Affiliation: Democrat
Clubs/Organizations you belong to: Williamstown Fire Company – volunteer firefighter (2013-Present); Volunteer Center of South Jersey – president (2010-Present); United Way of Gloucester County – campaign cabinet member; South Jersey Entrepreneurs – board member
I am running for township council because I am not done serving the residents of the place that I am proud to call my home. My great-great-grandfather came off of a boat from Sicily and chose Williamstown over 100 years ago, and since then, my family’s roots have been firmly planted in the ground here. From family members owning businesses in Monroe, all the way to my service in the Williamstown Fire Company, my family has made significant contributions to our community.
Over my last four years on council, I have advocated for our residents and held the line on municipal property taxes. It is why in 2017, 2018 and 2019, I voted for and worked to introduce a municipal budget with a 0 percent tax increase. More and more families and seniors are struggling to live in this state and I want to make sure that we aren’t taxing our residents out of our township. While also holding the line on property taxes, my fellow elected officials on council, our mayor and I have made it our effort to invest in our aging infrastructure. The recent road improvements in our township are attributed to that as I worked to help implement a five-year, $5 million capital roads program. While these efforts have been beneficial to the citizens of our community, our work is far from done.
I believe that my expertise and knowledge in government, the non-profit sector and higher education will allow me to continue to move Monroe Township in a positive direction. Prior to serving on council, I served on a community college board of trustees that provided the most affordable college education in the state of New Jersey and oversaw a $40 million budget. I currently hold a master’s degree in public administration from Rutgers University – Camden and am working on my doctorate in higher education leadership at Rowan University.
If elected in November, I will work to bring in new business to offset property tax increases, hold the line on property taxes by working to eliminate wasteful spending and investing in the technology to streamline government services, invest in our aging roads and municipal buildings and work in coordination with our municipal alliance commission and non-profit organizations to combat the opioid epidemic locally in our community. I hope to earn your support on Nov. 5 and my door is always open if you need anything.
Name: James “Jay” Reed
Age: 60
Occupation: Retired; Department of Defense
Affiliation: Republican
Clubs/Organizations: Retired, Department of Defense; IT Professional Civilian Service Award, 2015 AFGE Local 1902 Steward (American Federation of Government Employees); Current Republican County Committeeman; Vice President, Monroe Township Republican Club; Former Vice-President and President of Monroe Township Youth Basketball ; Former Board Member, Monroe Township Little League; Member, Our Lady of Peace Parrish
Three years ago, the residents of Ward 2 did not have a choice for who their representative would be for council. This election, I want to change that. Currently, all seven council members are Democrats. This leaves a huge void in not only representation but also in opportunities to engage in productive discussions that lead to better decisions that benefit our town.
During my years working for the federal government, I primarily worked in contract selection and customer support. My years there have taught me a lot about the bidding process and the importance of selecting the best option to supply such a large federal agency. This expertise would serve us well to ensure that we are spending taxpayer dollars wisely and responsibly.
My biggest reason for wanting to serve on council has to do with my love for Monroe Township. I have lived here for many years and have had opportunities to participate in lots of community events. Many actually know me as “Coach Jay” from my years coaching basketball and other youth sports in town. I know first-hand that Monroe has some of the best volunteers that work hard for our youth. I would love the opportunity to be an advocate for such programs that work to keep our youths involved in our community.
My professional experience, coupled with my passion for community, makes me a unique candidate for council. I hope that when Election Day comes, the residents of Monroe will show their support for someone that not only has a unique professional background, but for someone who is devoted to this amazing community that I call “home.” I would like to thank everyone in advance for their consideration and I cannot wait to continue to serve Monroe Township!
