By John Burton
FAIR HAVEN – Two veteran Republican incumbents are seeking re-election on Nov. 8, but with competition coming from two Democratic challengers.
Republican incumbents Jonathan Peters and Rowland O. Wilhelm Jr. are squaring off against Democrats Christopher Rodriguez and Shervyn J. von Hoerl, for two seats on the six-member council. Currently, Republicans hold a 5-1 majority on the governing body.
Wilhelm, 51, works as a sales and marketing manager and has been on the council for a decade. If he wins another term it would be his last, he said, but he would like to continue the work that is underway to improve the community. A major issue for him is the condition of the borough-owned McCarter Pond on Fair Haven Road, which has become overgrown with vegetation and bogged with silt. “It’s becoming a meadow,” Wilhelm said, “and I don’t want to have that happen.”
The borough council has done some work to restore the site, used for recreational purposes, but Wilhelm said more needs to be accomplished for this resource.
The borough has an enviable AA bond rating from Standard and Poor’s rating service and that is a benefit to the borough should it have to bond for capital projects. The rating ensures the borough gets a competitive interest rate, and is a testament to the council’s fiscal responsibility, Wilhelm said.
The council continues to look at ways to improve the quality of life here, including upgrading safety for cyclists and pedestrians—an important issue for many families – as well as working on additional shared service agreements that benefit all, he added.
Peters, 53, is an economics and finance professor for the City University of New York system, and is the co-author of the recently published book “Preventing Fraud and Mismanagement in Government: Systems and Structures.” He has been a borough council member for 12 years.
“Honestly, I think we’ve done great,” Peters said of the council ‘s efforts. “We’ve worked hard to keep the character of the town.”
There has also been his and his colleagues’ successful efforts to make sure taxes and spending remain stable and to provide services, he maintained. The council had acquired a riverfront property that is being converted into a passive park. “That is something that will benefit the community for a hundred years,” he said.
Rodriguez, 43, is a manager for an interest rate swap exchange in the financial services industry. This is his first attempt to seek public office. He said he’s running because “I’d like to do things as opposed to talking about things.” And that ethos, he said, extends to his wife, Karen, who is running for the Board of Election.
He, as well as his running mate, von Hoerl, both stressed of the current council that “they’re all good people” who are well intentioned.
“We respect what they do,” Rodriguez said, noting, “win or lose we all have the same goals in mind.”
But “We just bring fresh perspectives,” Rodriguez said. Among the things the Democrats would like to look at if elected would be to address ways to retain seniors who would like to downsize and stay in the community. There should be some discussion of multi-family housing, Rodriquez said.
Von Hoerl, 42, is a financial portfolio manager, who ran unsuccessfully last year. “I’ve always gotten involved in the communities I live in.” And given his financial experience he felt the council, and working on the municipal budget, would be the best fit for his efforts.
While running as a Democrat, this should not be about partisan politics or party affiliation, he stressed. “At the end of the day there’s not a Republican way to pick up the garbage,” or provide other services, he said, adding, it’s just about the best way.
That being said, however, von Hoerl added, “I believe people should have a choice,” when stepping into the voting booth. “I hope to be there to ask the questions,” to challenge the status quo, he added.
