By Allison Perrine
HOLMDEL – After the first public input session of the Holmdel Township Charter Study Commission, one thing is clear – residents are looking for a change.
During the virtual Feb. 3 meeting, over a dozen community members advocated for nonpartisan government, mayoral elections and expanded representation, which contradicts the existing five-member partisan committee-style government the township operates under which includes mayors being appointed by others on the dais.
Some went as far as to say that because of the partisan style Holmdel utilizes, local leaders aren’t really in charge of what happens in township elections – “county bosses” are, former committee candidate Ron Emma, a Republican, alleged that night.
“Make no mistake. Someone from outside of Holmdel is deciding who gets the most favorable position on the ballot,” Emma said. “I ran and I didn’t even get a sniff, a call, an interview, a peek into what I was all about from the local Holmdel Republican Committee. The party bosses made their decision and I ultimately ended up in one election on line seven which is, in other words, political Siberia.”
He, like others before him that night, added that nonpartisan elections in Holmdel are “long overdue.”
Before the public spoke that night, charter commission chair Kin Gee outlined the goal of the group – to study the existing form of local government and consider new charter styles and/or improvements to the existing charter.
“In broad terms, our plan is divided into three phases,” Gee explained. The first phase is to study the current form of local government, the second phase is to explore alternative forms of government and the third and final phase is to deliberate and make decisions for any recommendations to the township committee. Currently, the commission is in the first phase but approaching the second when it will bring in professionals to explain the different paths the township could take moving forward.
Since its work began in December, the commission has interviewed six former elected officials – five Republicans and one Democrat – with township committee experience in the existing form of government. Collectively, they served over 50 years on the township committee, 22 of which were spent as mayors. Commissioners asked the former politicians a series of questions about the characteristics that define Holmdel’s government. The discussion that followed provided “valuable insight and information,” Gee said.
The meeting then opened for public discussion. The first resident to speak was Betty Rauscher who said as a registered Republican, she would like to see nonpartisan elections in Holmdel as well as mayoral appointments by residents.
“I feel that today, local votes often simply follow along the party lines. That’s not healthy for Holmdel,” she said. “I wish that the first two ballot columns did not so much influence the results for local candidates. Nonpartisan elections in Holmdel would encourage votes to be based on a local candidate’s own merits,” and could “attract a wider range of qualified local candidates.”
Similarly, resident Sheila Gilstein – who is married to charter commission member Zachary Gilstein – agreed that mayoral elections by residents and nonpartisan politics are “the way to go” in Holmdel.
“It’s time to have fair, equal elections. We need to bring back home rule for Holmdel,” Gilstein said, suggesting that a lottery system should be instated to determine what order candidates appear in on ballots. She also suggested that the township increase its number of elected officials from five to seven for “more representation.”
Resident Lee Meyer suggested that having residents directly elect a mayor – instead of appointments by committee members – would make the mayor “directly accountable to the people of Holmdel.” It might even be useful to make the position a salaried office, he said.
“If it’s possible, the person could be a full-time administrator who again would be free to perform the duties of mayor and serve the community,” Meyer said. “I think that Holmdel has become somewhat overrun by divisive partisan politics and I think it is not serving the community.”
Meyer also suggested that consideration be taken into allowing citizens of Holmdel the right to petition for an initiative or referendum should residents garner enough signatures to do so.
“We have different issues in different sides of the town and a lot of times, various constituents get up (in town meetings), they complain and everyone goes ‘Thank you for your comments.’ I mean, that has frustrated people all around this town. People should be able to petition,” resident James Yanello added to Meyer’s comments.
And Yanello, too, agreed that nonpartisan elections are most appropriate for Holmdel.
“One would think a devout Republican in pretty Republican Holmdel would be all for the current form of government, which is substantially run by regional Republicans. I’m not,” he said. “I’ve seen some of the candidates they’ve put up and stuck behind with wicked conflicts of interest and wicked troubles. I’ve seen where independents, including some of my friends, have been put on the ballot and time and time again – row four, row five – are you kidding me? You think we’re all idiots?” he said. “We are not debating immigration in Holmdel; we’re not debating abortion; we’re not debating Second Amendment. We want what’s best for this town.
“It’s time for Holmdel to run Holmdel,” Yanello added. “It’s time for Holmdel to take over Holmdel from regional partisan politics.”
The article originally appeared in the February 10 – 16, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
