Bernards Primary Election 2023: Ana Duarte McCarthy

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Bernards' primary election on June 6 has four candidates running for two open seats on the Township Committee.

Ana Duarte McCarthy is one of two Democratic candidates running in the uncontested primary. McCarthy is running with Lily Wong.

Additionally, there are two Republican candidates Tyler Seville and Gary Baumann also running in the uncontested primary.

All of the candidates are running for the two, three-year seats on the township committee.

Are you running for office in Basking Ridge? Contact Alexis Tarrazi at alexis.tarrazi@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Basking Ridge Patch.

Ana Duarte McCarthy

Age: 64

Town of residence: Basking Ridge

Position sought: Bernards Township Committee

Party affiliation: Democratic

Family: Husband Michael McCarthy, Daughter Alissa McCarthy. Fun fact: Both are graduates of Ridge High School, Mike in 1977, Alissa in 2013.

Education: Bachelor of arts degree in biology, Lafayette College; master of education degree in Counseling Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University.

Occupation: Currently Principal of Human Resources Consulting practice, specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion policy and practices. Prior roles include Director of Corporate Partners, Forte Foundation, Managing Director and Chief Diversity Officer, Citi

Previous or current elected appointed office: First time running for elected office. Have been appointed to the following:

• Greater Somerset County YMCA, board of directors, 2015 thru present
• New Jersey Advisory Commission on the Status of Women, 2022 thru present, Chair
• Bernards Township Boards – Golf Advisory Committee; member since 2019 thru present, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, 2021

Campaign website: btdems.org/mccarthywong

Why are you seeking election to the Township Committee?

I am a longtime resident of Basking Ridge, having lived here for more than 26 years. I hope to preserve what’s best in our community and what brought us here, while addressing areas of opportunity. Being elected to the township committee is a wonderful platform from which to lead and influence our pathway forward.

I hope to bring a different voice into our local government, which is currently from one political group. I hope to bring new perspectives and ideas that will instill vitality into our community.

Personally, I value service, and have volunteered – in our schools, for our local government, and in our community – throughout my time living in Bernards Township. I would be honored to do so on behalf of the residents of our community.

Balancing the township budget becomes more difficult each year with inflation and the loss of revenue since COVID. How do you plan to address this?

We have strong administration in Bernards Township, including COO Pat Monaco and CFO Sean McCarthy and I would partner with them and other TC members to recommend a budget that addresses our communities’ priorities, while also considering the rising costs of employee health benefits and pension costs, and the impact of Covid-19 on the supply chain.

We will need to be intentional in creating a budget that supports the recruitment and retention of top talent in our municipal teams, while supporting capital improvements, such as the $2.5 million allocated for roadwork in the 2023 budget, and ensure stability in resident’s tax rates.

Having trust and transparency in the township government is important to residents. How has the township improved on this or how would you improve this?

There is an opportunity to continue to offer ways for residents to become more involved and contribute to our community. We would offer residents weekly office hours to provide residents with informal ways to learn more on town matters and share their input.

Regarding trust, we would also advocate to reinstate the second public comment at township committee meetings. The second public comment, offered at the end of the agenda, was included at township committee meetings up until 2006, then reintroduced in 2019, and eliminated again in 2022. Having the second public affords residents with more opportunity for civic engagement.

We will explore new ways for more residents to serve. As an example, more than 16% of our residents are 65 years or old. Two neighboring towns, Berkeley Heights and Summit, have standing senior advisory committees with residents appointed to provide advice and support to the Township on matters relating to aging and older adults and seniors.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the township?

I want to be a steward and caretaker of our community for the next generation of individuals and families that live here. During the 26 years I’ve lived here, our town has grown considerably, from 17,000+ to 27,000 residents, a more than 40% increase in the population. The growth has resulted in a considerable increase in housing and development. This has led to issues of traffic and pedestrian safety. To that end, we are strongly opposed to the application from Signature Acquisitions, LLC to replace the office building at 150 Allen Road with two buildings for light manufacturing. The exponential increase in truck traffic on Allen Road, through the Hills development and along Mount Airy Road would be detrimental to our way of life.

The municipal open space tax was sunset in 2018; which means the township is not acquiring land. In light of that, we need to be intentional on ensuring preservation of our open space, and very thoughtful on development. That includes being proactive on our future Affordable Housing requirements that will have to be addressed in 2025.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

I offer a set of experiences that make me a uniquely qualified candidate. I am a senior executive, including 20 years of working within financial services developing global policies and practices within human resources. I am a long time committed resident, having lived in Bernard Township for 26+ years, and during that time have been actively involved as a volunteer across our schools, as a board member of the Greater Somerset County YMCA since 2015, and have served on two township boards. I have worked with community members from a broad array of backgrounds, and have led efforts, such as chairing the YMCA’s annual campaign for five years that raised over five million dollars for families in need, that culminate in positive, impactful results.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

As our campaign tag line says, ‘your voice matters. We want to hear from you. I am excited to hear what’s on the minds of our residents. What, if anything, keeps them up at night about our community? What are the issues they care deeply about, and likewise, what ideas might they that would enhance their experience of Bernards Township as a great place to live. I look forward to reconnecting with friends and meeting lots of people in the months ahead, leading up to the election in November.