Bernards Township Committee Candidate: Joan Harris

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Democrat Joan Harris is one of the four candidates running for township committee in the contested Bernards Township election being held on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

There are four candidates vying for two three-year seats on the township committee including: Democrats Robert J. Mascia and Joan B. Harris and Republicans John Surano and Joseph Esposito.

Joan Harris

Description:

I have lived in Bernards Township for 17 years, raised my four children while working full-time and volunteering for school athletic and community organizations. I graduated from Seton Hall University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and earned a law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Most of my professional career has been spent in the courtroom defending healthcare professionals in malpractice lawsuits. I also served as a Morris County Assistant Prosecutor for two years. More recently, I worked for a national insurance company managing a claims unit handling medical professional and general liability high exposure claims and lawsuits.

In 2017, I received the Eleanor Roosevelt Volunteer Service Award for the efforts in serving my community. I have spoken at numerous events about adolescent substance use disorders and serve on the Board of Health and Municipal Alliance where I chair the “Stigma Free” initiative.

This past April, I was certified by the National Council for Behavioral Health in Washington, DC as a Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Since then, I have taught three classes, including two attended by our school district’s administrators and teachers.

Why are you running?

I am running as I would like to see our local government become more transparent and open – keeping residents informed about pending issues and concerns and inviting their participation. When our local leaders fail to engage in dialog with residents, they lose both our trust and the benefit of the collective wisdom of the community in making decisions.

One party rule is becoming too insular and not serving the broader interests of our residents. Thus, I want to preserve what is best about our town and welcome change to respond to the needs and desires of our diverse population. Importantly, I would also like our children to see and experience the benefits of a two-party system built on finding common ground and working together for common good.

What experience do you have that would help you serve?

My professional experience as summarized above has equipped me with the ability to analyze issues from many viewpoints, to build consensus and find solutions to complex problems. I am also an independent thinker, considerate listener, skilled negotiator and fierce advocate for those I represent.

What issues would you like to see addressed if elected?

First and foremost, I would like to see the issue of the lack of transparency and openness of local government addressed. This was raised by our campaign last year, voiced by many residents over the past year and, interestingly enough, identified by the Republican candidates as one of their priorities this year.

I would also like to focus on fiscal conservative management which holds local officials accountable for the unnecessary and wasteful use of tax dollars. In the past year, the Township Committee has incurred $29.5K in consulting costs for the failed Quarry redevelopment plan and $40.6K in consulting costs for a failed affordable housing strategy. In 2017, they incurred $45K in public relation fees for the ISBR settlement, $1.75M in legal fees for the ISBR litigation, and $1.5M in fines for the ISBR settlement. Since 2010, $663K of taxpayer funds have been used to pay for health insurance benefits for committee members who took advantage of a statutory loop-hole rather than accept such benefits through their or their spouses full-time employment.

Affordable Housing is another issue which will require attention. It requires proactive solutions, innovative alternatives, and inclusion of our residents in the process to meet our obligations and avoid over-development. Other communities, such as Far Hills, have opened the process to residents and solicited additional developer proposals. As one official recently noted, when residents are involved in the decision-making process and understand what needs to be accomplished, they feel engaged rather than threatened.

Additional issues of importance include: continued efforts to address and de-stigmatize mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, suicide and improper use of alcohol, opioids and other substances; strategic planning for environmentally and economically sound growth to ensure that any zoning and development plans for properties such as the Millington Quarry includes adequate financial commitment to finalize site cleanup and to conduct long-term environmental oversight; focus on safety concerns including infrastructure, road safety, and traffic; and support of local businesses, recreation and the arts to foster and encourage the connection of and sense of belonging to our diverse community.

— (If you are a candidate and would like to participate in the profile, please email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com)

(Image provided: Joan Harris)

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