Janice Fields: Bernards Township Council Candidate Profile

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Janice Fields is one of three candidates running for township committee in the Bernards election being held on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Fields is vying for the Republican ticket while Dr. Sophia Chadda is running on the Democratic ticket and Todd Edelstein is running on the Independent ticket.

All three candidates are vying for the one, three-year seat up for grabs on the township committee.

Here is a look at who Fields is and why she is running. Candidates were asked to answer the same questions and each candidate profile will be posted on Patch's site as it gets closer to the election.

Janice Fields

Describe yourself:

I am proud to say I have called Bernards my home for the past 27 years. My husband Barry and I have been married for 24 years, and we are parents to twin sons, Jeremy and Avery, who are Ridge High School graduates and currently sophomores at the University of Delaware. I have been and continue to be a leader in the community at the local, county, and state level where I volunteer my time to make the lives of others better. I have decided to seek a seat on the Bernards Township Committee because I want to ensure that future generations of our community have the same positive experiences my family has had.

What experiences do you have to that would help you serve?

I understand the struggles small businesses may endure and the financial background needed to manage a municipal budget. My husband and I are successful small business owners; we co-founded Global Benefit Strategies in 2004, a human resource and employee benefits consulting firm, which was acquired in 2013. Prior to Global Benefit Strategies, I was employed as a human resources and accounting manager for Travelers Insurance Company and Holland Hitch.

The message of the campaign is "Community First." That means ensuring that our diverse population all have the opportunity to succeed is the only way to ensure Bernards Township will continue to thrive. I am an active leader in our community and enjoy making a difference in the lives of others. At the local level, I have served on the Bernards Township Dewy Meadow and Beautification Tasks Forces, I founded our Township’s First Responders Appreciation Night, and I served on the Society Hill Condominium Board of Trustees.

At the county level, I am honored to serve as the Chair of the Somerset County Commission on the Status of Women, where I spearhead such programs as "A Woman’s Story," a panel of professional women from a variety of cultural backgrounds who share their experiences as immigrants to the United States and a free STEM program for 7th and 8th grade girls who live in Somerset County. I am a former board member of the Somerset County Office of Aging, where I fought for seniors’ rights and worked to increase awareness of the issues seniors face in Somerset County.

Additionally, I serve as the Somerset County Republican State Committeewoman, where I represent Somerset County Republicans at the state and national level, and I am a Committeewoman for the Bernards Township Republican Municipal Committee.

What issues would you like to address in Bernards Township?

As mentioned earlier, the campaign’s message is "Community First," and I will put Bernards first. This means keeping Bernards affordable for our families and residents by maintaining the township’s zero debt budget model and controlling taxes and spending. I will protect our quality of life by promoting community safety with support for local law enforcement and first responders. I will help those at risk and empower healthy lifestyle choices by supporting the Municipal Alliance. I will maintain our town’s charm by working with residents to find a solution to high-density housing mandates from Trenton which are promoting overdevelopment in Bernards and strive to continue the preservation of open space. I will work with our local businesses through the Basking Ridge business community to find ways for them to succeed and expand as well as attract new businesses to our town that can provide employment and consumer opportunities to our residents. I will seek to form a Senior Advisory Task Force at the township so that we can address the concerns of our growing senior population that will inform them of fun activities and health programs and identify problems specific to their community that the Township can address.

Why should voters vote for you?

My professional experience as a business owner, my years of service with local, county, and state organizations where I advocated for senior citizens, girls in STEM, professional women from diverse backgrounds, homeowners, and my commitment to and support of our police and emergency service volunteers have given me the knowledge, skills, and network of support to best serve the interests of Bernards Township residents. My ongoing dedication to and passion for Bernards over more than a quarter century proves that I will work tirelessly for and always to put our "Community First."

I look forward to the opportunity to serve you, thank you for taking the time to read my profile, and please support me in Nov. 5 general election.

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

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