Brick Township Council Election 2021: Derrick Ambrosino

BRICK, NJ — The 2021 election campaign culminates when voters go to the polls Nov. 2 to choose Brick Township Council members.

There are three seats up for election and six candidates seeking those seats, which are four-year terms.

Patch asked each candidate to answer questions to give voters information about who they are and their stances on various issues. We are printing their responses in full, unedited except for spelling or punctuation.

Here are the answers from Derrick Ambrosino.

Age: 40

Town of residence: Brick

Position sought: Brick Council

Party affiliation: Democrat

Family: Wife - Kat Ambrosino (college sweethearts, together over 20 years) 3 Children (Harper - 11; Portia - 9; Leo - 7). All go to Brick Public schools and participate in Brick activities

Education: Raised in Brick and proud product of Brick Public schools: Drum Point Elementary; Lake Riviera Middle School, Brick Township High School.

Rutgers University and Monmouth University

Occupation: Career in Technology and Software Sales and Sales Management roles

Previous elective office, if any: Appointed office as commissioner and treasurer, Brick Township Municipal Utility Authority, since January 2020

Do you or anyone in your family work for the state, county or local governments? No

Why are you seeking office?

I am proud to be from Brick. I grew up in Brick, attended Brick schools, my parents live here and my wife and I are raising our three children here. The Ducey Team has made a big impact on our town over the past 8 years, and I am excited to earn the opportunity to serve my fellow Bricktonians alongside them.

It’s important that our town remains on the right track — keeping fiscal responsibility at the forefront, so that we can continue to deliver services that our community needs. Supporting our outstanding police department; supporting local businesses; providing services to our senior citizens; improving our parks and public spaces; and sponsoring the public events (Summerfest, Farmers Market, Traders Cove Concerts) that make Brick a fantastic community.

Accomplishing this requires diligent, dedicated public servants and you can count on me to be that dedicated public servant.

What do you feel is the most pressing issue facing the community, and what do you want to do about it?

At the local level, effective municipal government requires diligent fiscal responsibility. Continuing the policy of transparency and the cost-effective approach to delivering services to Brick residents that Mayor John Ducey and his Town Council have demonstrated over the past 8 years is the best way to ensure that we continue to build on past achievements and keep Brick on the right track.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking to serve?

I can’t speak for the other candidates seeking a Town Council seat, but I would encourage voters to think about the track records of those on the ballot; their roots here in town; and how focused they are on local issues. Some will try to “nationalize” our municipal election, but here in Brick, I think most residents won’t stand for that. They know what Mayor Ducey and his Council team have delivered for the past 8 years, and that is evidence that we will continue our focus on safety, our police, stable taxes and good services. As part of the Ducey team, I share the Mayor’s priorities, and will work with him to make Brick better.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Primarily, I personally care about making Brick a great place to live for all of our residents, from our wonderful senior community to our families raising young children (like me and my wife, Kat). This requires three key areas of focus: 1.) maintaining good fiscal stewardship and keeping taxes stable; 2.); supporting our local police and combating crime and 3.) continuing to deliver reliable local services and local events (like SummerFest, Fall Fest, our Farmers Market, Traders Cove Concert series, and more)

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you will be effective in office?

Throughout my life I have had the opportunity to serve as a leader within many different arenas — within clubs and teams throughout my teenage years; within my work life at the companies where I’ve served during my career; currently with the Brick Township Municipal Utility Authority, where I serve as a commissioner. Throughout each of these I’ve learned that good leadership comes from honesty, transparency, diligence, and dedication, and most importantly, from remembering your goals. As a member of the Town Council, my goal will be to act as a steward of our municipal dollars and government, on behalf of the residents of Brick. I am confident that I can be effective in this way.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

With me, what you see is what you get, and I mean what I say. My desire to serve our town is sincere and rooted in my desire to keep Brick a great place to live. I’m proud to be from Brick, and I know my neighbors and fellow residents are as well.