Bridgewater General Election 2023: Michael Kirsh

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater's general election on Nov. 7 has two candidates running for Mayor and four other candidates running for seats on the Township Council.

Republican incumbent Michael Kirsh is running for one of two, three-year open seats on the Township Council along with Republican incumbent Timothy Ring against Democrats Marguerite Baranowski and Saad Toor.

Additionally, Democrat Dan Hayes is running for Mayor against incumbent Republican Matthew Moench.

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

Michael Kirsh

Age: N/A

Town of residence: Bridgewater

Position sought: Township Council

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: Wife Nicole, Daughter Phoebe (20), Son Robert (17), Dog Lily (5)

Education: BA Brown University and MBA Rutgers University

Occupation: Marketing and Business Development

Previous or current elected appointed office: Bridgewater Township Council 2020 to Present (President in 2023); Bridgewater Planning Board 2020-2021; Bridgewater Zoning Board of Adjustment 2012-2019; Green Brook Township Committee 2005-2007 (Deputy Mayor in 2007)

Campaign website: www.rightforbridgewater.com

Why are you seeking re-election as a Councilmember in Bridgewater?

Serving on the Township Council and being a leader within our community has been an honor and privilege for the last four years. Our entire team has worked well together and accomplished a lot— fiscally responsible budgets, necessary and historic investments in our roads and sewer system, prevention of undesired development, unwavering support for our Police— all while facing severe economic impacts due to Covid-19 and widespread damage from Hurricane Ida. There is still much more to do. We need to maintain fiscal discipline, continue and expand our commitments to infrastructure, and be ready to manage through any unforeseen circumstances.

This Mayor and Council have steered our collective ship through the choppiest of waters, delivering a government you can be proud of. Our opponents will try to paint a very different picture, using tired political rhetoric that stretches the truth almost beyond recognition. Along with Matthew Moench and Timothy Ring, I am proud that we made key promises to this community four years ago and have kept them. And we’re just getting started.

Manufacturing buildings or warehouse applications are becoming more common in NJ. How do you feel about proposals to bring this type of development to Bridgewater Township? And how do you propose to limit it?

The proliferation of warehouses across America reflects the fundamental way that the shopping experience has changed, accelerated by Amazon and other online retailers along with the Covid-19 pandemic. A well-planned town like Bridgewater has strict limits on the location of warehouses due to swift and decisive action taken by Mayor Moench and the Township Council when we outlawed any new ones, requiring any applications be heard by our Zoning Board of Adjustment. In that forum, hard-working volunteers hear all properly submitted requests for relief or exceptions from our Master Plan, as prescribed by law. Applicants face a particularly high burden to prove any case featuring a different use than what is permitted. Bridgewater Township has made it quite clear that more warehousing is not desired.

Through our Master Plan Review (which is occurring now through an open and transparent process) and our land use boards we clamp down on undesired and out of control development. Proposals that increase population, noise, or traffic are particularly scrutinized since they are a threat to peacefully enjoying the community.

This is where previous results can very likely predict future outcomes. Since 2020, Bridgewater has been “open for business” for any efforts that make our community an even better place to live. But the era when proposals for undesired overdevelopment, featuring an environment where out-of-town interests seeking to profit at the expense of our wellbeing could count on a particularly friendly ear from Township government, ended when the Moench-Kirsh-Ring team was sworn into office. And among the many residents I’ve spoken with throughout my term on Council, there is no desire to go backwards.

Having trust and transparency in the township government and police department is important to residents. Do you feel the township is doing a good job of being transparent? How would you improve this?

Our email newsletter to residents, which keeps them informed of Township happenings, expands with every issue. A recent supplement, which I championed, is a separate distribution featuring agendas for land use matters— our Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment. Township Council agendas are posted to our website and our meetings are both broadcast and recordings are available for viewing.

The relationship between the Bridgewater Police Department and the community it serves is outstanding and continues at that high level. Period and full stop. The hard-working men and women of our Police Department are key members of what we affectionately term the Bridgewater family and have the 100% support of the Mayor and Council. They provide all of us with the safety and security we rightly deserve. They protect us from the chaos and lawlessness that has been seen elsewhere, including locations that are only a short car ride away.

We are achieving the goal of active and positive engagement from our Police across all neighborhoods. We have a regular schedule of public events where BPD is front and center— from National Night Out to Community Days to the Halloween celebration, to name a few. The first class of the Civilian Police Academy, which graduated in June 2023, provided unprecedented access to the department’s personnel and operations, enabling long-lasting bonds. Police cars are regularly and proactively patrolling neighborhoods, re-enforcing a sense of security. The department maintains a website full of pre-emptive safety information. It delivers value added programs like registering when a family will be on vacation so extra sets of eyes can be on the lookout for any trouble. Our chief, command staff, and every officer are available and accessible to any individual need.

On a personal level, I maintain utmost transparency and availability through widely available email and personal phone number— mkirsh@bridgewaternj.gov and (908) 722-9240. I welcome discussion on any Township matter with any resident.

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

The issues that the Moench-Kirsh-Ring ticket campaigned on in 2019, and have delivered on in the time since, remain front and center. We provide needed services in a fiscally responsible manner while maintaining a low municipal tax, representing about 11% of your total bill. We oppose overdevelopment and are extremely careful when considering even the smallest change to the character of Bridgewater. We strategically invest in our future to make sure the Bridgewater of tomorrow can be even better than it is today, such as the 5 year, $40 million commitment designed to dramatically improve road conditions. Not only is our road system improving with every completed project, but this enables cheaper repair costs in the future because the baseline condition will be much stronger. We support our Police to make sure our community remains secure and safe.

Regardless of outside economic conditions, which currently feature both great uncertainty and rampant inflation, the Mayor, Administration, and Township Council continually scrutinize operations and spending. As a member of the Budget and Finance Committee, while facing both revenue and cost pressures, I took a lead role in delivering a budget that is both fiscally and operationally sound. Our bond rating remains at AA+, both exceptionally strong and the envy of many communities. For spending, we often have had to say “No” or “Not Now” as evidenced by a 2023 spending plan that is $562,000 smaller than 2022.

A lot of work has been completed in all of these important areas, yet more time and attention are continuously needed. Bridgewater is the wonderful place we all call home through careful planning and management. None of what you see happened by accident. Now is the time for continued steady leadership.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

I have been involved in local public affairs for 30 years, throughout my entire adult life. That commitment has been based on a genuine desire to help make the places I have lived better after I leave than when I arrived. When elected to Council in 2019, I was provided the direct opportunity and responsibility to help make Bridgewater even better. Mayor Moench and the Township Council never rest on our laurels and will never reach a point where our work is done. We have the necessary vision and a track record of positive impact. The Moench-Kirsh-Ring Team humbly asks for the opportunity to continue our progress through election to another 4 year term.

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

Our ticket draws its strength from the people we serve. Your inputs guide us. Your compliments about how great a place Bridgewater is to live re-enforce that we are moving in the right direction. A vote for the Moench-Kirsh-Ring team will enable a continuation of level-headed thinking that always keeps your interests front and center.