Piazza Brings 'Fresh' Perspective to Caldwell Council

A few years ago, Doug Piazza began growing a tomato plant in a wine barrel near the side of his house.

It wasn't long before Piazza's backyard hobby, which sprouted from one tomato plant to purchasing 45 cubic feet of top soil to support his now large plot of produce behind his Erwin Place home, became the catalyst for the Caldwell Farmers' Market.

The self-proclaimed "jack-of-all-trades" never thought his green thumb would result in a nearly 200-hour volunteer commitment—just for on-site management of the market alone each Friday for 19 weeks throughout the summer and fall.

Then again, he never dreamt of becoming a politician, either.

Piazza, 42, owner of a home-based computer service company, was appointed Tuesday night as the Republican candidate to replace Gordon Lawshe on Caldwell's council until the winner of November's special election is certified.

"I can honestly say that I don't think I ever thought about going into politics—ever. It's just not something I ever thought about," Piazza said Thursday.

"I tend to be a jack-of-all-trades. I tend to do a lot of different things. At this stage in my life, this is another thing I can add to my repertoire. But if you had asked me a couple of years ago if I would spend as much time as I do volunteering to run a farmers market, I would have said 'no,' too."

Council President Ann Dassing planted the political seed about two weeks ago when she e-mailed Piazza's wife, Amy. The e-mail made for what Doug Piazza called "an interesting drive" as he traveled with his wife and mother to Virginia to visit his brother.

"At first, I don't think my wife wanted to read me the e-mail and tell me what she said," Piazza said. "As I was driving down there, I was thinking this could be kind of interesting. This could be something new and exciting. I guess another 200 miles or so later, I said 'e-mail her back and ask her when she wants me to call her.'"

Piazza, who has lived in Caldwell for the past eight years, called Dassing the next day and said that he was interested.

But while he's volunteered with the farmers market, along with the Caldwell Merchants Association and the Fall Festival, he never aspired to join the political arena and has never served on any board or commission.

"I was honest with her," Piazza said. "I've never really thought about doing it, but it sounds like it could be interesting. I certainly put a lot into this town by doing the farmers market and volunteering with other things and maybe this could open up some new ways I could do some things with the town."

When Piazza returned from Virginia, he was interviewed several times and attended a few meetings with members of the Caldwell Republican County Committee. He was stunned when he realized he was one of three final candidates—along with Kathleen Martin and Leonard Cohen—for the position.

"The next thing I knew, they said I was one of a handful of people that they wanted to consider for this position. I was just as shocked as probably the whole town is that it wound up being me," Piazza said.

"It all happened really fast. I didn't see this coming. If you would have asked me a month or a year ago if I would have ever considered this, I don't know if I have ever thought about doing something like this. Considering how much time I've put into everything else, I think it's a good way to help."

Dassing, who got to know Piazza through his wife, said she was impressed with Piazza's personality, technology experience and commitment to the community.

"I just love his enthusiasm," Dassing said Thursday. "He's such a personable guy. All of the hours he volunteers at the farmers market and the countless hours he spends behind the scenes and all of the vendors have come back this year—that really means he's doing a good job. 

"He's a volunteer, but he accepts responsibility as if he was getting paid and that is very impressive to me. His response to being selected as councilman was so humbled that you really know he has Caldwell's best interests at heart."

In addition, Dassing said Piazza's nearly 15 years of experience with computer technology will help with "technical projects" and join the push to make the borough more efficient.

About 10 years ago, Piazza began his own company, PCCS Group, a technical support service for small- to mid-sized companies. In addition to serving as an IT department, Piazza said he has done "everything" his clients need from promotions to preparing presentations.

"It's more than just the technical aspect of things," he said. "I really do everything for these companies. There's a lot to it."

However, since he works remotely "90 percent of the time," he's afforded the flexibility to take on projects like the farmers market, which he began last year with his wife and runs each Friday afternoon through the end of October in the Smull Avenue municipal parking lot.

Piazza admits joining the council may impede on some of his free time like attending New York Mets' games, where he was Tuesday night when he was selected near the conclusion of the four-and-a-half hour council meeting.

Piazza, who will be sworn in prior to the council's special meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 25, said he plans to run in November to complete the unexpired term of Lawshe, who resigned two weeks ago while in his second year of a three-year term to accept a position at the Caldwell Community Center.

While Piazza is anxious for the opportunity, he admits he's not exactly sure where he'll immediately fit in.

"I know there's a lot going on with things. I really need to take a wait-and-see attitude right now. I kind of have to get my feet wet," Piazza said. "With my background and all of the different things that I have accumulated through the years, I think I can bring a lot of different pieces into town. What exactly they may be, I don't know.

"I don't know how I can help, but I do know that I have a lot of tools and a lot to offer. Where that is going to fit in to the current plans and systems and the way things are going right now, I'm not sure but I look forward to it."