Take Five: Chatham Borough Council Candidate Karen Koronkiewicz

CHATHAM, NJ - There are seats opening up on the Chatham Borough governing body and Patch caught up with the candidates ahead of the general election this November.

Questionnaires were sent out out to all candidates registered with the County Clerk's Office in the 2019 general election using the email addresses they went on file with. The responses will be posted on the site by those who submitted in the order in which they were received. They will also be included in an election preview wrap.

This Take Five features Karen Koronkiewicz. Her responses to the questions are below and unedited.

1. Why are you running for office?

I have lived in Chatham Borough on Lincoln Avenue for over 17 years. I chose Chatham in part for an easy commute, but more importantly, because I was attracted to Chatham’s charm, especially its downtown. I love Chatham, but it is at a crossroads – it needs to find ways to keep up with growing expenses without overburdening its residents. I believe that I have the right skill set, at the right time to, not only envision Chatham’s future, but to set it on a path to achieving it. My career and volunteer activities have prepared me with the right combination of negotiating, analytical, and leadership skills to move Chatham forward and work out the best possible solutions for Chatham residents.

2. What is the biggest challenge you see facing your community and how will you address it?

We need to ensure that any redevelopment is done properly and in a way that that benefits the residents of Chatham Borough. If elected, I will ensure that we have an open and transparent process and will engage with residents and seriously consider their input. I will look to negotiate with the developers to include traffic mitigation measures, green space, and walkways in order to maintain Chatham’s charm. I will work hard to ensure that Chatham Borough gets the best deal possible out any negotiations with developers, and will be prepared to walk away from a bad deal for our residents.

3. What makes you the right person to vote for as opposed to the other candidate(s)?

My background in science and business will bring a unique perspective to the challenges that we face in Chatham. Whether that is through analyzing data from various studies to understand the best solutions to an issue or through managing the budget in a cost-effective way. I understand the complex decision-making that goes into making hard choices to not only stay within the budget, but to exceed its goals. I will use my negotiating skills to find economical and sustainable ways for Chatham to continue providing exceptional services while controlling costs and taxes I believe that we can make our tax dollars work harder by negotiating better contracts for services and by finding ways to do things differently and more efficiently than we may have in the past.

4. What will you do to facilitate communication with the community?

I will work with the Communication and Technology Advisory Committee to improve the Borough website and find other ways to reach residents, such as a using social media and establishing a phone number that residents can call into with updates on Chatham activities. I will also make myself available to residents my holding regular office hours to ensure that I am hearing from a wider group of residents than just those who are able to attend the Borough Council meetings.

5. What inspires you?

I am inspired by the level of volunteerism in the community. Many people give up their free time to enhance our lives and the lives of others, whether that is through organizing events, coaching, serving on committees, etc. Our communities would not be the same without the tireless efforts of our volunteers. As Erma Bombeck once said “Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.”

It has inspired me to go deeper on my volunteerism, to not only help out at fundraisers to support breast cancer survivors, but to organize, lead and establish new ones. To not only be a paddler on a dragon boat team and help out at races, but to become an assistant coach. To not only help out at St. Patrick’s Church events, but to become a lector. Finally, to not only discuss local issues and help get candidates elected, but to join a committee (Underground Advisory Committee) and to become a candidate for Borough Council.

Thanks for reading! Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Have a news tip you'd like to share? Or maybe you have a press release you would like to submit or a correction you'd like to request? Send an email to russ.crespolini@patch.com

Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have them delivered to your phone screen by downloading, or by visiting the Google Play store.