Take Five With Chatham Borough Council Candidates

CHATHAM, NJ — Following a competitive primary race, Chatham Borough and Chatham Township have competitions for their respective governing bodies. In Chatham Borough residents will have to choose two candidates and can pick Republican incumbents Peter J. Hoffman and Leonard Resto or Democrats Carolyn Dempsey and Jocelyn Mathiasen.

Chatham Borough residents are facing several issues this year. First and foremost is the massive redevelopment plan for the Post Office Plaza. Borough officials intend that in addition to the public feedback sessions, they will utilize an online public platform, Planet Civic, for public input beginning in late October or early November. Once public outreach concludes in mid-November, a redevelopment plan that will be vetted by the Planning Board and the Borough Council in public sessions. The current proposed schedule has a final redevelopment plan tentatively submitted for Council consideration in January 2019.

The governing body is also considering whether or not to allow marijuana to be sold in town. At the Sept. 12 meeting of the governing body, Councilman James Collander appealed to the public for their opinion and Council President Len Resto said that he did not support the usage of marijuana past its medicinal application. But Councilman Bob Weber told Patch that there is no place for a proposed pot shop in Chatham Borough. Weber, a former Assistant Morris County Prosecutor for 26 years, said it is naive to think that regulation by the state will prevent those under 21 from obtaining and using marijuana.

We sent out questions to all candidates involved in the race. Links to those who responded are below:

Take Five With Chatham Borough Council Candidate Len Resto

Take Five With Chatham Borough Council Candidate Peter Hoffman

Take Five With Chatham Borough Council Candidate Jocelyn Mathiasen

(Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Editor's Note: Patch has reached out to every candidate that has filed to run for office and is publishing all responses received. If a candidate does not have a story on the site it is because they did not respond. Those with questions are encouraged to contact russ.crespolini@patch.com