Take Five: Cranford Board Of Education Candidate Brian McCarthy

CRANFORD, NJ - There are seats opening up on the Cranford Board of Education 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 Brian McCarthy. His responses to the questions are below and unedited.

1. Why are you running for office?

I have decided to run again for BOE because I feel there is still so much I have left to complete. I came in on an unexpired term that only had one year left. Although I had an incredibly busy and productive year, I was still very much in the early stages of what I am confident I can accomplish in this position. I believe if I am given a full 3-year term, I can truly become an asset to the board and the community.

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

During my one-year term on the BOE I have become aware of the many things that our community is concerned with. Vaping, mental health and well-being, safety and security are truly top of the list. I have witnessed first-hand the collaboration our administrative team, police department and fire department have displayed to ensure that our students are always our key focus. Mental health and well-being is an area that I feel incredibly passionate about. The steps that are being taken to educate faculty in understanding key indicators, is an invaluable step in keeping our children safe. Vaping has become a serious health concern and unfortunately our children have been targeted. The district has taken aggressive steps to educate students about the dangers and to make it clear that vaping will not be tolerated within our schools. I believe that these are all challenges we face. I would like to be a bridge between parents, community members and the district. I want people to feel heard and know that I am out here working for everyone and that our students are my top priority. I have spent a year learning and now it’s time to roll up my sleeves and make a difference.

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

I feel that I am the right fit for the BOE because I have spent a majority of my adult life in a professional role that requires me to bring people together from all walks of life and from all over the world, to work toward a common goal. My role in critical management constantly challenges me to bring key people to the table to find solutions we can all agree upon. This position can have its challenges. It isn’t always easy to find common ground, but it is necessary to move forward and get work done. Our current BOE members are all intelligent, dedicated and hard-working individuals with many different perspectives and opinions. I believe I am well equipped to mediate, if necessary, so that we can all give forth the best in each other. This combined with my coaching and other volunteer positions in our community, have set the groundwork for being a highly successful member of the Cranford Board of Education.

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

It is always a challenge to find ways to get the message out and ensure everyone is aware of what is going on. Not all people are on the internet, so I think the best way to work on getting our message out is hold community meetings. I still believe that is the most effective way of connecting with people and ensuring they feel heard and understood.

5. What inspires you?

This is by far the easiest of the questions for me to answer. My two boys. They have truly changed me in ways I would have never imagined. Nothing brings me more joy then to wake up in the morning and see them off to school. Their dedication and determination to be the best they can be inspires me every day to be an example to them. I see the pride in their eyes when they talk about things they do to help our community. I know they miss me on nights that I am out late attending board meetings, but I am also aware of how proud they are. I truly want to lead by example and I believe one day my two boys will grow up to see the importance of immersing themselves within their communities in an effort to make a difference.

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