Take Five With Cranford Township Committee Candidate Tom Hannen

CRANFORD, NJ - Patch asked Cranford Township Committee Candidate Tom Hannen to take five with us and share some thoughts on the city, the campaign and beyond. His answers are below, with minor courtesy edits for style.

1. Why are you running for office?

Public Service is among the most important things a citizen can participate in. I've served as a volunteer firefighter for my entire adult life, as well as serving in elected capacity. We can't just sit back and complain about how things are. It is each of our responsibility to try to make things better. I think I've been able to have a positive impact on Cranford by thinking outside the box to come up with solutions to challenges that we face. I enjoy giving back to the community that has given me and my family so much.

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

Flooding continues to be a major concern for the safety of our residents and public safety personnel, and the protection of their property. Additionally, our compliance with addressing our affordable housing obligations while maintaining the character of Cranford is very important. Development of the community must keep in mind the reason that people moved to Cranford to begin with, and to make sure it doesn't further exacerbate our traffic and flooding problems.

3. What makes you the right person to vote for as opposed to the other candidate(s)? What do you bring to the table that others don't?

My experience on the Township Committee over the past 5 years gives me an inherent advantage of how municipal government works and the limitations of its influence. The history of how our community has approached issues to solve problems streamlines the effectiveness of future solutions. My experience in running a business gives me the skill set of using a goals and objectives approach to operating municipal government. There is nothing like having to make a weekly payroll for employees to give one the laser focus of a streamlined operation to accomplish their goals and objectives. That's how I approach government also. We don't make widgets. Ours is a customer service business, and while the citizens of Cranford may be limited in their ability to choose where else they can get the services that their municipal government provides, it is incumbent on us, as municipal leaders to operate as though we are in a race with our competition to provide a better product (service) than our competitors, at a value driven price.

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

We have replaced our website in the past year and are constantly trying to improve our communication through social media. Through apps available on the site, citizens can report problems and automatically have them logged and routed to the department best equipped to handle the issue. The use of Spatial Data Logic (TM) has allowed residents to have an active handle on data in the municipality, as well as streamlining data sharing between departments. The goal continues to be, for those who have access to the internet, to make interface with the municipality as easy and meaningful as possible. The more that people can do online, the less the need to take time off from their occupations to get permits, pay fees, etc.

5. What inspires you?

The dedicated people who provide emergency services to the community, especially in police, fire and EMS, and the countless volunteers that come together to make Cranford a great community. People who volunteer in Boy and Girl Scouts, baseball, soccer, football and all the other volunteer sports coaches. People and businesses that dedicate their time or talents to help build facilities like the new snack stand, raise money for scholarships for college, or help put food on the table and a roof over the heads of the less fortunate in our community. This is what inspires me. The PEOPLE of Cranford and their abundant generosity towards their neighbors and community. Every day I try to measure myself against their efforts and wonder if I have done enough.

(Photo courtesy of the Cranford Rotary)

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