Meet the Candidate: Orlando Mercado

On Nov. 3, residents will have the opportunity to go to the polls to vote for four members of Gloucester Township Council.

Gloucester Township Patch will share information and some of the thoughts of the eight candidates seeking four Council seats in a series of profiles.

Each candidate was asked the same questions via email in order to get the most accurate responses in their own words.

The candidates are profiled in alphabetical order, one each day.

Name: Orlando Mercado

Political Party: Democrat

Years of residency in Gloucester Twp.: 16

Job: School Administrator and Adjunct Professor

Education: BA - Marketing, Stockton University 1996, MBA – Temple University 1999

Family: One son, Alex- Freshman at Highland

Why are you running for Gloucester Township Council? I wasn’t born in Gloucester Township. I chose to live here 16 years ago. I chose to become an active member of our community because I believe, and still do, that I can add to our community. I tackle issues head-on and I know how to discover the heart of the matter at hand. I have invested myself into our community and have enjoyed serving others by making a meaningful and purposeful impact on the day to day lives of our neighbors. We are in this together and we have to work together to continue the progress of stabilizing taxes, championing economic development projects and ensuring that our residents receive top notch services.

Have you ever held public office? Yes - 2004 to Present

Why do you feel you are qualified to serve as a member of the Gloucester Township Council? Wearing many hats provides me with a unique perspective on our community – I’m a parent of a child in our school district, a coach in a baseball organization, an educator in our county college, and a school administrator. Along with being a current member of Council, I come across people from all walks of life with different socioeconomic backgrounds, and despite those differences, we have one thing in common: we all live here. We want our children to attend good schools, we want our taxes to be stabilized, we want to see our community grow and prosper. I believe I can continue to be an intricate part of the progress by making decisions for the greater good, communicating with our neighbors, leading by example, and being accountable to all the residents of Gloucester Twp.

In your opinion, what is the biggest issue currently facing Gloucester Township, and how should council deal with the issue? Economic development. There is intense competition between communities for new economic development projects in today’s world. With the struggle to attract and retain business, competition is further intensified by the use of many economic incentives to potential businesses. Our Township should continue to engage in dialogue with businesses that fit within our community in hopes of them locating or relocating here. Job creation, economic output, and an increase in commercial ratables helps our Township compete and keeps our community vibrant. The addition of the Gloucester Premium Outlets has spurred job creation, commerce and has provided a commercial ratable to help ease the burden of homeowners.

What do you feel is Gloucester Township’s biggest asset at this time? How would you exploit that asset to the township’s benefit? Our biggest asset is our residents. Every town provides the basic needs – Police, Fire, Public Works, etc., but it’s the people of Gloucester Township that make our community great. On any given weekend if you drive by a park or field we have friends and neighbors that provide countless hours volunteering, raking a field, coaching a child, mentoring our youth, refereeing a game or working the snack stand. Our residents give of their time to make our recreational programs the best it can be, and we have a responsibility to provide our community facilities that are on par with our neighboring communities. My opponents on many occassions have criticized the use of tax dollars to enhance our recreational facilities. Unfortunately, they don’t understand the value that this adds to our community.

What are some of the things council currently does that you feel could be done differently, and how would you make improvements? Residents often understand best how families are faring and can help others further their understanding of the resources available (or lacking) in the community and what solutions might best address community needs. Reaching out to residents is also a first step in building trust amongst community stakeholders. We can always improve how residents know what’s going on and how they can be involved. This requires reaching out to people in many different ways such as sharing information through local media, putting up notices in places where neighbors regularly gather and getting the word out at community meetings (including school board, parent-teacher or neighborhood association meetings) and through community organizations and leaders. Events such as MLK Day of Service, Trunk or Treat, Relay for Life, movie nights in the park, and other events, provide opportunities to interact with residents. In addition, credible social media tools can be used to keep community members both informed and connected to each other.

In what ways do you believe council is doing a good job for the residents of Gloucester Township? This past June is a good example of how Mayor and Council work well with each other in the aftermath of the June 23rd storm. Damage to property and infrastructure took place in our Township that exceeded anything we have seen in recent memory. In some cases our neighbors were left without adequate shelter, food, water and other necessities. Our responsibility as Council is to provide the Administration the tools and resources to perform their duties. Working together, the Mayor’s office, Police, Fire, EMS, GTMUA and Public Works responded swiftly to the emergent needs of our residents. Brush was hauled, intersections were policed, information was provided and as a community, we rallied around each other. We worked closely with Mayor Mayer and I foresee us continuing to do so as we continue to provide our employees the tools and resources they need to meet the needs our community.