Hillsborough General Election 2022: John J. Ciccarelli

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Hillsborough Township Committee general election on Nov. 8 has four candidates running for two open seats.

Republican John Ciccarelli is running for the one, three-year full-term seat on the township committee against Democrat Ronald Yoder.

Additionally, there are two candidates vying for the one unexpired term on the township committee. Those candidates include Democrat Erynn Murray and Republican Robert Britting.

Are you running for office in Hillsborough? Contact Alexis Tarrazi at alexis.tarrazi@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Hillsborough Patch.

(All of the candidates were given the same questions)

John Ciccarelli

Age: 56

Town of residence: Hillsborough, New Jersey since 1999.

Position sought: Township Committee

Party Affiliation: Republican

Family: Married to my wife of 25 years, Kim (Demko) Ciccarelli. She was born and raised in Hillsborough and is a teacher’s aide at the Whiton Elementary School in Branchburg. Together we raised two daughters who went through the Hillsborough Township School District with Sydney working as a Park Ranger in Utah and Alexa studying psychology at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina.

Education: I am a graduate of the University of Delaware with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, and also have an M.B.A. with a Real Estate Concentration from Rutgers University. In addition, I am a licensed Professional Engineer in New Jersey (current) and am a Certified Cost Professional and Planning & Scheduling Professional issued by the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International (AACE).

Occupation: I am currently a Director in the Construction Advisory Services practice at J.S. Held LLC and have more than 30 years of experience performing expert dispute resolution consulting and project advisory services for clients in the engineering and construction industries globally. I have prior experience performing this line of work at several firms, including Marsh & McLennan, Deloitte, and the Port Authority of NY & NJ.

Previous or current elected appointed office: Hillsborough Township Planning Board, the Master Plan Sub-Committee, and Open Space Advisory Board.

Campaign website: hillsboroughnjgop.com/candidates

Why are you seeking to run for Township Committee?

Hillsborough has given so much to me and my family over the years and stepping up for this servant leadership role is a way for me to continue giving back to the community. Ever since I started volunteering for the township, I have been guided by the municipal legal and administrative processes and the business-like approach exhibited by the Township Committee. I seek to leverage my technical expertise, business acumen, and practicality to the Township Committee and to the community, including the continued emphasis on strong fiscal policies, open space/farmland preservation, and infrastructure improvements. As a husband, father, and former President and current board member of the Hillsborough Soccer Club, I want to ensure that Hillsborough stays as one of the Best Towns to Live in America!

Do you feel overdevelopment is an issue in town? How would you like to address it?

Yes. “Overdevelopment,” driven by the State’s affordable housing mandates, is an ongoing issue because Hillsborough is a very desirable place to live. As has been explained in the past, the State has mandated that Hillsborough build a negotiated amount of affordable housing by 2025, and if we do not, the courts will strip us of our planning controls. I plan to address the risk of overdevelopment by emphasizing that we must continue expanding our already extensive open space (almost 40%) and continue lobbying our NJ Legislature representatives in the State Senate and in the Assembly to address the affordable housing mandate crisis by passing meaningful legislation reforms. My background as a Professional Engineer and industry leader includes experience lobbying in Washington D.C. to secure support for infrastructure programs. I will require developers to meet the requirements in our zoning ordinances. Community members often suggest that the township should force builders to pay for roads, schools, or other improvements, however the State considers this “pay to play” and illegal. As such, I will address the risk of overdevelopment with the legal and administrative tools available to develop the township smartly, considering the goals and objectives of the Master Plan to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of Hillsborough’s residents.

What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in town?

Other issues that must be tackled in town include: continue the business-like approach to government and maintaining strong fiscal policies (to maintain the tax rate and attract businesses); expand the social and recreational opportunities for senior citizens (like developing a Senior and Community Center); and implementation of the township’s road paving plan. My skills and background as a leader in the engineering, construction, and business consulting industries is well suited to help address these issues for the well-being and safety of Hillsborough.

What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?

I am humbled and honored to be one of the candidates endorsed by the Hillsborough Republicans as they recognized my combined understanding of government and private sector experience with my background as a Professional Engineer and leader in Hillsborough sports programs, engineering, construction, and business. Those who have worked with me know that I take a sensible approach to any challenges, ask tough questions, and put in the time and effort to achieve results. As a servant leader and representative of the residents of Hillsborough, I will expect the same of each person that I engage with while working for the township. While I have no doubt that I have a lot to learn from the existing township committee members and professionals, I am also confident that these combined skills will allow me to seamlessly transition to the township committee and make impactful contributions for the citizens of Hillsborough.

What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?

I grew up in Roxbury, NJ and drove through Hillsborough numerous times on my way to school at the University of Delaware in the late 80’s. Now, ironically, I live a couple hundred feet from the route taken when the Promenade was a sheep farm. I enjoy watching sports of all kinds and spent years coaching and watching my daughters participate in soccer, lacrosse, track, and cheerleading with the Hillsborough Township Recreation, Hillsborough Soccer Club, Jr. Raiders, and High School programs. Being from Northern NJ, my allegiance has primarily been to New York teams, especially as a diehard Yankee fan. Professionally, I am also a recognized industry leader and have served for more than 15 years on the Board of Directors for not-for-profit organizations including professional, educational, and Hillsborough. I look forward to using these skills to represent the citizens of Hillsborough and will focus on low municipal taxes and fiscal responsibility, sustainable infrastructure, expanding our extensive open space, maintaining public safety, and enhancing community services for the youth, senior citizens, and all residents of our diverse town. My wife and I raised our family in Hillsborough and made memories to last a lifetime. I am running to serve my family, friends, neighbors, and all current residents as well as future families of Hillsborough to ensure that they have the same opportunity to make the same great memories that we did.