Hillsborough General Election Profile: Donnetta Johnson

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Hillsborough's general election on Nov. 3 has four candidates running for two open seats on the Township Committee. Donnetta Johnson, 58, is one of two Democratic candidates running.

Johnson worked as a Programmer, Systems Engineer, Project Manager for AT&T/Bell Laboratories from 1986 through 1999; Founder and President of the Allegra School of Music and Arts from 1999 to present and a mom since 1982.

Her family includes her three sons, Jamaal 37, Jordan 31, and Jonah who passed away in 2009.

Johnson has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Math from Pace University, New York, 1985

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Donnetta Johnson

Campaign website

JohnsonBrook2020.org

Why are you seeking elective office?

I truly believe that I can help to make Hillsborough a better place to live and thrive. There needs to be a re-dedication and focus on community building within our government at every level in this country, and I believe the best place to start is at home. I am willing to take on the tasks and responsibilities that come with holding public office. I would be honored to bring my energy, work ethic, insights, and talents to represent the best interests of the people of Hillsborough.

The single most pressing issue facing our community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing our town is the failure to do smart, innovative community-focused town planning. The lack of planning combined with hostility to our affordable housing mandate has left the town vulnerable to builders with little regard for environmental housing concerns, the strain on our infrastructure, and our increasing tax burden. Future generations risk inheriting a town overtaken by sprawl, unaffordable for young professionals, damaging to the environment, and stressed, overcrowded schools. Some older residents are at risk of being displaced, unable to afford to live in the town where they have raised a family and invested a lifetime of taxes.

Continuing down the road of making living in Hillsborough out of reach for both lifelong residents and younger professionals is not acceptable and I will address this issue with resident-focused, innovative, and forward-thinking planning. The focus on strategic, professional town planning that is responsive to our current residents while promoting thoughtful, sustainable growth based on community input will serve to preserve what we love most about our wonderful town.

Among my key initiatives will be resurrecting the Main Street Hillsborough project in conjunction with a revitalized Master Plan for a bold new vision of the future of Hillsborough.

More than two decades ago, a pedestrian-friendly Main Street and Town Center was proposed and designed for Hillsborough. Professional and inspiring architectural plans were drawn up and community feedback gathered, but the effort was sidelined and eventually abandoned for reasons unknown to the public.

Since then, we have seen rapid, disjointed growth, especially of single-family homes. I understand growth is necessary, but it must be planned and zoned carefully so that we responsibly provide opportunities for all residents including young families and professionals with modest incomes, while simultaneously managing the challenges to our municipal services.

We must also be careful not to place an unmanageable tax burden on our older populations, and safeguard Hillsborough’s incredible natural resources by protecting our environment.

Currently, the proliferation of luxury single-family homes is stressing our education budgets and displacing our seniors who have invested so much in Hillsborough but fear that the tax burden will threaten their ability to stay in their homes. With the Hillsborough Route 206 bypass nearing completion, much of the traffic that made it relatively easy to visit local businesses is now literally bypasses their storefronts. In a post-pandemic Hillsborough, revitalization is essential. We must promote new zoning and opportunities to eliminate long-empty storefronts. We have affordable plans to encourage builders and property owners to create town center spaces attractive to our young adults and older residents.

The decades-long concern regarding the need for safe and engaging options for our teenagers must be addressed. A strong community nurtures the soul of its young people. A pedestrian friendly town center, with thriving businesses and residences for young professionals would allow us to create opportunities for young and old to improve their quality of life. A strong town center will promote the unique flavor and culture of local shops and assorted business that would be located there.

Main Street would act as a hub for cultural events, business spotlights, farmers markets, street fairs, and more. It would allow the people of Hillsborough the opportunity to enjoy a unique commercial and residential center while helping local shops and businesses attract more customers and flourish. We can have it all in Hillsborough, beautiful, quiet, scenic neighborhoods and parks, historic homes and landmarks, preserved open space, and a charming and vibrant Main Street.

A walkable and thriving Main Street for Hillsborough is a win-win for residents, businesses, and surrounding areas. A Main Street would strengthen our economy, lower taxes by expanding the tax base, strengthen the social fabric of our town, resulting in resiliency, stability and an overall sense of wellbeing for residents.

Hillsborough is a jewel, let us all treat it with the vision, respect, and smart decisions that our residents deserve.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The difference between me and the other candidates is my three-decade-long personal history of commitment to the Hillsborough community. As a 34 year home-owner and Hillsborough business owner, family and community are the most important values I hold and I have a track record that demonstrates those values. I left a prominent manager-level corporate career where I successfully overcame gender and racial barriers, to make an investment in my community by founding a local music and theater arts school. Using my training as a mathematician and computer scientist, and my experience as a senior AT&T project manager, I was able to transfer my skills and build a thriving arts business. I have mentored generations of young musicians, actors, and education professionals while providing important employment and contributing to the tax base of our community. The soul of a community lies in the institutions that nurture the education, spirit and well-being of its residents.

Theater and music programs create homes for creative people in a community who, in turn, bring so much value to our lives. I am honored to have been part of the journey of so many in our community.

In 2009, we lost my 17-year-old son who suffered from depression. I understand the devastation of mental illness and the critical need for education and prevention efforts. This led to my founding the annual Hillsborough Music Festival to both celebrate and encourage artistic expression, and raise funds for youth suicide prevention. The Hillsborough Music Festival has grown into an important source of funding and education for mental health as a grassroots collaboration between local artists, local businesses, Hillsborough Township, the Board of Education, and our community.

This investment of time and energy in my business, and the Hillsborough Music Festival has served to strengthen my leadership, and fundraising abilities, and mobilizing volunteer efforts in our community.

I have learned to leverage collaborative efforts among local government, non-profits, businesses and individuals to benefit the greater good of the Hillsborough community. This experience in creating synergy, collaboration, and cooperation is exactly what I plan to build on if I have the honor of being elected to represent our outstanding community as a member of the Hillsborough Township Committee.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

Hillsborough must shed its reputation of being difficult to do business with. The overly bound business and residential permit system has resulted in vacant storefronts and frustrated residents looking to make home improvement. For example, the Cost-Cutters storefront has been unoccupied for a decade.

Many townships have ordinances that prevent indefinite vacancies. As compared to nearby municipalities with similar challenges, our permit process is infamous.

Homeowners regularly encounter reputable contractors who reject desirable project inquiries once they realize it is in Hillsborough and no longer have the appetite to deal with the cumbersome approval processes currently in place. We need to examine and correct this issue which is a deterrent to new businesses considering Hillsborough, and homeowners trying to improve their property. It will take time, but our process and reputation is fixable. We strongly believe in the talents and abilities of our municipal employees, and we owe it to them to invest in the best processes for them to efficiently do their jobs. With the talent and skills in this township, I am confident that with good leadership we will sort this out and Hillsborough will become known as a township with clear requirements and safety standards making it "easy to do business with."

As we revitalize our Master Plan and create responsible and sustainable development, we will create economic incentives that strengthen and attract quality businesses, enhance and strengthen our tax base, support our education budgets, and improve our quality of life.

As we revitalize our Master Plan and create responsible and sustainable development, we will create economic incentives that strengthen and attract quality businesses, enhance and deepen our tax base, support our education budgets, and improve our quality of life.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Mental Health: The mental health of our community and its members is now more important than ever before. Having lost my youngest son to depression, this mission is deeply personal to me. The conversation about mental health in this country is still routinely stigmatized, and I am looking to help end that stigma in Hillsborough, especially among the youngest and most vulnerable populations. We must approach mental health and well-being as a public health issue and building a stronger sense of community throughout Hillsborough is just the first step in that process. The success of the already implemented BoroSafe programs are a wonderful start. There is also a need for more comprehensive mental health resiliency programming across the board.

Creation of a Community Space: Hillsborough is a beautiful town, with so many beautiful and unique natural attractions. We would benefit greatly from a more pedestrian-friendly and locally flavored town center to serve as a gathering place for the members of our community. This cannot happen overnight, but with a long-term commitment to people-centered, environmentally friendly town planning, it can happen. We need a recognizable town center for the culture and the "soul" of the township and its residents to continue to flourish. Hillsborough can be an even more popular and unique destination for the local community and beyond.

The Environment and Sustainability: in order to ensure the long term health of our residential and business community, it is equally important that the open spaces in which the community exists are protected and preserved. We must control sprawl and over-development, and be dedicated to moving forward with long term environmental and sustainability projects. We must preserve the green spaces and quality of life we already have while ensuring that the natural beauty and historic character of Hillsborough are protected for generations to come.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am proud of the work that I did at AT&T, starting as a Unix and C programmer and then rising to senior project management in networking and information systems. As one of the very few women and among only a handful of African-Americans in the industry, I learned to build effective coalitions, overcome obstacles, and lead teams that have made world-impacting contributions in telecommunications.

After completing the Y2K rollout in 2000, I left AT&T to focus exclusively on the business I had founded—The Allegra School of Music and Arts in Hillsborough—which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. I knew that there was a need for cultural institutions in my community, and I decided that I would be the person to help fill that gap. As a business person and experienced manager, I learned how to build a dynamic team of arts professionals, and through collaboration and dedication we were able to grow Allegra into a long-standing Hillsborough institution.

I also founded the annual Hillsborough Music Festival to celebrate the tremendous artistic talent here in town, promote local businesses, and to bring more community engagement in collaboration with the Township. The music festival evolved into a fundraiser for mental health awareness and youth suicide prevention. I believe that cultural events such as this are critical to strengthening community bonds. My work creating an annual charitable event is a perfect example of how conscientious local businesses, local artists and volunteers, and local government can collaborate to do something important and enriching for the people of the community.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Lead by example: my mother, who now lives in Hillsborough, was a working woman who raised five children, balancing a career in nursing while saving to purchase her own Brooklyn brownstone where we lived, and rented to tenants on the top floor. Her industriousness showed me that a woman can build and fix and do anything. I was the eldest of five children and she gave me tremendous trust and responsibility. She also made me feel that my brains and grit would be my greatest assets.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I think the most important thing people can know about me is that I am not afraid of new challenges. I am comfortable with being uncomfortable. This attitude allows me to approach almost any situation with a very unique viewpoint. I am willing to step up and throw myself wholeheartedly into any task I set my mind to. I make sure to always listen and take input from those willing to be involved in the process, and I strive to make the best decision for any given situation. I look forward to serving the people of Hillsborough with the same passion, vigor, and fairness that I have always brought to my professional and personal life. When it comes down to it, Hillsborough is a community of neighbors and I look forward to being your trusted representative who is also your neighbor.