Olivia Holmes, candidate for Hillsborough Township Committee

My name is Olivia Holmes and I am running as a Democrat for the Hillsborough Township Committee. My husband and I moved to Hillsborough thirty-two years ago, bought a home in the Sourland Mountains, and started a family. Besides raising my two sons, who both graduated Hillsborough High, I took care of my father-in-law for ten years after he suffered a stroke. I started Olivia Holmes Photography, a successful business here in town, which will be celebrating its twenty-five-year anniversary. As a wife, mother, caregiver, and business owner it has been a busy and full life. But now that my husband and I are empty nesters, I have a chance to turn my energies elsewhere.

The first time I saw Hillsborough, I was attracted to the natural beauty of the area. The numerous farmlands, the rolling hills of the western section, and of course, the magnificent Sourland Mountain range. Not long after moving here, I joined the Friends of Hillsborough, a group of concerned citizens, that fought and stopped a development of eleven thousand units at the foot of the mountain. In addition to all the other natural features of our town, the recent opening of the Duke Estate to the public makes Hillsborough a premier destination to experience the joys of nature. I will do all I can to protect it.

However, the Republicans, who have run the town for more than fifteen years, have enacted policies that are slowly diminishing the character of our town. The lack of smart, sustainable planning and capitulation to developers has created unremarkable architecture, unwalkable streets, and unbearable traffic. The empty storefronts along Route 206 show the economic effect of these policies on businesses and in turn, on the value of our properties and the tax burden on homeowners. Projects are quietly negotiated and approved, while public input is discouraged. Developers can build these massive projects while giving little back to the town. I will work for more transparency, encourage public participation and hold developers accountable.

There has been talk, for as long as I can remember, of creating a ‘Hillsborough Downtown”. A committee was formed to develop an ordinance, tax dollars were used to pay for a professional study, and a town-wide survey was conducted to include the views of Hillsborough residents. The results of these efforts produced a vision of a pedestrian-oriented downtown with tree-lined streets, quaint storefronts, bike lanes, and public gathering areas. A place that would not only improve the quality of life and sense of community but restore economic vitality to local businesses. But unfortunately, the committee, ordinance, and survey have been all but forgotten. It won’t be easy, and it won’t be done overnight, but I believe now that the Route 206 by-pass is closer to being completed, it is time for this vision of our town to be resurrected.

I have served as a Democratic District Committeeperson since 2014. I will fight to protect and improve the quality of life in our town, and support my running mate, Jeffrey Wright, as well as our Democratic ticket for County Freeholder and Congress. Thank-you for your support and don’t forget to vote on November 6^th.

Olivia Holmes

Candidate for Hillsborough Township Committee