Maplewood Township Committee Candidate Profile: Kurt Kiley

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — New Jersey's Primary Election Day is June 7. Locally, two Democratic candidates are facing off to be the lone Democratic nominee for an open seat on the five-member Maplewood Township Committee. The winner of the June Democratic primary will then be on the ballot in November.

Patch sent out questionnaires to the local candidates who are running in contested primary elections. Below are candidate Kurt Kiley's answers. You can click to read Deb Engel's profile and see her answers here.

The local Democratic Committee has endorsed both Engel and Kiley.

Double-check important election dates and get state information on how to vote in June via the New Jersey Voter Information Portal here.

Kurt Kiley's Answers

Kurt H. Kiley

Campaign website https://www.kileyformaplewood....

City or town of residence Maplewood, NJ

Office sought Township Committee

Party affiliation Democrat

Education BS in Computer Science, Kean University; MS in Management NJIT

Occupation Independent Management Consultant in Supply Chain Optimization

Family My wife Carol Stefan

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? no

Age 55

Previous public office, appointive or elective I am a Democratic District Leader for District 16 in Maplewood

Why are you seeking this office? I was appointed to the Maplewood Senior's Advisory Committee and was its Chair for 5 years. I was inspired by the positive impact local government can have on its residents. Our committee excelled at formally engaging residents to learn their needs and concerns. We then drove our agenda base on what we learned. I want to take the experience gained from our committee and use it to have a positive impact on all the lives of the residents of Maplewood. The issues I am concerned with are: Affordability, Mobility & Transportation and Resilient Infrastructure. These issues cut across all ages and demographics. Lack of affordability means many families struggle to remain in town or are shut out of Maplewood all together. We need to address Mobility and Transportation as our sidewalks and roads are a shared infrastructure with many competing demands that need to be used safely. Walkability, and alternative transportation options is good for the environment, our health, and helps make Maplewood more affordable. We need a resilient infrastructure that can rebound from extreme weather events caused by climate change. Maplewood has experienced extreme flooding and extended periods of power loss. We need to bring our aging infrastructure into the 21st century.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it. Affordability. I will address affordability by looking at the problem beyond our high taxes and looking at lowering the overall cost of living in Maplewood. We can do this by expanding services, allowing residents to share in the purchasing power of the Township and looking at alternative ways to raising revenue. Maplewood was very innovative when they introduced the Jitney service, a shared transportation service, it reduced the need for parking at the train station and made life simpler for those taking the train. We can take this idea to the next level by introducing a shared car service. By having ready access to a vehicle, residents could eliminate a car payment as well as insurance and use a car on an as needed basis. The Township purchases many goods and services in bulk, for instance sidewalk repair and replacement. It only makes sense to allow residents to share in the buying power of the township. Instead of negotiating individually for the repair of sidewalks, homeowners can coat tail on the existing contracts which would be at a far lower cost than an individual could hope to negotiate. This is one of many goods/services I think this could apply to. We should optimize our assets so we can generate greater revenue. For instance, the Woodland has a lot of potential to become a boutique performing arts space that can be used for off Broadway productions. This would raise its revenue generating ability.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? I am a methodical, and deliberate thinker. I gather data from disparate sources and come to a complete and balanced, informed decision. As a supply chain management consultant, I have experience assisting companies across a broad range of industries. I have an intimate knowledge of how things are done and how things are built. I have been on the factory floor, in the CEO’s office and everywhere in between. Having someone with operational/industrial experience is a gap that needs to be filled on the Township Committee. This experience comes in to play whether we need to streamline operations, plan a resilient infrastructure or build out a municipal WI-FI system.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community? N/A What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign? In addition to what I have already mentioned, I would like to create a formal volunteer program that accommodates the busy life everyone has. So, if you have 5 minutes, hours or days to help out, we will make that work. Or if you identify an issue that needs to be addressed that's not covered already, we will make it happen. Volunteers are the fuel that power what gets done in Maplewood, and I think there is an opportunity to engage and empower more volunteers.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? I started my consultancy when I was 22, and now at 55 I have been reacting, adapting and serving my clients with innovative solutions for over 33 years.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? Live an intentional life.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I am not a one-man band, these are MY ideas, but I want to hear YOUR ideas, I want to work with you to collaborate to make Maplewood a better place for everyone. We, as the Township Committee cannot do it alone, we need everyone's help.

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