Candid Candidates: Entron and Open Space

The race for mayor is heating up, with only days until the election. Mayor Jon Hornik is running against mayoral candidate Craig Marshall. Patch sat down with the the candidates to learn more about them, and what their positions are on the issues. In the coming days, Patch will tackle one issue per day, giving you an in-depth look of the people behind the names on your ballot.

Entron and Open Space

The Entron site has been called Marlboro’s “Camelot.” The site will eventually be the location of a new development in Marlboro, which will help the township to .

Currently, the land is contaminated and will cost the developer $5 million to clean up. It will then be turned into a development with affordable housing units.

“We came in and made a decision: if we had to allow any residential development in town, it would be turn a negative into a positive. Let’s turn a bad asset into a good asset,” Mayor Jon Hornik said.

Former mayor Robert Kleinberg entered into an agreement with the developer to build on the Entron site, but then switched to building on Stattel Farm on Rt. 520. The switch resulted in a lawsuit for the township with the developer, and the judgment came down from the state to build the development on the Entron site.

“This was dictated to us by the previous administration,” Hornik said.

Marshall said he understands that Marlboro needs to reach its affordable housing obligations, but wonders type of development could have been condos rather than apartments, or if the site could have been re-negotiated. Condos, according to Marshall, would give people ownership and pride in the property, and a reason to stay in the township. They would also encourage people to stay in the development, rather than leave at the end of a lease.

The candidate said he is mostly concerned that the property could add 53 school children "or more" to the township, and added stress on current infrastructure.

Hornik said the money the township makes from the developer will also go to whatever the schools need.

“Our opponents say ‘well you shouldn’t have developed the Entron site.’ Well the alternative to Entron was . And I, for one, do not believe Stattel Farm should ever have a house on it,” Hornik said.

Marlboro is participating in a pilot program where the state and county forego collecting taxes from the developer, and Marlboro keeps over 90 percent of the money rather than less than 20 percent. The program encourages municipalities to participate in affordable housing. While it is less expensive for the developer, Hornik said it makes the township more money in the end.

Marshall does not agree, and said the added school children and infrastructure problems could end up costing the township money rather than bringing in revenue.

“It could be looked at a little bit differently than the current administration is looking at it,” Marshall said.

The candidates do agree on one thing, the preservation of open space is important in Marlboro.

Marshall said preserving open space is also preserving the personality of Marlboro, and attracts people to continue to move to Marlboro.

“We would be looking to see if we have the funds to purchase more open space at this time, and if we do, where does that fall in the priority of other issues or expenditures that need to take place?” he said.

Hornik said his philosophy will remain the same, turning a negative into a positive is always the better road.

“Myself, Randi Marder and Frank LaRocca are 100 percent against the development of our pristine farmland, for any use. We need to preserve that. That is the character of our township,” Hornik said.

Mayor Jon Hornik

Hornik, 41, has lived in Marlboro his entire life. His father, Saul Hornik, was mayor of Marlboro from 1980-1991. Hornik is a real estate attorney in the law firm LaRocca, Hornik, Rosen, Greenber and Blaha.  Hornik attended the University of Delaware and Brooklyn Law School, and married his high school sweetheart Daryl. Hornik has three children, and coaches baseball and soccer in Marlboro.

Hornik is well-known around the state for his fight against the Council on Affordable Housing, as a member and founder of Citizens Against Reckless Development, and then as mayor. He is also a member of the planning board, and was involved in the original formation of the Marlboro Jewish Center.

Hornik said his skills as a lawyer, although he does not practice within the township, have helped him as mayor.

“For me, we have taken a total team approach to the government. If you are smart, and you are willing to work for your town, we have a spot for you,” Hornik said. “For me personally, with my training as an attorney, it has helped me because you just don’t take no for an answer. And we wait until we get all of our facts together before we make a decision. The analytical thinking has been applied to the government.”

Craig Marshall

Marshall grew up in Old Bridge and has lived in Marlboro since 1997 with his wife and two sons. In 2000, his wife Ellen died. Marshall said it was then that he realized how important the outreach of the community is.

For 20 years, Marshall was in the healthcare industry as a licensed nursing home administrator, and is now a personal trainer and Older Fitness Specialist, which he volunteers his time doing.

Marshall is currently married to his second wife, Meryl, who has one son. Now, Marshall and his wife own a small business, and he served on the Marlboro Jewish Center Board of Trustees and as a treasurer for Congregation Beth Ohr in Old Bridge.