Meet Mendham Council Candidate Joseph Murphy

MENDHAM BOROUGH, NJ — The primaries are upon us, and Patch is creating candidate profiles to give readers an idea of who is on their ballot.

Four candidates are seeking Republican nominations for the Mendham Borough Council race, including Joseph Murphy.

Subscribe

Murphy is running on the "Restoring Trust. Running Mendham Right" slogan alongside Mike Zedalis in the vote-for-two election.

The pair is running against incumbent Marilyn Althof and Marrie-Rose Garbac.

Mendham/Chester Patch asked candidates to share some information about themselves, and asked identical questions to all candidates.

Here are Murphy's responses:

- Full name: Joseph M. (“Bud”) Murphy, Jr.
- Age: 55
- Town of residence: Mendham Borough
- Position sought: Mendham Borough Council
- Party affiliation: Republican
- Family: I have been married to my wife Colleen for 23 years as of June 23rd. We have three children: Molly (19), Caitlin (18), and Aidan (16), all of whom attended Mendham schools.
- Education: B.S. from Old Dominion University (1993) and J.D. from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center (2000).
- Occupation: Attorney. I am a Certified Matrimonial Law Attorney by the New Jersey Supreme Court and currently serve as Counsel at Fox Rothschild LLP. I previously ran my own law firm in Mendham Borough and co-owned the Mendham Creamery.
- Previous or current elected/appointed office: I currently serve as the Deputy Coordinator of the Office of Emergency Management for Mendham Borough (January 2026) and serve on the District XA Ethics Committee (appointed by the NJ Supreme Court). I also served on the Mendham Borough Recreation Committee and coached youth baseball for five years.

1. Why are you running for this position?

I am running for Mendham Borough Council because I believe our town is at a critical point where we need steady, experienced, and transparent leadership. As part of the “Running Mendham Right” team with Neil Henry for Mayor and Mike Zedalis for Council, I want to bring practical experience, fiscal discipline, and a collaborative resident-first approach back to the Borough. Having lived here for over 16 years, raised our family here, ran two local businesses, I see how decisions made at the council level directly affect families, taxpayers, and our community’s future. One of my many goals is to restore professional, collaborative, and responsible governance to the Borough.

2. What do you believe to be the most pressing issue in the community, and what do you intend to do about it if elected?

The most pressing issues facing Mendham Borough right now are: 1) protecting taxpayers through strong fiscal discipline; 2) responsibly managing state-mandated affordable housing requirements; and 3) preserving our town’s historic small-town character while addressing development pressures.

If elected, I will push for multi-year budgeting and long-term capital planning to keep taxes stable, ensure any new development respects Mendham’s unique identity, and prioritize infrastructure and public safety needs. I will also work to restore proper Council-driven processes so decisions are made thoughtfully and transparently with full resident input.

3. What qualifications and qualities do you possess that make you best suited for the position?

I bring over 24 years of real litigation experience, plus hands-on experience founding and operating my own law firm and a local business (Mendham Creamery) right here in town. These roles taught me how to manage budgets, staff, compliance, and complex planning, skills that directly translate to an effective and efficient Borough Council. Aside from
being analytical, I am also fact-driven, fiscally conservative, and collaborative when possible but decisive when needed. I am deeply committed to our community as a longtime resident and parent.

4. Municipal tax increases have been a growing concern throughout NJ. How do you intend to address it in your community?

When elected, I will approach this seat on Borough Council the same way I run my legal practice: by doing thorough homework, asking the tough questions, while protecting taxpayer dollars, and making sure every decision is transparent and focused on what is best for Mendham residents. I will work diligently to improve communication between our elected officials and the community, continue to support local businesses, and ensure we maintain the values that make Mendham special.

5. In a few words, what is your favorite thing about your community?

The true strong sense of community, our historic small-town character, and the way families in our town genuinely care about and invest in one another and our local schools and youth.

_____

The Primary Election is June 2.