Middletown Twp. Committee Race: Pat Snell On Why She's Running

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — In Middletown, there will be a Township Committee race this November. There are two open seats.

The Republicans are Patricia Snell, a Committeewoman running to keep her seat. Ryan Clarke is running alongside her; he hopes to fill the seat Tony Fiore held for the past five terms. Both Snell and Clarke are running with the backing of the Monmouth County Republican Organization.

The Democrats are Paul Jansen and Marguerite Stocker, running with the backing of the Monmouth County Democratic Party.

Patch asked each candidate to fill out a questionnaire and here are Snell's answers:

Age:

Position sought: Township Committee

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: Husband, Bill, two daughters, Deborah and Kimberly graduated High School South; six grandchildren, four attend Fairview and two went to High School North: Hannah, Ryleigh, Amelia and Aubrey, Emily and Nicholas.

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

Education: Red Bank High School and Brookdale

Occupation: Real estate sales associate/broke for 26 years.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Currently serving on the Township Committee, Middletown Library Board along with the Boards of Poricy Park Conservancy and Middletown Arts Center. Previously on the Middletown Planning Board. Past president of the Middletown Republican Club.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform: Oppose overdevelopment. Stay accountable to our children and seniors and their quality of life. Always supporting our first responders to keep Middletown safe. Promoting volunteerism, making our community exceptional.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? My husband and I opened and operated a business in Middletown, Jersey Mike's Submarines, at Rt. 35 and New Monmouth Road in 1987. I managed the Middletown office of Heritage House Sotheby's International Realty of 50+ agents.

The best advice ever shared with me was: Gratitude leads to hope and perseverance.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I have lived in the Navesink neighborhood since 1983 with my husband Bill, a lifelong resident of Middletown and member of Leonardo First Aid) and raised two daughters, who chose to stay and raise their families here.

Serving on the Township Committee has given me a very personal perspective into the lives of our neighbors and establishing a deep sense of pride in our police, fire and first aid departments, not to mention the unselfish everyday volunteers who give so much to our community.

I was the assistant tennis coach at High School South and volunteer with Middletown Helps Its Own, along with being on the board of the Middletown Arts Center, Poricy Park Conservancy and Library Board.

After 9/11, Bill and I were honored to volunteer with the Alliance of Neighbors of Monmouth County to aid the many families impacted on that dreadful day. We organized fundraisers and met with county families to assess their needs and see how we could help. With the 20th anniversary (of 9/11) a year away, I am currently chairman of the Middletown WTC Memorial Gardens Fund and Committee.

Editor's note: Middletown lost 37 residents in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The primary is July 7; the general election is Nov. 3.