Candidates To Jockey For 2 Spots On Millburn Township Committee

MILLBURN, NJ — Millburn's local Republican and Democratic groups each announced two candidates on Monday who had filed to run in the June 6 primaries for two spots on the five-member Millburn Township Committee.

After the candidates from each party win their primaries in June, they will face off against each other in the Nov. 7, 2023 general election for the two seats.

After the election, the five members of the Township Committee will meet to choose a mayor from among themselves.

Democrats Maggee Miggins (the town's current mayor) and Bruce Kramer have filed to run in the Democratic primary in June.

Frank Saccomandi and Ben Stoller have filed to run in the Republican primary.

Below are the announcements from the Republicans, then from the Democrats, and local voter information and deadlines.

Announcement From The Republicans:

Millburn GOP Announces 2023 Candidates for Township Committee: The Millburn Short Hills Republican Committee has endorsed Frank Saccomandi and Ben Stoller for the two Township Committee seats to be decided in the November 2023 election.

Frank Saccomandi is an IT Infrastructure Engineer with over 15 years of private-sector experience building consensus to address mission-critical problems with diverse teams across global offices. He has managed 8-figure budgets, negotiated large contracts, and led global teams through complex transitions. Frank approaches problems with an engineering mindset and, as a process-driven analytical thinker, he will bring to our Township Committee a deep understanding of the existential issues facing Millburn and the skills crucial to addressing them head-on.

Attracted by the short commute and stellar schools of our picturesque suburb populated by intelligent, ambitious, and accomplished residents, Frank decided to make his home in Millburn 5 years ago. Soon after learning about the 100% income-segregated housing project at the DPW site that was forced on our community without any resident input, he became alarmed by the dysfunctional decision making of our Township Committee.

Taking action, Frank prepared a quantitative and comparative analysis of Millburn's Fair Share Housing Agreement and turned it into a YouTube video that captivated the town. It also
invigorated a residents' group that insisted on community-based alternatives to the poorly negotiated Fair Share Housing Settlement Agreement. "I will put our residents’ interests at the forefront of all my decision-making if elected to the Township Committee," Frank remarked.

Ben Stoller, currently the CEO and co-founder of the Paxxal Group, has extensive experience in manufacturing, operational, management, and strategic planning and is recognized as one of the leading practitioners in the financial and packaging industries.

As a founder of Concerned Millburn Residents (CMR), a non-partisan grassroots organization advocating for responsible development, Ben has been fighting tirelessly to protect our town’s future for all. Ben believes “the democratic process has been lost in our town and replaced by partisan politics at the expense of all our residents.” He wants the same opportunity and lifestyle for his younger children that his older two children benefited from in Millburn Short Hills. Ben hopes to bring together all community groups to foster and build a successful Millburn Short Hills.”

Ben received his undergraduate degree in Business from the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN and earned an MBA (concentration in Finance) from the Stillman School of Business, Seton Hall University. He has lived in Millburn since 2015 with his wife Michelle and their 4 children.

GOP Chair Mary McNett noted, “Frank and Ben offer our voters the professionalism and rich
background of operational and financial management, and strategic planning experience that is missing on our Township Committee. Both of our candidates are moderates and one-time
Democrats who reject the local partisanship that has negatively impacted the safety,
educational quality and home values in Millburn Short Hills. They will focus on curbing crime,
maintaining and improving the educational experience for our children, and partnering with the community to support the development of affordable housing in a transparent, methodical, and responsible manner that fully abides by the rule of law. They will listen to our residents and fight for their vision and desires for the future of our town.”

Announcement From The Democrats:

Millburn Democratic Chairwoman Annette Romano and Vice Chair Michael Boldt today announced incumbent Committeewoman and Mayor Maggee Miggins and Historic Preservation Committee stalwart Bruce Kramer are this year’s Democratic candidates for Millburn Township Committee.

"Mayor Miggins has worked hard for Millburn. With minimal municipal tax increases during her tenure, she has fought diligently for millions in state funding, just recently, for the renowned Paper Mill Playhouse,” the party chairs said.

“She has lobbied the legislature for energy tax receipts owed Millburn, for public education funding, for natural disaster health, safety measures and Covid-19 relief. She has a 25-year history of township volunteerism. In her short tenure, Maggee has worked with local law enforcement to upgrade public safety technology, aiding our police department.

"Under her tenure, a much-needed traffic light on Hobart Ave was installed. She is working hard in cooperation with our Board of Education to upgrade field availability for more opportunities to participate in outdoor activities. She has brought in millions of dollars in grant money to our township. Her professionalism and calm demeanor has enabled township committee meetings and township business to be run in an efficient, professional manner. Mayor Miggins has been a strong advocate of transparency."

They added, “Bruce Kramer brings years of financial experience to the Democratic slate. He has been an active township volunteer, making a major contribution in preserving our towns historical status.

“His calm and measured approach combined with his vast financial expertise makes him a strong addition to the Democratic slate and to the township committee,” they concluded.

More Information And Deadlines

• Watch Patch for election updates, and you can sign up to get a free 6 a.m. daily digest of Millburn news here.
• Post a letter, release, or event listing on Patch here.
• Learn about Millburn elections on the town webpage here.
• See the upcoming dates and deadlines for New Jersey and local elections here.
• See voting information, both locally and statewide, here.