Sandham: 'More Democracy is Never a Bad Thing'

Jim Sandham and Deb Nielson were runningmates in 2005, but Sandham says he barely knew her back then; someone had suggested he run with her.

In 2008, they were runningmates again, but Sandham said then he was feeling pressure to do what was considered best for the Republican party, so he ran with her again.

In 2011, he says he is putting the people of Montville Township first, and the Republican party second.

"I'm doing what's in the best interest of Montville Township, before the Republicans," Sandham said. "I believe I took an oath to do what's best for the township first…more choice, more democracy is never a bad thing."

And for Sandham, doing what's best means asking Art Daughtry to run with him this year. 

"We have only put out facts and perspectives on issues and pointed out poor behaviors," Sandham said.

Sandham said he has differed with Nielson "on a number of different issues over time."

He has specifically referred to an April 27, 2010 meeting when Daughtry, Sandham, Nielson and Tim Braden disagreed on a budget issue, with Braden and Nielson voting against a 1.75 percent increase in the tax levy, then voting to approve a 2 percent increase, a difference of $5 per household. Daughtry and Sandham voted the opposite: Yes to a 1.75 percent increase and no to a 2 percent increase.

Nielson, according to the minutes from that meeting, "stated she is not ready yet to strike that number until there are further negotiations with the unions."

The township was facing potential police layoffs and demotions at the time.

Nielson had been absent during the prior meeting, on April 13, 2010, when the budget was also discussed—hospitalized with the flu, she said, and because of missing the meeting she said she had to speak on the record during the April 27 meeting.

The committee was being pressured by the state to introduce a budget, and with the decision split and committeeman Don Kostka absent from the meeting, no decision was made on April 27.

Daughtry had said at the time, also from the minutes of the April 27 meeting, that "if all five members were here, I could comfortably say that the 1.75 percent would be approved."

At the next meeting, on May 11, 2010, the five committee members all voted in favor of a 1.75 percent increase.

Sandham questions why Nielson changed her vote from one meeting to the next, suggesting that it was a political ploy, a move to please some members of the crowd.

Nielson disagrees, saying she does not even remember who was in the audience during the meeting.

Nielson's reasoning, from the minutes of the May 11 meeting, was that layoffs had been avoided, except for two, and that she did not at first vote for the 1.75 percent increase because things were uncertain, but progress had been made by May 11.

Still, with this year's primary looming, Sandham and Nielson disagree, on this, as well as other issues.

"I thought that Art was a better answer for doing what's best for Montville going forward," Sandham said.

There is undoubtedly a rift forming among Montville's Republicans, and Braden, the township's deputy mayor, has even described the Republican primary as a civil war.

"I ran the first time as I was not happy with how the Township was being managed," Sandham wrote in an email to Patch. He says that the same behaviors that he ran against in 2005 have resurfaced.

"So I asked Art to run so that we could once again give voters that choice," he wrote. "Some people want to label more choice as 'teaming up' … well that sounds like political fodder!"

One of Sandham's stated goals, from his and Daughtry's campaign website, is to "Enhance Montville's Business Community."

"The perspective has been that Montville wasn't necessarily business friendly and at times has been adversarial," Sandham said. "And yes, we have to protect the citizens, and there are rules and regulations that have to be followed…but we can help the businesses meet those rules and regulations."

Sandham, Daughtry and Nielson are all Republicans running for a shot at one of the two open seats on the township committee. The primary will be held on June 7.

For an article about Deb Nielson, click here.

For an article about Art Daughtry, click here.