Meet The Candidate: Phil Garwood

Moorestown voters will go to the polls on Nov. 8 to not just elect the next President of the United States, but to determine a large part of the makeup of their local government for the next four years.

With three of the five council seats up for grabs, Moorestown residents will be determining the balance of power and direction of the township this fall.

Patch asked each candidate to complete a questionnaire outlining biographical information, their platform and their stands on a handful of issues.

This week, Patch will run profiles of all the candidates for council in alphabetical order, and alternating between the Democrats and the Republicans.

Profiles are presented here in the same format as the questionnaires given to the candidates. There were no further instructions, and none of the responses has been edited (beyond basic proofreading and formatting). Readers can make their own judgments on how the candidates did or didn't answer the questions.

Up next: Republican candidate Phil Garwood.

Why are you running?

I decided to seek a second term because I feel our Town Council is moving Moorestown in the right direction, and I want to continue the progress we are seeing all over town. We need to keep moving forward on fiscal responsibility, tax relief, improving our athletic facilities, supporting our town’s first responders, protecting open space, and upgrading our town’s infrastructure, and I would like to be a part of seeing these things through.

What do you feel are the most pressing issues?

The top issue I hear from our residents is taxes, and that is definitely the issue that matters most to me. Town Council needs to be in sync with our residents and recognize that we need to find ways to keep the tax burden as low as possible, which is why we were proud to deliver a tax cut this year. We also need to continue the progress in upgrading our water facilities and infrastructure, providing the safest and cleanest water we possibly can to our residents. It’s critical that we maintain our Township’s various assets around town, cleaning-up Strawbridge Lake, and working closely with our town’s small businesses to make sure the Township is making it easier for them to do business here in town.

What changes would you make to what the current council is doing?

While Moorestown has made great strides in opening the lines of communication between the Township and our local small businesses, I feel there is still more work to be done. During my second term, I would hope we can move forward with utilizing our online capabilities to make our zoning processes more streamlined - something the Zoning Board has already been working on - and more business friendly.

I would also like to see a full implementation of recording and broadcasting Township meetings, something we voted to move forward with this year. A number of steps have been taken to increase transparency between Town Council and the public - from additional time at Council meetings for residents to speak, to office hours outside of scheduled meeting times, to making our Township website more user-friendly, and to posting all Council documents and ordinances online - but I believe the recording of meetings will be a positive step forward in opening up municipal government to those who elected us.

What are some of the positive things you believe the current council is doing?

We have managed to increase Moorestown’s bond rating - which is now the highest in Burlington County - due to responsible financial management and investment into our town’s many assets. We have not only passed responsible budgets, but did so while both cutting taxes this year and maintaining a healthy surplus.

I have always believed there needs to be a focus on making sure our local first responders have all the support they need from the Township, which is why we have always fully funded our Police Department and recently passed a benefits package for our volunteer firefighters, giving them discounts and waiving fees for athletic programs, licensing, and more to help them with recruitment and retention.

As an avid bicyclist, I was also proud to spearhead Moorestown’s Complete Streets initiative, joining with my colleagues to ensure that when any road is built or repaved in town, feasibility for bicycle lanes will be examined to make our town friendlier for bicyclists.

What do you bring to council that no one else can bring. i.e. strengths, experience, etc?

Over the last 26 years, I’ve viewed this town through many lenses - as a newlywed, as a father of young children, and now, as the proud dad of three wonderful adults. But no matter what, I have always viewed this town through the lens of a proud Moorestonian, and have been active and involved in our town every step of the way. In 2012, I decided to run for office because I felt I could bring my experiences as a resident, father, and volunteer to keep our amazing community moving in the right direction. I joined the fray because I wanted to protect the rich heritage of our town while finding ways to move us into a better future. I am experienced, tested, and ready to tackle a second term with the energy and commitment this town deserves.

What is your political background? What offices have you held/run for in the past?

I ran and won election to Moorestown Town Council in 2012. I had the privilege of being elected Deputy Mayor in 2015 by my Council colleagues, and am currently lucky enough to be serving this year as Mayor. In that capacity, I serve as the Council Liaison to the Planning Board and the Environmental Advisory Committee. Previously, I served as Liaison to the Recreation Advisory Committee and the Low and Moderate Income Housing Oversight Committee.

Personal Background

I’ve been a proud resident of Moorestown for over two decades. I proposed to my wonderful wife, Laura, right on the banks of Strawbridge Lake - and currently live only a few blocks away in the Collins Park section of town. We’ve raised three amazing children here - Brooke, Lisa, and Holly - and I’ve volunteered in our community for over 20 years, participating in coaching soccer and field hockey, as well as actively participating in the town’s annual Christmas parade. In my professional life, I work as a Clinical Perfusionist at Lankenau Medical Center.