Meet The Moorestown Council Candidates: Jamie Boren

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Moorestown voters head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 6, to determine the makeup of its local government for the next few years. There are two, four-year seats on the five-member Moorestown Council that are up for grabs. Both seats currently belong to Republicans. There will also be a new mayor come January, as incumbent Mayor Stacey Jordan has opted not to run for re-election.

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 Republicans and the Democrats.

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 first: Republican candidate Jamie Boren

Why are you running for Moorestown Council?
One simple reason: I love Moorestown, and I want to keep it every bit as special for the next generation as it has been for me. I believe that our community still embodies the best our country has to offer, and a huge part of that has to do with the ideas and dedication of the people who call Moorestown home. I am running to be a voice for every single one of you. I plan to listen to our residents, build a better tomorrow for our kids, and make sure that everyone has the opportunity to live, work, and grow in our wonderful town.

What do you feel are the most pressing issues currently facing Moorestown?
The issue I hear about most from our residents around town is taxes. While many of us are thrilled that there have been tax cuts on the municipal portion of our tax bills for the last three years, the people elected in November will have a large say in what the budgets of the next four years look like. Manny Delgado and I pledge to continue holding the line on taxes, ensuring every taxpayer dollar is spent efficiently and protecting Moorestown's surplus to continue providing tax relief for every Moorestown family.

Continued revitalization of our town's business districts is another pressing issue, and is a key part of the fiscal well-being of Moorestown. The Moorestown Mall is at its lowest vacancy rate in years, Main Street has welcomed a number of new restaurants and businesses, and the Lenola Town Center is finally receiving a long-awaited overhaul. Town Council must now find ways to help the progress continue by identifying ways to make the process of opening businesses easier, drawing people into all of our business corridors, and eliminating red tape in order to help our small businesses thrive year after year.

What are some positive things you believe the current council is doing?
Council has done a great job keeping Moorestown in strong fiscal health, as confirmed by the independent Moody's Investor Services. 3 years of tax cuts, a AAA bond rating that is one of only a few in our state, and a surplus that has grown by $3 million in just four years are all things to be applauded and are items I would seek to continue along with Manny Delgado.

Council has also done a great job maintaining and improving our town assets. Whether it's improvements to our water treatment plants, upgrading our athletic fields and facilities, or moving forward with care of our natural resource areas like Strawbridge Lake, I feel Council has done a solid job working together to produce results for our town.

What changes would you make to what the current council is doing?
I would like to see Council explore new ways to disseminate information out to the general public. While positive steps have been made in this regard — such as recording and posting Council meetings in their entirety online, holding listening tours with local businesses, and the recent move of adding explanations of each vote being taken on the Council meeting agendas — there may be more that can be done. I would like to see how social media can be utilized further in this regard and see what additional steps can be taken to make sure everyone in town is aware of what their government is doing to work for them.

What do you bring to council that no one else can bring, i.e. strengths, experience, etc.?
I'm a proud Main Street small business owner, running Ralph's Market with my husband, Zach. I know this perspective is something that would be a benefit to the operations of Town Council, as I live the realities and challenges of having a family owned business in the modern age.

If elected, I would be the only active first responder on Council, bringing a depth of knowledge and experience of collaboration with the Moorestown Police Department and our volunteer fire and EMS personnel. I plan on using that background to ensure our Township is adequately supporting the men and women who keep our families safe every single day.

Last, but certainly not least, my favorite role — being a Mom to three fantastic kids — has brought me to a number of rewarding and challenging volunteer opportunities over the years. Serving in this way has given me insight into the concerns facing everyday families, from taxes to maintenance of our athletic facilities, and I plan on using that knowledge to make decisions that will benefit our residents and keep Moorestown on track.

What is your political background? What offices have you run for/held in the past?
While I have volunteered for a number of communities organizations, boards, and committees, this is the first time I'm seeking elected office.

Personal Background
I was raised here in Moorestown and have been active in our community for as long as I can remember. I married my high school sweetheart, Zach, and together we are raising one awesome son and two fantastic daughters in Lenola, the section of town where I grew up. I am a Main Street business owner, running Ralph’s Market with my husband, in addition to working for the Moorestown Bureau of Fire Prevention.

I'm currently serving as President of the Moorestown Youth Softball Association and as a volunteer Fire Police Captain with the Lenola Volunteer Fire Company.

I'm a member of the Moorestown Zoning Board, the Moorestown Ethical Standards Board and the Moorestown Business Association, and I am a parishioner at St. Charles Borromeo Church, where I also teach CCD.

I'm an active mom in the Moorestown Home and School Association, serving this year as Fingerprinting Chair at Roberts and Ice Cream Social Chair for UES-4, and as Room Parent.

I'm the Chair and co-Founder of the Lenola Advisory Committee, through which I worked closely with Manny Delgado to secure a $1 million federal grant for Moorestown to begin improvements in the Lenola Town Center/Camden Avenue corridor.

I'm excited to be running for Town Council and hope I will earn your vote along with Manny Delgado. Please consider taking a moment to visit our Facebook www.facebook.com/MoorestownFirst to keep up with the campaign and learn more about us. We hope to have your support! Together, we can elect a team that will always put the people of Moorestown first.

The attached image of Jamie Boren was provided