Nicole Gillespie: Candidate For Moorestown Township Council

MOORESTOWN, NJ – Nicole Gillespie is one of four candidates running for one of two seats on the Moorestown Township Council.

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

Gillespie's answers are provided below. None of her responses have been edited beyond basic proofreading and formatting.

Use this information, as well as Patch’s Moorestown Voters Guide, to help you make informed decisions on New Jersey’s Primary Election Day, which is June 7.

Your Name As It Will Appear On The Ballot:

Nicole Gillespie

The Position You Are Seeking:

Moorestown Township Council

Your Party Affiliation:

Democrat

The Age You Will Be On Election Day In November:

55

Your Immediate Family:

My family is geographically scattered these days, but we’re still very close. My parents are retired, living in Florida. I have one brother who lives in upstate New York, and my other brother, his wife and my niece and nephews live nearby in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

The Professional and Personal Experiences You Have That You Feel Helps You Qualify For The Position You Are Seeking (And Why You Feel These Experiences Help You Qualify For This Position):

My time in the military instilled in me a strong commitment to service and an ability to bring all kinds of people together to solve problems. I’ve served as CEO of two non-profits and in both roles one of my primary responsibilities was to be a conscientious steward of other people’s hard-earned money. I believe Moorestown taxpayers deserve the same careful stewardship of their tax dollars. Finally, my background in science, engineering and research gives me the ability to understand the most complex issues facing our town and work with a wide range of professionals to find appropriate solutions.

Describe Your Stance On Having Companies That Sell, Use, Produce Or Otherwise Involve Cannabis Within Moorestown Township:

Moorestown residents voted in favor of legalized, recreational cannabis by a vote of 2 to 1. The state regulations specify that we cannot prohibit delivery of cannabis to Moorestown residents, and most of the towns that surround Moorestown are allowing cannabis businesses. So prohibiting cannabis businesses from operating in Moorestown would not have kept the cannabis out of our town, it would only keep the revenue out. Council made the right decision to allow cannabis businesses in limited commercial districts, and we are taking steps to support top-of-the-line small, minority- and women-owned enterprises that commit to hiring Moorestown residents and supporting our community.

Should Projects Like Lenola Streetscape and Percheron Park Occur In Other Parts Of The Township? Why Or Why Not?

The Lenola neighborhood and the land where Percheron Park is being built have both been neglected for many years. The Lenola streetscape project is a good first step for that part of town, but we need to do more. Council will begin discussions this spring about ways to incentivize redevelopment in that neighborhood, attract new business and support the creation of another commercial district with a downtown feel. Percheron Park was a unique public-private partnership led by residents with a vision. I’d love to see other projects like that in town, in particular on the green by the Recreation Center on North Church Street. Thanks to the Rotary Club of Moorestown, the Second Street Market food truck events have been a huge success and have raised thousands of dollars for improvements to Fullerton Park. I am committed to seeing that are become a vibrant community gathering space for performances, pop-up markets and more.

What Is Your Stance On Mixed Use Facilities, Such As Cooper Health System, Setting Up Shop Within Moorestown Mall?

I’m proud of a lot of things the current council has done, but the progress we’ve made on revitalizing Moorestown Mall is at the top of the list. It’s no secret that malls are dying around the country, and without the steps we’ve taken, Moorestown Mall would no doubt be one of them. But by adding residences, world-class medical facilities and eventually a hotel, and committing to add more entertainment options, we’ve given the retail and dining establishments a built-in customer base which will help them thrive. Not only will that attract businesses and services that Moorestown residents want and deserve, but it also adds new ratables that will relieve the burden on taxpayers. Very soon, that area will start to feel like a thriving town center destination that Moorestonians are proud of instead of a decaying retail mall.

Describe Your Stance Regarding Microbreweries Setting Up Shop Within Moorestown:

Microbreweries are a booming business in New Jersey, and last year we passed an ordinance to allow microbreweries, craft distilleries and wine sales rooms in certain commercial districts, including on Main Street and Camden Avenue in Lenola. Microbreweries tend to be destinations in and of themselves, but because they are not permitted to sell food, they also drive business to local restaurants that allow customers to bring their own beverages and offer delivery and takeout. I’m excited about these potential additions to our business community and we’ve heard from a number of brewers who would love to bring their business to Moorestown. The challenge most are having is finding a space that meets their needs, in a suitable location at a price that’s within their budget. Our Department of Community Development and Economic Development Advisory Committee have been working closely with business owners to help meet that challenge and I’m confident that we’ll have a microbrewery or similar business in Moorestown soon.

The Single Most Pressing Issue Facing Our Community (That I Have Not Mentioned Yet) Is _______ , and This Is What I Intend To Do About It:

The need to balance maintaining the systems and services that Moorestown residents expect and deserve without overburdening the taxpayers. Council’s job is to make sure we maintain our infrastructure like roads, sewer and drinking water systems; provide services like trash and leaf pickup; make sure our police and public works departments have what they need to run effectively; preserve open space and more. Those services are largely paid for by tax dollars and unfortunately, as with every business, some costs increase every year. So the only way to provide high-quality services and keep Moorestown running effectively without increasing taxes is by bringing in new revenue sources. Since I’ve been on council, miscellaneous (non-tax) revenues have increased on an average by a million dollars per year. That’s 1 million dollars’ worth of maintenance and services that doesn’t come out of taxpayers’ pockets. And we’ve talen steps to make sure we’ll continue to bring in other revenue sources so that residents don’t bear the burden of increasing costs every year.

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