Morristown Council Candidates and their take on Ward 2 Flooding

The debate for Morristown's Town Council was held Wednesday night via Zoom, moderated by Nicole Plett from the League of Women Voters. Candidates answered a variety of questions posed by potential voters on topics including affordable housing, redevelopment, police salaries, and flooding. Three four-year council seats are being contested in November.

The debate included the following candidates: Incumbent Democrats Toshiba Foster and David Silva, along with newcomer Nathan Umbriac. Kristi Dimogerodakis, the most outspoken and ready to blame, and Michelle Dupree Harris, running individual independent campaigns.

Questions were answered, promises were made, but the only ones we were willing to believe were our incumbents with a track record. When the debate leaned towards the years of broken promises with Ward Two and the damaging flooding that has been devastating the area for years, no one seemed to have any answers. Foster blamed the Headquarters Plaza development upstream and contended it ought to be brought up with the mayor. (If Foster had read my article Foster would know that the Mayor is well aware of Ward Two's struggles with flooding.) Silva noted solving the flooding issue wouldn't be easy, (I'm glad he told us.) and mentioned how Newark has spent millions in an attempt to tame flooding. Yet once again, Silva offered no solutions. Umbriac had perhaps the most controversial opinion, expressing that Ward Two's flooding crisis wasn't "a Morristown issue." Harris and Dimogerodakis agreed this crisis of broken promises has been fifty-plus years in the making, but once more had no solutions to offer.

More updates on the race for Morristown's Town Council and flooding in Ward Two to come at Morristown Minute.