SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — Republican Michael Havardansky is running for a seat on the South Brunswick Township Council in the Nov. 3 general election.
Havardansky has lived in South Brunswick for nearly 30 years and works as vice president and controller of a women's apparel company. He chairs the township's Transportation Advisory Committee and is a member of its Economic Development Committee.
Patch asked council candidates to answer questions about themselves and the issues facing the township. In his answers, Havardansky calls for a long-term growth plan built around mixed-use development. He also raises concerns about the Sentinel data center on Route 1, the proposed Transco compressor station, and the 2026 budget's reliance on one-time revenue.
His full responses are below:
1. Why are you seeking a seat on the Township Council?
I am seeking a seat on the Township Council because I believe South Brunswick needs a new vision for its future. Our town has grown and changed, but our approach to planning and development has not kept pace. We are still relying on a 20-year-old playbook that prioritizes warehouses and storage facilities while approving housing developments without fully considering the impact on our roads, schools, infrastructure, and emergency services. We are also losing the places that once brought our community together. When my kids were growing up, we had a roller-skating rink, a movie theater, and South Brunswick Square, which was like a town center. It had Macy's, restaurants like Ground Round, Sens, and Café Colore, along with Blockbuster Video and Friendly's. Those places are gone, replaced by a truck dealership. We need a comprehensive plan that reflects the town we are today and the one we want to become. That means smart growth, responsible development, better planning for our infrastructure, and creating places where residents can shop, dine, walk, bike, and gather with family and friends. The decisions we make today will shape South Brunswick for the next generation. I want to help ensure that our future is guided by a thoughtful vision that protects our quality of life and makes South Brunswick a community people want to come to.
2. What sets you apart from your opponent?
I believe what sets me apart is my vision for the future of South Brunswick—a vision focused on the next generation. I want to see a town where new development is thoughtfully planned and includes shops, restaurants, and gathering places. A community where you can walk or ride your bike to meet friends for coffee, enjoy a meal, or take care of everyday needs without having to get in your car for everything. The towns around us are already doing this and we are falling behind. I believe it is time for our planning to catch up with the town we have become and create the kind of town we want to be.
With affordability and property taxes being a major issue, I believe my professional background in accounting and finance would be valuable to the Township Council. I understand the importance of fiscal responsibility, transparency, and making decisions based on long-term financial sustainability.
3. What, according to you, is the biggest issue facing South Brunswick right now, and what do you intend to do about it?
I believe the biggest issue facing South Brunswick is overdevelopment without a long-term plan. With our Phase 4 affordable housing obligations and the potential impact on property taxes, schools, emergency services and infrastructure, the decisions we make today will shape our town for decades. The current council is still operating from a 20-year-old playbook by putting housing wherever there is a vacant lot and then trying to offset the tax impact by building warehouses. We need a better plan - a plan that looks at the housing requirements as a whole. A plan where new development includes retail and office space as well as improvements to infrastructure. The towns around us are all doing this; look at North Brunswick with the train station or Montgomery on Rt 206, with the Promenade and Village Walk developments. The biggest example is the Princeton Nurseries redevelopment. Plainsboro is building a mixed-use community with housing, retail, and a hotel on their piece. South Brunswick is building a massive data center on our piece.
4. The Sentinel data center at 4405 Route 1 is under construction, and the DEP is taking public comment through Nov. 9 on an air permit for its diesel backup generators. East Brunswick and North Brunswick have banned data centers. Where do you stand on this project, and would you vote for an ordinance limiting future data centers in South Brunswick?
I understand that data centers are an important part of our country's technology infrastructure. But that doesn't mean every data center belongs in every location. I have serious concerns about the Sentinel project at Route 1. The scale of this facility, the reliance on diesel backup generators, and the potential noise and air quality impacts raise legitimate questions about whether this is an appropriate location, given how many residents live nearby.
Just as concerning is the lack of transparency. Residents should not have to learn about a project of this magnitude after decisions have already been made. They deserve to understand the potential impacts and have a meaningful opportunity to ask questions and voice their concerns. That's why John O'Sullivan and I have called on the Council to hold a public town hall before the DEP's November 9 comment deadline, so residents can get answers while they still have an opportunity to have an impact.
As for future data centers, I would support an ordinance that establishes clear limits and safeguards on where they can be built and what requirements they must meet. We need to review our zoning and land-use rules to ensure that projects of this scale are compatible with surrounding neighborhoods, protect air quality, limit noise, and account for the impact on our infrastructure.
5. With property taxes making up a large percent of township revenue and state aid declining for both the township and schools, what would you do as a council member to keep South Brunswick affordable for young families and seniors?
The key to keeping South Brunswick affordable is smart growth and better long-term planning. For the past 20 years, the township has relied on a familiar playbook: build warehouses to help offset the cost of a growing population and keep property taxes in check. That approach worked for a while, particularly around the Turnpike interchange. But that area is now largely built out, and we're seeing massive warehouse development move into other parts of town, including the 2.7-million-square-foot project on Ridge Road.
We need development that not only helps support our tax base but also makes South Brunswick a destination town. The towns around us, North Brunswick, Plainsboro, Montgomery, and Monroe, are already doing this. These communities are planning for the future with projects that combine housing, commercial activity and amenities.
As a Council member, I would push for a comprehensive development plan that attracts businesses, expands appropriate commercial ratables and ensures our infrastructure keeps pace with growth. I would also insist on greater transparency and a hard look at the long-term costs of every major development decision. Young families should be able to put down roots here, and seniors should be able to afford to stay in the community they call home.
6. The 2026 budget relies on surplus and other one-time revenue, and the council recently introduced about $22 million in new bond ordinances for utility and capital projects. How would you approach spending and borrowing decisions?
I believe South Brunswick has a serious budget problem that we can no longer afford to ignore. The 2026 budget relies on approximately $5.5 million in Transitional State Aid and another $4.5 million in surplus, much of it associated with one-time revenues. These are not reliable, recurring revenue sources. If they disappear, taxpayers could face significant tax increases, service reductions, or both.
We need to start planning now for a budget that can stand on its own recurring revenue. In my career in accounting and finance, I've been asked many times to reduce costs without reducing services. It takes discipline, a willingness to challenge the status quo, and a fresh look at how we operate.
As a Council member, I would push for a comprehensive review of township spending, identify opportunities to consolidate programs, expand shared services with neighboring communities and the county, and look for efficiencies. We should also pursue smarter economic development that broadens our commercial tax base without creating disproportionate costs for residents.
When it comes to borrowing, I would carefully evaluate the purpose of each project, its long-term cost, the impact on taxpayers and whether the debt is affordable within our future budgets. Essential infrastructure investments matter, but we need to prioritize projects, justify the expense and be transparent about the financial consequences before committing taxpayers to additional debt. We can't keep kicking the can down the road on this. We need to start now to put South Brunswick on a sustainable financial path.
7. The council regularly votes on long-term tax exemptions, or PILOTs, and redevelopment designations, such as the 30-year extensions for the Henderson Road housing projects and the new Sonesta Suites 2 redevelopment area. When should the township grant tax breaks to developers, and when should it say no?
I would take a generally skeptical approach to PILOT programs. They can serve a purpose, but tax breaks should be the exception, not the rule. Every agreement needs to demonstrate a clear, long-term benefit to South Brunswick taxpayers. A PILOT can provide developers with greater certainty about their payments, but it can also mean the township receives less revenue than it would through conventional property taxes, while the school district may not receive its normal share. That can shift more of the tax burden onto other property taxpayers.
I can understand considering a PILOT for a business that brings significant job creation, investment and economic benefits to South Brunswick. But I have a harder time understanding why we would need to offer long-term tax incentives for housing projects that are already part of our affordable housing obligations.
Take the Henderson Road projects and the Sonesta Suites 2 redevelopment area. If these projects are already part of our plans to meet our affordable housing requirements, why are we giving developers additional tax incentives.
Before approving any PILOT, I would want a solid financial analysis comparing the agreement with conventional property taxation, including the impact on the township, and schools.
My position is if a PILOT provides a demonstrable net benefit to the community, it deserves consideration. If it primarily benefits the developer, then it doesn't.
8. Several housing units have been approved in town, and the school district has redrawn attendance boundaries to absorb an expected 1,600-plus new students. How should the township handle growth, including its 4th Round affordable housing obligations?
South Brunswick's 4th Round affordable housing obligation is something we have to meet. But meeting that obligation does not mean we should abandon solid planning. As I've said before, we need to stop simply putting housing on vacant lots and start planning for the future. We need to look at where housing is going, how much growth our infrastructure can support, and what that growth will mean for our schools and emergency services.
I recently read that approximately 62 percent of the newly approved housing is concentrated in the Brooks Crossing area. If that figure is accurate, it raises serious questions about whether we are distributing growth responsibly. Concentrating that much housing in one area is unsustainable. It causes radical redistricting and is a burden on parents and kids. It increases bussing cost as more kids have to be bussed to schools outside their neighborhoods.
As a Council member, I would push for much closer coordination with the Board of Education, Emergency services and our infrastructure departments when evaluating development proposals. We need to understand the cumulative impact of proposed housing before we approve it.
South Brunswick needs a comprehensive growth strategy that meets our housing requirements while protecting our quality of life and ensuring our schools, roads and emergency services can keep pace.
9. Residents continue to raise concerns about warehouses and truck traffic near homes and schools. What should the township do about truck traffic, and what kind of development do you want to see along Route 1 and Route 130?
As a member of the Transportation Advisory Committee, I can tell you that truck traffic and roadway safety are among the biggest concerns residents bring to my attention.
Truck traffic will become an even bigger problem once the largest warehouse in the state of New Jersey is completed on Ridge Road. Warehouses generate truck traffic, and that traffic affects our roads, our neighborhoods and our quality of life. We need to look at the impact of warehouse development and stop approving warehouses in already congested areas without addressing the consequences.
We need to work with county and state transportation officials to improve truck routing, install better signage and identify ways to keep heavy truck traffic away from residential neighborhoods and school areas wherever possible. We also need consistent traffic enforcement. As someone who lives just off Route 1 and drives it every day to work, I see these problems firsthand.
The South Brunswick Police Department's Operation Safe Summer demonstrated the value of visible enforcement in encouraging safer driving. We should build on that effort and continue holding aggressive and dangerous drivers accountable.
As for Routes 1 and 130, as I've said before, I want to see a more balanced approach to development. We should take a mixed approach to development, including businesses, restaurants, retail and office space that can expand our tax base and give residents more places to shop, work and meet.
10. A Route 1 water main break in April put the entire township under a boil-water advisory, and a township employee's lawsuit alleges past water-safety problems, which the township denies. What oversight would you push for to make sure the water system is safe and reliable?
Public health and safety is the most important responsibility of the Mayor and Council, and ensuring a safe, reliable water supply must be a top priority. Because South Brunswick maintains much of its own water system, the Mayor and Council have a responsibility to ensure it is properly monitored and maintained. I believe in the old saying, sunlight is the best disinfectant, so transparency is essential to public trust.
I would push for the public release of all water-quality test results, safety reports, and information about system failures, along with regular updates on corrective actions. I would also support independent reviews of the system and its maintenance practices to identify potential problems before they become public health emergencies.
11. What environmental issue should South Brunswick prioritize, whether that is the Transco pipeline fight, flooding and stormwater, or preserving open space?
The two biggest environmental issues facing South Brunswick are the proposed Transco pipeline project and the proposed data center. The Transco pipeline raises serious questions about public safety and whether this project belongs in a residential neighborhood. I struggle to understand the logic of placing a pipeline compressor station in an area where a major emergency could overwhelm our local emergency services. We need to put the safety of our residents first and demand clear answers about the risks, emergency response plans, and long-term impact on our community.
The proposed data center raises a different but equally important set of concerns. A facility of this size, powered by diesel generators, raises questions about air quality, noise, energy consumption, and the overall environmental impact on surrounding neighborhoods.
South Brunswick needs responsible development that protects our residents, our environment, and our quality of life—not projects that move forward without adequately addressing those concerns.
12. What is your favorite part about living in South Brunswick?
My favorite part about living in South Brunswick is our neighborhoods, especially my own. For a town as large as ours, we still have that small-town feel. From Kendall Park to Brunswick Acres, Kingston to Dayton, there is a real sense of community. Take a drive anytime through any of our neighborhoods, and you will see people out taking a walk or standing in their driveways talking. There is just a comfortable feel living here. That's exactly why I'm so passionate about planning for our town's future. I want us to grow and improve, but I don't want us to lose what makes South Brunswick special. We need to plan today so that the next generation can enjoy that same South Brunswick feel.
13. Favorite place to visit with family in South Brunswick?
Some of my favorite family memories in South Brunswick are at our parks and local attractions. We loved taking the kids sledding at Woodlot Park in the winter and to the playgrounds at Woodlot and Reichler Park when they were younger. And every fall, going to Von Thun's to pick pumpkins and make our way through the corn maze was always something to look forward to.
14. Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself or your campaign?
My wife Kathy and I have called South Brunswick home for almost 30 years, and I'm running for Township Council because I care deeply about the future of this community. I believe we need a new vision for South Brunswick—one that plans for the next generation. We need to encourage growth that brings the amenities our residents want, including places to shop, dine, walk, and gather, while protecting our neighborhoods and the quality of life that makes this town special.
My background in accounting and finance has taught me the importance of accountability, planning, and making decisions based on facts. I want to bring that experience to the Council and make sure residents have a greater voice in the decisions that affect their lives. This campaign is about making sure South Brunswick remains a place where families want to put down roots, where our children can build their futures, and where we preserve the sense of community that brought so many of us here in the first place.
That's why our campaign slogan is Planning Today For The Town We Will Share Tomorrow.
Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com
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