Toms River Council Election 2019: Drew Boyle

TOMS RIVER, NJ — As Election Day 2019 nears, Patch is sharing profiles of the candidates for local office.

Drew Boyle is one of six candidates seeking election to the Toms River Township Council. Three at-large seats, each with a four-year term, are on the Nov. 5 ballot. Boyle is one of three Democrats; his running mates are Karin Sage and Michele Williams. They are running against Republicans Kevin Geoghegan, Matt Lotano and Jason Kopp.

Patch asked each candidate the same questions. Here are Boyle's answers.

Name: Drew Boyle

Age: 32

Employment: Middle school teacher — 7th-grade math and social studies — in Brick Township. Serve as middle school athletic director.

Tell us about your public service (township boards, committees you sit on): I serve on the faculty council for the National Junior Honor Society. The NJHS awarded me with the "Teacher that Touched Our Lives" Award in 2013 after my first year of teaching. I serve on the School Climate Committee, which works to improve character education throughout the school and plans events to bring parents, teachers, and students together in coordination with the PTA. I have also volunteered with the Best Day Foundation and the Marketplace in Silverton.

Any previous elected office (council, school board, etc)? How many years have you served? This is my first foray into elected office and I look forward to serving all the people of Toms River.

What conflicts would you have (what won't you be able to vote on) if elected? I believe that I am free of any conflicts that would prohibit me from voting if elected.

Tell us about the most important thing you do that has nothing to do with politics or your employment: My family is my No. 1 priority. I am a father and husband before anything else. Raising my son with my wife has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. My family invigorates my desire to make the world a better place. Toms River’s future is my family’s future, and I intend to make our future bright.

What will you do if you are elected to council? The biggest problems in Toms River are high taxes and over-development. We need to look for ways to reduce spending across the township. It is imperative that we eliminate no-show and low-show patronage jobs that are costing taxpayers millions. We should be hiring based on credentials and experience, not political connections. Stopping overdevelopment would require rezoning Toms River to prevent high-density, multi-family housing. We have a number of other ways to prevent overdevelopment that can be found on our website, www.petrofortomsriver.com.

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