Five Questions With Verona Incumbent Kevin Ryan

Kevin Ryan has lived in Verona for more than 27 years with his wife Valerie and his son, Matthew.

“We came to Verona because we were attracted to the community by highly rated schools, reasonable property taxes and commutation to our jobs in New York,” he said. “The thing that impressed me the most about Verona is the great sense of community and civic pride.”

Ryan, a Verona Township Council incumbent, is seeking re-election in next month's municipal election. He also serves as a liaison to the Verona Environmental Commission.

His ultimate goal is to keep Verona affordable.

What issues are important to you as a resident?
The issue of the greatest importance to me is to keep Verona affordable for middle-class working families and seniors. This was the reason I ran for council two years ago and why I decided to run for a full four-year term. I also want to continue to educate the residents on the real drivers of municipal budgets that are not covered by caps such as salaries, health insurance, pension contributions and debt services.

What organizations or bodies have you been a part of?
The numerous volunteer groups and service organizations are ongoing proof that this spirit is still alive and well. Over the years I have coached in the Verona Baseball League and the recreational soccer program. I served on the Board of Directors for the Verona Music Parents for four years and was a co-president for two years. I was also a member of the Spotlight Players Parents Association. I have served on a municipal budget committee and I am currently a member of the Verona Park Conservancy and the Hilltop and Kips Castle conservancies.

Why do you want to be on the council?
The current labor agreements with both the police and municipal employees expire at the end of this year and going forward we will need to negotiate a deal that is fair to all taxpayers in what is still a very tough economic environment. We will need people on the council to provide strong direction and guidance to negotiators which I believe was lacking in the past.

I believe my actions over the last two years have demonstrated my commitment to keep the town highly desirable and affordable. I voted “no” on the last two municipal budgets because I felt not enough was being done to cut and control discretionary costs. Transparency in government is also an issue that I value. I was an early advocate for televising budget workshops. If I am re-elected I will push for making more information on budgets and contracts available online. I would also like to see all contracts for consulting and legal services put out for bids even if not required by statute.

What makes you qualified for this position?
As far as my qualifications for the council I can point to the following: I have two years of actual experience on the council where I have been liaison to the Environmental and Shade Tree Commissions. I am a strong supporter of a pesticide-free treatment of our playing fields. I am a retired civil servant. I had 34 years of public service in the Social Security Administration and an Army veteran.

During my time with Social Security I spent 13 years as the Chief of Financial Management which involved supervising staff that developed budgets and allocated funds to a network of over 150 offices. I was also a senior advisor to executives and a Management Training Specialist, positions that enabled me to demonstrate effective analytic and communication skills which I believe are invaluable assets when serving on the town council.

What issues do you plan to tackle if re-elected?
If re-elected I will continue my efforts to control spending and advocate for more transparency. I would also like to see greater cooperation between the council and the board of education especially in the area of maintaining field and recreation facilities that are used by everyone not just the students. I would also like to determine if there is anything the council can do to improve the utilization of vacant commercial space by working with the chamber of commerce and other business partners.