This year’s candidates for Harrison Township Committee explain why they are running.
Editor’s Note: The Mullica Hill Sun requested the following submissions from this year’s candidates for Harrison Township Committee. The candidates’ responses for each race are listed in alphabetical order.
Harrison Township Committee Election Candidates
Name: Don Heim
Age: 54
Occupation: Environmental Consultant
Political Affiliation: Independent
Clubs/Organizations: Harrison Township Youth Basketball; Gloucester County Basketball League
Why are you running for Harrison Township Committee?
I am seeking re-election, along with my running mate Mayor Lou Manzo, for two reasons. The first reason is to continue/finish the work that we started over 10 years ago. In these last 10 years, we have faced many challenges and realized many accomplishments.
Perhaps the most relevant situation that we continue to face, along with each of you, is maintaining our fiscal solvency. Without rehashing the financial situation we inherited in 2008, one of our proudest accomplishments is having “righted that ship.” Today, we are fiscally sound with a replenished surplus and a bright future.
We know that property taxes in NJ are outrageous. Focusing on what we can control, the local element of taxation, we have been able to deliver Harrison with the 2nd lowest Total Tax Rate in Gloucester County. The only place you can live in the county and pay lower taxes on the same valued home is Logan Township. Check out the complete list on the County website here, as it confirms our success: http://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=11232
Hand and hand with the above, has been our commitment to Smart Growth and community development. To that end, Lou and I have been able to implement fiscal responsibility in advancing both our Police/Fire Services, Public Works capabilities, improvement to our public parks/fields (while maintaining/increasing our preserved land), increased recreational and senior services and the beautification of Main Street.
Finally, we believe one of our greatest accomplishments is the ability to bring a State-of-the-Art Hospital to Harrison Township. Inspira’s decision to build their new hospital in Harrison was not by chance. We intentionally pursued that outcome and leveraged our relationships with Rowan University and County/State leadership to shepherd that deal from start to finish.
The second reason is to continue to experience the sense of community that Harrison Township provides. Being an integral part in the planning, performance and execution of events like Lights on Main, Harrison Township Day, the Dedication of Our 911 Memorial are very special and rewarding. In direct relation with this is the specific interaction with our neighbors. I find these experiences and the relationships gained through them extremely rewarding. It reminds me of why I and many of you moved to the best town in New Jersey.
Lou and I thank you for the opportunity to serve you for the last 10 years and ask for your support on Election Day this November.
Name: Lou Manzo
Occupation: Financial Advisor
Age: 59
Political Affiliation: Independent
Clubs/Organizations: Society of Financial Advisors; NJ Conference of Mayors Board of Directors
Why are you running for Harrison Township Committee?
I seek re-election, along with my running mate Deputy Mayor Don Heim, to continue the work we started a decade ago. Over these last 10 years, we are proud of the course we have set for our community, which is rooted in Smart Growth principles, fiscal responsibility and maintaining the history and charm of the village of Mullica Hill.
We have balanced the inevitable growth of our population with actions to preserve green and open space, while allowing complementary commercial uses. Our plan and a slowed economy ten years ago has enabled a shift in our course from unrestricted sprawl to fiscally sound and controlled growth.
Knowing that Don will highlight some of our specific accomplishments, I want to address another important aspect of the decision you face in our local election. Your ballot choice this year will be between two independent candidates (Don & I) and two Republican candidates. Your decisions at the top of the ticket for Congressperson and Senate to represent us in Washington are unrelated to your choice for Harrison Township Committee since our job at the local level does pertain to immigration, defense, abortion rights or federal income tax rates. Washington is the battleground for those issues.
Local elected officials deal with things like trash collection, recreational programs, residential and commercial development and your “local-only” property tax rate. Party affiliation has nothing to do with those issues…..unless we choose to make it so. Don and I have a well-documented history of always putting Harrison residents first and never allowing party affiliation to affect our decisions. Isn’t that the way it should be? In Ohio, party affiliation doesn’t even appear on the ballot. All local candidates are listed as Non-partisan, making it impossible to vote a party line from the top down. It requires the voter to evaluate the local candidates on their merits, absent any party affiliation.
As independent candidates, we are encouraging you to do the same. In fact, that is our challenge to you. Evaluate the Manzo/Heim 10-year, verifiable track record against your other options on this ballot. Choose the leadership of our community based on factual records and not political party affiliation. Don and I pride ourselves on the Harrison First culture we have created. We don’t answer to a party authority, Democrat or Republican. We only answer to you. On that basis, we ask for your support on Election Day.
Name: Edward Selb
Age: 61
Occupation: Sr. Investigator, Financial Crimes
Political: Republican
Clubs/ organizations: Wheatley Meadows Homeowners Association and Lambs Road Assembly.
Why are you running for Harrison Township Committee?
I have long been involved in Harrison Township in serving the community. As a young boy I learned from my parents, Leo and Bonnie Selb, for a community to grow and raise a family you had to get involved. As a member of 4-H I learned the importance or providing service and support to the community through hard work and dedication. I became a member of the Mullica Hill Grange, Gloucester County Pomona Grange, and the NJ State Grange. In 1986 I moved into Harrison Township. I became a member of the Harmony Fire Company as a Volunteer Firefighter and became a certified EMT for 35 years. I became a Harrison Township Fire Commissioner for 11 years in the role as a Commissioner, Vice-Chairman, Chairman.
I became a member of Harrison Township Police Department in 1983 proudly serving for over 29 years. I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree at Rowan University, and a Certified Public Manager certification from Farleigh-Dickinson University. I established the Annual Senior Citizens Dinner to honor the Senior Citizens of Harrison Township through donations. I was promoted to Sergeant in Investigations to solve crimes within our community. Seeing a need for education of our youth about the dangers of drugs I became the first School Resource Officer at Clearview Regional High School. I reestablished the DARE program. In 2011 I received the 2011 State of New Jersey Dare Officer of the Year.
After retiring from the Police Department, I became employed with TD Bank Global Security and Investigations working on financial crimes. In 2014 I was awarded the TD Bank Leadership Award, given to only 300 employees. I became the secretary for the Wheatley Meadows Homeowners Association. I presently serve as an elder and executive board member at the Lambs Road Assembly. I married Elizabeth Eisenhart and raised 4 children with my youngest being a senior at Clearview Regional High School.
David and I are running a simple campaign. Control taxes, control spending, and establish budgets keeping in mind that Bonds for money, like any other debt; have to be paid in the future by someone, you the taxpayers. We will respect everyone’s opinion and work with people for solutions to resolve problems so they don’t cost more money. We plan on working with our business community and the taxpayers to move projects forward without costly lawsuits and delays. It’s time for a change, we can do better!
Name: David Schulze
Age: 36
Occupation: Security Integrator \ Consultant
Political Affiliation: Republican
Clubs/Organizations: ASIS International, Electronic Security Association, National Rifle Association, Second Amendment Foundation, New Jersey Second Amendment Society
Why are you running for Harrison Township Committee?
I never had an interest in or a sense of community until I moved to Harrison Township. I was born by the New Jersey shore and at age 7, moved to Henderson, NV, a suburb of Las Vegas. I would identify myself as a somewhat lost child; learning from my own mistakes often. I moved back to New Jersey at age 17 and began attending Lincoln Technical Institute in Pennsauken for Electronics and Computer Technology. After graduating, I took a position with a security company. I quickly realized that my skill set was in great demand within the security industry due to the convergence of Electronic Security and Information Technology. In 2005, I joined the US Army Reserves and attended Basic Training in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Due to a shoulder injury, I was unfortunately medically discharged and placed in Individual Ready Reserves. Choosing to continue my education, I attended Lincoln Technical Institute for a second time and received another diploma in Network Communications & Information Systems. Currently, I am employed with Convergint Technologies as an IT Network and Enterprise Specialist.
In 2009, my wife, Jenna, and I began looking for a new home. Harrison Township quickly rose to the top of our list for our new home location because of its great school system. It was not until our three children, currently ages 12, 9, and 3 years, began attending our public schools and became active with multiple sports within our community that I became an active community member. My wife and I became active members of the school’s PTA: helping out with PTA events, school events, attending school trips, and becoming room parents for our children’s classrooms. It is residing in Harrison Township that I learned to understand and appreciate the value that a community has on each individual within it, as well as, the value that each individual has on the community. This community, along with my wife and children, has changed me for the better. The value I now place on being an active community member cannot be measured. I want to do my part to keep Harrison Township a great place for future generations. Truly, the only way to make a difference is involvement. I do not see myself as a politician; I am a husband, father, and friend. If elected, I will remember where I came from and those whom I will serve.
