Communication, Development Main Concerns of Democratic Candidates

For the two candidates running on the Democratic ticket for the Bedminster Township Committee—Gail Solomon-Canty and Sasha Wolf—they are looking toward maintaining the town they have come to love.

The two are running for two open three-year seats on the committee, against Republican incumbent Steve Parker and Republican Lawrence Jacobs.

“I am concerned that we keep the ambiance that everyone I’ve spoken to seems to cherish,” said Solomon-Canty of her desire to run for office. “I am very concerned about politics in the country, and perhaps at the local level, by who I am, I can change the policy and help find a middle ground to help the needs of the residents.”

For Wolf, running for office is also about maintaining the town.

“I have a 2-year-old son, and I walk with him around a lot and enjoy the town,” he said. “I want to make sure that when he grows up, we have a well-functioning town that is also transparent in how it does things.”

Both Solomon-Canty and Wolf—neither of whom have had prior experience in local government—it was the recent discussions about proposed development on Route 202/206 that made them first decide to throw their hats in the ring to run.

“I was concerned for a number of reasons, in terms of the substance of the proposition, and I was concerned about traffic, noise, air quality and the impact on other businesses,” she said. “My other concern had to do with the process, there was very little transparency.”

“I decided to throw my hat in the ring to fix the process,” she added.

Although the space, which is currently owned by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, has been named a place for redevelopment, the actual proposed plans that had included a possible hotel and shopping center were thrown away after a contract between the DOT and a developer for the land fell through.

For Solomon-Canty and Wolf, they have been walking door-to-door around Bedminster since August to talk about the concerns they have, and what the town could be improving.

Solomon-Canty said she has heard two main issues, namely security in the hills and the sewer problem.

“The sewer is a persistent thorn in the side,” she said. “Our rates are not based on usage, it’s on number of bedrooms, so a single person living alone with two bedrooms will pay as much in sewer as a family of four or six. We pay per month what many towns pay per quarter.”

And Wolf said he is hearing about a lot of traffic concerns including rural areas in Pottersville, where people are drag racing and ignoring posted speed limits.

“There is a concern for safety reasons because you don’t want to take your life in your hands,” he said. “The concern is about enforcement so people follow speed limits.”

In addition, Wolf said, he is concerned about communication.

“If you want to know about a township meeting, you either look in the newspaper and there will be notice, or if you happen to look at the website,” he said. “That is well and good for a regular town business, but for some of the big issues, word doesn’t get out. We’re trying to get word out in more creative ways.”

Things like quarterly newsletters, televising the meetings or even using streaming video would be helpful for residents, Wolf said.

Both Solomon-Canty and Wolf said it is exciting to be running on the Democratic ticket, although the township often votes Republican.

“It is difficult to be appointed to the committee, and that’s cheating the town,” Solomon-Canty said. “There is strength in diversity, we have different ideas and that leads to better decisions. In the long run, democracy is an interactive process and I think that you need different points of view in order to come to the best decisions.”

Wolf agreed, and said it is exciting to be running as a Democrat.

“You can slap any label you want, but we are talking local issues,” he said. “Throughout the whole process, we have the chance to connect with individual voters.”

“Not having previous experience, we don’t come with preconceived notions,” he added.

For both Solomon-Canty and Wolf, their previous leadership experiences have driven them to deciding to run for township committee.

A graduate in 1998 from the University of California Berkeley with a degree in history, Wolf also got a Masters degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University in 2000. From there, he spent two years doing labor relations for Eadon Corporation before he decided to attend law school, and graduated from Rutgers University in Newark in 2004.

Wolf started that career with Oxfeld Cohen with labor and employment law, and then began his current job as a field representative with NJEA in 2007.

“I do collective bargaining, and that would help with the PBA and employee relations in town,” said Wolf, a five-year Bedminster resident. “I also have a background in social justice issues, and that’s something that attracted me to run too. It gives me the experience in how to reach out to people and to establish certain goals and aims.”

Solomon-Canty, an 18-year resident of Bedminster, graduated in 1969 from SUNY Binghampton with a degree in English, and then earned a Masters degree in English literature from New York University in 1972. She worked in communications at a variety of trade newspapers and was the public relations director for Channel Home Centers, before moving to work for AT&T for 18 years as a marketing communication and public relations manager.

Solomon-Canty also started WordWise, a freelance writing company.

“I think one of the concerns in politics is how do you attract people into this kind of public service,” she said. “I won an essay award, I think it was in sixth grade, and I was presented a bronze medal, and I was stunned that [it was presented] by a woman council person. She was a role model.”

As for their goals if they are elected, Solomon-Canty said she would first like to rescind the ordinance listing the property on Route 202/206 as an area in need of redevelopment. In addition, she said, the sewer issue needs to be taken off the back burner and investigated to find an equitable solution.

“I think everything can be solved if we work hard,” she said. “It will take research and [figuring out] how we satisfy the needs of the people.”

Wolf said he is also interested in looking at expanding opportunities for open space throughout the township.

“We have a lot that is acquired west of Route 287, and it adds a bucolic aspect to the town,” he said. “But we don’t have lot east of Route 287. This side, there is not as much access to green space, and I want to improve the quality of life for all residents.”

But for both Solomon-Canty and Wolf, they would like to bring that different voice to the committee.

“We are fresh blood, and we would like to explore new voices on the subcommittees and boards,” Wolf said. “It seems everything has been partisan as far as who is on board, and that is wrong, it should be based on experience and interest.”

Wolf said they are both very eager to get involved in the township.

“It’s funny because we have a culture of real political apathy, so I’m surprised to hear myself say that,” he said. “Local politics is the most important thing because it’s where we live. It’s so crucial, and even just having the ability to run is such an honor.”

“I can’t sit back, when I hear voting statistics, I’m appalled,” Solomon-Canty added. “If I leave it to someone else to do it, it may not get done. I can’t preach to do something that I’m not willing to do myself.”

Elections will be held Nov. 6.