Candidate Richard Gartz shares why he's running for election on the Freehold Borough Council in 2024.
Sara Winick, Patch Staff
FREEHOLD, NJ — Freehold’s general election on Nov. 5 has four candidates running for two open seats on the Freehold Borough Council.
Candidate Richard “Ricky” Gartz is running for one of two seats with Autumn Nonnenmacher. Opposing candidates include Sharon Shutzer and Annette Jordan.
Are you running for Borough Council in Freehold? Contact Sara Winick at [email protected] for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Freehold Patch.
Age: 58Town of residence: Freehold BoroughEducation: Bachelor of Science, Accounting - University of ScrantonOccupation: Certified Municipal Finance Officer (CMFO) as well as holding a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) License and Registered Municipal Accountant (RMA) License.
What drove you to seek public office?After being the CMFO for Freehold Borough for 11+ years, I felt it was time to actually be part of the team that set policy for our residents instead of making recommendations to our current Council that was falling on deaf ears.
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What sets you apart from the other candidates?Having been involved in municipal government and finance for over 36 years as both a municipal auditor and CMFO, my expertise in municipal finance provides me the opportunity to save and serve the residents of Freehold Borough without having to hire the multiple outside professional entities the current Council has paid with our tax dollars.
What do you see as the biggest issue facing Freehold Borough, and how would you resolve it?The biggest problem, other than the tax settlements the current Council provided to Nestle's and Freehold Raceway over the past several years and their subsequent closing that nobody saw coming, is the quality of life for our residents.
Code Enforcement throughout the entire town at all levels needs to be consistently applied and uniformly addressed. Garbage, sidewalks, housing overcrowding, etc. need to be enforced in accordance with all our Ordinances and State and Federal laws. Code Enforcement is a 24-hour-a-day process, not just 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
What are past accomplishments or experiences that make you qualified for this position?As previously mentioned, my 36 years in municipal government and finance are key in making me qualified for the Council.
I've been provided the knowledge to see how other municipalities work throughout the entire state and am able to bring what works and what doesn't work to our town to benefit all our residents.
The values my parents have instilled in me about remaining humble, giving back to society as a whole without expecting something in return, or having your name in lights, qualify me for Council as I am doing this for the residents of Freehold Borough.
Name one thing about Freehold Borough that always makes you smile.Community!! The ability to enjoy what the town offers, whether it's going to a little league game, eating dinner outside in town, the Henry Hudson Trail, the numerous parks, a high school football game, etc. Community!!
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