Eugene M. Wronko, incumbent for Stanhope council

I am a U.S. Navy veteran, have a B.S. in business administration, and am currently employed as a director for Randstad Technologies. I have been a Stanhope resident for more than 20 years and raised three wonderful children who all attended Valley Road School and Lenape Valley Regional High School. I have been a volunteer for many years, serving as an executive board member and coach of Lakeland Little League, Lenape Valley Jr. Wrestling, and Lenape Valley Jr. Patriots Football and Cheerleading. I also had the pleasure of serving on the Stanhope schhol board for three years. I have also served as the executive director for Pets for Vets for Northern NJ and volunteered for national organizations.

I have been a member of the Stanhope Borough Council since February 2020, serving on the committees that successfully negotiated new contracts with both the police and public works employees. I also represent the borough on the Sussex County Republican Committee.

1. Taxes: In NJ we have some of the highest property taxes in the nation. It’s important as we develop our budget to balance necessary improvements, providing services, and supporting general maintenance while also prioritizing the areas that support safety, quality of life, and improving the values of homes in our borough. We can do this by taking advantage of various grants available to us so that the onus does not fall solely on our taxpayers. We need to also receive residents’ feedback during council meetings or as we travel and interact with residents throughout the borough.

2. Safety: We are fortunate to live in a very safe borough. However, safety goes beyond crime, and we need to also consider traffic safety, road conditions, and our ability to respond to emergencies caused by weather or other issues. We need to carefully analyze data so that we make the right investments in improving our roads, implementing safety measures for residents as they travel to school or take leisurely walks, and ensuring that our first responders have the tools and training they need to successfully answer the call when unexpected emergencies arise.

3. Communication: We can never stop looking to improve how we communicate with our residents. Fortunately, we have numerous channels that we can use to communicate important updates and social events, and keep residents informed in the case of an emergency. We should leverage all possible channels such as Nixle alerts, social media, traditional mailings, and our website. Communication is not just about proactively communicating information out, but also properly listening to the concerns and suggestions of our residents and giving them the opportunity to voice their concerns.