The race for three seats on Ewing Township Council is uncontested in this year’s election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Three Democrat incumbents — Kevin Baxter, Jennifer Keyes-Maloney and David Schroth are running unopposed for re-election. The Ewing Observer asked each of the council candidates to provide a statement regarding why they for re-election. Below are their responses.
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Kevin Baxter is a retired state Department of Corrections officer who has lived in Ewing for almost 50 years.
Baxter graduated from Strayer University with a degree in business administration in 2008. He is a proponent of youth engagement, particularly within Ewing. He is known for his support of school sports and recreational leagues and regularly invites young achievers to Council meetings to recognize their accomplishments with proclamations.
He also collaborates with the local Urban League Guild to organize “The Gentleman’s Ball,” a formal event honoring African American high school males for their achievements in academics, athletics, and community service. Baxter’s work ensures that the young men receive recognition for their contributions to the community.
Baxter’s outreach extends to Ewing High School’s ASYSST program, where he hosts students at Town Hall, providing them with an inside look at the workings of local government. The initiative, part of the Student Based Youth Services Program, offers participants an opportunity to engage with the mayor and department heads about how their offices function and serve the community.
Baxter is also involved in charitable work, regularly assisting with food drives, volunteering with Meals-on-Wheels, and participating in Shop-Rite’s “Bagging Groceries for Hunger” initiative. He also helped establish a bulk drop-off site to improve convenience for residents.
His community involvement has included the Ewing Recreation Board; the Urban League Guild of Union County — Trenton Chapter; Sickle Cell Association of NJ; PBA 105; Town/Gown joint board between township and TCNJ; and Kingdom Church.
Candidate Statement: As you may know, I am running for reelection this Nov. 5. I am running again because I genuinely love serving our community and working to make Ewing a better place for all residents.
During my time on the Council, I’ve been proud to help implement key changes to Ewing’s Redevelopment Plan, designed to attract business developers while setting clear guidelines for new projects. These changes have led to the development of several commercial and residential projects, such as the Wawa convenience store, 750 Greene apartment complex, The Gardens of Birmingham, and Ewing Town Center’s mixed-use property. These projects are helping revitalize and shape Ewing’s future.
In addition to redevelopment, I’ve served on the Ewing Recreation Advisory Board, which oversees our township’s sports and recreational programs. This includes soccer, baseball, wrestling, and the thriving girls’ softball program, which has become a major success, attracting college scouts from across the region. We’ve also built a new football complex for the Ewing Junior Blue Devils football program, which continues to grow each year. Plus, our Moody Park summer basketball league is one of the top programs in the area, drawing teams from across New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
On the Cannabis Advisory Committee, I’ve worked to ensure that Ewing Township regulates its legal marijuana businesses responsibly. To date, the committee has recommended, and the Council has approved, several cannabis operations, including three retail, one medical, seven manufacturing, and six cultivation facilities.
As a Council member, I’m committed to being a responsible steward of the town’s budget. My colleagues and I have kept municipal tax increases to a minimum while investing in essential services like infrastructure improvements, equipment maintenance, and upgrades to Hollowbrook Community Center and Town Hall. We’ve also pushed green initiatives, including installing electric vehicle charging stations at township properties and purchasing hybrid vehicles for our fleet where appropriate.
Looking ahead, if reelected, I will continue listening to residents and addressing their concerns. I plan to focus on passing legislation, like our new Leaf and Brush policy, which will streamline collection and disposal during leaf season. Additionally, I will prioritize quality-of-life issues, including illegal parking, speeding, road paving, property maintenance, and snow plowing.
Thank you for your continued support. I look forward to the opportunity to keep serving the community I love.
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Jennifer Keyes-Maloney is currently serving as vice president of Ewing Council. She is currently in her third term on Council.
Her commission assignments include work with the Ewing Senior Advisory Committee, Ewing Arts Commission, Ewing Environmental Commission, and Ewing Historic Preservation Commission. She has also served on the township’s Planning Board, Green Team and Drug and Alcohol Alliance.
Keyes-Maloney currently serves as executive director for the New Jersey Association of State Colleges & Universities. She has garnered substantial higher education experience after serving as associate vice president for government and community relations at The College of New Jersey. Prior to that she served as assistant treasurer for the State of New Jersey where she oversaw matters related to Treasury’s divisions of Taxation, Revenue and Enterprise Services, Risk Management, and Unclaimed Property.
Before serving as assistant treasurer, she worked as assistant director for governmental relations for the New Jersey Principal and Supervisors Association working on education and labor issues and providing direct support to school principals around the state.
Keyes-Maloney, an attorney, worked for the New Jersey Judiciary as a legislative liaison for the Administrative Office of the Courts and also has extensive project management experience, including serving as the fiscal compliance officer for Philadelphia’s Children’s Investment Strategy.
She is a graduate of The College of New Jersey where she majored in public administration and history. In 2002, she pursued her ultimate educational goal — entering law school at Rutgers-Camden School of Law as a part-time student. After four years she earned her Juris Doctorate.
Keyes-Maloney has been civically active since in college when she joined the Ewing Township Democratic Club and has since worked on campaigns for governors, state legislators, county freeholders, and local council members.
She previously served on the Ewing Township Redevelopment Agency, which is tasked with shepherding economic development projects, consistent with the township adopted plan. She served ETRA’s chair in 2012.
Keyes-Maloney and her husband, John, have been married for more than 20. They live in the Glendale section of Ewing with their two bulldogs, Bruno and Holly.
Candidate statement: I am so proud to call Ewing home and am privileged to serve its people over the last 12 years on Ewing Council I humbly ask for your support on Nov. 5.
I believe that I have a responsibility to the place I call home. That responsibility was instilled at an early age. My dad and mom were committed to public service and a focus on faith in action and this has played an important role in my life. It is the north star that drives me to be engaged and involved. I know that I play but a small part in the lives of people my work touches, but I hope that small part is good one.
Over the last four years, I, and my colleagues, Councilman Kevin Baxter and Councilman Dave Schroth, have diligently worked to ensure Ewing remains on sound fiscal ground, pursued smart economic growth, focused on ensuring public safety and continually sought to invest in Ewing’s future. I hope, with your support, to continue that work.
Along with Mayor (Bert) Steinmann and our fellow Council Members, we have pursued fiscal policies that seek to ensure Ewing is on sound financial footing, and the results are apparent.
• Ewing can now boast a AA+ bond rating (a vast improvement over several years ago) which allows us to bond efficiently and cheaply.
• The State recognizes our fiscal integrity, allowing us to self-assess our budgets – a benefit only conferred on those towns that have their ‘fiscal house’ in order.
We have also consistently sought to maintain an appropriate surplus which helps us weather the harshest impacts of the challenges that assail us, without jeopardizing essential services to our residents. This ability is made manifest in our ability to rebuild the Ewing Senior and Community Center, without significant financial impact to our residents.
Further, our focus is not just on fiscal management. We believe it is essential to focus on the quality of life of our residents. It is why we have continually invested in our parks, our community centers and our neighborhoods. If given an opportunity to continue to serve, I will continue to strive to ensure our residents have ready access to the services they deserve—whether that be leaf and brush pick-up, street cleaning and plowing, road improvements or community programming.
I also believe that Ewing’s approach as it relates to economic development must consider current community needs, long term trends, and an examination of what makes Ewing an amazing community. Because of our access to highway, air and rail, and the availability of skilled labor, Ewing is a great place to grow your family and build your business.
Over the last four years, we’ve carefully used our land use authority to advance projects — whether that be a small business seeking to put out a shingle or a large-scale employer who has decided to make Ewing their home or the developer who seeks to create new living spaces for our friends and neighbors.
By planning for growth, we can support development as it occurs. This includes working with the School Board, The College of New Jersey, and the County to ensure we are all working collaboratively to move Ewing forward. We are proud of the projects that are complete, those that are underway and those on the drawing board.
I also have a commitment to public safety. I am committed to ensuring our residents can count on a response they deserve in an emergency.
We have focused on ensuring we have sufficient police, fire and EMS personnel on staff, who receive appropriate training, and who possess the resources they need to do their jobs well. We’ve also looked to support our fire volunteers, who provide invaluable support to our fellow citizens.
In recent years, we’ve also helped foster Community Policing Initiatives to further breakdown the barriers between the community and our first responders and ensure that critical dialogue occurs. I am truly proud of this work.
Finally, whether focused on our seniors, our youth, or everyone in-between, I, and my colleagues, believe that we must invest in our citizens, whether that be through services or programs.
From rabies and flu shots to senior events and rec programs, Ewing has a lot to offer and we are proud of what we have done to ensure that we have something for you, whether you are 7, 17 or 77.
But, our primary focus will always be on the core mission items that municipal government must provide — whether that be public safety or sanitation. I, and my colleagues, are committed to ensuring our citizens receive value for their taxes.
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David Schroth has lived in Ewing for almost 20 years and grew up in Trenton within 100 yards of the Ewing border. An attorney with his own law office, he graduated from Lawrenceville School and Georgetown University.
He earned his law degree from Widener University School of Law. Schroth has been admitted to the Federal Bars of the United States District of New Jersey, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.
He previously served on the Ewing Township Redevelopment Agency and sits on the Board of the Trenton Museum Historical Society and is an active member of the Mercer County Bar Association and the American Association for Justice along with several other legal organizations.
Candidate statement: I first ran for a seat on Ewing’s Township Council in the fall of 2012. I did this with several goals in mind.
First and foremost was to help bring financial stability to the town after the town ran into significant debt under the prior administration that resulted in significant layoffs of police officers and related problems.
Sharing in Mayor Stenmann’s vision, we’ve restored the police department to full strength and restored financial stability. Likewise, my hope was to help move along redevelopment in the town including the abandoned General Motors site.
That is well under way and will ultimately bring a new, beautiful livable area to the town with restaurants and other business space for all our residents. The abandoned Naval Warfare site is in the process of being cleaned up and modernized as well. Campus Town at The College of New Jersey is something new that we brought along as well.
While broadening the tax base we’ve also worked hard to promote environmental awareness and planted hundreds of new trees in the township, instituted our new leaf cleanup program, increased recreational opportunities for our youth and soon we will put out to bid and then break ground on our new, spectacular Ewing Senior Center that will be a center of activity for decades to come.
My goal has been simple: to make Ewing a better town and a better place to live. If reelected to a fourth term, I hope to continue that and finish many of the projects we have under way.
