There are two local races on the ballot in Hamilton, each featuring six candidates for three seats.
One is Hamilton Township Council, where incumbent Democrats Charles “Chuddy” Whalen, Rick Tighe, and Anthony Carabelli Jr. are looking to retain their seats. Noah Barnacz, Rich Balgowan and Sean Lucas are the Republican challengers in that race.
The other is the race for Hamilton Township Board of Education.
The Hamilton Post is continuing its annual tradition of covering the elections this year. We have sent surveys to all of the candidates, and their bios and responses to our questions are below. Answers have been lightly edited for clarity.
Richard M. Balgowan, 71, has lived in Hamilton for 62 years. He is a civil engineer and the owner/founder of RM Balgowan Forensic and Engineering Services, LLC. He is a licensed professional engineer in 12 states, a licensed professional planner in New Jersey and holds numerous other certifications regarding government. With RM Balgowan Forensic & Engineering Services, he provides expert witness services to the legal profession.
He is married to his wife, Caren. They have five children. All attended Hamilton Township schools and are college graduates. His parents were Sam and Cathie Balgowan, who owned Balgowan’s Bicycle Shop.
Balgowan has previous run unsuccessfully for Mercer County Commissioner and Hamilton Township Council.
Noah Barnacz, 23, has lived in Hamilton his whole life. He is a bartender at Pete’s Steakhouse Tavern on Whitehorse Avenue, and also director of communications and public relations for the Mercer County GOP.
He says that he is in a serious relationship with his girlfriend, Bella. His mother, Tracy, is a real estate agent, father Stephen is a union electrician, and his step-parents are Bobby and Adria. This is his first time running for elected office.
Anthony Carabelli, 49, has lived in Hamilton for 13 years. He is the director of the Mercer County Department of Economic Development. Carabelli and his wife, Sharon, have two sons, Dominic and Dante, who are 14 and 13 years old.
His father, Anthony Carabelli Sr., who died in 2023, was a Mercer County elected official serving for over 45 years in local and county government. He is completing his second term as a member of council, having won elections in 2017 and 2021.
Sean Lucas, 55, has lived his entire life in Hamilton. He works as an account executive. He is married for 26 years and has two children: Christian, 23, who serves in the National Guard, and Emma, 20, who is studying to become a nurse.
Rick Tighe, 54, has lived in Hamilton for more than 40 years. He works as a business development officer. He says he has grown up surrounded by family in Hamilton, with “loving parents, my siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles all nearby and with my grandparents a short bike-ride away.”
He has served on the township council for the past eight years, and currently serves as president of the council.
Charles “Chuddy” Whalen, 66, was born and raised in Hamilton. He retired as assistant business manager, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local No. 9, and served as a welfare and pension trustee for more than 30 years.
His parents are Charles and Dorthey, and his wife is Susan (Florio) Whalen. He has two sons, Sean and Charles IV, and daughter Jamie Lynn. He was appointed to council in 2020, succeeding Jeff Martin, who had been elected mayor. He was re-elected in 2021.
Community News: Tell us about the moment that you decided to run, or run again, for township council.
Balgowan: I decided to throw my hat in the ring and run for Hamilton Township Council a year ago. I was unhappy with the performance of the current administration, especially relating to property taxes, spending, providing productive/efficient services, transparency, poor decision making and ignoring the needs of our residents. Their decisions compromise public safety and costs by not maintaining our infrastructure. They ignore the township’s master plan, and have no problem changing zoning requirements and issuing variances.
Noah Barnacz: I decided to run for council this past February because I believe Hamilton’s government needs younger representation with fresh ideas to make our town friendlier and more obtainable for all generations to live, work, and start families in.
Anthony Carabelli: I decided to run for a third term for Hamilton Council in early 2025. I truly enjoy serving the residents of Hamilton and look forward to the progress of several projects including the new municipal/school board complex and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia development at the former AMC location. I have a very collaborative relationship with Mayor Jeff Martin and other community organizations and enjoy addressing the concerns and issues of our community.
Sean Lucas: I decided to run for township council because taxpayers deserve better. For too long, residents have carried the burden of unnecessary tax hikes and runaway spending pushed through by one-party Democrat rule with no checks and balances. I grew tired of sitting on the sidelines while families struggled under these policies. I’m committed to protecting taxpayers, restoring accountability, and bringing responsible leadership that puts our taxpayers first, not paybacks.
Rick Tighe: We have a record of accomplishment that I am proud of. We have proven ourselves to be effective leaders for this community that I grew up in and love. I am running because we have more work to do for Hamilton and I am looking forward to working with Mayor Martin and my council colleagues to keep Hamilton America’s Favorite Hometown.
Chuddy Whalen: I have always been involved in local and county politics supporting other candidates. As a member of my local union, it always bothered me that local contractors and workers did not have the ability to work on projects here in Hamilton. I have always advocated to hire local. Seeing local people on the job at the new municipal complex motivated me to run for council again, knowing my work is having a positive impact.
CN: What makes Hamilton Township a great place to live?
Balgowan: The township used to be a great place to live. Not so much anymore. Our town is overdeveloped, and development continues. We have become a “Developer’s Favorite Town.” Development takes place without the knowledge of township residents. How many residents knew about the Chipotle that was built across on Applebee’s on Route 33? How many people knew of the many variances that were awarded to the developer in order to build the Chipotle at that location? How many warehouses, drug stores and banks does a town need?
Barnacz: The people of Hamilton are our townships greatest asset. We are hard workers with just as much kindness for our neighbors as we have grit to get things done.
Carabelli: The people of Hamilton are what makes our town so great. Each neighborhood is filled with neighbors who look out for each other and want to live in a town that is clean, safe and beautiful.
Additionally, you have such a great mix of housing in Hamilton including rural, suburban and urban environments with parks throughout and then, the convenience of great restaurants, shops and food stores all within a short driving distance from your home.
Lucas: Everyone has different reasons why Hamilton is a great place to live; here are just a couple of mine. Hamilton has the best location in New Jersey with small-town charm with a centralized location between two great cities of NYC and Philly, and only an hour away from the mountains and some of the best beaches. Our community is filled with hard working families, strong neighborhoods and beautiful parks that bring people together. We have a proud history, a diverse population and local businesses that keep our economy going. Most of all, it’s the people of Hamilton that make it special.
Tighe: Hamilton is a safe, quiet, affordable, family-oriented, close-knit community. We have great companies and non-profits that always give-back to make Hamilton even better tomorrow than it is today. Those organizations make Hamilton an attractive place for new re-development and great economic opportunities.
We have cultural and recreational resources like Grounds for Sculpture and our parks. If you want to leave Hamilton, we have the benefit of being close to Philadelphia, New York City, the Jersey Shore, the Highlands and Pine Barrens but as always, Hamilton is a great place to come back home to.
Whalen: Hamilton is a great place to live because of the people who live and work here. Hamiltonians care, they love our parks, our restaurants, our shops, and our youth sports. The township has a strong sense of community with regular events, both public and private, that bring the community together. The town offers a mix of urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods for whatever someone is looking for. Taken together, it is that sense of belonging — both to people who are new to town and those that have lived here their whole life like me.
CN: Grade the job that the township council has done in the past year.
Balgowan: The township council has performed poorly. I would give them a grade of D. They are a rubber stamp for the mayor. We have an all-Democratic council. In addition, the members of the planning and zoning boards are all appointed by the mayor. There are no checks and balances.
The current administration is not concerned with what is best for township residents. The current council brags about their accomplishments involving the issues with Trenton Water Works. They have actually accomplished nothing to rectify the issues with Trenton Water Works and the quality of water being supplied to our residents. They brag about their open-space purchases when they only purchased four properties under this administration, one being the large YMCA property on Sawmill Road.
Barnacz: I generously award the township a D letter grade for their performance in the last year. They have raised taxes another 5% this year with no improvements to constituent services. The current council has created several hazardous situations by creating variations to the townships zoning codes.
Carabelli: I am proud of the progress we have made over the past year. I would give us an A- for our collective efforts. We have been laser focused on key issues such as keeping Hamilton affordable, improving our infrastructure, enhancing public safety, and supporting local businesses. By partnering with organizations like Aqua and PSE&G, we have been able to improve our critical infrastructure, while getting the subsequent repaving of our roads done at no cost to the Hamilton taxpayer.
This out-of-the-box thinking accomplishes two of our goals at the same time. That said, there are always areas for improvement, particularly in fostering more community engagement and addressing budgetary challenges.
Lucas: It’s an F! While the question asks about the past year, in fairness, their entire term must be judged. This council has raised taxes year after year, up to 27%, spending up 60%, placing an unfair burden on taxpayers. Families and seniors are being squeezed, and instead of exercising fiscal discipline, the council approved 45 unclassified patronage positions, subsidized with temporary Covid relief funds.
That money should have gone to real recovery, not political favors. When the funds ran out, taxpayers were left holding the bag. Yet, they put out an ad claiming they’ve kept Hamilton “affordable.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Their record is runaway spending, higher taxes and no accountability. Hamilton residents deserve balance, responsibility and leaders who put taxpayers first.
Tighe: Some accomplishments that I am proud of and know our voters should be to include the preservation of open space, including the preservation of the Kuser Woods property and the protection of farmland in our rural resource conservation zone. We have maintained a continued focus on redevelopment, including bringing a new Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia facility to the AMC site, the future construction of a solar field on our old landfill, the construction of our new municipal building, and the cleanup of long-neglected brownfields. We continue to fight for the regionalization of Trenton Water Works in order to best ensure clean, safe drinking water for our residents. None of these are easy, but they all make a substantial improvement in our town.
Whalen: I would give our performance an A. We have created more open space, specifically where we fought to kill the warehouse project on Kuser Road. We revitalized the former K-Mart shopping with the addition of Rothman Orthopedics and the Grocery Outlet and are in the middle of turning around Mercerville Shopping Center by adding Capital Health and Sprouts, turning these properties around into a more vibrant use. By bringing in good redevelopment, we also ensure there are jobs and conveniences for Hamiltonians. I feel that council is engaging with businesses and residents on what issues are most important to them.
CN: What are two issues of vital importance in the township right now, and how will you address them as a member of council?
Balgowan: Property taxes and spending are out of control. Our municipal property taxes are now almost equal to our school taxes, which was never the case in the past. Property taxes are up 27% under this administration. Spending is up 60%. I am certain that with the right people in office, that we can reduce property taxes with no adverse effect on services. In fact, I believe that we can improve services in many areas while also cutting costs. Solid waste removal, recycling, maximizing contractor services and much more. We can also slash unnecessary spending. We need to frequently audit township operations to assure that we are working efficiently and at the least cost without sacrificing the quality of services.
Barnacz: Two issues of vital importance are the ever-rising high property taxes, and overdevelopment of warehouses. Our platform addresses these issues by imposing a hiring freeze on non-emergency township positions until every department is audited dollar by dollar. Secondly, we will return our towns zoning codes to a state where it is unattractive for building developers to construct warehouses that sit vacant and tax exempt for 10 years causing residential property taxes to increase.
Carabelli: Two of the most pressing issues facing Hamilton Township right now are the reliability of Trenton Water Works and maintaining financial stability when faced with rising costs.
Trenton Water Works has been a significant concern for many Hamilton residents due to water quality and reliability issues. As a council member, I will continue to advocate for stronger oversight and work to ensure that Trenton Water Works meets the highest standards of service. I’ll continue to push for a regional facility that would reduce the risk of water service interruptions and contamination.
Secondly, fiscal oversight is critical to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and responsibly. I will continue to streamline expenses and ensure that funds are directed toward priority projects like infrastructure improvements and public safety. We must maintain financial stability while meeting the growing needs of our community, especially when faced with rising healthcare and inflationary costs.
Lucas: Two issues of vital importance in Hamilton are runaway taxes and spending, and the ongoing problems with Trenton Water Works. Families are being crushed by consecutive tax hikes, and it’s clear the current council has failed to prioritize the taxpayers. As a member of council, I will push for zero-based budgeting, forcing every department to justify spending rather than automatically increasing budgets. This approach brings accountability, eliminates waste, and eases the burden on residents.
Equally urgent is the Trenton Water Works crisis, which has jeopardized public health and erodes trust. We need to get experts in the room and have an honest conversation. Do we privatize, or keep it government run? I will push for whichever path ensures safe, reliable water at the best value for Hamilton residents
Tighe: Clean drinking water is of paramount importance. We support regionalizing Trenton Water Works to ensure Hamilton will have a say in how this facility is run. This will bring needed improvements and impose transparency regarding our water supply. As council president, I am supportive of the ongoing efforts by the mayor and his team to bring about this necessary reform to TWW, including the lawsuit that we initiated several years ago.
We continue to advocate for the preservation of open space and farmland in our town and I am proud we have preserved hundreds of acres in my time on council. By acquiring more open space, we ensure an more trees to clean our air and absorb water to prevent flooding. We can’t live without clean water and clean air so there can be nothing more vital to ensure both TWW and open space remain priorities.
Whalen: Our job is to ensure the public health and safety of Hamilton at an affordable cost. Under this administration we held taxes in check for three of the last five years. By bringing in millions of dollars of grants each year, we ensure key improvements to the town are made such as new firetrucks but at little to no cost to Hamiltonians. We also partnered with our Board of Education and approved three school resource officers) at our three middle schools — ensuring the children of Hamilton go to school in a safe environment. We have more police officers today than in the last 15 years. To ensure our town is healthy, we worked with our health division helping them to achieve national accreditation — something only done by six other local health departments in New Jersey.
CN: (For incumbents) What are your top accomplishments during your time in office?
Carabelli: I am very proud of the reforms that we have seen at our animal shelter. This was a total team effort with volunteers, elected officials and employees coming together to affect significant, positive change. We now have an animal shelter manager, policies and procedures in place, and a welcoming environment for our animals to find their forever home.
I am also pleased to have supported many business initiatives during and after the pandemic. Some of them include: extending outdoor dining; investing in propane tanks for restaurants; creating short-term mortgage and rental assistance; and providing over $500,000 in small business grants.
Finally, I have looked for ways to improve safety in our town. Whether it is consolidating our fire districts or adding new police officers, I know public safety is paramount to ensure Hamilton remains a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Tighe: When we were first elected, we pledged to prioritize public safety and deliver responsive municipal services for our township. We honored our commitment to public safety by leading one of the most significant government streamlining initiatives in New Jersey’s history.
By consolidating nine separate fire districts into a single township fire division, we reformed the chain of command and optimized resource allocation all without laying off a single firefighter, like Gov. Chris Christie’s administration advocated. This restructuring not only enhanced emergency response capabilities—it is also saving the township millions of dollars.
One unexpected area that demanded my attention was our animal shelter. Early in our term, it became clear that the shelter was in crisis. We acted to implement key reforms and allocate the necessary resources to help the shelter achieve and consistently maintain no-kill status.
Whalen: For years, previous administrations only talked about a new municipal complex. This administration followed through and delivered with that commitment, we acquired the former shop rite, cost cutters property on Whitehorse Mercerville Road. Not only will this eliminate the need to carry two buildings — each roughly 100 years old — but the new facility will be a central hub in our town for working with the township or board of education.
Next would have to be the recent announcement that Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has acquired the former AMC theater site on Sloan Avenue. This will provide children of Hamilton and the surrounding towns with a state-of-the-art health care facility right here in Hamilton, avoiding the stress of traveling to Philadelphia for their care. Both of these projects will change Hamilton for the better and I am proud to be a part of them.
CN: For challengers: What makes you the most qualified candidate currently running for Hamilton Township Council?
Balgowan: I worked for the New Jersey Department of Transportation as a civil engineer for almost 25 years, the township of Hamilton as director of public works for a little over six years and several consulting firms including Gannett Fleming, Robson Forensic and RM Balgowan Forensic & Engineering Services, LLC. I am the founder/owner of RM Balgowan Forensic & Engineering Services which provides expert witness services to the legal profession. In all of my government positions, I have successfully reduced costs while improving services.
I did this during my tenure at the Department of Transportation and as director of public services for Hamilton Township. I have significant experience working in government at the state and municipal levels.
I have been a member of numerous international, national and state committees regarding government operations. My education and experience provide me with the skill set to be an outstanding council person.
Barnacz: What qualifies me the most to take office this January is my energetic commitment to making Hamilton more affordable for residents of all ages and constituent services. My experience as director of communications for the Mercer County GOP has instilled in me the importance of community outreach and has given me those skills to bring back to Hamilton through my fresh perspective.
Lucas: I will bring a fresh perspective to Hamilton Township Council. My experience working with people across different backgrounds has taught me how to listen, build consensus, and take action that benefits residents—not political insiders. I understand the importance of transparency and accountability in local government, and I will make sure residents’ voices are truly heard.
I know firsthand the struggles families face with rising taxes, overdevelopment, and declining services. That perspective, combined with my leadership skills and dedication, makes me ready to serve Hamilton effectively.
As a challenger, I am not tied to the old way of doing things. I will approach problems with new energy and a solutions-driven mindset, always putting the taxpayer and the community first.
