The race for Robbinsville mayor pits two familiar faces against each other. Incumbent Dave Fried runs for his fourth term as mayor against Sonja Walter, a former council president and mayoral candidate.
Fried, 50, has been mayor of Robbinsville since 2005, when he was elected as the township’s first under the strong-mayor form of government. He is a graduate of Rowan University, and previously served on the Robbinsville Township Planning Board and Robbinsville Township Committee (now known as Township Council). Fried is the CEO of TriCore Human Capital Management. He is a two-time winner of the INC. 500/5000 award. Fried volunteers as a youth basketball coach. He and his wife Kathryn have two children: Brett and Ashley, both students at Robbinsville High School.
Walter, 54, is a former member of township council (2005-09), serving stints as both president and vice president. She previously ran for mayor in 2009. By trade, Walter is an affordable housing compliance manager. She holds a bachelor’s in biology from Syracuse University, a bachelor’s in music from The College of New Jersey, and affordable housing certification from Rutgers University. Walter is a Robbinsville Democratic Committeeperson and involved with Autism Speaks. She also has been involved with the Girl Scouts, Destination Imagination, RADkids, the Robbinsville Community Choir and the Friends and Historical Society Sesquicentennial committee.
The Robbinsville Advance asked both candidates, “What is your vision for Robbinsville Township?” They were given a week to write their answers, which appear below.
Dave Fried:
My vision for the future is simple. I want to continue to lead Robbinsville forward.
We now have the most stable municipal tax rate in Mercer County with four straight years of either flat or reduced taxes, and we have done so while continuing to invest in our infrastructure. We built a new municipal building in a year (2016) that we also reduced taxes, which is rather remarkable if you think about it.
In addition, Robbinsville has some of the fastest growing property values in Mercer County. For most people their home is their largest investment they have, or will ever make, and I believe it is my job to not only protect that investment but to help it grow by keeping those property values trending higher. I believe in collaborating with other municipalities in the form of inter-local agreements and shared services to shave costs and increase efficiency, and I am really hopeful we can add even more shared services over the next few years in order to further stabilize taxes.
I believe taxes are still the No. 1 concern to most of our residents, especially the empty-nesters and those without children who want to stay in Robbinsville affordably. We have to continue to find ways to keep those people in Robbinsville. Keeping them safe, stabilizing taxes and protecting their investment are the best ways I know how to do that.
I am very proud that we have the most aggressive open space program in Mercer County, perhaps even in the entire state, and I am blessed that I have residents who are willing to support the program even when it means they have to pay more. That means a lot to me that they have confidence that we’re going to do the right thing. My vision always has and will continue to include working hard to integrate affordable housing into our community, including housing for those with special needs or disabilities. Not including Project Freedom, we currently have nine such homes or apartments in town, but I defy anyone to point them out because they blend in so well with the rest of the community.
I truly believe we have such high standing in Mercer County because, more than anything else, we listen. We are willing to compromise and embrace an open and transparent process. We were one of the first towns to settle our affordable housing lawsuit with very favorable terms. A big reason for that outcome is because we sat down with the other side and really listened to their point of view and what their needs were. I think that is what is lacking in politics today is sometimes we are so focused on trying to be right that we don’t listen to the other side and find common ground to agree upon.
We have built a great team in Robbinsville, one I believe is second-to-none in the state and one that is always focused on helping others. When we keep our focus on that, everything else always seems to take care of itself.
Sonja Walter:
I have lived in Robbinsville for nearly 20 years and have raised my two daughters here. It is the influence of my family, friends, and neighbors that informs my vision of our town.
First, Robbinsville is a town with great diversity of cultures and people. I propose creating a committee that would sponsor events and activities to enhance our realization that, while it is our differences that make us strong, it is our similarities which bring us together. We have an opportunity to become a true cultural center in New Jersey, and we should work toward that end.
Knowledge is a source of power, and information is the key to attaining that goal. As mayor, I will post all of my executive orders on the township website, as well as all introduced ordinances. This way, residents will have a clear and concise method of reviewing the decisions we make for them and will be afforded a greater opportunity to voice their opinions in advance of a final vote. There is a lot of talent and expertise our residents can share, and I believe we should provide more opportunities for them to do so. Increased transparency will help us all feel more connected to the town we love.
I believe the preservation of open space is the best way to control taxes and to ensure the health and safety of our community. By working with groups like the Sierra Club, we can create plans to implement a contiguous trail system which would enhance the “walkability” of our town. Incentivizing farmers to continue farming in Robbinsville and reducing residential growth by maintaining the township-owned property on the south side of Town Center as open space will go far to achieve this goal. We should be working to fill the empty places and not the open spaces.
While we should welcome new businesses to Robbinsville, we should also recognize the enduring contributions of those businesses that have helped to shape our town and have been here for decades before many of us arrived on the scene. Robbinsville has a rich history, one which we should embrace.
I subscribe to the notion that one should always do the right thing for the right reasons. Therefore, I will end unfair practices such as paying the full-time health benefits of part-time elected officials. As mayor, I will push for term limits to ensure a wider range of perspectives in government, thereby preventing power from being consolidated in one person. My strengths lie in my penchant for details, my ability to listen and the sincerity of my convictions. I want to be the new voice for Robbinsville…your voice.
