Millstone Twp. candidates talk taxes, ratables, sprawl

Ramin Dilfanian

Four will vie for two open committee seats on Nov. 8

BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP

Staff Writer

Candidates for the Millstone Township Committee took some time off the campaign trail this week to discuss why they’re running for election.

Democratic incumbent William Nurko and his running mate Frank Cotter will vie against Republicans Ramin Dilfanian and Steve Sico in the Nov. 8 election. Each candidate seeks one of the two open seats on the committee being vacated by Nurko and Democrat Chet Halka, who decided not to run for re-election.

Steve Sico

Nurko, 61, of Nurko Road, has been a lifelong resident of Millstone. He and his wife, Clara, have two married daughters, Christina and Patricia, and a granddaughter, Graciella Lynn.

Nurko holds a bachelor of mechanical engineering degree and has worked in the manufacturing industry for over 30 years in various supervisory and managerial positions. He is also a retired Naval Reserve officer with a combined service of active duty and inactive reserve time of over 25 years, retiring with the rank of captain.

Nurko said his involvement in the local governing process since 1984 makes him a good candidate for the committee.

Frank Cotter

“I have watched and helped the community change and grow to the desirable community it is to call home,” Nurko said. “I have been involved in several master plan changes and the downzonings, progressing from the once 1-acre lots to the now 6-acre RUC zone and the 10-acre RUP zone with a cluster provision.”

Nurko said his main reason for choosing to run for re-election is to “maintain balance on the governing body.”

Currently, the Township Committee consists of Democrats Nurko and Halka and Republicans Mayor Elias Abilheira, Deputy Mayor Nancy Grbelja and Committeeman Robert Kinsey.

William Nurko

When asked what he perceives to be the most pressing issue facing the township, Nurko said, “Taxes.”

“People want to be able to afford to live here,” Nurko said. “Second, they want to maintain the quality of life; that is what brought them to Millstone in the first place.”

When asked what he would do if re-elected to try to resolve township issues, Nurko said, “First, we as committee members have to prove to the public that we can work together in a professional and adult manner without the pettiness and rudeness that [have] surfaced in the recent past. The public demands and is due respect and honest solutions to their concerns.”

Nurko’s running mate, Cotter, 57, of Baird Road, is a newcomer to the political arena. He has lived in Millstone Township since late 2001 with his wife, Betsy. They have four children.

When asked about his career, Cotter said, “Betsy and I own several business interests, some of which include Hill House Farm, a standardbred turn-out facility, First Mortgage America Inc. and Sellityourselfusa, [an Internet-based business]. I have participated in numerous business and community activities for many years such as the Mortgage Bankers Association on a state and national level.”

Cotter said he also served as membership chairman and other executive positions in a local Jaycees chapter as a young man.

Since moving into town, Cotter said he has followed township issues.

“I am intimately involved in the major issues our community faces and am committed to the best practice for solutions based on the long-term view our unique town requires,” Cotter said.

When asked about what his strengths and weaknesses would be if elected as a township committeeman, Cotter said, “I am not a politician, and see that is my only weakness. I am not good at wasting time to make things look good.”

Cotter said there is no time for rhetoric at public meetings. He said rhetoric is “a cancerous intrusion into public policy.”

“I would prefer to see our government operate without party politics,” Cotter said. “Future elections should eliminate parties as a basis for candidacy.”

Cotter, a previously registered Republican, turned Democrat to run with Nurko in this election.

When asked why he decided to run for election, Cotter said, “I detest the arrogant and disrespectful manner in which the current majority party treats residents and the myopic view they take of the important issues we face as a community. No resident should be intimidated by government.”

Cotter said he is a strong decision maker, who will listen to all sides of a situation. He said he is a fiscal conservative, who will minimize taxation and eliminate debt.

When asked what he sees as the most pressing township issues, Cotter said taxes and ratables.

“As I speak with residents they tell me the most important thing they are concerned about is higher and higher taxes,” Cotter said. “Some residents are prepared to leave, as a result of what they see as unnecessary double-digit increases, before the new school cost has an impact. Many people are unhappy about the lack of services provided.”

As part of a solution for rising taxes, Cotter said he would increase ratables on township corridors. He also said he would “support the best practice based on fiscal soundness for solutions, which will start us on the right track to controlling taxes and spending.”

Dilfanian, 37, and his wife, Eva, have a 5-year-old son, Charles. They have lived in Millstone since 2000.

An adjunct professor of computer science and a math and science teacher in New York City, Dilfanian said he is currently on sabbatical, completing a doctoral thesis. He also works as an independent consultant at Computer Neural Networks.

Dilfanian is also a commander of the 3rd Brigade, 98th Division of the U.S. Army Reserve, who completed a second tour of duty in Iraq in December.

Currently, he is an active member of the Millstone Veterans Committee.

Dilfanian said he decided to run for election in an effort “to see the momentum of positive reform continued.”

“We have seen major reforms in the fiscal and organizational management of our township during the past 14 months, and this has helped eliminate waste and mismanagement.”

Dilfanian said he could bring a new perspective to the committee to keep the reform agenda moving forward to ensure the municipal tax rate does not increase from 9 cents to 28 cents as was projected last year.

“I feel that only when our Township Committee is composed of members not beholding to special interests can we be guaranteed the interests of the residents are the first priority,” Dilfanian said.

When asked what he sees as the most pressing issues in town, Dilfanian said, “Taxes, sprawl and maintaining quality of life.”

If elected, Dilfanian said he would address all of the issues facing Millstone Township with continued reform.

“Our taxes are increasing due to poor fiscal planning and ineffective management in the past,” Dilfanian said. “The financial reforms put in place last year, and the commitment to pay off debt is vital to keep our taxes under control.”

Dilfanian said more aggressive new ideas to partner with neighboring municipalities, the Board of Education and the county are vital to reducing waste and to control taxes.

Dilfanian said the township also needs to properly plan what it wants to look like in 20 years.

“Poor planning in the past has also resulted in sprawl which has a negative impact on our rural quality of life,” Dilfanian said.

Sico and his wife have been residents of Millstone on Cindy Court since June 2003. They have two children, Sara, 6, and T.J., 3.

A practicing attorney admitted in the New Jersey and New York, Sico works out of an office on Main Street in Woodbridge. His community involvement includes membership on the township’s Zoning Board and in St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church.

Sico said he’s not a career politician.

“This is the first election I am running in,” Sico said. “I do not bring any predisposition to special interests, nor do I have any personal conflicts with anyone currently or formerly in office.”

As an experienced litigator, Sico said he has “a tremendous amount of experience of dealing with challenging situations.”

If elected, he said he would bring his strong ability to communicate to connect with the residents.

“I have observed many of the Township Committee meetings, and in my opinion my political opponents have simply failed and their records speak unto this,” Sico said.

Sico said his vision for the future of the township is “simply to not allow special interests to dictate the decisions in the municipal building.”

“Our infrastructure cannot sustain uncontrolled growth and sprawl,” Sico said.

With regard to ratables Sico said, “My political opponents in their campaign suggest that we still have no clean ratable for the township. However, fiscal mismanagement and catering to special interests are the reason we have few good ratables.”

When asked what he believes is the most pressing issue facing the township, Sico said, “Taxes.”

“Fiscal mismanagement has led to increases in taxes and little to no public services to show for it,” Sico said,

If elected, Sico said he would work with the Township Committee to enact legislation to control spending, recover monies due the township and to control tax increases.

Besides voting on Nov. 8 Nurko encouraged more residents to get involved with how the township is governed by at least watching township meetings.

“Now that we have the PEG Channel 77, more residents are able to have firsthand knowledge of their governing body in action without having to physically make the committee meetings. I ask that you stop, look and listen,” Nurko said.