U.F. candidates talk traffic, taxes, master plan revisions
Three candidates are contending in the Nov. 6 election for two open Upper Freehold Township Committee seats. Mayor Stephen Fleischacker, who opted to sit out of the Republican primary and then later decided to run as an independent in the general election, will face off with newcomers Stan Moslowski Jr. and Lori Horsnall Mount in the polls on Tuesday. Independent candidate Jennifer Coffey's name will also be on the ballot, but she has publicly withdrawn from the race.

Stan Moslowski Jr. Age: 44 Education: Allentown High School graduate Occupation: Farmer, business owner and excavating contractor

Those elected on Tuesday will serve three-year terms on the committee. The candidates took time from campaigning last week to review their stances on some of the most important issues in the community.

- Jane Meggitt Where they stand:

Master plan revisions: Stan Moslowski Jr. I have been attending a number of Planning Board meetings regarding the master plan for the past three years. I am anxiously waiting for Mark Remsa, our planner, to present a final draft for public review. It is only fair to our Planning Board members that I reserve my comments until there is a new master plan presented to the public.

Lori Horsnall Mount Education: Allentown High School graduate class of 1982 Occupation: Director of sales operations at Allentown Inc. in Allentown Public offices held: Allentown councilwoman for three years when I lived in the borough; the first woman firefighter in Hope Fire Company, Allentown, where I served over 13 years as an active member and responded to hundreds of fire and rescue calls; and a former member of the Allentown Business Community Association.

Lori Horsnall Mount I think the process has been poorly communicated, costly and divisive. It has ripped our township apart. There has been much written about what items are off the table and what items are on. After the time spent on the revision, nothing is official except the confusion. The Planning Board's vision of Upper Freehold has ranged from multiple town centers to its current evolution. In my opinion, the Planning Board is trying to define the details without having a clear goal. The bottom line is that we need to decide if we are the rural and affordable township in Monmouth County or just another extension of the suburbia in Mercer County. I strongly believe we should remain a rural and affordable community. Transfer of development rights (TDR) could result in a major net reduction of development in the community while increasing the total amount of open space. If [TDR is] used in this fashion, I support inclusion of TDR in the master plan. I do not support the type of TDR that sacrifices one parcel of open space for another and then crowds high-density homes on the space that is developed. That is not preservation, it is just substitution.

Stephen Fleischacker Age: 50 Education: Master of Science degree in environmental engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural engineering from Rutgers University, New Brunswick. Occupation: Environmental engineer Public offices held: Elected to the Township Committee in 2004. Served as committeeman for one year and mayor in 2006 and 2007. Serves on the Planning Board.

Stephen Fleischacker The process appears to have taken longer than expected because we wanted to have technical studies performed that would provide a solid foundation for planning and zoning. These studies, which take time, were performed in accordance with

Master plan revisions: Stephen Fleischacker (cont.) guidance set forth by the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC). These studies allowed the Planning Board to know how many homes could be built under different planning and zoning plans given environmental constraints such as wetlands, steep slopes, and septic system impacts to our drinking water supply. In advance of receiving all the study data, the Planning Board publicly discussed many different planning and zoning options, some of which brought out emotional reactions from members of the public. The Planning Board process was, by design, an iterative public process as more information became available and differences of opinions were expressed during public meetings and in the media. Opinions were not limited to Planning Board members, as community members had opportunity to provide comments during some of the workshop sessions. Once again, this planning process was all done in a very open public forum. Allowing people to express their opinions and, on occasion, correct misinformation also took time. The process may have taken longer than many expected, but having a sound scientific foundation for planning and zoning, coupled with a very open public process, takes time and is fair to all.

Land preservation: Stan Moslowski Jr.

The most effective method to preserve farmland in Upper Freehold is to encourage our farmers/landowners to participate in the traditionally funded state, county and municipal Farmland Preservation Program. Lori Horsnall Mount There is, and should be, no single approach to land preservation. We should apply every practical option. Historically, I feel the township has done a great job using assorted funding sources. Stephen Fleischacker For each of the three years that I have served, I was unanimously selected by my fellow committeemen to be their lead on open space and farmland preservation. I have taken this charge very seriously. It has, quite frankly, been one of the most important and rewarding roles as an elected official. During my tenure, I have successfully convinced landowners to enter the farmland and open space preservation programs instead of developing their land, and then successfully secured millions of dollars in county and state aid to fund the preservation projects at less cost to our local taxpayers.

Traffic: Stan Moslowski Jr. I am opposed to the westerly bypass because it will create safety issues by bringing additional traffic to our schools and recreational fields. Mayor Fleischacker recently presented a report regarding Monmouth County's plans to improve Breza Road and Sharon Station Road in anticipation of the bridge closing in Allentown. I support these efforts because they will improve our emergency vehicles' response time and create safer alternative routes during bridge construction. We need to solicit traffic information and input from our county Planning Board, our township engineer and our residents to help find new routes or improve existing roads to deal with truck traffic.

Lori Horsnall Mount Commercial truck traffic on Route 539, Sharon Station Road, Route 526 and the "easterly" bypass has become a major issue in the township, with the number of trucks typically ranging from 700 to 800 per day. The traffic pattern in this area will get even worse if a suggested interchange at I-195 and Sharon Station Road is added. It's time for the committee to act. Take action and divert truck traffic around our township.

Stephen Fleischacker I am opposed to the proposed westerly bypass and to any additional highway near the schools, but am in favor of a possible I-195 interchange on Sharon Station Road, with the reconstruction of Sharon Station Road with a treed median.

Taxes: Stan Moslowski Jr. One method to help control our school taxes is to support local school board members who will be fiscally responsible, yet [will] remain dedicated to promoting a quality education for our children. I believe additional tax revenue sources from our commercial districts are needed to reduce the residential tax burden. I will assist equestrian and other agricultural supply companies to locate within our community and strengthen our tax base.

Lori Horsnall Mount The way to control taxes in the community is to control growth. To do this, you need to combine an effective master plan with a component that spells out the total long-term costs associated with development. Informed taxpayers will find that

Taxes: Lori Horsnall Mount there is no better long-term alternative, in cost and quality of life, than the preservation of open space. Many new subdivisions are already approved. We already have state mandates to build many affordable housing units at taxpayer expense because of recent development. That is reality. However, we can attempt to control and mold future growth to fit the unique needs in our community. Attracting clean, well-planned, commercial ratables should be a primary focal point of planning, as is age-restricted housing. While I am unsure of their commercial practicality, I support the concept of alternative rural developments such as equestrian villages.

Stephen Fleischacker I would maximize municipal government efficiencies and minimize unnecessary expenditures. In this past year [while I was] working with the Township Committee, we reduced municipal government expenditures by $0.5 million, and as a symbol of our commitment to cost cutting, I was most pleased when the Township Committee agreed to my recommendation to reduce our salaries by 20 percent. I found an equally important and rewarding role working with the Upper Freehold Regional School District (UFRSD) in its efforts to build a new school campus that would provide a safe and healthy learning environment for the community's schoolchildren. As an elected official with significant familiarity and experience in New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) technical and regulatory matters involving wastewater treatment and historic pesticide remediation, I have been able to assist the UFRSD, when called upon, to help cut through some of the DEP's red tape in order to expedite school construction. I have established a reputation as an elected official with detailed environmental, engineering, land use and preservation knowledge. I have had the opportunity to work directly with our District 30 representatives (Sen. Singer, Assemblymen Malone and Dancer), our Monmouth County freeholders and Monmouth County Planning and Engineering, and state officials in the DEP, Department of Community Affairs, Department of Transportation, Department of Agriculture, and others on a number of agricultural, environmental and land use issues that are of concern to Upper Freehold.

Why voters should elect me: Stan Moslowski Jr. I am a lifelong resident and have developed many relationships with other Upper Freehold residents, which will assist my efforts as a committeeman. As a local businessman and farmer for 25 years, I have experience managing 20 employees, building roads, and maintaining equipment that is similar to our township road department's equipment. My past experience as a volunteer for the construction of the Mark Harbourt Soccer Complex will help me in the future to properly maintain and expand our recreational facilities when necessary. Lori Horsnall Mount My opponent, Steve Fleischacker, as mayor has abandoned the committee form of government. This was demonstrated during the annual reorganization meeting when he appointed individuals to key township positions without consulting the other Township Committee members. This breaks a long-standing tradition of utilizing the total expertise of the elected committee persons. Without teamwork and compromise we will never be able to resolve our township's issues.

Stephen Fleischacker I have the knowledge and experience to perform and am certainly willing to work hard to achieve success for the community. I believe strongly in the open public process and always being able to support my positions with factual information.