Below are the personal statements from the four Dunellen Borough council candidates. Listing is in alphabetical order.
Click on the candidate’s name to go directly to their statement: Christina Haftmann, Richard Pinder, Trina Rios, Daniel Cole Sigmon
Christina Haftmann (D)
I was raised in Dunellen when our town still had open fields and everyone knew each other. After attending Livingston College, I moved to Boston where over the years I worked for Harvard, USTrust and Fidelity Investments. I also lived in California for thirteen years but the high cost of living made me return to New Jersey.
Although I’m now retired, I work as a crossing guard which has made me accutely aware of some of our town’s most long-standing issues such as: litter control, curbside drainage and traffic congestion.
As your councilwoman, I pledge to do my utmost to creatively solve these issues in order to promote Dunellen as a clean, healthy and prosperous community. Thank you for voting for me!
For more info: christinahaftmann@gmail.com
Richard Pinder (D)
Three and a half years ago my wife and I decided Dunellen would be where we start our family because we saw a small town with friendly people, safe streets, and an exciting future about to unfold. It has proven itself the right choice time and again. Dunellen values it’s past but it is seeking it’s path forward. We want to evolve but not at the expense of our unique identity. The Art Color Development, aging schools, and to all pose new challenges that our town will need to meet head on and overcome.
I’ve worked in the Information Technology realm for over twelve years now and that has taught me how to drive and adapt to change. I am among the newer members of this community that are hoping to build upon the rich history we have inherited as we grow our young families. I believe in the importance of local government to truly make a difference in the lives of those citizens that appoint it and as such I seek to be as involved as possible while making it easier for everyone else to be involved. I want to be the representative of the people in all matters of public policy and driving the ideas that will help us all succeed.
As a member of the Dunellen Town Council I seek improvements to our schools and bettering teacher’s wages to ensure our children have the best foundation possible to build upon as they venture out into the world. I want to help all citizens access and participate in local government by utilizing technology that can make meetings and information more convenient. I want to welcome new neighbors and ensure that we can grow our community to include them without driving out those who already live here. We can all work together and build a bright future!
Contact:
email – richpinderforcouncil2019@gmail.com
facebook – www.facebook.com/pinderfordunellen
Trina Rios (R)
When I moved to Dunellen in 2011, I told my husband this is home. I want to grow old here. I want to see our children have children here. Every day I see the future of Dunellen getting brighter with possibilities.
Change doesn’t happen on its own, so to facilitate the potential I saw in this town, I immediately got involved by volunteering for The Dunellen Education Foundation. The DEF not only provided an understanding of community involvement in Dunellen, but it also became a catalyst for my participation in other voluntary town committees. We raised over $20,000 for educational grants, a tremendous success that I am honored to have shared as a facilitating role.
As an active member of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), I co-chair some of the major events in the Dunellen schools, such as the Book Fair, the Holiday Bazaar and the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon. This opportunity has allowed me to feel connected with the schools and the community.
The Municipal Alliance brings substance abuse awareness to our kids has been an eye-opening experience for me as a parent. This organization not only educates our children about the dangers of substance abuse but also empowers them to battle peer pressure and bullying. I am actively involved in sharing this information during school presentations as well as aiding in the development of activities for our children in conjunction with local town businesses. This is an organization I am passionate about to ensure the safety of our children.
In 2016, Mayor Seader appointed me to the Library Board of Trustees. As Vice President, I am actively engaged in the library on a daily basis. Our library is a unique resource which not only offers traditional services but also countless free programs for children and teens which both of my children attend weekly. I am also in the library’s “Five Year” visionary group where we develop ideas to expand the role of our library to meet the growing needs of our community.
The Playground Committee began in 2017 and I immediately volunteered my time. Over the course of these last two years, we have hosted park clean up events, added new picnic tables to the playgrounds, and constructed and installed new park benches all throughout Columbia Park. I have also helped construct and install “Free Little Libraries” in two of our playgrounds, and there are more on the way. Watching the children of our town enjoy our parks, whether reading, playing or sitting on the benches, reminds me of the importance of these seemingly small changes.
This year, Robert and I celebrated 19 years of marriage. He is my rock. Having his support throughout this process has been a tremendous blessing. As a stay at home mom to two wonderful boys, my time is precious, so when I choose to devote my time to a cause, I fully involve myself. I look forward to my work on the Dunellen Council knowing that what I do will impact my family and lives the families we have grown so close to over the course of our 9 years in this town. My platform includes:
- Addressing issues regarding public safety, such as updating crosswalk signs and improving lighting, by seeking grants and additional state resources.
- Working on economic development in town that will result in stabilized taxes and will enable residents to feel more financially secure.
- Mitigating flooding issues around town in conjunction with FEMA.
- Reviewing the current town ordinances to ensure that they are enforceable and meet the needs of our residents.
Every day I see the future of Dunellen getting brighter with possibilities and I would like to bring those to fruition. I leave you with the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Thank you for your time.
For more information please visit: www.dunellensfuturetogether.com
Daniel Cole Sigmon
My name is Daniel Cole Sigmon, but many of you know me as “Cole.” I’m originally from Louisville, KY, but have lived in Dunellen for six years with my wife Lauren and our two sons.
What initially drew us to Dunellen was equal parts past and present. My wife’s grandmother was born and raised in Dunellen (part of the second class to graduate from Dunellen High School) and lived here until her death. She was proud of Dunellen and never missed an opportunity to talk about growing up here, her husband’s career as a welder at Art Color, or her job as a directory assistance operator at the former NJ Bell Telephone Company.
When we began entertaining the idea of buying her house/starting a family, we looked at Dunellen with fresh eyes, and had a new appreciation for the friendliness of the neighbors, the park around the corner, and the close proximity to the train station.
I’ve always been a people-person and knew I wanted to get more involved in the community once we moved in. I initially thought I’d wait until my boys were older and playing sports to volunteer, since I had been a high school lacrosse coach in Kentucky for many years and still play recreational soccer. But, opportunity came knocking thanks to a Facebook post that inquired about volunteers for a Playground Committee two years ago.
I had spent years working for an AmeriCorps program leading community service days for corporations (planting community gardens, painting murals in schools, cleaning up public spaces), and volunteering with the Playground Committee ultimately gave me an opportunity to use my skills in our town, leading the annual park clean up and beautification days and fundraising. Committee involvement also gave me a first-hand opportunity to see how a town like Dunellen was run, its strengths and pain points, and get to know many of its residents and decision-makers.
I pride myself on being an open-minded guy who can see both sides of the coin. This was proven even more true when I was approached by both Republican and Democratic parties to run for Dunellen Borough Council. What made me run on the Republican ticket? I believe that local politics are about the people and not the parties, and after sitting down with Jason to hear and discuss his ideas for Dunellen’s future, I realized we had similar visions for this town. I’m proud to be running on a ticket with Jason Cilento and Trina Rios, but am even prouder to have an opportunity to take part in moving Dunellen forward, regardless of party affiliation.
I currently work as an Outdoor Discovery Program Coordinator for a retailer, which means I lead and coordinate nature-oriented events in-store and outdoors. As with many of my career choices, this job has me thinking on my feet, problem-solving with co-workers/customers of varying personalities, and distilling down information that can be challenging or confusing so that it’s understandable (and fun!) for people of all ages and backgrounds—skills that will serve me well as a councilperson.
As a resident of Dunellen, I understand the need for improvements across several categories, including infrastructure, public safety, and economic development. I know that while the opportunities themselves are simple, the solutions are more nuanced. We need to review current ordinances to ensure they are enforceable and then make sure they are enforced (such as the borough sign ordinances). We need to work together as the borough council to mitigate flooding issues around town and bring residents out of the FEMA flood zone. But most of all, we need bold ideas and pragmatic, energetic leadership with an unwavering commitment to Dunellen.
I am proud to be part of the team building Dunellen’s Future, Together!
For more information about me, Trina, and Jason, visit our website or Facebook page at DunellensFutureTogether.com or facebook.com/CilentoRiosSigmon
Thank you for taking the time to get to know all four candidates