President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “The middle of the road is all of the usable surface; the extremes, right and left, are in the gutters.”
I agree with President Eisenhower – and though our nation remains politically divided, my philosophies and values remain intact as a public servant who cares more about serving his constituents than he does partisan politics.
I also believe that those in Washington D.C. could learn from a town like Dunellen. We as neighbors, friends and families have so much more in common than we do what separates us, and in my opinion, coming together to accomplish great things regardless of our differences is what uniquely defines us as a community. We care about making this borough a great place to live, work, create and raise a family, and that is what makes our square mile the “miracle mile!”
As a lifelong resident of Dunellen, I have dedicated my time to making Dunellen a better place and a town my fiancée Lindsay and I are proud to call home. I attended Dunellen’s public schools K-12, graduated from Kean University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in theatre studies, and, while working in risk management for a New York/New Jersey regional bank, completed this year my master’s degree in public administration from Rutgers University. My education has provided me with the valuable knowledge and theory necessary to understand how government should operate, and it will continue to serve me in my decision making as I set agendas as Mayor of Dunellen.
I also have been an active member in the community from a young age, including playing high school football and track and field (Go Destroyers!) and participating in Dunellen High School’s performing and visual arts programs. Upon graduating in 2008, I led volunteer clean-up efforts downtown and served as an associate fire member on the Dunellen Defender Fire Company No. 1; I co-founded and served as president of a local non-profit theatre company in 2012 until 2015; and I served on the board of directors for Juggling Life Inc. from 2009 to 2017. Volunteerism is important to the residents of Dunellen and I am honored to have served alongside so many of you for all these years.
It was my grandfather, Arthur Free, who inspired me to get involved in the community at a young age. “Artie,” as many knew him in town, was involved in Dunellen local politics for many years and guided me towards running for office to help make a positive change.
I ran in 2010 and was sworn in as a borough councilperson in 2011. After working extremely hard to represent you and your families, I was appointed to council president earlier this year – a position I was unanimously selected for by both Republican and Democratic council members.
Along with serving as Mayoral-appointed liaison to numerous borough committees and departments, I also have:
- Established Dunellen’s Arts and Culture Commission and assisted in securing grants for both it and the fire department;
- Supported the designation of Dunellen as a Transit Village, which assisted in obtaining grants for the Victorian lighting downtown;
- Supported the redevelopment plans of the Art Color site, believing it to be a vital piece of revitalizing Dunellen’s downtown and increasing revenue streams for our borough;
- Advocated for the expansion of the Dunellen Little League field to a 50/70, allowing for the growth of Dunellen’s baseball programs;
- Developed a marketing booklet used to promote the borough as a member of the Dunellen Downtown Management Organization;
- Helped initiate downtown beautification projects and establish the annual Dunellen Harvest Fest as a member of the Dunellen Downtown Management Organization;
- Worked with volunteers in creating the Next Stop – Dunellen! e-newsletter to promote businesses and events in downtown Dunellen as a member of the Dunellen Downtown Management Organization;
- Created the quarterly newsletter, The Dunellen Report;
- Worked alongside volunteers to establish Dunellen’s Playground Committee;
- Initiated the 2017 Community Survey and assisted as the liaison to the Bloustein School’s DID Study and the Transit Hub Study to establish a shared vision of Dunellen’s future;
- Oversaw the interview and promotion process of Dunellen’s new police chief, police lieutenant and sergeants as police committee chair;
- Worked to establish a soon-to-be updated website and created a municipal social media presence as a social media committee member;
- And secured a national grant that organized community organizations to help build and install shade trees, pollinator plants and benches, as well as painted a footbridge to increase the vibrancy and accessibility of the walking path in Columbia Park.
As the Mayoral liaison to the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition, I also have been working with a bipartisan group of elected officials and advocates at the Raritan Valley Line (RVL) Mayor’s Alliance to petition and call upon state and federal representatives to fully implement midtown direct trains during peak hours and weekends, as well as fund the Gateway Tunnel Project. We recently were successful at the RVL Mayors Alliance in having the state restore off-peak midtown direct trains on the RVL beginning Monday, Nov. 4.
I believe the roadmap to Dunellen’s future is creating a shared vision in which all residents and businesses feel they are a part of this conversation. We must respect Dunellen’s past but also engage in its future with optimism. I’m committed to advancing Dunellen’s future, together, to ensure it reaches its fullest potential.
As Mayor, I would first set an agenda to continue the efforts made by Mayor Seader and Council through smart growth development, as I, too, believe a walkable and vibrant downtown is the heart of our community. It is what makes people want to live in Dunellen and also affects residential market values. I also believe we should, over time, use the projected revenues raised from the Art Color development to reinvest in our downtown, assisting in beautification projects and having revenue accessible to use in matching grants.
Additionally, I plan to work with business and property owners to promote a Downtown Improvement District. This tool can be used as a financial mechanism in promoting Dunellen’s downtown as a destination for visitors and for beautification projects. It also provides business and property owners a seat at the table to discuss how these projects are envisioned. Realizing this opportunity would further assist in Dunellen being designated a Main Street program and open up more opportunities for federal and state recognition and funding.
As Mayor, I will continue to encourage citizen engagement by promoting opportunities to serve on committees, commissions and boards, and involve residents in conversations about borough issues through a Mayor’s quarterly roundtable. It will be a goal of mine to have public meetings video recorded so residents can also visit the website to watch and listen to meetings. As a council member, I advocated for the use of budget presentations via PowerPoint, and as Mayor, I plan to have future budgets be presented in that manner.
I also would work with the borough council to develop a financial strategy to pay down debt services, plan out road and sidewalk improvements, and update borough equipment & facilities. I believe the borough should consider the hiring of a grant writer to assist in finding additional funds to offset some of these costs. Furthermore, as Mayor, I will work with the borough council to investigate regional partnerships and shared services in the areas of sustainable initiatives, economic development and the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Complete Street program.
We must keep in mind that while this agenda may not be achieved in the short-term, we would be working toward strategically positioning Dunellen for long-term goals. Through responsible budgeting and the assurance that the borough keep its municipal tax rate as low as possible while maintaining quality services, I would then advocate that a portion of the revenues projected from the Art Color development be used to stabilize taxes in the borough’s annual budget.
There is so much that we as the borough of Dunellen have to look forward to in the near future. However, I would be remiss if I did not take this time to recognize Mayor Seader’s service to Dunellen over the last 22 years. He certainly is owed a big “thank you” for leading our borough through difficult times and his push for redevelopment in Dunellen will remain a strong influence as we move forward.
Lastly, I would like to recognize that I am running uncontested for Mayor of Dunellen. I understand the responsibility that will be bestowed upon me by our community and I do not take it for granted. Building trust between myself and our residents has been a principle of mine that has guided me during my time as a public servant in Dunellen, and it is the reason I have gone door-to-door meeting with as many members of our community as possible this election season.
I want to get to know you and for you to get to know me. If we have not yet met on your front porch or at a community event, please reach out to me through our website – I will make sure to contact you back.
I am honored Trina G. Rios and Daniel Cole Sigmon joined me on the ticket by running for Dunellen Borough Council. I hope that you will you consider voting for the Dunellen’s Future Together team on Line A: Cilento [7A], Rios [8A] and Sigmon [9A].
For more information, please visit: www.dunellensfuturetogether.com or visit our facebook page at: Dunellen’s Future Together: Cilento Rios & Sigmon.