COURT HOUSE – The Middle Township Chamber of Commerce hosted a Meet the Candidates event Oct. 27 at South 9 Bar and Grille in Court House.
The evening focused on candidates for County Commissioner, Middle Township Committee and the township school board. Neither candidate for the House of Representatives attended the event, nor did Dean Marcolongo who is running unopposed for reelection as County Surrogate.
Board of County Commissioners
With E. Marie Hayes running for reelection and Commissioner Director Gerald Thornton retiring at the end of the year, there are two seats open in the November election.
In her opening remarks, Hayes, fighting laryngitis, focused on her background at the County Prosecutor’s Office from which she retired as Captain of Detectives. She did not use the time to recount her record as a commissioner except to give special notice to the county zoo which is in her portfolio of responsibilities.
Hayes did speak of the pride she felt at the recent groundbreaking for the renovations to the Franklin Street School in Cape May. Hayes reminded the audience of the historical importance of the once-Black school during the days of segregation in the city.
“It is now going to be a community center, a museum and a branch of the county library system,” she said. “I am honored to have worked on making that happen,” Hayes added.
Hayes was first appointed to the then-Freeholder Board in 2013. She was re-elected to the county’s governing body in 2016 and 2019.
Andrew J. Bulakowski is running for the seat vacated by Thornton’s retirement. Bulakowski said he was a seasonal resident of the county beginning in 1994 and became a permanent homeowner in 2001. Coinciding with his move to Cape May County, Bulakowski, a member of Carpenters Local 255, became further involved in a leadership role.
He serves as senior council representative for the Eastern Atlantic State Regional Council. Bulakowski spoke of his work with local charities and placed emphasis on his involvement in efforts to honor veterans.
“I’m the blue collar candidate,” Bulakowski said. “I understand the needs of working families.”
He spoke of the need to create good-paying year-round jobs and praised the current Board of Commissioners for their work on economic development at the airport. He said his priorities are to keep the county safe, spend taxpayer money wisely and help the county retain its working families.
Dr. Julia L. Hankerson is the only Democrat running for the Board of Commissioners. Hankerson was the Democratic candidate for Assembly in 2021, a race in which she finished fourth. Hankerson holds a master’s in social work from Rutgers and a doctorate in theology from the James and Jesse College of Theology. She works as a social worker and psychotherapist.
Hankerson said the county needs more than one voice, referring to the fact that county and municipal leadership is largely drawn from the Republican party. She said she comes from a long tradition of political leadership and political activism.
Of particular importance to Hankerson is the issue of homelessness. She, like Hayes and Bulakowski, responded to an audience question on homelessness. Both Hayes and Bulakowski focused on the need to address mental health and drug issues before being able to help the homeless in a stable living environment.
Hankerson chided the current commission board. “What we need,” she said, “is leadership. That is the job of the commissioners.” She added, “We have the agencies and services that can help address the problems that contribute to homelessness.”
Hankerson also expressed concern about the impact on the county of the loss of maternity services at Cape Regional Medical Center. She said it placed a special burden on county woman who do not have access to medical services outside the county.
Middle Township Committee
Two candidates are running for one seat on the township’s governing body. Current committeeman Republican James Norris is running for reelection and is challenged by Democrat Melisha Anderson-Ruiz.
Anderson-Ruiz is currently a Certified K-5 Teacher with the Middle Township School District. She also served five years as Community Justice Coordinator at the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in education from Stockton.
On this occasion, Anderson-Ruiz focused on housing as an issue in the campaign. She said homelessness is a complex problem caused by more than just drug use or mental illness. “It’s a complex problem” that involves many factors, including economics. The rising prices for property in the county contribute to homelessness, she said.
Anderson-Ruiz said she sees an important aspect of politics as building relationships. She wants to get more people involved in politics and to give a voice to some in the township who don’t feel their needs are understood. “It is important to use government to solve problems,” she said.
James Norris was first elected to the Township Committee three years ago. He currently works for the county in facilities and services.
He used his time to list many of the township’s achievements under the leadership of the current governing body. He said he has made public safety a number one priority and referenced support for the police department, the movement of dispatch to the county and a new contract for less expensive and more comprehensive emergency medical services.
In response to the issue of housing in the township, Norris reminded the chamber audience that the township had just concluded an affordable housing agreement with the Fair Share Housing Center and was in the process of amending ordinances to encourage the development of such housing.
Norris also referenced the initiation of the Rio Grande Community Partnership aimed at a unified approach to the problems negatively impacting the quality of life in Rio Grande.
School Board
Three of six candidates for the township school board attended the chamber event. Three seats are open in the November election.
Edward Dagney is currently a member of the school board seeking reelection. He emphasized that the role of the board is “not to run the school on a day-to-day basis.” He said the board is there to provide policy and to support the administrators and teachers. He encouraged people to come to board meetings and have their voices heard.
Asked if he supported the sex education standards that have been promulgated by the state, Dagney used the question to explain that the state standards are different from the actual curriculum. “These are two different things,” Dagney said. He said he felt the superintendent and other members of the staff have produced “a very good curriculum” that will “educate our students the right way.”
Christopher Ingersoll was less nuanced and more forceful in his response to the hot-button issue. Ingersoll, who has one child at Middle Township Elementary #1, said he does not support the new standards which he said has some parents concerned that schools are being made to push a social agenda. Ingersoll said he wants to give parents a greater voice in the education of their children. Ingersoll also focused on the importance of safety in the school environment.
Ingersoll emphasized that he is a lifelong county resident who currently works in a family-owned business. He said he is running because he understands, as a parent, the importance of education for the county’s children.
Brian L. Vergantino is a retired Middle Township police officer who said he has dedicated his life to protecting the public. A lifelong resident of the township, Vergantino pledged to be transparent in his dealing on the board. He said he is committed to fairness and accountability. He emphasized the need to pay attention to basic education, including vocational skill sets.
Vergantino spoke of the need to get input from the public and the parents of the district’s students. “This is an elected position,” he said, and “we need to listen.” He said he believes strongly in the need for parent input in the curriculum.
Email vconti@cmcherald.com with thoughts, questions or tips.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Anderson-Ruiz is an instructional aide at Middle Township School District and a former Community Justice Coordinator at the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. The previous version also indicated that Dr. Hankerson received her master’s and doctorate from Stockton. The corrections demonstrate that Anderson-Ruiz is a certified K-5 teacher in Middle Township and formerly worked at the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office. Hankerson holds a master’s and doctorate, but the degrees were not from Stockton.
