Candidate Profile: Sterley Stanley, East Brunswick Town Council

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — By being reelected this Nov. 3, East Brunswick Councilman Sterley Stanley hopes to "continue the work started in 2017 when I was sworn into office with Mayor Cohen and Councilman Spadafino."

Stanley wants to continue helping residents and local businesses hit hard by the pandemic, through strong community programs.

Read below to learn more about Stanley and his platform for the upcoming elections in East Brunswick.

Name - Sterley Stanley

Age (on election day) – 54

Town – East Brunswick

Position sought – Council Candidate

Party Affiliation – Democrat

Family – Children Silas 22, Sapna 15, Selena 14

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Education - High School Diploma, Xaverian High School, Brooklyn

Occupation-

Independent Life Insurance Broker

Previous or Current or Appointed Office-

Councilman of East Brunswick

Campaign website

https://eastbrunswick2020.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am seeking reelection to continue the work started in 2017 when I was sworn into office with Mayor Cohen and Councilman Spadafino. The three main concerns of our residents at the time were financial stability of the township, the closing of businesses in town and the dilapidated state of the Route 18 business corridor. We have come a long way in addressing these issues and challenges we faced. Since I have been in office, we have been able to stabilize municipal tax rates each year. We have done this while maintaining a very high credit rating. With the cooperation of the business community, we have opened over 300 new businesses in town in the past 3 years. The township has made assisting these businesses a priority, an effort recognized by the business community. Lastly, we re-established the East Brunswick Redevelopment Agency which has worked cooperatively with developers to lay the groundwork for the redevelopment of the Route 18 corridor. Plans have been developed, and a redeveloper has been selected to move these projects forward soon. I would like to continue serving the town along with Mayor Cohen and Councilman Spadafino to complete the projects that have been approved and help secure the financial future of the township moving ahead.

The single most pressing issue facing our community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Currently we are facing a pandemic and economic tornado that is causing financial hardship to families everywhere. I intend to be in the forefront, along with Mayor Cohen and Councilman Spadafino, in helping our residents and local businesses to cope with this pandemic and restore stability to our town’s finances and quality of life.

I intend to work hand in hand with our Administration and council to bring the relief available to our residents and businesses from the County, State and Federal government.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

As a current Councilman, I have a proven track record of tackling those issues that are most important to our residents. When I ran for office four years ago, businesses were closing and the condition of Route 18 seemed hopeless. Residents experienced large tax increases due to the loss of commercial revenues. With the help of Mayor Cohen and the rest of the municipal council, we re-instituted the Redevelopment Agency, re-constituted the East Brunswick Chamber of Commerce and have stabilized tax increases over the past four years.

I have worked in and have experience in the financial industry, helping clients meet their financial needs. I am very hard working and dedicated to meeting the needs of my community. I have bought this same work ethic to my current position as a Councilman. During the last 4 years, I have worked tirelessly to help any resident that has reached out for assistance. I have also developed relationships with county and state officials for the benefit of East Brunswick’s residents.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

• Fiscal Responsibility - Financial Stability of our township is the main focus of the campaign. Keeping an attentive eye on the town budget and services provided to our residents is top priority. In the past 4 years the municipal tax increases have been minimal, without loss to any services provided. Our goal for the next 4 years is to continue our fiscal commitment towards long-term property tax stabilization for our residents and retaining our superior bond rating.
• Commitment to the Future - Mayor Cohen, Councilman Spadafino and I are committed to the future of East Brunswick. This process was started back in 2017 with the resurgence of the Redevelopment Agency. Residents who were appointed to the agency helped pave the way for redeveloping the Route 18 corridor. Councilman Spadafino and I served as members of the Agency to help spearhead the movement for a better tomorrow for East Brunswick. We are all proud of our Blue-Ribbon Schools, and we are committed to maintaining a strong working relationship with the Board of Education. We have researched and implemented shared service agreements to help lower the financial burden to our residents. The council has been in meetings with the school administration for the past six months to assess the possibilities of shared services in many additional areas.
• Community Building - East Brunswick is blessed to have a diverse community and our Police Department is years ahead in their community outreach programs. We are fortunate to have men and women on the police force dedicated to protecting and serving our community. In the last 4 years, we have rebuilt and forged a strong relationship with the Police department to be united in reaching the same goals for the betterment of our community.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

• Fiscal responsibility towards the township residents is our top priority. We, as a team, have accomplished that with minimal tax increases. At the same time we have maintained superior bond ratings, insuring low interest access to capital for the township.
• I have helped to re-establish the Redevelopment Agency and served on the board as a commissioner. The Agency is navigating the goal of redeveloping Route 18.
• I have worked with the council members and Mayor Cohen to fill all the various positions available on all the Boards and Commissions in the Township.
• I have enjoyed extending a hand to the various organizations in town. It is gratifying and humbling to play such an important role in meeting the needs of our diverse community over the past 4 years. One of our greatest achievements has been the reformation of the East Brunswick Chamber of Commerce.
• As Council President for the last two years, I have worked with my colleagues to maintain a transparent and open form of government to help residents understand the all topics discussed in Council Meetings.

I continue to be available to the residents to help them. I have never wavered from this commitment and promise to honor that commitment if elected again in November.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

“Remember you are a public servant and you were elected by the people to serve the people. “

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I see myself as a steward for the residents that elected me into office. I want to continue working with the residents in resolving their issues. It felt great to be in a position to help my neighbors over the past four years. My financial background allows me to really delve into the intricacies of our municipal budget, and I am proud to say that our town has one of the best bond ratings in the State of New Jersey. I am thankful to the residents for allowing me to have served East Brunswick the last four years. I look forward to doing the same for the next four years and to helping secure the future of East Brunswick for the next generation.

In anticipation of the upcoming election, Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns. We will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

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