Election Profile: Tara Corcoran-Clark For Hazlet Twp Committee

HAZLET, NJ - Two seats are up for grabs on the Hazlet Township Committee this year, with five candidates having filed for a seat.

Incumbent committee members James "Skip" McKay and Tara Corcoran-Clark are seeking re-election while newcomers Carrie Virgilio, David Personette and Scott Feirstein are looking to unseat them.

The primary elections will take place in New Jersey on June 8. Read more about the other candidates here: Here's Who Filed For Hazlet Township Committee In 2021

Corcoran-Clark, 55, is the current mayor of Hazlet and has served on the township committee since 2019. She is a former CPA and CMA who currently serves as an elementary school teacher at East Brunswick Public Schools. She holds a Master’s Degree in elementary education from Monmouth University and a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting from St. John’s University.

Corcoran-Clark has been a resident of Hazlet for 31 years with her husband Walter. She is a proud mom to three daughters: Meghan, 20, and twins Delaney and Brianna, both 18.

Are you running for local office in 2021? Contact Nicole Rosenthal at nicole.rosenthal@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.

Why are you seeking elective office?

It has been an honor to serve on the Hazlet Township Committee over the past two and a half years as Committeewoman, Deputy Mayor, and presently as Hazlet’s Mayor. Serving on the Township Committee has been challenging, yet the rewards have been immeasurable. I am seeking re-election because I strongly believe I have made a substantial difference during my current term in office. I would like to have the opportunity to continue to give back to the town that has been a wonderful place for my husband and me to raise our three daughters.

I work full-time as a third-grade teacher, which has been a demanding job during the pandemic. After school I focus on township business and helping residents. The most enjoyable part of serving on the Township Committee is assisting residents with specific problems or concerns. Residents are always grateful when I visit their homes or reach out to them personally by phone.

I am currently on the Land Use Board, Recreation Advisory Committee, Environmental Commission, Finance Committee, and Library Commission. I also oversee the Hazlet Swim & Tennis Club utility to ensure the club is financially viable and a welcoming place for our patrons.

What is your vision for Hazlet in 2022 and beyond?

I want to re-envision Hazlet’s recreation program. I am thrilled to have recently hired a new Recreation Director, Chris McManus, to run our Recreation Department. Instead of offering programs exclusively in Veterans Park, we have fresh, new, creative plans to roll out recreational activities to our pocket parks. I believe it is time to offer more activities for residents in their immediate neighborhood. Our initial focus will be on providing health, wellness, and recreational activities for seniors and younger residents.

We plan to explore recreational trends and develop programs and events based on resident input. For example, Committeeman Skip McKay and the Township Committee recently created a new community band called Hazlet Pops in collaboration with Raritan High School’s marching Band Director, Raymond LaHaye, to promote music and community-based concerts in the parks.

I am also working diligently with Hazlet’s Environmental Commission and Open Space Advisory Council to protect and renovate our parks. We recently opened our long-planned Environmental Center at Natco Park, which will offer educational programs and activities to residents. I promoted the need for an Environmental Resource Inventory of our 260+ acre Natco Park. The inventory is expected to be completed by the end of 2021 and will provide the Township Committee with invaluable recommendations to enable us to improve our largest park’s trails and ecosystem.

The most exciting initiative I am currently involved with is the plan to renovate Hazlet’s 8th Street Community Park. I am working with enthusiastic West Keansburg residents, our Township’s Grant Writer, engineers, members of the Open Space Advisory Council, and other key stakeholders, to apply for $1 million in grants to pay for the renovation.

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

Property taxes are the most critical issue facing Hazlet’s residents; I am acutely aware of the burden on taxpayers. Over the past few years, the Township Committee has put considerable effort into developing budgets and monitoring ongoing expenses, while maintaining a high level of service.

I am extremely fortunate to work with Committee members who have extensive financial experience. My running mate, Committeeman Skip McKay, had a long career as a senior executive at GE Capital and is currently the CEO of a commercial lending business. Committeeman Glackin is the Controller / Financial Officer for a Real Estate Investment company. Our combined financial experience allows us to find operational efficiencies and cost savings. We also continue to avail of shared service opportunities with local municipalities.

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

Prior to becoming an educator, I had a successful career in public and private industry as a CPA/CMA. My accounting and auditing experience has proven invaluable in my role as mayor.

I do not know my challengers since I have not met them on any committees or commissions in town, however, I commend any candidate who is willing to run for elected office.

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

In 2018 when I ran for election, I knocked on over 1,800 residents’ doors in town. The overwhelming message I heard was the need to improve our communications outreach. Having an excellent website and social media presence is crucial. Communications play an integral role in community building.

Within one year of being elected, we rolled out a state-of-the art municipal website, hired a Public Information Officer, successfully expanded our social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and launched a new emergency communications system: CivicReady. We recently started the Hazlet Citizen News Weekly Newsletter to keep residents updated on recent happenings. A highlight for me was when our Public Information Office won the award for best web and social media in the state in the Municipal Public Information Contest. We are currently working on adding a new platform, CivicClerk, to streamline our agenda and meeting management process. That system will be in place by the fall.

Having an excellent website platform has enabled us to improve services in many ways. In addition to providing timely news, we are now able to create online forms to allow residents to easily register for events, such as the highly successful COVID-19 vaccination registration initiative that enabled 1,036 Hazlet seniors to obtain their vaccinations. The system also streamlined the registration process and increased participation for our popular town-wide garage sales, spring bike parade, and fall drive-in movies.

For the past two years I have worked diligently with the other members of the Township Committee to stabilize taxes, while investing in an extensive town-wide road restoration program. Instead of focusing on fixing isolated roads, as our Democratic predecessors did, the current Township Committee has developed an extensive road master plan based on an in-depth, town-wide, engineering evaluation of road conditions. This year we will undertake the largest road program in Hazlet’s history. We believe in a “whole neighborhood” approach to road renovation, taking advantage of economies of scale, low interest rates, and our town’s excellent municipal credit rating.

The best advice ever shared with me:

My dad died of cancer when I was 17. I think of him often whenever challenges come my way, but I most remember this advice:

“If a great opportunity comes your way, take it, even if you don’t know exactly at the time what to do. Make things happen.”

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

I believe strongly in the importance of volunteerism. In 2016, prior to being elected to the Township Committee, I volunteered 2,000 hours over two years, serving on the legal team of Residents Against Giant Electric (RAGE), a grassroots community group that successfully defeated a monster powerline project proposed by JCP&L that would have devastated Hazlet and four neighboring towns.

I have instilled the importance of volunteerism in my children; my daughter Meghan served as an EMT on the Hazlet First Aid Squad throughout the pandemic and continues to serve in that capacity while attending college. My two other daughters, who will soon be entering college, have also actively volunteered in organizations across town.

I am an avid reader. I recently read a book titled Building a Vibrant Community: How Citizen-Powered Change is Reshaping America. The author, Quint Studer states:

“Creating a great community is like throwing pebbles in a pond. While each pebble may not make a big splash, each one impacts the water, creates ripples and builds, ultimately changing the pond.” I hope that the people of Hazlet will consider me once again for the Hazlet Township Committee; to allow me to create a ripple effect. To continue to build upon initiatives currently underway.

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