Election Profile: Bill Stemmle For Lacey Township Committee

LACEY, NJ — A pair of Lacey Township Committee seats are up for grabs this year and two candidates from each party have filed for a spot, according to the township’s clerk.

Patch asked each candidate to complete a questionnaire outlining biographical information, their platform and their stands on a handful of issues.

Democrat Bill Stemmle will be running for a seat in 2021. The candidate is a 39-year resident of Lacey. He is retired from working as a supervisor to the Ocean County Board of Social Services, a position he held for 33 years.

Read more about his plans for Lacey in this Patch Q&A below:

Age (as of Election Day): 68

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Family: My wife Phyllis, three children ages 40, 38 and 31, and three grandchildren ages 18, 9 and 9.

Education: BA in Secondary Education (Social Studies) from Rider College

Occupation: Retired - Supervisor, Ocean County Board Of Social Services, 37 years

Previous, current elected or appointed office: None

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

Why are you seeking elective office? To return the two party system, along with a fresh prospective, to Lacey, and to make government more responsible to the will of the people.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc. is _______ , and this is what I intend to do about it. The economic challenges caused by the power plant closing. I would aggressively pursue public pressure to finally pass the Stranded Act and/or explore other means of compensation for storage of spent nuclear fuel, as well as permit recreational cannabis sales with a local sales tax.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? My running mate and I will be responsive to the will of the people, while our opponents are beholden to partisan political concerns.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)? Our current committee has not been sufficiently assertive in pursuing accountability from Holtec, and has refused to pursue possible funding besides property taxes due to political concerns.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign. We would try to alleviate traffic issues by exploring an alternate to Route 9 south of Lacey Rd, and push to finally install a light at Lake Barnegat and Haines. We will also work to establish a dog park in town.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? I served as President of the Toms River Jaycees, with 125 members and multiple public service projects, solidifying my oversight and delegation skills and my empathy. I also served as a Supervisor at work for 33 years, honing my ability to learn and manage complex regulations and disparate staff.

The best advice ever shared with me was: If you tell the truth, you don't have to have a great memory.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions? As a resident of Lacey for 39 years, I will always place the best interests of our people ahead of any political concerns.