October-November 2001 Edition

Council Candidate:  David Ganz   1.  Why do you want to be on the council? To help maintain Fair Lawn as Bergen County's stellar community, to assist in making Fair Lawn a well-planned 21st century community that maintains strong property values, and provide outstanding services to Borough residents, yet remains affordable to our current residents as well as those who want to move here.   The Borough Council is the legislative forum that most affects the lives of the 32,000 people who life in Fair Lawn, New Jersey's 19th largest municipality (and the 4th largest in Bergen County). As someone who has been committed to public service for all of his adult life, and as a person who is skilled in achieving broad-based consensus on problem solving and issue resolution, service on the Borough Council affords a means by which I can: Serve the public on a day-to-day basis (whether it's getting trash collected on time, streets plowed, neighborhoods patrolled by police, or revitalizing Memorial Pool at no net cost to the taxpayers)[bullet] Assist my neighbors in solving the problems facing our community (whether its cooperative parking on River Road, dropping off books at the Public Library, or alerting speeders on streets to slow down!) Use my skills as a lawyer to benefit the public at large and residents of Fair Lawn in particular (writing the first Public Advocate ordinance in any of Bergen County's 70 municipalities, creating a no-cost Section 125 "Cafeteria Plan" for Boro Employees, advocating long-term labor contracts to provide stability in wages and predictability for budget purposes Because the people of Fair Lawn are entitled to an acknowledged innovator (in commenting on my proposal for "America's State Quarters that has thus-far returned $5-billion annually to the U.S. federal Treasury, the June 5, 2001 Bergen Record editorial simply said, "Bravo, Mr. Ganz"). My public service commitment includes extensive pro bono et publico ("for the benefit of the public") work as a lawyer in New York and New Jersey where I've served as a volunteer small claims court and federal court arbitrator and mediator for many years, in town where I served as a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment for 10 years (five years as secretary, four years as chairman), on a national level (as a member of the 1974 annual Assay Commission [Nixon administration appointment] and a 1993-1996 member of the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee [Clinton administration appointment]", and internationally (I worked as a special consultant to the U.N. Food & Agriculture Organization in Rome from 1974 until 1998). Even with my current schedule, I still find time to actively serve on the board of directors of not-for-profit organizations such as the Bialystoker Nursing Home on the Lower East Side in Manhattan. Of course since 1998, I have been a member of the Borough Council, and have also been Mayor since 1999.   2.  Why do you think you would be a good council member? An incumbent runs on his record. I run on that, and my past accomplishments before I was elected to the Council. Combined, these achievements demonstrate the leadership qualities necessary to succeed on the Borough Council, and essential to provide quality representation to the 32,000 residents of our town.   In the four years that I have served on the Council, I have been fortunate enough to serve for three terms as Mayor, only the third person to do that in the past quarter century. Attending meetings of the Council (there are, on average, at least 50 a year) is only the beginning of the work that is involved. There is voluminous reading of proposed ordinances and resolutions, background information, and meetings of various boards that council liaisons are involved with.   Although the position is officially a part-time one, the work typically involves dozens of hours each week and therefore requires time management skills, which I have availed myself to in the past, as well as during my tenure in office.   During my term on the Council, in addition to practicing law, I have written several award-winning books ("The Official Guide to America's State Quarters (Random House, 2000), "The Official Guide to U.S. Commemorative Coins" (Bonus Books, 1999), "Planning Your Rare Coin Retirement" (Bonus Books, 1998), and "The World of Coins and Coin Collecting (3rd completely revised edition, 1998).   I have also serve on the Board of Directors of a national trade association, the Industry Council for Tangible Assets for the past 18 years, and before I was elected to the Borough Council, served as a member of the Board of Directors, chairman of the finance committee (for six years), vice president (2 years) and later president (1993-1995) of the American Numismatic Association, an organization chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1912, with some 30,000 members nationwide.   From 1993 until 1996, I served as a charter member of the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee (appointed by Clinton Administration Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen; earlier, President Nixon had appointed me to the 1974 annual Assay Commission, the oldest continually operating commission at the time in the federal government. As an Advisory Committee member, in the face of initial opposition from the Treasury Department, the Mint, and Congress, I fought for creation of circulating commemorative coinage which ultimately became the 50 state quarter program now circulating (and giving the federal treasury an incidental benefit of $5-billion annually. U.S. Mint Director Philip Diehl wrote (in 1998): "The idea of a circulating commemorative has been around the hobby for decades, but frankly, good ideas are a dime a dozen. Far more rare is the ability to move an idea to reality, especially in the rough and tumble environment of Washington, D.C. From my vantage point, the lion's share of the credit for making the 50 States program a reality goes to David Ganz, for his persistence as an advocate, and Congressman Michael Castle for championing the proposal through Congress. David gradually persuaded me of the merits of the proposal, and we at the Mint, in turn, convinced Treasury and the Hill that it was doable. There are other claimants, to be sure, but the hobby owes a debt of gratitude to Congressman Castle and Mr. Ganz."   I have brought that same intensity of purpose to the Borough Council, the tenacity to resolve problems that borough residents have brought, and which stymied prior councils. For example, Prior councils spent years talking about the problems of Memorial Pool. The sand was harsh and filthy; the facility was old and tired, having been built in the 1950's and never improved. There was nothing to attract new people to attend, or interest young people beyond an old swimming hole. The prior Republican Administration wanted to spend $6 million in taxpayer money to build a water theme park that residents from all over New Jersey might come to. Under my leadership, at no net cost to the taxpayer, over $1.5 million in improvements were added including clean, white, soft beach sand; border collies to chase away the geese; new buildings with clean locker shower and changing facilities, an air conditioned food facility, bocce courts, outdoor billiards and table tennis, and a host of other improvements. Borough tennis courts were in disrepair. Prior councils argued that it would cost too much money to fix. Under my leadership, all of the courts are now on a rotation basis for repair, maintenance and restoration. Prior councils were loathe to find funds for the ambulance corps. Under my leadership, the current Council was able to find a means of funding a new ambulance at no net cost to the taxpayers (we requested that cellular tower revenue be dedicated to repay the advance by the Borough). In the two years prior to my election to the Council, the Borough's police department had internal strife. The then-chief of police even sued the Council over a silly ordinance requiring him to wear his uniform, instead of a business suit, during office hours. The police labor unions annual contract had expired and "job actions" were constantly being threatened. (I advocated and pioneered multi-year labor contracts for the police department, and later to our blue and white collar unions reducing labor strife, and giving predictability to wage increases for budgetary purposes). To try and make the budget seem artificially low, prior councils frequently cut out police cars from purchase with current funds. We had police cars that operate on a three shift, 245 hour a day, 7 days a week schedule with 80,000 miles or more (the equivalent, in your car, or mine, of over 140,000 miles). The cars weren't safe and capable of the top driving conditions necessary for Fair Lawn's finest. Under my leadership, the Council agreed to rotate cars on a 6 cars one year, 5 car replacement the next, on a continuous basis for the fleet. For more than 15 years, Fair Lawn's department of public works has requested a new facility so that mechanics could work on heavy-duty vehicles rather than send them out for costly replacements, and to allow for interior garage work in safe conditions. Under my leadership, a new DPW building was dedicated in late August that will give Fair Lawn a state-of-the-art facility for vehicle repair and maintenance. The prior Council didn't think it was important to have the Senior Center open on weekends. They finally added Saturday, but didn't recognize that a Sunday opening was important to a significant number of users. Under my leadership, the Council found the funds to open the senior center seven days a week! Parking at the municipal building has been problematical. Under my leadership, the Council added more than 50 new spaces at Boro Hall to make it easier for residents to park and do business with the Boro, and for seniors to park for trips. Ever had a problem finding the funds to pay a traffic ticket, or run out of cash while on a visit to Boro Hall? Prior councils didn't think that was an issue. I saw it as an opportunity, and the Boro now owns its own ATM which is in the lobby of Boro Hall. For a modest transaction fee, credit cards can be used for cash advances, or debit cards used to provide cash for payments. The Boro even makes a small profit on its operation. The parking lot at Memorial pool bedeviled the Council for a dozen years. Under my watch, it's been re-paved, re-striped, and in the winter time (weather permitting part of it is flooded for outdoor ice skating). The prior Council wanted to close Walsh pool because they claimed too few people used it. We invited some neighboring towns without pool facilities to use Walsh for a fee, added a basketball court, a walking or running track, slides, fountains and other improvements and proved that Columbia Heights isn't the forgotten part of town. The historic Radburn walkways have been in disrepair for years. Prior Councils were unable to come to grips with how to solve the problem. We successfully obtained Community Development Grant money to pay for the path restoration at no cost to the taxpayers, and at no cost to the Radburn Homeowner's Association. Republicans and Democrats alike supported the creation of a special improvement district for River Road, but no one was able, despite 10 years of trying, to find a means by which residents and customers of local stores could find adequate parking. I put action into words and wrote the cooperative parking ordinance which the Council adopted this year. There's now cooperative parking on River Road with over 50 spaces that anyone can use, even if it's not owned by the store that they are shopping at. In serving 10 years on the Zoning Board of Adjustment, including an unprecedented four years as chairman, one thing I noticed on substantial land use applications was that the public at large was rarely represented, except by occasionally by local residents who lacked the legal skills to articulate the problem that they had with an application. Anecdotal comments ("it will bring too much traffic") and subjective reasoning ("too much noise", "bad lighting", "inappropriate landscaping require legal proof for a board to give full measure and weight to the objections. Prior Borough Councils did nothing to give citizens a real voice before the planning and zoning boards. I resolved to change that, and wrote the first Public Advocate ordinance in any of the 70 towns in Bergen County. Fair Lawn now has a public advocate for the zoning board, and a separate one for the planning board -- a public advocate who represents homeowners without charge, and makes sure that major land use applications are decided on a full record with all the material that should be before a board. Traffic studies by impartial experts, noise measurements, even professional, impartial planning opinions now routinely are brought before the board. Some of the fees are paid by the land use applicants, but all Borough taxpayers help share in the cost of making sure that our town is developed properly. The Republican-controlled Council spent years debating whether or not to have television coverage of Council meetings. Under my leadership, the Council went live on channel 66 this spring, and broadcast Council meetings on Tuesday nights. We won't take the place of Hollywood Squares, Wheel of Fortune or the Simpsons, but Borough residents who want to listen or see local government in action can do so easily. For years, public comments have been a part of the regular council meetings, but not work sessions. I changed that to allow regular comments on agenda items from the general public on a first-come, first served basis at all work sessions. The Borough's ordinances were last codified in 1980. Under my leadership, our laws, rules and regulations were modernized and codified, and moved into the 21st century by having them all available not only in print, but also "on line" in fully searchable format.   3.  What would you like to accomplish in the next four years?   Work on the brick and mortar issues that have faced the Borough, unanswered for a dozen years. Maintain a stable tax rate Provide enhanced services to all residents, including tenants and seniors, without breaking the budget. Assure continued desirability of living in Fair Lawn (with a stable housing stock, good schools, top police department, great volunteer fire and emergency services by focusing on quality of life issues. Help maintain high property values by providing the services Fair Lawn residents request, and need. Continue to make quality appointments to Borough-funded positions on the basis of qualifications, not political affiliation. (Former Republican Council member Ron Mondello as Public Advocate, former Republican Council candidate Tom Metzler as Mayor's representative to the Planning Board, former (and current) Republican Council Candidate Mark Sedaka to the Zoning Board, and Fair Lawn's first female judge, Bonnie Mizdol, are just a few examples. Our Borough infrastructure had been neglected prior to my election to the council. The DPW building (requested for more than 15 years) is one example. Providing three new police cars (when six were warranted by virtue of overuse) is another. We need to continue to provide enhanced amenities and services to Borough residents that have given Fair Lawn high property values and make it a desirable place to live, and to move to. We need to provide for seniors who are no long quite as mobile. We need to provide for alternative parking for commuters who reside in Fair Lawn and who take the bus, or train, to go to work. We need to keep our taxes stable., preserve and enhance our open spaces, and modernize our recreation facilities. We must continue repaving our roadways, planting and pruning of trees, looking for opportunities with neighboring communities to join together to save taxpayer's money by combining services.   4.   What is your opinion on three issues that are often raised in Fair Lawn News: (a) Broadway, (b) River Road, and (c) traffic/pedestrian safety?   4a. Broadway:  Broadway is Fair Lawn's first business corridor. Its location on a State Highway means that the Borough has little control over its cross-streets as well as Broadway itself. A return to local control should be fully explored. I favor re-development on Broadway, but re-development determined by its residents in keeping with the needs of local businesses. As Mayor, I appointed a Broadway Advisory Committee to advise the Mayor and Council, and the Planning Board. In the long run, however, Broadway is better off if the local merchants establish a special improvement district (as was done on River Road) which can then work with neighbors to come up with a common plan that all can agree on to better the district.   4b. River Road:  Now that the Council has made it easier for new businesses to move into the River Road Special Improvement District, River Road's special improvement district, now newly improved with its cooperative parking plan, needs to move to phase II and attract new merchants to the area. There is also a need to popularize River Road merchants outside of Fair Lawn and the easy ability to park and utilize their services and buy their goods.   Additional cooperative parking among private merchants is highly desirable. The Borough should help in the process, but the local merchants and their special improvement district committee must now take the lead. The Council needs to continue to take steps to assure that there is adequate parking in and around River Road.   4c. Traffic/Pedestrian Safety:   The Pedestrian Traffic Safety Task Force, appointed by the Mayor and Council, made a number of important recommendations that remain unimplemented either because the County or State has declined to give its approval, or because there is still not consensus within the community to carry out its advice. Consensus needs to be built on some remaining issues to slow down traffic on Fair Lawn Avenue, Morlot Avenue, River Road, Maple Avenue, Saddle River Road and some other areas around town and to enhance safety in these areas.   5.  What do you think are the other top issues?   My view is that the single issue of top importance is to help maintain Fair Lawn as Bergen County's stellar community, to assist in making Fair Lawn a well-planned 21st century community that maintains strong property values, and provide outstanding services to Borough residents, yet remains affordable to our current residents as well as those who want to move here.   6.  Anything else you would like to say?   I thank the citizens of Fair Lawn for their input over the past four years, and in advance, I thank them for their support.   What Do You Think?: Send an e- mail to editor@fairlawnnews.com or post a message on the Fair Lawn News Discussion Forum.