April 29, 2010
By SETH AUGENSTEIN
SPARTA -- Seven newcomers said they could do better running the town than the outgoing council majority has, at the candidates' debate Thursday night.
The economy, and local government's taxing and spending, dominated the dialogue. Last week's decisive defeat of the school budget was a major topic, with several candidates saying they would defer to the school administration -- others saying they would take the 70-percent rejection as a mandate to significantly cut it.
The newcomers are: Jon Rush, a former school board member; controversial activist Jesse Wolosky; Jim Nye, an executive in educational publishing; Molly Whilesmith, a mother of two who's worked in sales and marketing; Donald Ploetner, a 28-year-old who has worked in the auto industry; Robert Spetz, owner of a local auto repair shop; and John Schon, another local businessman.
Gilbert Gibbs, the eighth candidate, was unable to make it the debate, due to his son's confirmation.
The debate featured much talk about "creative solutions" and "thinking outside the box" to pull the town out of the global recession that's hit the local government. Candidates said they'd bring businesses into town, try shared service agreements with other towns, and generally improve life in Sparta.
The candidates presented their personal variations on the theme:
* Wolosky was the most animated and forceful of the speakers. He promised to fire the township manager; not because of his salary, but because of personal financial problems Wolosky said he found in the public record, which could translate into public financing problems for the town. He also said the eight newcomers have already won the race , because the outgoing majority is leaving office -- and urged a majority to give him 50 percent and avoid a runoff election.
"Help me help us," he said.
* Rush, who waged a belated and surprising write-in campaign in the 2008 election but fell just short of the runoff, was the opposite comportment. The career fireman admitted he didn't know some things, but was well-versed on the workings of the council committees and recent controversies. Rush, like in the write-in race, is again running without any real money -- and even put forth some ideas, like contributing his stipend to a newly-formed "youth corps" to get a new demographic of the town involved.
* Whilesmith said she was in favor of representing the will of the people -- and of consistently and constantly listening to the majority's needs, balanced against budgetary shortcomings.
"I think we need a 'want' and a 'need' column -- and we settle for the 'needs,'" she said.
* Nye, whose wife is on the school board, presented a brand of "thoughtful leadership" -- involving quiet, empowering and rational decisionmaking, as he described his platform in a soft, even voice.
* Spetz presented a no-nonsense platform of spending reduction and accountability, which would be a wholesale "change of the culture."
"I think the only way we'll get control of taxes is if we can control ourselves," he said. "It's time for change... people are just ready for it."
* Ploetner said the town should seize the state's drive to cut back regulations in an effort to bring rateables to Sparta, thereby offsetting taxes. He quoted his slogan in summation.
"We must do better for the people of Sparta," he said.
* Schon touted fiscal responsibility -- and said the new council should immediately cut 10 to 15 percent of the budget in anticipation of further economic hard times.
"I want to address it up front," he said.
* Gibbs, in a submitted letter, touted his experience volunteering in youth sports programs and on the receation commission. He said he valued Sparta's safety and quality of life, and supported the work of the police department.
Three council members -- a majority -- will be selected by voters on May 11. Historically, however, no candidate gets 50 percent of the vote, and there must be a runoff election in June.
The debate was co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Sussex Highlands and The New Jersey Herald; it will be broadcast on Service Electric's local station next week.
