The teams for Montclair's mayoral race are emerging. Jerry Fried shares his Unity Montclair team with us:
Shocking as it may seem, I'm the candidate for Mayor, with: 1st Ward- Gerry Tobin 2nd Ward- Cary Africk 3rd Ward- Nick Lewis 4th Ward spot is open At-large- Sandy Castor At-large- Kathryn Weller
Press release in the jump...
UnityMontclair Slate Announces Candidacy for Town Council with a Theme of Community Activism Jerry Fried, Cary Africk, Kathryn Weller, Gerry Tobin, Nick Lewis and Sandy Castor have announced the formation of the "UnityMontclair" slate for the May 13, 2008 municipal election. Fried will head the slate as the candidate for Mayor, with Weller and Castor running at-large and Tobin, Africk and Lewis representing in the First, Second and Third Wards respectively."UnityMontclair is dedicated to bringing real change to the Township Council with responsive and open government. We have brought together community leaders with different perspectives who will work to reach consensus on a new course of action for the Township. The slate encompasses all parts of the Town and its different points of view," Fried stated.
A 19 year resident of Montclair, Jerry Fried has always been active in the Montclair community. He is the founder and President of Bike Montclair, which works to make Montclair a safer place for pedestrians and cyclists and has been instrumental in procuring hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for the town. For 5 years he has organized the annual Tour de Montclair, an enormously successful recreational bike ride through Montclair which has attracted hundreds Montclair residents, from six to 86 years. "I am running for Mayor because I want to preserve and revive the activism that makes Montclair exceptional. I believe we can do this through UnityMontclair. We need responsive, bold leadership to make the decisions that are essential to renewing Montclair and improving our community." Fried said. An award winning commercial film editor, Fried is the father of 3 children (two are graduates of the Montclair pubic schools and one currently enrolled at Glenfield School). His wife Karen-Nielsen Fried is an artist. Cary Africk has lived in Montclair since 1984. He serves on the Township's Joint Capital Investment Advisory Committee and is a member of the Environmental Commission. He is on the School Review Committee at Montclair High School and the Parents Advisory Committee for Gifted education. He is a regular contributor to the Montclair Watercooler. "I am ready, willing and able to spend the time it takes to do the homework, listen to your ideas and be a truly effective representative on the Council. From reviewing and passing budgets, to debating local ordinances, to fighting for quality education for our children, I am convinced I can help change the direction of the Town government," Africk said. "Unity Montclair will seek common sense solutions that work for the entire Town," he added. Africk is an engineer who has worked for many Fortune Five Hundred companies.
Kathryn Weller is a longtime community activist who ran for an at-large position in 2004. A lifelong resident of Montclair, she is a volunteer with many local organizations, including Paws and HeadCount, an organization dedicated to registering voters. She is artist who works with stained glass. "I see Montclair at a pivotal point. If we continue on our current path, Montclair will be unaffordable to homeowners and tenants alike. What's more, the cultural and social diversity that we cherish will be lost.” Weller stated. Gerry Tobin has been on the Township Council since 2000. He has served as Deputy Mayor, as member of the Board of School Estimate and on the Planning Board. He has been the liaison to the Environmental, the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and Cable Television Committees. He has also served as the liaison to the Historic Preservation Commission and the Montclair Economic Development Corporation. Before he was elected to the Council, he served on the Zoning Board. He is an attorney with an office in Montclair. "UnityMontclair is committed to ending the divisive politics we have seen in the last few years and bringing Montclair together. We will bring fresh, new perspectives to the problems the Town faces. There is much to be done with regard to issues such as historic preservation and the quality of life in Montclair," Tobin stated. Nick Lewis and his wife Judie Rinearson have lived in Montclair since 1992. They have three children, a 2006 MHS graduate and two who are currently in the public schools. Nick has been very active in the Rand School PTA since 1993 and has coached Town League Baseball and Soccer for over a decade. He is past President of the Arts Council of Essex County and an advisor to the Montclair Academy of Dance. He has served on the Board of Trustees and has been nominated to be the next President of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair. Having spent the majority of his professional life as a labor lawyer, he transitioned to private practice to spend more time with his children and has worked in Montclair representing the elderly. Nick and his family lived in Australia for three years where Nick served as General Counsel of the Australian Baseball League and taught at the University of Technology, Sydney. Sandy Castor has lived in Montclair her whole life. A graduate of Fordham University, she currently works in the Business and Legal Affairs Department of the Commercial Music Group of SonyBMG Music Entertainment. Her political involvement in Montclair began in 2000 with "Advance Montclair" and continued as a member of the Montclair Community Intervention and a participant in the Conversations on Race Program. She has gone on to work on several political campaigns, including Jon Corzine's campaign for Governor. She resides within the 4th Ward as well as co- owns rental properties in the ward. "I want Montclair to move away from politics as usual in order to address the many issues facing Montclair. We need to work together to preserve the essence of Montclair in lieu of the changes caused by increased development." Castor stated. “I am not opposed to change and development because it is necessary for growth. I am concerned though, about maintaining a economic diversity and responsibility for how our tax dollars are being spent."
"UnityMontclair" is committed to transparent and open government that truly represents our unique and vibrant community. "The town must return to its core value of being a economically and socially diverse home for not just the affluent, but also for middle and lower income working families including the teachers, artists, writers and other creative people who make Montclair one of the most sought after places to raise your family. There's a proud tradition of citizen activists being involved in Montclair government. We want to revive, encourage and increase involvement at every level. People are ready for a change, and I'm confident that the UnityMontclair slate will deliver."
Wolfman Jack and Bill Clinton on one slate?
Got my vote!
(Sorry. Couldn't resist.)