J Eric Harriz for Kinnelon Borough Council

The polls will only be open for one more hour. If you havent voted, no matter who you favor, get out and exercise your basic right to self determination.

Go Colts!

Lots of positive feedback and support coming in from folks leaving the polls this morning. Thanks to all of you who are going to Column 2 and selecting Anthony Chirdo and J. Eric Harriz for Borough Council.

On my way out from the library I ran into this guy, stopping by to vote on his way to work. It's a great day to get out and exercise your right to select those who will be representing you for the next three years. Column 2, Anthony Chirdo and J. Eric Harriz. The right choice for Kinnelon.

That was easy. Took all of 4 minutes. The greatest privilege of our representative democracy and it requires so little effort. I am very proud to be an American and a resident of Kinnelon.

Today is the day! I'm first in line at the Kinnelon Library to cast my vote for change. Please join me in voting today.

Anthony and I spent 4 hours yesterday walking around Lake Reality and up and down Fayson Lakes Road. We met a lot of people and got to share your and our thoughts on what Kinnelon needs going forward. If we impressed you as trustworthy and committed candidates, please vote tomorrow, Column 2, Anthony Chirdo and J. Eric Harriz.

Just look for Jim Freda. We are right there below him.

5 miles yesterday and another beautiful day to walk around Kinnelon!!. J Eric Harriz for Kinnelon Borough Council and I are looking forward to meeting you!
P.S-We need to walk off the beefsteak from last nights PBA Beefsteak! A great time was had by all :-)

Lake Reality

Of the amenities that makes Kinnelon a desirable place to live, the fact that we have three separate lake communities within the Borough is unique. Of these three, only one, Lake Reality, allows membership outside of its immediate residents. As many of you are aware, the Lake Reality Association has been trying to secure a loan to pay for mandated repairs to its dam. This loan requires the Borough as a co-signatory partner. Without this loan, Lake Reality faces the very real possibility of being drained. Imagine the effect that draining the lake will have on the property values in that section of our greater community and the attraction of Kinnelon as a whole. Lowered property values create lower income for the Borough which will create a greater tax burden for all other residents.
The loan requires a certain percentage of buy-in from the Lake Reality home owners. As long as that condition is met Council should agree to co-signing the loan. Council support is critical for Lake Reality and good for all of Kinnelon.
I support the initiative to Save Lake Reality and am committed to working with the Lake Reality Homeowners Association and the rest of Council to bring home the necessary funding to effect repairs to the dam and preserve property values here in Kinnelon.

On June 7th, vote Column 2, Anthony Chirdo and J. Eric Harriz

Third Word to decribe a good Council Member.

“Genuine”

A good Council member should be “genuine”. By genuine I mean authentic, sincere, non-defensive and amiable. There are times when Council members have to deal with situations that have great emotional significance for the public. We are all neighbors. We are all taxpayers. We all share a common interest. In the broadest terms, that common interest is the prosperity of ourselves and our community. Conversations can often become intense. Council must deal with those intense situations with compassion and without becoming defensive, especially if the intense conversations are in response to proposals that council has brought before the people. As residents, we have a right to question our government officials. It is a foundational part of our representative Democracy, just like the right to Freedom of Speech. Council should be willing to share their reasoning with the public even at the risk of making the meeting a little longer. Anthony and I are dedicated to the proposition that even at the local level, government is by the people and for the people, and not just the few who have personal influence with those in power. Both Anthony and I have met many of you personally and we look forward to the opportunity of serving you as your newest representatives on Borough Council.

This coming Tuesday, June 7th please vote Column 2, Anthony Chirdo and J. Eric Harriz for Borough Council.

2nd word

The second word that describes a good Council member is "service" or "service minded". Council members are elected to serve the community. We are responsible to each and everyone of you, no matter what anyone says. That is a serious responsibility and commitment; one that should not be taken lightly. It is the only reason that an individual should run for a position on Council or in any other public service job. "Public servant", it's in the name. That is what Anthony and I are here to do, serve you. Within the first few months after moving to Kinnelon, Anthony discovered and alerted Council to inconsistancies with the water/sewer budgets. It was discovered that the 600 public water/sewer users were also unfairly being charged for the boro and BOE's water/sewer usage. This is the sort of attention to detail that we promise to bring to the table when elected.

When Anthony and I were interviewed by the local Republican Committee, we were asked "What three words do think best describes a good Council member?" For me, the first word would be "Trustworthy". The public should trust in the integrity and motivation of their representatives. Every time a resident comes before Council for any reason, they should be able to leave that meeting believing that they were heard, respected and taken seriously. Additionally, Council has an obligation to respond to that resident in a timely fashion and address the resident's concern, describing what action has been taken or what action will be taken to resolve the issue. The entire basis of our political system is one of trust and Anthony and I are dedicated to earning the trust of each and every resident, working for your benefit and the benefit of our community.

2nd word coming tomorrow.

For those of you that were unable to attend our Meet and Greet on May 12th here is a little personal info to let you know who I am and what I'm about.

A post was made recently claiming that Borough Council knew nothing about the the offer to bond for 1.2 million dollars to acquire apparatus to replace aging fire trucks for the KVFC. The post below by KVFC Vice President Alex Merlucci sets the record straight. Hopefully someday he will be sitting on Council.

2500 flyers were sent out by first class mail this past Monday for Harriz/Chirdo for Kinnelon Borough Council. Each one hand labeled and stamped by us and some with personal notes. That is the kind of personal commitment you can expect from us when we are elected as your next Council representatives.

The 100 year Anniversary Bash at Kinnelon Mumicipal building this past Friday was a huge success. Many thanks to Mayor Freda and Councilman Sean Mabey in particular for all their effort in pulling this awesome event together to celebrate our town. Anthony Chirdo and I spoke with many folks who attended and got to hear a lot about what is important to people who live in the Borough. One of the people I spoke with was Kathy Fernstrom, a concerned parent. She, like many of the people we spoke with was passionate about Kinnelon and how we can effect change for a better tomorrow. Thank you Kathy and everyone else for your Kinnelon Pride and with your support we look forward to being your newest representatives on Borough Council. Come out and vote on June 7th.

Last night Anthony Chirdo and I were interviewed by the Kinnelon Municipal Republican Committee at the Kinnelon Library. My only regret was that it was a closed meeting. It was an opportunity for the two of us to introduce ourselves and for the committee to ask some pointed questions in regard to our motivation for running. One question to me was how I saw Kinnelon in 5 years and my answer centered around one big issue, taking advantage of the available commercial real-estate here in the borough by finding businesses to occupy them so that the tax burden to the residents can be brought under control. One important issue to consider is bringing in businesses with staying power like the Primary Care and Women's Heath Center that recently moved into the Kinnelon Mall. At our Meet and Greet held last Thursday at Company 1 a local resident suggested the possibility of bringing in a Sports complex. An interesting idea. Finding the right match for Kinnelon will take a concerted effort and Anthony and I are both up for the challenge to work with Council and find a solution.

Ballots are out for the June 7th Primary. If you would like to see it before you step in the booth go to www.morriscountyclerk.org and type in sample ballots then look down the list for Kinnelon.

Go to Republican Column 2. Look for Mayor Freda and right underneath you will find Chirdo and Harriz.

With your help and support we are looking forward to bringing a new perspective and new ideas to the Kinnelon Borough Council.

Come meet the candidates tonight. 7:00pm at Company #1, Kiel Ave. Fire House.

Get to know Anthony Chirdo and I and let us know what is important to you.

Kinnelon Borough Budget

Borough Council is presenting its budget for fiscal year 2022 at the working meeting this coming Tuesday at 7:00pm. The Kinnelon Volunteer Fire Company has requested that they be allotted a figure that will bring them to within $25,000.00 of their actual yearly operating budget. It remains to be seen if Council will acknowledge the contribution of the men and women who protect this community day and night, 24/7 and who do it all for free. In the last 4 1/2 months there have been two serious house fires and two forest fires here in town. As of now, the volunteers on their own time, must raise $65,000.00 a year in fund raisers just to meet their financial needs. Come to the Tuesday working session and show the fire company your support.

The Primary election is coming up on June 7th. I have thrown my hat in the ring and I am on the Ballot this year! I have also teamed up with an outstanding resident named Anthony Chirdo who will be running for the other empty seat on council this election period. Come out and get to know us both this coming Thursday at the Kiel Avenue Fire House right next to the Glenn Sisco School. Looking forward to talking with you.

I wanted to make a quick post to thank those who took the time to write my name in last Tuesday. 237 folks chose to buck the system and take a chance. That was approximately 10% of what each of the winners received and they had the added advantage of being in the Republican column below Jack. If I am able to run next year when two positions open on Council, I will make sure I am on the ballot. It makes a world of difference. I look forward to the possibility of serving you in the future. Thanks for your support. I will continue to attend Council meetings and pursue issues that will make Kinnelon a better place for all its citizens.

If you have things that you would like me to bring up, please feel free to message me.

What a great day for voting!

Tuesday was a great day for Voting. So many people came out that there was never a dull moment for the poll workers. I dropped by the Kinnelon Library at about 1:00pm to cast my vote on my lunch break from working over at the Butler Fire House on Carey and there were people lined up on the stairs as I was leaving.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to come out and vote and those of you who typed in my name for Borough Council. It will take up to a week before all of the absentee ballots and provisional ballots are counted as well as the write in votes from Tuesday. That is why you may not be seeing any vote tallies for either Tom Manning or me on sites like The Patch or the Morris County Board of Elections site. It is not over until all the votes are counted. I will be leaving my signs up until the final results are in. Go Colts! Speaking of which, there are some very talented wrestlers on the Kinnelon High School Wrestling team this year. I was lucky enough to be a Rec. Wrestling Coach when they were in the program. If you get the chance this year, come out and cheer them on. They and all the High School teams here in Kinnelon would really appreciate your support. And thanks again for your vote!

Let's bring it home!

Polls open tomorrow at 6:00am! On election days I normally serve at the Kinnelon Library for District 03 as a Poll worker, but since I am running a write in campaign, I will be over in Butler at the Carey St. Firehouse. A good place for me as the KVFC often assists in Kinnelon and vise versa.

During the last month of campaigning I have spoken with so many supporters who are looking for new representation on Borough Council and I feel very good about my chances tomorrow.

One way to greatly increase the chance of bringing a new voice to the table would be to only enter my name and not select either of the other two candidates. It is inevitable that one of them will be re-elected tomorrow (there is no doubt about it). I know that the ballot allows you two choices for Borough Council. By only writing in my name and not selecting one of the others on the ballot, you effectively raise my vote count and decrease theirs. Many people who don’t even care about the Borough Council race will automatically select both candidates. Others who vote straight party will simply click all of the buttons in the second column. No one need worry that two candidates for Borough Council will not be elected tomorrow. Even if only good friends and neighbors vote for them, one will win.

By clicking the button at the bottom of the write in column in the Borough Council line and typing in J Eric Harriz, then checking to make sure you are happy with all of your other selections prior to pushing the red “Cast Your Vote” button, you make it possible for positive change to happen in Kinnelon. Be on that ticket!

If you need help on how to do a write in vote, ask your poll worker. They will assist you!

Kinnelon is a great place to live.

What makes it great are the people. Walking around this past weekend, handing out flyers in Fayson Lakes, on Riker Road and its tributaries, Green Hill Avenue, Kent Brook Road, Strong Road, Derrygally Circle and other small lanes and terraces, I met and spoke with many amazing people. Everyone is engaged and dedicated to making Kinnelon an even better place to live. I listened to and took away some terrific ideas about how the Borough can better serve its residents. Ideas and issues that are not even on the radar of the current Council. When elected I will bring your suggestions forward and work to enroll the other Council members in implementing them into the Borough’s planning. I look forward to representing all of you as the newest member of Council. On Tuesday, November 2nd, press the “write in button” in the far-right bottom box and type in J Eric Harriz for Kinnelon Borough Council.

Did you know?

There is a get-together at Lake Reality Beach today from 1:00-3:00pm. Non-members are welcome. I will take a break from handing out flyers to drop by, say hello and listen to what people have to say. I hope to see you there.

It’s almost here!

November 2nd, Election Day is almost upon us, just four short days away. The only way that I have a chance of winning is if you write in my name, J Eric Harriz, and don’t vote for either of the other two candidates on the ballot, even though you are directed to make two selections. One of them will win, no doubt about it. But if I am to have a chance, we have to reduce the number of votes that each one gets by not adding to their tally. Each of the candidates on the ballot running for Borough Council has friends and well wishers who will vote for them, plus the folks who will vote straight party all the way down the ballot. By not picking a second representative for Borough Council you subtract from their total vote count and make my election possible. On Tuesday write in J Eric Harriz for Kinnelon Borough Council and no other.

I will be walking around Fayson Lakes tomorrow, handing out flyers. I hope to see you out there.

Did you know?

The Emergency dispatcher located at the police entrance of the Kinnelon Municipal building is a great asset to our community. Not only are the dispatchers responsible for taking emergency calls but they also dispatch police, fire and EMS responders to all emergency situations throughout the borough and for mutual aid situations in surrounding towns that require the involvement of Kinnelon resources. They also provide other valuable services such as the first line interface between the police and residents, shared custody exchange supervision, local non-emergency information, point of contact for police, fire and EMS line of duty needs such as utilities, county, state and federal support in the case of escalating emergencies. Our local dispatchers have shown their value numerous times. In one case a man was suffering a heart attack in the library parking lot and Kinnelon Dispatch was able to immediately contact EMS services after seeing the individual in distress right outside the door.

Our dispatch system will eventually need to be upgraded at an estimated cost of $100,000-$150,000. Borough Council instead, is considering switching to the County dispatch system that will not only eliminate the on-site dispatcher but also require an additional $300,000.00-$350,000.00 to re-outfit all police and Fire Apparatus with new radio equipment. Unfortunately, given the topography of Kinnelon we will also need to build additional repeater towers to boost the county signal at an additional cost. All this plus the Fire department will also need to keep and maintain its old equipment if we are to honor our mutual aid agreements with surrounding towns. A bad choice for Kinnelon and a poor use of taxpayer money. When elected I will focus on fixing what needs to be fixed and retaining what makes Kinnelon an asset to its residents and our surrounding municipal partners.

Save Lake Reality

Did you know?

The dam on Lake Reality needs to be replaced. The lake is privately owned and therefore the project is not eligible for the kind of financial assistance that could be sought were the lake owned by the Borough. But there are other options for financing and the community is seeking the Borough’s support in securing a loan. Repaying the loan would be the sole responsibility of the resident homes that directly (financially) benefit from lake.

Lake Reality is the only lake community in Kinnelon that accepts outside members from within the borough. Many Kinnelon families without lake access of their own can partake of what I like to call “Lake Life”. If the dam is removed and the lake drained that way of life will disappear for the 100-120 member families. Additionally, property values of the homes around the lake would be adversely affected and the Borough would lose tax revenue. I support Lake Reality’s request for a partnership with the Borough to save the lake and replace the dam as an investment in the community and in the lives and wellbeing of its citizens.

What are your priorities?

Abraham Lincoln, in his Gettysburg address, alluded to government “of the people, by the people, for the people.” That’s what I am striving for. Each of us should be able to bring our thoughts and concerns to the people who we have elected to Council and have those issues considered and addressed. If you have thoughts about our community, please PM me and I will bring them to the next meeting. When elected I will have the authority to act on those issues as your representative.

Did you know?

Kinnelon has undeveloped property that could be sold to a commercial enterprise to generate some much needed tax revenue to help offset the heavy tax burden on our largely residential population. There is a sizable block of property available for purchase which sits behind and to the south of Lowe's. Yes, that is a part of Kinnelon. When elected to Council I will make it a priority to advertise that property for sale and development to increase the tax base for the Borough.