CRANFORD — Cranford voters will head to the polls next week to select a member of the township committee from a pool comprised of one incumbent and two challengers.
Commissioner Gina Black, who was first elected to the committee in 2021, will be vying for a new, threeyear term as a member of the township’s governing body against Democratic challenger Juan Carlos Nordelo (who currently sits on the township’s planning board) and Independent candidate William Thilly. “On the big issues, the rest of the township committee moves in lockstep. I am the one independent voice sticking up for our commonsense hometown values,” Ms. Black, the township committee’s only Republican, said.
Throughout the course of this election season, Ms. Black has identified “excessive PILOT agreements,” overdevelopment, flood mitigation and traffic control as some of her key priorities.
Mr. Thilly, who was unsuccessful in his bid for election in 2022, is running on a platform of transparency and responsible development.
“Our township meetings need to be about getting residents what they want, by offering clear answers to their questions, encouraging open discussion and dialogue, and ultimately working together for consensus and compromise. I will lead this effort,” he said via his campaign website.
Mr. Nordelo, meanwhile, says he plans to “invest in and improve the township’s storm-water infrastructure,” prioritize pedestrian safety and hold developers accountable.
Three candidates — incumbents William Hulse and Jessica Soltys and newcomer John McGovern — are unopposed in seeking election to three, three-year terms on the Cranford Board of Education.
