Meet Marguerite Baranowski
Marguerite Baranowski
Marguerite is a long-time resident of Bridgewater and former Somerville Borough Councilwoman. After obtaining an Associate Degree in Accounting from Somerset County College (now Raritan Valley Community College) she went on to build a successful bookkeeping company which has been in operation since 1989. Marguerite has 30 years of extensive community service ranging from working with entities that help children with special needs to individuals facing food scarcity through SHIP in Somerville, NJ.
Marguerite Baranowski for Council of Bridgewater Answers Questions for The Breeze Newspaper Election
1. We are finally out of the pandemic, but inflation and other costs are still crippling a lot of people and businesses. Talk about how you would make Bridgewater more friendly for business and your take on the crop of warehouses that have been coming before the planning and zoning boards lately. And also, could you address the new ownership at the mall, and what you would hope to see at that property going forward?
Our local economy is not doing well. Unfortunately the council actively supported the administration’s dismantling of resources intended to keep a pulse on our commercial base. Since the change from the Hayes Administration, major commercial tax generators like Sanofi and Ethicon have announced their plans to leave. Intentionally out of touch with our business community, Mr. Moench and the council have only reacted to the situation by approving
warehouses and pushing unwanted billboards.
I want us to be proactive in our approach. Dan Hayes has demonstrated that he understands the importance of a strong local economy and has a track record of delivering high value solutions - not warehouses and billboards. The Hayes Administration successes include attracting world class technology, leisure, dining and retail establishments which added value to our community including Nestle, iconnectiv, Linde Gas, Lifetime Fitness, AC Hotel, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. I promise to work to understand the needs of our commercial sector and
support Dan’s efforts to reconnect with the business community and ensure he has the resources to pursue the high value opportunities that our residents deserve.
The Mall is our commercial center and largest commercial source of income. In light of the recent foreclosure sale, it is safe to say it is in trouble. Dan, Saad and I have discussed the Mall issue at length. We look forward to working with the new owners. When appropriate I would support Dan, as Mayor, establishing a committee of residents to discuss plans options and plan for the Mall’s recovery. Regarding possible solutions, we are entering with an open mind -nothing is off the table. And, should the proposed solution involve residences, we would support a town-wide referendum on such matters.
2. Since the incident at the mall in February 2022, people have been talking about the police department, concerns over transparency with what officers are doing, etc. But in recent months, there have been new initiatives with the Bridgewater SHIELD program and more. Can you talk about the police department’s relationship with the residents, and how the township can foster good will and keep communication open?
I believe the majority of residents have confidence in our police department - I certainly do. My experience is that the department does reach out to the community. They do a good job using their social media to communicate important information, which I appreciate. I fully support providing the police department with all the resources required to run the department with well-
trained train officers. The SHIELD program is a start but we should not turn a blind eye to any additional professional training our officers may need to serve our co munity. Our society is facing ever changing challenges that five, ten years ago we would never have dreamed. Our officers should be supported with the best we can provide them to succeed as public servants In Bridgewater.
As far as the township government goes, transparency is terrible under the current mayor and council. It is an insult to Bridgewater residents’ intelligence that Mr. Moench and the council suggest we have a transparent administration when the Attorney General’s report on the mall incident in 2022, which was delivered to the township in October of 2022- almost a full year ago - has still not been released by the mayor. This leaves Bridgewater residents no choice but to think something is being hidden by Mr. Moench and these actions only serve to create an erosion of trust in our police officers. It is a basic responsibility for a township administration to be open and communicate with its residents and it’s a shame we are in this situation.
3. Although it has been withdrawn, the application for a billboard sign in Bridgewater brought up discussions about aesthetics in the town and the vision for the community going forward. Bridgewater is a very large town with a lot of homes, many big businesses, 5 highways and no real main street area. What is your vision for this community, especially aesthetically, going forward?
When the applications for billboards were presented to our township, especially the enormous electronic billboard slated to be erected by the Animal Shelter and KidStreet, I, and so many other residents were very upset. Thank goodness my running mate, Dan Hayes, had his 3/16/23 “The Municipal Billboard is a Monumentally Bad Idea” letter to the editor published and many residents signed the online petition or attended council meetings to air their concerns with electronic billboards in Bridgewater! Electronic Billboards are distracting to drivers and are simply an eyesore. The terms of the original application for the KidStreet billboard were absurd and provided no quality benefit. If you follow the money, so to speak, it’s clear that the deal was politically driven to help cronies.
If Bridgewater’s quality of life was a priority, they would have never proposed placing a billboard on municipal property. Billboards are not aesthetically
compatible with our township.
Unfortunately, the issue is not over. One must listen carefully to this administration. When they stated that the billboard project is off the table for now, this is likely code for bringing it back for political reasons after the election. If elected, I would oppose all future electronic billboard applications and concentrate on more meaningful positive development. There’s no doubt that Bridgewater Township is appreciated by so many residents because of its
beauty. While the overall look of our township is guided by the master plan, a particular priority of mine is the direct impact the council can have on preserving open space and managing our parks. We need to maintain our parks, open space, and walking trails better. Maintaining our parks needs to be ongoing, not something performed in election years only. The current
administration slashed its park maintenance budget from $910,680 to $640,000 over the last four years but, now, because it's election season, they are finally giving a couple of playgrounds a make-over to give the appearance that they care. I will work with Dan Hayes as Mayor, Saad Tood, and the other council members to invest in our outdoor and recreational space.
4. Can you tell me about your background, schooling, how long in Bridgewater, past political service, other organizations you are a part of?
I grew up in Bridgewater and have lived here for a total of 43 years. I graduated from RVCC (formerly Somerset County College) with an Associates Degree in Accounting. I have worked in accounting positions at Merrill Lynch, Gavin Instruments and Somerset Medical Center. In 1988 I utilized my business experience, skills in accounting, staff supervision, financial management,
government securities and real estate, to start Bookkeepers Express, which is now in its 35th year of operation.
In 1989 I was elected to the Somerville Borough Council and served as a Somerville Police Department Commissioner, Liaison to the Library Commission, and Liaison to the Public Works Commission Community service is a major part of who I am as an individual. I’m a member of the Somerville Elks Lodge and my membership includes helping on the Somerset Children's Center Committee, which helps children with special needs. I'm currently a Trustee of the
Bridgewater Senior Club, President of the Altar Rosary Society at Immaculate Conception Church, Treasurer of the Dumbal-Vogel Foundation (which provides assistance to children under the age of 18 years who are at risk because of socio-economic constraints). In addition, I am a Member of the 200 Club of Somerset County, a non-profit group of residents and businesses in Somerset County with a deep concern for the welfare of over five thousand Police
Officers, Fire Fighters, Rescue Squad members and New Jersey State Police.
5. Anything else you wanted to say to the residents if you were to be elected/reelected?
The team of Hayes, Toor and Baranowski is “Best for Bridgewater” and we will work to restore good governance in Bridgewater Township. The current administration’s utter fiscal mis-management resulted not only in higher taxes, but the recent S&P Global Ratings revision of our outlook from stable to negative because of the township’s “weakened reserve position” and increasing reliance on fund balance. This is serious and unprecedented in our recent history.
Debt is at an all time high and all Mr. Moench and the council seem to be focused on is hiding their record tax hike behind claims of a “lower” tax rate. My taxes certainly went up quite a bit recently. How about yours?
Lacking any real responses to major corporate exits, the council
and administration continue to approve low value warehouses and push unsightly billboards. The current administration’s repeated habit of hiring under-qualified politically-connected cronies is adding to our higher taxes. Mr Moench has appointed only politically-aligned members to boards and committees and has alienated many in our township. Our team will unite the community and work hard to get the township back on track with qualified professionals, not
political cronies.
I want the residents to know that I will listen to their concerns regarding the future of our community: our economic needs, our ecological concerns, our building and development issues, our municipal services. I promise to meet my responsibilities with the openness and integrity currently so sadly lacking.
All residents of Bridgewater deserve to be treated with respect. I have
heard Mr. Moench and some council members address members of the public in a shockingly rude and dismissive manner. If elected, I will help change this negative culture and will show each and every one of my constituents the respect they deserve.
Dan Hayes, Saad Toor, and I will put residents' concerns before politics, restore fiscal stability and accountability, attract revenue generating, sustainable businesses (not warehouses and billboards), work with our schools, not against them, and provide the open and honest government you deserve!
Excerpt from the May 15, 2023 Bridgewater Patch Primary Election Candidate's Statement
Why are you seeking election to the Township Council?
Residents of this Township are not being heard. My motivation to run is to give voice to their concerns. I will work collaboratively with the Mayor and fellow Council members to develop long range projects which address our residents’ concerns and continue to foster Bridgewater’s lifestyle into our community’s future. This means addressing our constituents’ economic needs, ecological concerns, building and development issues, municipal services, transparency of administration, and quality of life and opportunities for all residents.
Balancing the township budget becomes more difficult each year with inflation and the loss of revenue since COVID. How do you plan to address this?
Balancing the budget is quite the undertaking and a comprehensive audit of the budget needs to be done before recommendations are made off the cuff. We should start by looking at all the empty and underutilized buildings and encourage business again. It was foolish for the current Mayor and Council to eliminate the Department of Economic Development which could have continued to provide valuable insight and support, directed at protecting what up until the current administration, had been an enviable commercial tax base. Mall vacancies are significant and large employers, who provide hardy portions of tax income, are leaving Bridgewater. Meanwhile the Mayor and Council are advocating for low paying warehouse jobs and unsightly billboards as economic solutions. Rather than waste literally millions of dollars on newly created unnecessary positions and unqualified staff and political cronies, I am committed to supporting a new Township Administrator and a new in-house experienced C.F.O. in order to get a handle on this administration’s out of control debt, record tax increases and eliminate positions and contracts that do not support our township’s needs.
Having trust and transparency in the township government and police is important to residents. How has the township improved on this or how would you improve this?
I think this is really two different questions. I believe the majority of residents have confidence in our police department, I certainly do. My experience is that the police do reach out to the community. As far as the township government goes, transparency has NOT improved under the current Council. For example, a more timely release of information is needed, there is no link on the web site to Council meeting recordings, and there’s very little detail provided on annual budgets. Important information from the Planning Board isn’t shared because the current administration is two years behind in many of their meeting minutes. It is an insult to Bridgewater residents’ intelligence to suggest we have a transparent administration when the Attorney General’s report on the mall incident in 2021, which was delivered to the township in October of 2022, has still not been released by the Mayor. This leaves Bridgewater residents’ no choice but to think something is being hidden by the administration and these actions only serve to create an erosion of trust in our police officers.
How do you feel about the current state of the township's parks and playgrounds, such as KidStreet? Is there anything you would like to improve and how would you propose doing that?
Bridgewater can pride itself in setting aside park and recreation space. However, it is extremely disheartening that the Mayor and Council slashed the Park Maintenance line item in the budget every year since they were elected. The 2023 budget presented by the Mayor is now 30% lower than what it was in 2019! Our past investments in our parks risk being negated should parks like KidStreet be left to deteriorate. KidStreet and other parks require better care and upkeep and we must budget appropriately in Bridgewater to protect our investments with an eye to our families’ needs and the future of our parks.
How do you feel about the current status of township roadways and the current road improvement plan?
It is apparent to me and many Bridgewater residents that the condition of many of our roads is disappointing. What is not so apparent is what’s going on behind the scenes. Let’s first understand how we got here. This administration fired Department of Public Works staff and replaced them with a higher priced public relations staff at a cost of over 2 million dollars by the end of his first term. The Mayor also hired, for the first time ever, a Director of Municipal Services at a salary of $135,000 (excluding benefits). This is a position we never needed. This political appointment could not meet the educational and experience requirements of the job. Instead of finding a qualified candidate the Mayor and the current 5 person partisan Township Council changed the ordinance, eliminating degree or experience qualifications. I believe an informed Bridgewater would agree, we want our tax dollars spent on qualified people to work on our roads, not political appointees costing us over 2.5 million dollars by end of term. The responsibility and challenge for a Bridgewater Mayor and Council Members is to be efficient with its taxpayer dollars, something I find lacking in this administration.
What other issues do you feel need to be tackled in the township
I, and many Bridgewater residents, do not want to see electronic billboards on our roads, especially at dangerous junctions of highways. These will expose us and our children to advertising and propaganda of the advertisers we don’t control. We need to address the vast amount of office and retail space currently not being utilized, indiscriminate housing and commercial development that affect the quality of life and the ecosystems of our community, as well as the flooding issues that continue to affect so many of our residents. The loss of the pharmaceutical company, Sanofi, to Morristown now mandates that we need to replace the loss of Bridgewater’s largest corporate taxpayer. Bridgewater is uniquely positioned to major highways making us attractive to many corporations. We need to pursue opportunities that address existing vacant office and warehouse space while preserving our residential neighborhoods.
Future development needs to be planned and drafted in a non-partisan manner to ensure corporate political donations do not pave the way for political favors. Development must always be about what is best for Bridgewater now and its future generations. Long term development should be planned with input from a wide variety of stakeholders.
What sets you apart from the challenging candidates?
I have functioned in local government and witnessed its impact on residential and commercial neighborhoods in Somerset County. I also have the experience and wisdom in local government, to see how actions taken today will impact Bridgewater in 10, 15, 30 years down the road. The current administration does not invite, nor embrace diverse community opinions as a part of decisions being made for Bridgewater. This is a direct result of "one-party rule" and the Mayor's "hand-picked" boards and committees. I know that it requires really listening to hear constituents' input and concerns. We have become a diverse community capable of great things together, for all of us. I will listen.
What else would you like to share about yourself or your campaign?
Over forty years as a resident of Bridgewater, I've seen a young town develop into a diverse township. During those years there was a period of time that I moved to Somerville and became involved in politics and held a Council seat. I learned to work both sides of the aisle to accomplish town issues. Moving back to Bridgewater in 2005 I joined the Somerville Elks Lodge to continue my civic involvement. My membership includes helping on the Somerset Children's Center Committee, which helps children with special needs. I'm currently a Trustee of the Bridgewater Senior Club, President of the Altar Rosary Society at Immaculate Conception Church, Treasurer of the Dumbal-Vogel Foundation (which provides assistance to children under the age of 18 years who are at risk because of socio-economic constraints). In addition, I am a Member of the 200 Club of Somerset County, a non-profit group of residents and businesses in Somerset County with a deep concern for the welfare of over five thousand Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Rescue Squad members and New Jersey State Police.
In conclusion, I would like to use my former Council experience and commitment to community service to diversify the Township Council with both parties by representing all Bridgewater residents and to contribute to the future growth of generations to come.