Thursday, November 10, 2011
Statement on municipal election results by Summit Democrats Campaign to Elect Forman Ludden, Hairston, Bloom and White.
In response to the municipal election results announced by City Clerk David Hughes on November 8, Eileen Forman Ludden, Democratic candidate for Mayor, said: “It’s been an enormous personal privilege to run for Mayor of Summit, as part of a ticket of excellent candidates. Despite our disappointment not to have won, I’m proud that we ran a spirited and fair campaign, which always results in better government, no matter what the outcome. I thank all of the voters who supported our ticket at the polls, especially those who voted across party lines. I’m very, very grateful for the unwavering support of family, friends, and our entire team of dedicated volunteers. Special thanks to my running mates Susan Hairston, Sandy Bloom and Dennis White…
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Summit's voter turnout is around 36 percent.
At one point on Tuesday, it seemed like it could be anyone's mayoral race. At the senior center on Chestnut Avenue, an octogenarian who considers herself a Democrat said she voted for Ellen Dickson. A patron at the Summit Diner when pressed about the election said he didn't care who won, "as long as Michael Vernotico became mayor." Another voter, who said she met with Democratic candidates at a block party over the summer said she voted for Eileen Ludden because she felt like she "knew" her. Mayor Jordan Glatt made history as Summit's first Democratic mayor in a century and as he decided not to seek re-election, Dickson won the election that will return a Republican to office again. With three candidates seeking to take over his post, …
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Choose Ellen, Greg, Ron and Pat
Summit voters are confronted with three choices for Mayor on Election Day; party nominees Ellen Dickson, Eileen Forman Ludden, and independent Michael Vernotico. The traits we need for mayoral leadership are honesty, experience, compatibility, humility and performance. How do our candidates compare? Eileen Ludden is untested, inexperienced and naïve if she thinks we can reconcile our differences with Union County by playing nicey-nice. She may be a future contender but is not ready to take on the Chief Executive role of a major City and is definitely not a polished successor to Janet Whitman, Walter Long and Jordan Glatt. Michael Vernotico, although a seasoned pro, has personality flaws that have stifled the effectiveness of Council. He …
Friday, October 28, 2011
As part of a three part series introducing the candidates for Mayor of Summit, Patch sat down with Ellen Dickson, the Republican candidate for Mayor.
As a part of a three part series introducing the candidates for Mayor of Summit to Patch readers, Patch sat down with Ellen Dickson the Republican candidate for Mayor who is finishing her second Council term and is looking for a “new challenge.” Dickson, who has Masters in Business Administration from Babson College has lived in Summit for 18 years and has three children; all of whom graduated from Summit High School. Dickson went on to explain why she chose to leave her Council seat and run for Mayor. “I am finishing my second term, so I could run for a third term, but we had three candidates who are interested in running. My feeling is that when you have new people who want to enter the political process, you should give them a chance. …
A commitment to tackle taxes on every front.
Property taxes are a major concern for all of us. While much focus is on controlling city costs, and rightfully so, there is another part of the property tax equation that deserves attention. The revenue side. I believe that there are several initiatives that carry significant potential revenue. The first is redevelopment of the Broad Street Corridor from Morris Avenue to Ashwood Avenue. Not only does this offer significant potential revenue, but it can also greatly improve the aesthetics of Broad Street. The city created an ordinance to permit residential development as part of our “Gateway” concepts. However, the ordinance passed is too restrictive and real estate developers that initially showed interest have turned away. Given …
This is part of a three part series introducing each of the candidates for Mayor to Patch readers.
As a part of a three part series introducing the candidates for Mayor of Summit to Patch readers, Patch sat down with Eileen Forman Ludden, the Democratic candidate for Mayor who explained her platform, beliefs and plans for the city. Although Ludden has never held public office, she explained that her professional background provides her with the necessary tools to foster affective communication and facilitate “active listening” among Council members and residents, something she feels is currently lacking in the city. “My opponents have both sat on council but their performance hasn’t been very affective. Council members are arguing with each other instead of accomplishing the objectives at hand,” Ludden stated. Ludden explained that her …
Monday, July 18, 2011
A letter from Democratic candidate for Mayor Eileen Forman Ludden.
- OPINION
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Monday, July 18, 2011
Calming Summit’s Parking Discourse: Do Ms. Dickson’s Words Speak Louder than Actions? I take issue with Councilwoman and Mayoral Candidate Ellen Dickson’s brief letter to Patch (7/15/11) regarding the parking ordinance fiasco that occurred at the July 12th Common Council meeting. In the letter, Ms. Dickson acknowledges that “the City did not make its case,” and then goes on to claim that as Mayor she will “strive to calm the public discourse.” Ms. Dickson’s letter fails to acknowledge that she initially voted FOR the introduction of the flawed ordinance at the June 21st meeting, before she voted against it during the July 12th meeting –only after facing overwhelming opposition from residents and businesses. Ms. Dickson fails to note …
Pat Hurley, Republican candidate for common council in Ward II reiterates positions on issue he once opined about on Summit Patch.
Patrick Hurley, the Republican candidate for common council in Ward II, issued a statement via his blog Friday afternoon in response to questions regarding comments of his that he deleted from articles on Summit Patch. "Here’s a summary of the positions I took, as a resident and taxpayer, both in public and on The Summit Patch last year (I am not sure which opinion I expressed where so I’ll try to cover them all) and I deleted solely for professional reasons associated with expanded professional duties I assumed late last year," he said in the statement. "At the time, I had no intention of running for any elected office," he said in the statement. "Now that I am running for Summit Common Council in Ward 2, I agree residents have a right to…
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Susan Hairston is the Democratic candidate for council at-large in the November General Election.
Susan Hairston is a born leader. You may remember her for her time on the Board of Education and her one year as its president, but now Hairston, born and raised in Summit, is running for Council At-Large. Hairston has worked for more than 20 years in finance and financial administration for non-profit organizations. For the past 13 years, she has been with the Ford Foundation, currently serving as a manager for grants administration, with responsibility for budget monitoring and grant compliance for $495 million of grants annually. "One of the qualities I like most about myself is I am really good listener," she said. "It really pays off to listen carefully and even have some reflection. And I like to do my homework. And I think that …
Thursday, June 30, 2011
White, a Summit resident of more than 18 years, said council needs to focus on long-term planning, not on short-term solutions.
A. Dennis White thinks the future of Summit is what's at stake in this election. Not the short-term future but the long-term. White, the Democratic candidate for council in Ward II, has lived in Summit for 18 yearsand says he has seen the positive results of longterm planning by Summit's forefathers. "I think we need to think longterm," he said. "Over the history of Summit we can see the results of that. And I think I have that temperment to do that kind of decision-making." White, the president of a major charitable foundation for a Fortune-50 global financial-services firm where he manages all foundation and corporate contributions, company volunteer activities, and also directs social investment activities, is also vice-chair of the …
Robert Steelman
8:28 pm on Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Our Town: Please complete the quote. In Peace: Goodwill. Yet, we still have the drumbeat of ridicule. A more forward thinking Churchill quote is: "To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." It better serves the community that there be a demand for improvement versus a demand for perfection. more ›