Millburn Township Committee Candidate Profile: Jeffrey Feld – Patch

MILLBURN, NJ — New Jersey’s Primary Election Day is June 7. Locally, three Democratic candidates are facing off that day to become the two nominees to run for two seats on the Millburn Township Committee in November. They will then face two Republicans for the open seats.

Patch sent out questionnaires to local candidates and will be running the profiles of those in contested primary elections.

The three running as Democrats for the two seats are Annette Romano, Michael H. Cohen, and Jeffrey Feld.

Office sought Millburn Township Committee

Party affiliation Democrat

Education University of Pennsylvania (summa cum laude, phi beta kappa); Cornell Law School; NYU Law School (LLM in Taxation); public finance/bankruptcy law associate; family destination businesses in Orange

Occupation attorney (1983-); family owned businesses in Orange, NJ (1995-2020);

Family Katherine who I met in first year property class at Cornell Law. Katherine is a senior SEC attorney and very active with Cornell Law and Johnson Business Schools. Our children Deborah and James both went through the Millburn school and recreation systems.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? Yes, my wife Katherine is a senior SEC attorney.

Age 64

Previous public office, appointive or elective None. But I sat on certain volunteer Millburn Downtown Parking Garage and Orange Downtown Volunteer Committees.

Why are you seeking this office? I began to attend “dysfunctional” Millburn TC meetings in Sept 2020 and based upon what I discovered and observed, I feel compelled to restore civil robust informed civic participation and trust and confidence in our local government.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it. complying with Millburn’s constitutional affordable housing obligations in an open transparent process without diminishing our stellar school system and suburban nature

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? My education, municipal law and main street small business qualifications and track record. I discovered and reported public wrongdoing in neighboring Essex County urban municipalities. I had to make weekly payroll. The State looked to me for assistance in drafting multifamily housing rules and regulations. Since my regular attendance at TC meetings in Sept. 2020, I caused the local governing body to post its agenda packet and bill list at least 48 hours prior to each meeting. I discovered a $2,000,000 overpayment to our municipal attorney without any court orders. I caused the local governing body to amend their rules and procedures to allow public comments on all agenda action items prior to consideration and official action. I caused two Superior Court Judges to rebuke Millburn and its retained professionals for denying virtual public access to public court proceedings.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community? I am not challenging any incumbent. My two primary opponents are party insiders responsible for screening, vetting and electing the current local governing body.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign? Flood mitigation. Modernizing and updating Millburn’s current form of local government. Increasing financial transparency. Embracing technology to increase robust civil informed civic participation. Granting citizens a second public comment opportunity to address and to correct non-agenda item statements by the local governing body. Requiring a continuing municipal education requirement on the local governing body.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? The federal indictments and guilty pleas in Orange. The failure to pay long term tax exemption revenues to the County admissions contained in various municipal audits. The November 2018 shift in State urban renewal entity formation oversight. The long term tax exemption handbook issued by the State in November 2020.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? Remain humble. Admit your mistakes, cure your mistakes and move on.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I seek to be a bridge between generations. When we moved to Millburn 30 years ago, you could put your head on the pillow knowing that local public officials would act nonpartisan and in the best interests of the entire community. In the past few years, our local governing has lost this sense of purpose.

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