Politics & Government

Caffrey: Calm Traffic, Control Development

Four running for two spots on Morris Township Committee

Four people will vie for two spots on the Morris Township Committee this Election Day.

Incumbent Daniel Caffrey, a Republican, will run alongside Andres Benvenuto. Democrat Jeff Grayzel is seeking a return to the committee (having previously served from 2007 through 2009), and is joined by Democrat Michael Kandybowicz (who replaced Mary Marley-Reidy after she dropped out of race.)

Patch sent each of the candidates a questionnaire in advance of Election Day, which will be Tuesday, Nov. 8. Caffrey's answers are below. For information on the other candidates, see here.

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Name: Daniel Caffrey

Age: 51. Married to Lorraine and father of three children in the Morris School District: Amanda, Brian and Joseph.

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Occupation: Financial adviser with a Global Financial Services company.

Education: BA, 1982 Seton Hall University, South Orange

Previous elected or appointed positions (including previous terms in sought position): Elected to the Township Committee in Nov 2008 and sworn in Jan 2009. Served as deputy mayor in 2009 and 2010.

Any other current elected or appointed positions:  Currently serve on the Morris Township Planning Board and The Morris Township Open Space Committee. Currently serve as the fire commissioner in Morris Township.

Other Community Associations: 

  • Curriculum Board of the Morris County School of Technology
  • Curriculum Board of The Morris County Public Safety Academy
  • Morristown Little League and Babe Ruth coach
  • Former Morris United Soccer coach
  • Assumption Parish CYO basketball coach
  • Former 2nd lieutenant and president of the Fairchild Fire Company, Morris Township Fire Department
  • Member of the Irish Business Association of New Jersey

How long have you lived in town: My wife and I moved to Morris Township in December of 1993.

What do you see as the most pressing issues in the coming term, and what would you do about them:

  1. Our municipality, and all others in NJ, must continue to find ways to provide the services our residents expect in ways that are “better, faster, cheaper.” I am in full support of the property tax cap imposed by the Christie administration. To do that, we must continue to find areas to share services where appropriate. Morris Township entered into an agreement with Morris County in 2011 to have all communications and dispatch (police, fire, and EMS) done from the county Public Safety Academy on West Hanover Avenue. This partnership will save Morris Township hundreds of thousands of dollars over the coming years, along with additional capital cost savings as we will no long need to replace outdated equipment and technology. Shared services, along with managing our town in a fiscally responsible way, will be a major focus over the next three years. 
  2. Ensuring that future land development plans in the township benefit our community and residents. Zoning and master plan changes need to place our residents first, as to what is right for the community. I will work to preserve much of the “charm” that exists in Morris Township, ensuring future land decisions do not negatively affect the quality of life, while carefully balancing the rights of property owners. Decisions on future land development must not be made based on the potential future tax ratables  of the project, rather what is best for our township residents.
  3. Traffic calming will also be a major focus. As more development is occurring in Morristown, the township has received more “cut through" traffic.  Working with our police department to ensure we enforce our speed limits in town, especially on those streets that tend to be “cut through” streets.

What’s one fact about you that most voters probably don’t know: I am an avid music fan, and I love to play guitar.


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