Coogan: Expand Shared Services

One thing's for sure this year in Morris Plains' municipal elections: Winners will outnumber losers.

It's a three-way race for two open Morris Plains Council seats, with incumbent Republicans George Coogan and Joseph Cecala Jr. facing a challenge from Democrat Frank Mangravite.

Patch asked each of the candidates to share information about themselves and their platforms. Coogan's responses are below. For information from the other candidates, see here.

Name: George Coogan

Age: 66

Occupation: Former business analyst for Verizon Communications

Previous elected or appointed positions:  Former Morris Plains Council president, former vice chairman of the Morris County Open Space Trust Fund, former chairman of Morris Plains Zoning Board of Adjustment, former director emergency management.

Any other current elected or appointed positions: Member of the Borough Council/School Board Shared Services Committee, Chairman of the Public Works Committee.

Other community associations: Morris Plains Volunteer fireman for 25-plus years, former member .

How long have you lived in town? 35 years

What do you see as the most pressing issues in a coming term and what would you do about them? Note: Coogan and his running mate, Cecela, provided identical answers for this question. Their shared answer is as follows:

Maintaining and improving quality of life issues.

The borough has recently started single-stream recycling. This is designed to make recycling easier for our residents by allowing them to mix paper, plastic, glass and metal in one container. No more separating recyclables or bundling newspapers. This program increases the amount of recycling, which reduces the town’s disposal costs.

Morris Plains, a town of 2.6 square miles, has 160 acres of parkland and open space. Our , sports and recreation facilities and programs provide a wide variety of activities for people of all ages. We are currently working with an Eagle Scout candidate to complete a nature trail through Court Road Park.

The borough is working with Morris Township, Parsippany, Morris County and the State of New Jersey to preserve excess Greystone Park property for open space and recreation instead of development.

This year our beautification committee opened the borough’s first community garden. Approximately 55 individual gardeners and families took part in this program. We are planning on expanding the garden program based on demand.

Our deer culling program is in its fifth year. This program reduces the damage to residential landscaping and reduces overgrazing of plant life in wooded areas.

The borough’s downtown beautification program continues to add new street lighting and paving to improve our commercial district. We want to assist our merchants attract new business. A thriving business district is a good investment for everyone.

Thrifty control of government costs.

We will continue to expand our shared services program with other governmental agencies. Currently we have a large number of shared service agreements in force, among them:

1. Recycling, Morris County
2. Health department, Madison
3. Housing Officer, Hanover Township
4. Facilities and grounds, Morris Plains School Board
5. Sewers, Morris Township and Hanover Township
6. Police dispatching, Morris County
7. Animal control, Denville
8. Bulk gasoline and diesel fuel purchases, Morris County
9. Senior transportation, Morris Township
10. Purchasing, Morris County and State of New Jersey

These shared services help to reduce our costs for supplies and share the equipment and personnel needed to provide these services to our residents.

On a yearly basis we continue to apply for available grants to reduce our costs.  This year we received three grants totaling $251,000.  The grants include $200,000 for local street paving, and $50,000 for new lighting, air conditioning and electronic controls on the boiler. This is designed to save approximately 20 percent on our energy costs. A $1,000 grant is to help the borough plan for higher energy efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint.  Another $50,000 grant is pending for lighting and heating work at the public works garage. We have also applied to Morris County for a solar power grant for borough buildings. Over the last 10 years Morris Plains has received over $1,400,000 in grants for local street paving and $935,000 in open space grants.  These grants continue to improve our community at no cost to the taxpayer.

Continue to work with both Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson to assist them in the marketing of their properties. 

What’s one fact about you that most voters probably don’t know? Several years ago I took up woodworking. I started slowly by making birdhouses.  Since then I have progressed to end tables, a book case, shelving and several knick knack projects. I find wood working relaxing and creative.