Meet Mendham Councilwoman, Candidate Marilyn Althoff

MENDHAM BOROUGH, NJ — The primaries are upon us, and Patch is creating candidate profiles to give readers an idea of who is on their ballot.

Four candidates are seeking Republican nominations for the Mendham Borough Council race, including incumbent Marilyn Althoff.

Althoff is running on the "Mendham Republicans" slogan alongside Marrie-Rose Garbac in the vote-for-two election.

The pair is facing off against Michael S. Zedali and Joseph M. Murphy.

See Althoff's candidate responses below:

• Full name: Marilyn Althoff, MD
• Town of residence: Mendham Borough
• Position sought: Council
• Party affiliation: Republican
• Family: 2 adult children
• Education: Bachelor's in Molecular Biology , Doctor of Medicine
• Occupation: Full-time practicing Emergency Physician, Morristown Medical Center
• Previous or current elected/appointed office (if applicable): Board of Health-BOH Member – 3/12/2020-7/2023BOH President- 1/2022-7/2023 Council-Appointed to unexpired term 7/24/2023-12/31/20232023- Served as the Chair of Public Works and Utilities, member of the Land Use Committee, and Finance Committee2024-Elected to Council 1/1/2024-12/31/2026 2024-2026- Chair of Public Safety Committee/ BOH Liaison, member of Personnel Committee, and Parks and Recreation Committee

1. Why are you running for this position?
   
   I believe in community service and want to continue the work that I have been doing for the public safety and well-being of our community. As chair of the Safety Committee & President of the Council, I have worked to:
   - fix the traffic light at Main Street & Hilltop Rd to make pedestrian crossing safer
   -hired an additional police officer and a new crossing guard
   - installed a flashing crosswalk light at Hilltop school
   - reduced the speed limit on Mountain Avenue
   - made the access on Drake Rd to & from the high school safer
   -oversaw the hiring of 4 new police officers due to retirements.
2. What do you believe to be the most pressing issue in the community, and what do you intend to do about it if elected?
   
   Our biggest issue is the NJ State-mandated high-density housing. We submitted a plan that met the state-mandated housing requirement. It did not include the Sisters of Christian Charity. The Sisters of Christian Charity chose to sue the Borough to force their apartment development project into the Round IV plan. The lawsuit was heard by the Affordable Housing judge. The judge ordered their apartment development to be included in our plan for development.
   
   The NJ State legislature has given huge financial gain and authority to developers with their high-density housing legislation. They leave us holding the bag with the fallout of inadequate infrastructure and school crowding. The Affordable Housing Court controls it and has the last word on decisions. The hardest thing for local communities is believing the fact that Affordable Housing decisions are completely controlled by the Affordable Housing court. It is unfair to local communities.
3. What qualifications and qualities do you possess that make you best suited for the position?
   
   I believe in service and have spent my life serving my community. I am service-oriented and put in the time needed to get the job done. I have a strong focus and will continue to work hard on public safety. I bring deep knowledge to work with our first aid squad, PD, and FD.
4. Municipal tax increases have been a growing concern throughout NJ. How do you intend to address it in your community?
   
   I will continue to work to for responsible and transparent budgeting and managing costs. We will continue aggressively pursuing grant funding. We will continue to support local businesses which supports a vibrant community. Where possible, we will look to have shared services. We will continue to use technology for greater efficiency and cost savings. We will continue long-term planning.
5. In a few words, what is your favorite thing about your community?
   
   What I love most about our community is the people. There is a genuine sense of neighborliness here--people look out for each other, step up when someone is in need, and take pride in where we live. That spirit makes this town special.

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The primary election is June 2.