Montgomery Township Democratic Organization Announces Transition Plan and Leaders

Committeewoman-elect Catherine Gural and Committeeman-elect Marvin Schuldiner will be sworn into office on Thursday, January 3 as the Montgomery Township Committee reorganizes after the November election. Current Committeewoman Sadaf Jaffer will be named mayor.

The three have set up a transition team as they acclimate to their new roles and set the agenda for their initial goals as members of the governing body.

Mayor-elect Jaffer says, “This transition provides the opportunity for growth and improvement. I look forward to learning from community members about their priorities for Montgomery as we build a better future.”

Committeeman-elect Marvin Schuldiner says, “Our system of government requires consent and involvement of the governed. While our laws provide for open government, public hearings, ‘fair’ notification and public disclosure, we must go well beyond the minimums of those laws to hear the voices of Montgomery citizens. That is what a Democratic administration of Montgomery promises to bring to our residents.”

Committeewoman-elect Gural states, “I am looking forward to connecting with existing committee members and bringing fresh perspectives to the process to create a truly collaborative local government. Having a transition team ensures we are well positioned to turn our broader goals into actionable tasks.”

During the campaign process, Gural, Schuldiner, and Jaffer heard the comments of our community and crafted a set of priorities around the following goals. The priorities of the new Democratic majority are:

Transparency: Re-establish a budget and finance team with members of the public. Sarah Roberts — Community Leader

Communications: Hold regular office hours and create a committee on communication and civic engagement to assess how the municipal government should better approach and engage the community. Karen Dentler — Community Leader

Diversity and Inclusion: Appoint a variety of voices to boards and commissions and seek Gold Star Status through the Not In Our Town organization. Samira Ghani — Community Leader

These priorities are set within the framework of responsible stewardship and fiscal responsibility.

The transition team co-chairs are Cookie Acot, Montgomery Democratic Organization Chair, and Marilyn Blazovsky, long-time Montgomery resident and experienced political consultant.

The Montgomery Democratic Organization encourages and welcomes all who are interested in serving on local boards or commissions to submit the municipal volunteer form at: twp.montgomery.nj.us/elected-officials/volunteer/

We invite all community members to the swearing-in ceremony, which will take place at 7 pm on Thursday, January 3 at the Montgomery Township Municipal Building Court. Special guests include New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, and Assemblyman Roy Frieman.

For more information or to get involved, please email: chair@montgomerydemsnj.org