AJ McNally. (Click to enlarge.)

Two three-year terms on the Little Silver Borough Council are up for grabs in the November 6 election. On the ballot are four candidates: incumbent Republican AJ McNally; his running mate, Christian Smith; and Democrats Laura Clark and Stephanie Keenan.

Here are McNally’s written responses to questions posed to all four candidates recently by redbankgreen.

Name: Arthur “AJ” McNally

Age: 59

Address: 15 Westwood Court, Little Silver, NJ 07739

How long have you been a resident of Little Silver?  14 years

Where did you grow up? Chatham Township, NJ

Where did you go to high school? Chatham Township High School

Did you graduate from college? Yes If so, which school, with what degree?  Villanova University, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Have your served in the military? If so, which branch and when? No.

What do you do for a living? Financial Software CEO

Please tell us a little bit about your community involvement efforts, if any.

Upon moving to Little Silver in 2004 with my young family, I began my volunteerism at the coaching level for my kids, soon after I took on the responsibility of coordinator for the town recreation soccer program with over 400 participants as well as serving on the Recreation Committee. In 2016, I was asked to serve an unfinished term on Town Council and was then elected in that November. These past years serving on Town Council have been very fulfilling as we have done great work serving our town. I look forward to continuing our fruitful work as well as looking for more ways to keep Little Silver the great community it has been for my family and friends.

I have also enjoyed serving in the past on the adult committee of Troop 126 and Troop 67. I also volunteered as an Adult Advisor in 2014 to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico with the Monmouth County Boy Scout Council with my Son, Jack McNally.

I also began an adult pickup soccer program 8 years ago for our surrounding area which has grown to over 350 members. This program provides an open environment for coed adult soccer and has provided many without the ability to commit to league play to have a physical and mental outlet/ break beyond their daily work routine.

Party affiliation: Republican

How important is party affiliation to you? What does it mean to you to be a member of your party? 

I have found the Republican Party members to be very supportive in my campaign and would like to thank all members of the Little Silver County Committee and its Chairman Stuart Van Winkle for their friendship and hard work.

Do you have a role model in public life? Who and why?

My parents raised 7 children of which I was the eldest we have all grown to be productive contributors to society with an inherited sense of ethics and justice. We have our parents as role models to thank for our successes in life. Whilst they were not public figures in the sense this question is posed, I would look to President JFK as a public role model for his inspiration of nation that spurred on not only fantastic scientific advances but a positive approach to public service.

Why are you running for Little Silver council?

I take great pleasure and reward out of serving a community that has provided my family and I a safe and supportive environment to raise our two children. I believe serving as a volunteer, when one is able, is a way to give back what was provided so residents of our town can experience the same wonderful community into the future.

What are the most pressing issues facing the town, and how do you plan to address them? 

All issues depending on perspective are “most” pressing. It is my job as Councilman to oversee the administration and safety of our town. I take this job with the most seriousness and do so by remaining in touch with our professionals who run our town and staying current on all topics and assisting and guiding through our Council process.

What if any specific initiatives can voters expect from you if you are elected?

As current sitting Councilman, I will continue our hard work as a unified Council to maintain our small town character and controlled growth. We work to be fiscally prudent with our budget by planning into the future.

If there’s anything you’d like to add, please do so here:

Please grab your neighbor and VOTE, have your voice heard on Nov 6th. Your vote counts.  Our turn out in the past is around 30% and we can do better. So take your neighbor and make an evening of it. This is your town and you need to be a part of the choices that are made that affect you and your family.

The Little Silver ballot can be found here. The locations of polling places by district are below.