Meet the Candidates: Ken Gertie

On Nov. 8, Cinnaminson residents will vote for two open seats on township committee. There are five candidates vying for the spots. They are Republican incumbents Anthony V. Minniti and William B. "Ben" Young, Cinndependence Independents Steve Fowles and Ken Gertie and Independent Scott Lunn.

Cinnaminson Patch sent each candidate a list of questions to answer themselves and each day this week, we will provide those answers to you. The schedule of biographies is in alphabetical order, regardless of party affiliation or running mates. The schedule is as follows:

Oct. 3 — Fowles
Oct. 4 — Gertie
Oct. 5 — Lunn
Oct. 6 — Minniti
Oct. 7 — Young 

Each candidate submitted answers by the same due date so as to remain completely fair. So, no candidate will have seen another candidate's answers before submitting their own. Answers were edited for style, clarity and in some cases, down to the required word count.

Patch users must read our terms of service found here before commenting on this and any story. Comments will be deleted if they violate our terms of service—that includes a person's right to privacy, masked profanity, harassment, misleading information and more. 

Remember, candidates are not required to answer questions asked of Patch users. Further questions and comments must be directed to Editor Christina Paciolla at christina.paciolla@patch.com.

First, we have Ken Gertie, a longtime resident who works as a CPA and is running along with .  

Name: Ken Gertie

Age: Answer not given

Political Party: Independent (Cinndependence)

Years of residency in Cinnaminson: 1968-1985 and 1996 to now 

Job: Certified public accountant, self-employed

Education: CHS Class of 1980; Rutgers University Camden College of Arts and Sciences Bachelor of Arts in Accounting, 1985; Drexel University MBA in Finance 1994; CPA Exam passed 1988

Family: Married to Lisa, 26 years; Children: Emily, (CHS 2004), Eric (CHS 2005), Megan (CHS 2007), Rebecca (CHS 2010) 

Volunteer Experience: Red Cross blood donor; Cinnaminson PAL baseball, softball, and basketball coach; Cinnaminson PAL baseball and basketball board member; Cinnaminson American Legion baseball coach; St. Charles Religious Ed teacher

Have you ever held a public elected office? If yes, please name the governing body and years of service. Beverly City Council 1989-1996

Why are you running for Cinnaminson Township Committee? I’ve lived here most of my life and would like to give back to the community and help make Cinnaminson a better place to live. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s already a great place to live or I wouldn’t have moved my family here. That being said, there is always room for improvement and that’s what I’d like to do, bring fresh ideas and alternative points of view. As a resident, I encourage an open dialogue on the issues but feel it is lacking from the current township committee. This is what’s needed to keep Cinnaminson high on the list of options for young families who are looking for a place to raise their children. Things happen for a reason. I’m glad my parents decided to move here when I was young (4) and thankful for the experiences I had growing up here. I’d like to help keep that legacy alive for generations to come.

Why do you feel you are qualified to serve as a member of the Cinnaminson Township Committee? My education and experience as a CPA give me a keen understanding of all financial disciplines. I have been responsible for the financial management of several successful business organizations during my career and would like to apply the same basic principles to the operation of government in Cinnaminson.

What are the three biggest issues facing Cinnaminson right now? How do you feel these issues should be addressed by Township Committee? The three biggest issues facing Cinnaminson are: taxes, services and property values. All these issues are related. We need to assess taxes to provide services like police protection, road maintenance and garbage collection.  If taxes are too high or services are lacking, property values will suffer. It is the responsibility of township committee to make the most efficient use of every tax dollar collected to provide these services cost effectively.  

Economic development is a big issue in Cinnaminson. How do you think the Rt. 130 corridor can be improved? Contrary to what some would have us believe, businesses do not begin, expand, or relocate to Cinnaminson at the request of township committee. Economic development is critical to the continued viability of our town. We should work hard to make all commercial areas of Cinnaminson desirable business locations.

What do you feel is Cinnaminson's biggest asset at this time? How would you exploit that asset to the township's benefit? Our biggest asset is the hardworking men and women that live and work in this town. This asset shouldn’t be exploited but should be partnered with to develop a strong community.  

How do you plan to balance spending and revenue in tough economic times? Spending should be minimized through efficient use of our resources and revenues should be maintained. 

Do you feel the current committee is effective? How so or why not? Where do you think the governing body could improve? The current township committee is not effective since there is not an open debate of the issues brought before it. The committee consists of one party and they repeatedly “toe the party line.” New ideas and an open debate of the issues are critical for the continued vitality of our community.

Your Call—A final response to the people of Cinnaminson: Our township committee has been dominated by the incumbent establishment for too many years. The incumbents are too comfortable and have lost touch with the average resident. It’s time for fresh ideas, it’s time for a new way of thinking, it’s time for change in Cinnaminson. I am a conservative spender and creative thinker. If elected, I will work hard to give township residents the best possible representation on township committee and make a great town even better.