At the BTDC, we pride ourselves on having an extraordinary team of leaders at the helm, committed to changing the local political landscape for the better. One of them happens to be Jennifer Aaron, our Vice Chair.

 

Jen joined our committee as a district representative in 2021, and was elected Vice Chair in 2023. Her enthusiasm, coupled with her background in marketing, has proven to be invaluable.

 

After graduating from the University of Michigan, Jen spent several years in publishing, working for Esquire and Bon Appetit magazines on the marketing side, and then went on to earn her MBA at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Shortly after, she began working for Yankelovich Partners, the consulting firm that provides strategic future, youth practice, human and cultural insights. While at Yankelovich, she became Creative Director for MONITOR, a consumer trends report, and later worked as a freelance analyst and writer for the firm. “I have always been super curious about what drives consumer behavior. Having the opportunity to see the data that drives different decisions, from the grocery store to political polls, continues to grab my attention,” said Jen.  “I can’t get enough data that informs what motivates different demographics to behave the way they do.”

A resident of Bernards Township for 27 years, like many of us, Jen became increasingly concerned over the political landscape when Donald Trump took office in 2016. "Here in town I’ve often felt like a lone Democrat…and when Trump was elected that feeling became very heightened. I wanted to help effect change and help build our own blue tent here." said Jen.

 

Prior to the BTDC, Jen was Co-Chair of Vision 2020 in 2019.  The project identified and measured Bernards Township residents’ priorities for the coming decade. In 2020, she began volunteering for the Biden/Harris campaign, and realized attention to Democratic issues was merited closer to home. 
 

When Jen joined the BTDC’s Executive Committee, she helped launch the BTDC Beat, editing our monthly newsletter, and is a valuable resource on messaging and strategy for our organization. When you need a snappy title, call Jen!  “I am very eager to make more Bernards residents feel they belong here. We have the opportunity to build a BTDC brand that is inclusive, diverse and determined to do important work,” she said.

Jen and her husband Marvin raised four kids here in town, and while the kids are mostly out of the nest, she has continued her involvement in our schools, serving as an assistant varsity lacrosse coach at Ridge High School.  She’s also an avid reader, skier, golfer, racquets player, and dog mom to two Jack Russell Terriers, Cub and Kitty.

 

– Sara Nichols

It is GOTV time! Whether it is the local Graner & Subervi campaign, the County, or Sue Altman's campaign, all three efforts are looking for people to canvass the weekend before the election and to help GET OUT THE VOTE! Please contact the local campaign at hello@granersubervi.com to assist with GOTV. Can't canvass?  Then we have phone banking for you! Any help is appreciated!

 

If anyone is going down to the League of Municipalities November 19-21 in Atlantic City, please reach out to Nancy D'Andrea at 908-787-4471. Nancy would love to see you at the League and catch up!

Hello! 

 

The election is just days away. Voting is a right and a privilege, and I urge you to join the blue wave and elect Democratic leadership up and down the ticket.  Here in Bernards Township fall is upon us, and there is an array of activities and programs that we can all participate in outdoors in this unprecedented warm weather!  One of my favorite activities is the Saturday morning dog walk at Lord Stirling Park. Slow dogs, or dogs with slower walkers, begin at 9am, and faster paced pups and walkers depart at 9:30am. A voluntary donation is welcome. Be sure to bring plenty of treats for your pet and their newly made friends.

 

I was happy to again join friends at the Basking Ridge Indian Community Dandiya Festival held Saturday, October 12th. The celebration was a wonderful way to convene with residents and enjoy food, music, dancing and fellowship. 

 

In the meantime, NJ released the affordable housing quotas for 2025-2035 on Monday, Oct. 21, including requirements for 218 income-restricted homes in Bernards Township. The next deadline will be January 31, 2025 for municipalities to adopt their obligation numbers via “Binding Resolution” with or without using the Department of Consumer Affairs published report. A municipality then has until February 28, 2025 to challenge obligation numbers. As I’ve previously shared, our township hired Kendra Leily, a planning expert, in anticipation of the fourth-round requirements. You can read the NJ Department of Community Affairs Fourth Round Obligations Methodology and Background here.

 

There have been several township events, including the Mayor’s Fall Festival on October 5th, which included a 5k race sponsored by the Bernards Parents of Exceptional Children (PEC). The PEC Walk/Run was a very good way to raise funding and awareness for Our House which has created five group homes in Basking Ridge with a sixth planned for 2025. As some of the children within the PEC community become adults with special needs, they may require housing options, and our House Foundation provides housing and vibrant living environments here within our community.

 

The Township also held two recognition events. They included a breakfast for Township Staff on October 11th, marking the anniversaries of staff who have achieved anywhere from five years to thirty-five years of service, and a dinner for residents, on Thursday, October 24, at the Liberty Corner Firehouse, for those who volunteer on the township subcommittees and boards.

 

Segueing to the boards I am liaison to, the Municipal Alliance is sponsoring the “Mind and Mingle” program, designed to provide high school students with activities and opportunities to convene. The program is funded through a competitive grant we received from the Somerset County Youth Services Commission. The programs are held at the Bernards Township library and will include future movie nights, therapy dog time, art therapy, music therapy, mindfulness sessions, and yoga workshops.

 

The Environmental Commission went on a field trip Monday, September 30th to the Somerset County Recycling Center. We enjoyed a presentation from Melissa Harvey, Manager of Solid Waste, and a Certified Recycling Professional, and learned a lot about what some of us are not doing currently, including removing the tops of plastic bottles and containers, which are not recyclable. More of these facts will be shared through our Commission where Nancy Cook serves as Deputy Chair. 

Paid for by the Bernards Township Democratic Committee