I just received this press release from my good friends and fellow Byram Township elected officials Jim Oscovitch and Marie Raffay, and I am thrilled beyond words. Two of the most honest, sincere, hard working people you could ever meet! I’m proud to call them my friends and look forward to supporting their efforts in every way I can between now and November 5th.

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Date: August 28, 2013
For Immediate Release

Oscovitch and Raffay announce intent to run for re-election in Byram Township

Cite strength of community, long-term goals as motivation

Byram Township, NJ – Current Byram Township Mayor Jim Oscovitch and Councilwoman Marie Raffay announced today that they officially filed their ballot petitions with the Township Clerk on August 15th, and will be on the November 5, 2013 ballot for Byram’s non-partisan municipal election.

“It seems that the past four years have flown by,” stated Raffay. “Looking back, however, we’ve gotten a lot done. I’m most pleased with our budget management, in light of significant state aid cuts. We’ve been able to continue delivering the services residents have come to expect, despite many difficult, state-mandated budget constraints.”

Raffay said her primary objective is to continue maintaining a sensible budget that provides expected services while minimizing financial impact on the town’s residents.

“I consider this a renewal of my commitment to these goals,” she stated. “All of us are going to have to dig deep and search for creative ways – as we did with our new garbage contract – to make tax dollars stretch farther. I’m up for that challenge!”

Another objective Raffay hopes to see continued in her next term is additional planning for making Byram a hub for tourism and recreational activity in the region. “This would include utilizing our extensive network of trails and parks, local business resources, and the ongoing revival of Waterloo Village.”

“I feel fortunate that Byram’s residents put their faith in me four years ago. I knew that many of the objectives we had for Byram would take more than one term,” Marie continued. “I look forward to working as a team with Jim and the other council members to achieve our long-term goals. We’ve accomplished a lot together so far, and with the strength of this community, I believe we can do anything if we put our minds to it.”

Oscovitch agreed, adding “We’ve dealt with some difficult challenges the last few years: a tough economy, seemingly unending highway construction, and three major storms. But Byram is resilient. I guess if I had to sum up the attitude of residents of this town in two words, it would be ‘Byram Strong.’ I’m proud to be a part of that.”

When asked about his personal accomplishments during the last four years, Jim was quick to answer. “Achieving Highlands Council approval and designation as the first Highlands Center is one of the proudest moments in my 16-plus years as an elected official.  This designation saved the Byram taxpayers the expense of mandatory state plan conformance and in the process made this area one of the most sought after parcels in Sussex County.”

Oscovitch said his number one goal in the next four years is to get the Township’s Economic Development Committee moving on implementing the goals and objectives set out in a Smart Growth America plan developed for Byram at a recent workshop.

“The Route 206 corridor is ripe with potential for further economic growth. Sadly, for the past four years, we’ve been hindered in that regard by the lack of progress on the part of Tilcon.  This frustration should end soon.”

Another of Oscovitch’s goals is to maintain the level of professionalism and representation that has garnered new respect from neighboring municipalities in Sussex, Morris and Warren Counties. “We’ve worked hard the last four years to re-establish relationships that had been frayed over the prior decades,” stated Jim. “We’re now finally seeing the results of that effort in discussions on shared services and potential inter-municipal projects.”

Reflecting on their past four years as Byram’s elected representatives, Raffay stated, “In 2009, our mission statement was ‘We believe that making decisions is a team process. We believe that good governing means coming together with open minds, professional manners, and the ability to listen without ego or distraction.’ I think we achieved that goal, and Jim’s leadership as Mayor was the guiding light in that respect.”

Jim summed up the experience this way: “I have to be honest. I don’t know that I would have run again this year without Marie as a teammate,” Oscovitch said. “She’s handled the position of Councilwoman and Deputy Mayor quite well, proven herself to be a real asset to the town, and I can’t think of anyone more qualified and respected that I’d want to see holding that seat.”

Byram’s non-partisan municipal election takes place Tuesday, November 5, 2013 with polling place open from 6:00am until 8:00pm.