To the Editor:
As a life-long resident and active individual in Verona, I felt strongly about writing a letter of endorsement for Alex Roman.
I met Alex in 2012 during a controversial development application before the Board of Adjustment. For that entire year (and many years after), residents in attendance crowded the ballroom of the Verona Community Center. Many of us were new to this but somehow found the courage to rise and walk to the microphone to ask questions of the applicant’s professionals.
And then one night, a mild mannered man rose and asked highly technical questions, some of which the professionals couldn’t even answer. But his questions weren’t meant to be tricky. Simply, they were asked because Alex is faced with these sorts of technical issues in his day to day professional life of managing multiple national radio station facilities.
We all looked around at each other with the same confused look. Who is this guy?
That guy was Alex Roman. With a calm and polite demeanor, he exercises an astute comprehension of the issues and tasks at hand. He addresses them with a wealth of knowledge and when he doesn’t know something, he fully investigates it until he gains a complete understanding. He speaks with conviction, confidence and ease because he truly is that comfortable with the material.
His attendance at Town Council, Planning Board, and Board of Adjustment meetings for the past ten years has lent to some of that competence. It has given him an exceptional understanding of Verona’s development issues, the processes by which they are remedied, and an intimate knowledge of so many of Verona’s other challenges. And due to his business background, his proficiency in budgeting, collective bargaining, benefits administration, and best practices are championed as well. Armed with this essential knowledge and his modest style of pragmatism, Alex has been a highly successful voice of reason on our Town Council for the past four years.
During his tenure, he has supported protecting the township from the throes of overdevelopment by supporting our Steep Slope Ordinance and by calling for further Storm Water Management measures to protect against the rising tide of residential flooding. He’s saved the township hundreds of thousands of dollars while increasing the effectiveness of our police department by calling for the replacement of their communications system and participating in its design. He has served as the Council Liaison on the Planning Board, always exercising a reasonable and unbiased voice.
And there’s another facet of Alex that can’t be learned. He’s a kind and respectful gentleman who treats both residents and township employees as his peers. He’s always willing to listen and even when he disagrees with others’ opinions, he does so with civility.
It is for these and so many other reasons that I strongly endorse Alex for re-election to the Verona Town Council. He is a hard working individual who maintains a utilitarian philosophy to serve the greatest amount of people with the greatest good that can be achieved. I believe he will continue to serve us all well.
Jessica Pearson
Verona
