Dear Editor,
During these stressful and unprecedented times it is leaders who selflessly step up and serve. Chris Tamburro has been doing this since moving to Verona 13 years ago. Chris serves our children as a teacher — educating, supporting, encouraging, and advocating. He serves his colleagues — negotiating. He serves his community — volunteering on the Verona Rescue Squad and Verona OEM. Now Chris is stepping forward to lead —as a member of the Verona Town Council.
My wife and I moved to Verona 23 years ago. We moved here because of the great schools, the small and friendly community, and the proximity to NYC. Verona has been a terrific place to raise our two children and the place we call home. It is because of this affinity for Verona that has us enthusiastically supporting Chris Tamburro for Verona Town Council.
Why Chris?
Selflessness. It is not about Chris, it is about Verona and doing what he can to help make the community better. His service on the Verona Rescue Squad and assisting with OEM during the pandemic should be more than enough to show his passion and commitment to Verona. Chris stepped up when we needed him and was intimately involved in managing Verona’s response to treating and transporting gravely ill residents to the hospital. He was a first responder when we were so dependent upon them. We bought lawn signs calling them heroes — Chris was just serving.
Uniting. During a Zoom Meet the Candidate he was asked what makes his platform different from others. His response was simple. He is looking to bring renters, home owners, families with children, retirees, and new arrivals together by supporting programs that benefit all. For example: advocating for a community garden space for Seniors and renters, or finding ways to bring new playgrounds to neighborhoods, or seeking ways to manage the escalating costs of homeownership in New Jersey. Through networking and outreach, Chris hopes to connect all of Verona’s voices. As a trained negotiator and mediator, Chris is ready to help find solutions to the difficult issues by asking the right questions. Politics should not be about the loudest voices in the room.
Rejuvenating. One year of lockdown and quarantine has had a dramatic impact on our community and helping to bring a vibrant return to the township is going to require patience, fiscal transparency, responsible budgeting, and incentivizing. Chris plans to do this by developing a Multi-Year Strategic Plan that sets reasonable, targeted, and achievable goals that will be shared with the public through Zoom meetings, council meetings, and social media.
Having a plan for Verona is one thing, sharing it with the community and seeking input is another. Chris wants to encourage public involvement in his Strategic Plan by creating steering committees that bring governmental officials and residents together for focused and goal driven action teams. He wants to combine the tremendous talent within our community with civil servants to re-energize Verona. All government is local, and including stakeholders in the plan is smart leadership.
Transparency. We all have a responsibility to be more involved in our local government as it most directly impacts our life. During our Zoom Meet the Candidate I was surprised how little I knew about the Town Council and what they do. I accept most of the responsibility for my ignorance, but was heartened to learn that Chris, who teaches government, was there to educate me. Chris elaborated on his plan to encourage civic participation by using technology and social media platforms to provide more access to public records, promote more public comment on important issues, and help clarify the roles of the numerous boards and committees. Chris recognizes we all have busy lives and is committed to helping streamline access to the council and encourages our participation.
As we slowly re-emerge from a year of lockdowns, Verona needs a leader who recognizes the struggles we face and selflessly steps up to help bring normalcy back. Chris has already stepped up to help Verona during the pandemic and now he wants to do more. We should give him the chance! Please help Sandi and me bring Chris Tamburro to the Verona Town Council on May 11th. Vote for selfless leadership. Vote for Chris Tamburro.
Sincerely,
Sandi and Nick Klose
Verona, NJ
