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Check out the below excerpts from the Observer Tribune's coverage of our race. You can also click here for the full article. Campaigning suits Chester Township Council candidates Mike Inganamort has more experience working for campaigns than being the focus of one. However, the Chester Township Republican has found that running his own campaign and getting out to talk to voters suits him. [...] “People enjoy being engaged,’’ Inganamort said. “The first time you ring the doorbell and people look at you in suspicion and think what are you trying to sell me or are you trying to convert me to something. When I tell them I am running for town council, people start to engage. [...] [P]eople find it interesting that...people still go door to door in this age of technology and everything else. I’ve had so many good conversations on people’s doorsteps.’’ Inganamort has gotten an insider’s view of politics on the national level. The Sparta native attended American University and Georgetown University, both in Washington, D.C., and earned degrees in political science and government. He worked on Capitol Hill for a few years in the office of former Rep. Scott Garrett. He was also involved with President George W. Bush’s re-election campaign in 2004. He also did a stint with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s program called “Take Pride in America’’ which promoted volunteer cleanups of public lands. He and his wife and two young daughters have lived in Chester Township for the last two years. He is currently managing principal at the Morristown-based ASG Advisors where he develops policy solutions for New Jersey foundations.
“It is helpful to understand how government works at different levels between municipal, county, state and federal issues,’’ Inganamort said. “I’ve always had an interest in civics, government and service. This is the right time in my life to jump in. I’m running for council because I’m proud to live in this town and I want to make sure that in 10 or 20 years that the experiences that my kids are having are just as good as they are today as they have been in the past. I want them to grow up in a vibrant, supportive community. I want to make that happen.’’ Inganamort considers himself to be a problem solver who can look at an issue with a fresh pair of eyes and a different perspective. He sees the problem of taxes as a major issue that needs a statewide solution. “People here in Chester feel they can’t afford to live in New Jersey anymore,’’ Inganamort said. “About a quarter of the people I have talked to plan to move out of New Jersey in the next five years. That’s a major problem. They are taking their buying power and their philanthropy. That’s not just in Chester but that is a major problem we will have to deal with.’’ Inganamort likes the idea of more shared services to reduce costs. He also wants to see improvement in the town’s athletic fields, particularly those at the Black River Middle School. “The fields at Black River are a patchwork of ownership and it’s very complicated,’’ Inganamort said. “They are not at a standard that we deserve in this town. That will require a lot of cooperation but I know there is a lot of energy and enthusiasm in the town to work together and find a way to improve those fields.’’ Inganamort was the leading vote getter in the spring primaries for the Republicans edging out Moore, who is in the running for the other seat. Moore is a well-known name in Republican circles and public service and was picked by the council to finish the remaining term of Matt Kass who resigned in the spring. The 37-year resident is chairman of the Planning Board and also serves on the Board of Adjustment. He is also a past president of the Chester Board of Education. Moore owns Reissmann Plumbing and Heating Inc. and Alpha One Construction which does remodeling projects within a 50-mile area. Moore is known for being a fiscal conservative and encourages a tight budget. For the full story, click here. Comments are closed.
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