Morris Township Committee candidates Mark Gyorfy (right) and Jeff Grayzel
By Mark Gyorfy
Morris Township made me who I am. I cherish the memories I have of growing up here. From spending Saturdays at the baseball field or weeknights at the pool during the summer, Morris Township was an ideal place to grow up; I want to ensure that it continues to be so for future generations. Unfortunately, the trajectory of where our town is heading threatens the character of the place we know and love.
Giving back has always been important to me. I began volunteering at the hospital and then went on to become a volunteer firefighter for the Morris Township Fire Department. Dedicating my time to the fire department has been a gratifying way to serve the community and shaped me into the person that I am today: someone who cares for the community he knows and is passionate about.
Continuing my dedication to public service, I studied counter-terrorism and government in college and went on to advise a New Jersey member of Congress on homeland security, veterans’ affairs, and financial services policy. Seeing firsthand the lack of action and sense of urgency in Washington, I realized that sparking change to bring about good government doesn’t start from the top-down, but from the bottom-up.
In many ways, Morris Township’s governing body has been plagued with the same do-nothing attitudes prevalent in Congress. Morris Township residents deserve elected officials who work as hard as they do and who will keep residents’ interests top of mind, rather than those of special interests. Our community deserves someone who will fight to protect our open spaces, improve our parks, and communicate directly with residents.
I love Morris Township and have been serving its residents for the past decade as a firefighter. Now, I am breaking out of my comfort zone to fight for the community that has meant so much to my life by running for Township Committee.
As a ticket, Jeff Grayzel and I bring experience and a community-oriented perspective. We will:
- fight for open government that communicates with residents and takes their input;
- demand smarter planning to limit over-development;
- work with surrounding communities on shared services; and
- control speeding on our local streets and improve pedestrian safety.
Leveraging my experience on Capitol Hill, I will also fight to bring more of our hard-earned tax dollars back to Morris Township by fighting for grants to help lessen the burden on our budget.
Planning a path forward for our community shouldn’t be beholden to the old guard and status quo of years passed. With the Township Committee election victories of Democrats Cathy Wilson and John Arvanites in 2017, Morris Township is adjusting course. But it needs a forceful gust this November to get us back on track.
Lifelong Morris Township resident and volunteer firefighter Mark Gyorfy is a Democratic candidate for Morris Township Committee. Mark works in the financial services industry, and he previously served as a congressional staff member. More information on Mark can be found at http://www.jeffmark2018.com/meet-mark.html.