Four candidates, including one incumbent, are running for two seats on the Mantua Township Committee in the Tuesday, Nov. 5 election. They are Republicans Courtney Bracken and Kristin Goschler, and Democrats Jason Snyder and Robert Zimmerman, the incumbent and current mayor.
Name: Courtney Bracken
Age: 46
How many years have you lived in Mantua? Four years.
Children? Grandchildren? Three children: Brandon (28), Cameron (24) and Aiden (12). Two grandchildren: Leo (6) and Benjamin (1).
School and degree: Rowan College of South Jersey. Associate’s in Behavior Science and Law and Social Justice.
Profession: Confidential aide for Gloucester County Commissioner Christopher Konawel. Former corrections officer at a maximum security prison.
Is this the first time you have run for a seat for the township committee? If not, when did you run before? This is my second time running for a seat on Mantua Township Committee. I ran last year and lost by approximately 177 votes.
What is your involvement in the community? I am currently a committeewoman for the Mantua Republican Executive Committee and a member of the Elks Lodge No. 2132. I am also on the PTO at Clearview Middle School and a council for the South Jersey Veterans First charity. I also help organize and volunteer for the holiday meal program. We deliver holiday meals to seniors, veterans and the disabled over the South Jersey area.
Why are you running for an elected seat? I hope my win in November encourages others to get involved and be better informed with their local government. My motivation surfaced in 2020: COVID lockdowns and mandates resulted in three unfortunate outcomes. First, children lost precious education time. Second, polarization created divides in our communities. Third, small businesses suffered while big business thrived. Why? Inadequate leadership at the local, state and federal levels. Too many now view politics as a business; it is not. It is a privilege to serve your community; I believe many have forgotten that.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? With my background in community service, I am in a unique position to understand the many challenges and possess the tools necessary to resolve them. Sadly, I see the need for housing, food/utility assistance and overall help needed to cut through the red tape of bureaucracies. It is also imperative that we start involving more township residents in networking on everyday issues to improve our community, instead of having the power be in the hands of a few. Open communication and transparency are key. Earning the trust from the community is a must; I am absolutely ready and willing to work hard to accomplish that.
Name: Kristin Goschler
How many years have you lived in Mantua Township? 21 years
Married? Children? Grandchildren? Married for 25 years to Todd Goschler; daughter Reese is 19 years old.
School and degree: Rutgers University Bachelor of Arts, teaching certification Rowan University
Profession: Teacher for Gloucester County Special Services
Is this the first time you have run for a seat for the township committee? Yes
What is your involvement in the community? Taught in Mantua Township schools for 10 years.
Why are you running for an elected seat? I have been a proud resident of Mantua for over 20 years. I have had the privilege of teaching in our public school system at Centre City School for 10 years. Because of this, I am deeply invested in the future of our community. Through my experiences, I’ve come to deeply understand the needs and concerns of our families and our community. I’m running to represent the values and beliefs that many residents share, values that prioritize transparency, accountability and open communication with all residents. I want to ensure that every voice in our community is heard. Decisions that affect us should reflect the true needs of our residents and I’m committed to making that happen.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? We live in a world that has become so politically divided. I would work to bridge the gap between the parties so we could work together for a common goal to make the town even better than it is. By working together, we can hopefully make positive impacts to the community.
Name: Jason Snyder
How many years have you lived in Mantua Township? 22 years.
Married? Children? Married with two kids, ages 21 and 23.
School and degree: Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
Age: 51
Profession: Retired law-enforcement officer; 25 years with Cherry Hill police. Currently a risk management consultant.
Is this the first time you have run for a seat for Mantua Township Committee? Yes.
What is your involvement in the community? Current board member with the Mantua Municipal Utilities Authority. Active member of the Church of the Incarnation.
Why are you running for an elected seat? Since I retired from a career in law enforcement and my children are grown, I now have the time to commit to my community. I have experience working for a government agency, with a large portion in a leadership and administrative capacity. I believe my prior experience and skills will assist me in fulfilling all of the responsibilities of a committee member.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? My goal is to ensure fiscal responsibility to help keep costs down and offer a budget with little or no increase in spending. As a taxpayer, I am fully aware of the effects of inflation and rising costs of home ownership.
Name: Robert T. Zimmerman
Age: 59
How many years have you lived in Mantua? 33 years
Married? Children? Grandchildren? Married for 31 years with two daughters, 30 and 27.
School and degree: Gloucester Catholic High School. Bachelor’s from Rowan University, master’s from Fairleigh Dickinson University in public administration. Graduate of the FBI National Academy, West Point Command and Leadership and the New Jersey Certified Public Manager Programs.
Profession: Retired chief of police; served 26 years in law enforcement and 16 years in leadership roles as both chief and captain. Current small-business owner.
Is this the first time you have run for a seat on the township committee? If not, when did you run before? I served five years on the Mantua Township school board, as both vice president and president. I’m in my 17th year on Mantua Township Committee, having served seven years as deputy mayor and the past two years as mayor.
What is your involvement in the community? I’ve coached and volunteered in many aspects of our community over the years. I volunteered in many leadership roles, including president of the Gloucester County Police Chiefs Association. Current president of the Gloucester County Mayor’s Association.
Why are you running for an elected seat? To continue to tighten the belt on property taxes. I’ve supported a stable municipal tax rate wth no municipal tax increase the last three out of four years. I continue to prioritize transparency and communication to our residents through my weekly mayor’s messages, videos, quarterly newsletters and social-media platforms. Continue to control urban sprawl by balancing ratables and continuing to preserve open space and farmland. We’ve been a leader county wide, preserving almost 1,786 acres of land in Mantua alone. I want to maintain our greatness as being ranked the No. 3 best town in Gloucester County and the No. 10 best town in South Jersey the last four out of five years by South Jersey Magazine. Ensuring our safety and law and order by providing our police with the necessary resources and personnel to effectively eradicate crime. I did this as a police chief, and we will continue these proactive policing efforts under my leadership.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? Maintaining and improving our quality of life. During my time as mayor, Chestnut Branch Park became dog friendly. We brought back the Police Night Out event and hosted an inaugural holiday decorating contest. We continue to enhance senior citizen services with additional dinners and BBQs. Primary goals would be attempting to entice another restaurant with an available retail consumption liquor license and revisit the marketing for a potential grocery store.
