Four candidates, including two incumbents, will vie for the two committee seats on the Cinnaminson Township Committee in the election on Tuesday, Nov. 5. They are Republican incumbents Paul Conda, who is currently serving as mayor, and Albert Segrest and Democratic candidates John Fiorilla and Erik Heyman-Meltzer.
Name: Paul Conda
Age: 64
How many years have you lived in Cinnaminson Township? I have lived in Cinnaminson for 42 years.
Family: I have been married to Meme (Boylan) Conda for 42 years, and I have two daughters and five grandchildren, ages 1, 3, 5, 7 and 15.
School and degree: I graduated Holy Cross High School, and continued on to a technical school to earn a certification in computer technology.
Profession: I currently work as a Principal Infrastructure Engineer for DHL
Is this the first time you have run for a seat for the Township Committee? No, this will be my third. I have served six years.
What is your involvement in the community? In addition to my township committee seat, over the years I have been involved in Pee Wee Soccer, local theater, and Saint Charles Carnival. I have also served on the Cinnaminson Planning Board and the Mayor’s Senior Citizen’s committee.
Why are you running for an elected seat? I have lived here for most of my life (my wife was born here). Cinnaminson has been a great place to live and raise my family. By serving on Township Committee, I feel I have a direct impact on keeping it that way.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? During my time on committee, I have concentrated on maintaining, and in some cases expanding services without raising the municipal taxes. The municipal taxes have not gone up during my time on committee. This has been accomplished by identifying and leveraging resources within the township to make the best use of the residents’ tax dollars, and by smart economic development of our business, industrial and commercial zones. Opportunities have been created that provide Cinnaminson with ratables that add tax income without impacting
the residential property taxes. We have come a long way, but there is still more to be done.
Name: John K. Fiorilla
Age: 74 years old
How many years have you lived in Cinnaminson Township? I have lived in Cinnaminson since 1988 (36 years).
Family: I am currently widowed, have four children, the youngest of which is 44 years old the oldest is 50 years old. I have four grandchildren ranging from 5 years old to 17 years old.
School and degree: I have my undergraduate degree in government from Seton Hall University in South Orange which I earned in 1971 and a juris doctor degree which I earned at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington in 1974. I currently practice as an attorney specializing in railroad transportation representing a number of railroads throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Is this the first time you have run for a seat for the Township Committee? I have never previously run for public office. I am a lifelong Democrat and while in law school at Georgetown University served as a legislative aide on capitol hill for my congressman.
What is your involvement in the community? For the last several years I have umpired high school baseball throughout Burlington County. Until the last two years my business has had me traveling extensively. With the pandemic and its aftermath that traveling has been reduced and I now have more time to devote to the township.
Why are you running for an elected seat? I am running for Township Committee because I am concerned about a sustainable Cinnaminson. The township needs modern stormwater protections, better infrastructure and ensuring that vulnerable areas of the township especially along the river are taken care of. This includes preserving open spaces, stopping over development and supporting community-friendly growth and improving quality of life.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? The township really does not have a community center which meets its needs and supporting this type of improvement going forward is something I am looking to do.
Name: Erik Heyman-Meltzer
Age: 22
How many years have you lived in Cinnaminson?: It will be five years next month, since October 2019
Family: Live with my parents (Bruce and Katie) and four cats (Tiger, Jazz, Trouble, and Blue).
School and degree: Currently taking a gap year from Rutgers New Brunswick studying environmental policy.
Profession: Earlier this year I interned with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Congressman (Andy) Kim’s historic campaign for senate.
Is this the first time you have run for a seat for the Township Committee? I previously ran for Township Committee last year, coming 339 votes short of victory.
Community involvement: I am currently the municipal chair for the Cinnaminson Democratic Party, one of the youngest municipal chairs across Burlington County.
Why are you running for an elected seat? I am running for an elected seat because that is where I feel I can make the biggest difference in our community. I am also running to give fellow young people in town a voice in our government, where our voices are needed most.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? Flooding. Stopping industrial expansion in our neighborhoods. Small businesses. We need creative solutions on the issues of flooding, and we need to work with our state and federal partners to accomplish this. We also need to end the expansion and encroachment of industrial facilities into our neighborhoods, especially East Riverton. It is simply an environmental justice issue. Finally, we need to make Cinnaminson a more welcoming place for small businesses, which builds community, is environmentally sustainable, and keeps money in the community.
Name: Albert Segrest
Age: 47
How many years have you lived in Cinnaminson Township? 10 years
Family: Married to Stephanie Segrest, 15-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter
School and degree: Rowan University – bachelor’s degree in business administration
Profession: Commercial Sales Manager – Rheem Northeast Distribution
Is this the first time you have run for a seat for the Township Committee? No, have served six years.
What is your involvement in the community? I serve on the Planning Board, Finance Committee and Drainage Improvement Committee; Liaison to Public Works. Both of my children are active, my son plays baseball, soccer and plays the double bass for Cinnaminson High School and Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. My daughter plays softball, field hockey and dances competitively. My wife has coached softball, basketball, field hockey and lacrosse. We belong to Pomona Swim Club for the past 10 years, my son now works there. We attend sports, dance and music fundraisers to raise money for youth programs in and around Cinnaminson. We own and operate a barbershop in Merchantville that sponsors youth sports, music, plays and schools in Cinnaminson and surrounding area.
Why are you running for an elected seat? I’m running for re-election because I’m deeply committed to serving our community and ensuring Cinnaminson remains a wonderful place to live. Over the past six years, I’ve worked to make our township stronger, safer, and more prosperous. I want to continue that work, focusing on smart growth, fiscal responsibility, and maintaining the high quality of services we provide to our residents.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected? If re-elected, I will focus on enhancing our infrastructure, particularly drainage improvements and parks. Investing in sustainable solutions will help reduce flooding, improve road conditions, and enhance public safety. Our parks are a source of pride and are widely used by the community. By collaborating with engineers and adhering to our budget, we can effectively continue to improve both our drainage systems and park facilities.
