Meet Westfield's Democratic Council Candidates

The following is a press release from the Democratic Committee:

On Monday the Westfield Democratic Committee filed petitions to run its candidates in the June 4 primary. Councilman Dave Haas is running for Mayor.  Matt Sontz is the candidate for the Third Ward Council seat, and former Councilman John J. (“Jack”) Walsh is the nominee for the Fourth Ward.    

Dave Haas has been on Council for eight years, diligently representing Third Ward residents with integrity, good humor, and independence. He has both experience and fresh thoughts needed to lead Westfield as its Mayor, noted Westfield Democratic Chair Janice Siegel.

Councilman Haas and his wife Dana Stevens have lived in Westfield for twenty years. They raised their two children, Jacob Stevens-Haas and Claire Stevens-Haas, here. Jacob, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, is now serving in the Navy on a destroyer in the Pacific. Claire is a Junior at NYU. 

The candidate holds a degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley.  For twenty years he worked on industrial research and development, as a researcher, product development engineer, manager of development teams, and technical director for major corporations.  Now he teaches electrical engineering at NJIT.   

Matt Sontz, the Democratic candidate for Third Ward councilman, and his wife Lillian have lived in Westfield for 10 years. They have three children: Tyler (9), Dylan (5), and Skylar (1). Tyler is a student at Jefferson School and Dylan is a student at Lincoln School. 

Matt Sontz is a Westfield business owner with a solo law practice in town. He has practiced law for 10 years and was a mechanical engineer for the Department of Defense for 4 years before that. He previously ran for town council in 2007 and 2011. He has been a member of the Union County Construction Board of Appeals for 6 years, a Westfield Democratic committeeman and executive committee member for 6 years, and has been an assistant coach for his son's baseball teams for the past 3 years. 

Sontz’s service to Westfield includes circulation and presentation of a petition to the Town Council to have the crossing guard at Sycamore and Central replaced after having been cut in a budget reduction measure. The crossing guard was restored.  Sontz plans to fight for increased public safety by fully staffing the police and fire departments, restoring all crossing guards that have been cut, maintaining Westfield's roads through proper paving and snow plowing, fighting to restore Westfield's bond rating, and property tax fairness for all.

Jack Walsh is a 20 year resident of Westfield. He has 4 children, Bart, Tad, Gwen and Tim. Walsh was a Councilman representing the Third Ward from 1997 through 2000. He was Chairman of the Public Works Committee, a member of the Law and Rules Committee and Council liaison to the Recreation Commission and Board of Education.  He was a Westfield Booster, a member of the Board of the Westfield Baseball Association and coached Westfield baseball, St. Helen's basketball and WSA soccer. He has also taught high school CCD at St. Helen's Church where he is a parishioner. 

Jack Walsh is a graduate of St. Joseph's College (now University) and Villanova University School of Law.  He practices transportation and maritime law in Manhattan.

Walsh stated "I am very pleased to once again be part of a change in Westfield, as we did some time ago. I am joining Dave Haas and Matt Sontz who combine to make a very strong ticket that will be very competitive in November."

For further information contact Janice Siegel by email at Box99@comcast.com or telephone 908-789-3272.