Third Ward Democratic Nominee Dave Haas

Name: Dave Haas

Age: 52

Years Resident in Town: 18

Family Info: 

Wife Dana is an IT executive, Daughter Claire is a Senior in Westfield HS and son Jacob is a Junior at the US Naval Academy

Education Background:  B.S. Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ph.D. in Optical Electronics from the University of California at Berkeley

Occupation: 20 years of research and development in opto-electronics—including 12 patents, currently a Lecturer in Mathematics at Fairleigh Dickinson University

Community Background: Member of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Summit, taught Sunday School, Past President of WHS Ice Hockey Association, Member of the Westfield Historical Society and the Friends of the Westfield Memorial Library. Former member Westfield Rotary. Six years on the Board of Adjustment–One year as council liaison to the Planning board, Member of Mayor's expenditure review board under Mayor Jardim, 5 years of service on Town council (finished one year of Kevin Walsh’s term then four of my own). On town council I have served one year as vice-chair of the Public Safety, Parking and Transportation committee and two years as vice-chair of the Finance committee

Web Site: www.davehaas2009.com

Contact info: E-mail: (908) 233-5883, dhaas@westfieldnj.gov, dave@davehaas2009.com or mail at 527 Shackamaxon Dr.

What are the three biggest issues facing Westfield this election?

Taxes: We need to use every tool available to restrain the growth of our taxes, that includes the best ideas of our residents and employees which can only be obtained by opening the Finance committee meetings to the public. We need an energy audit of municipal buildings, to bid out Professional Service Contracts for price and qualifications and we need to put an end to having part-time attorneys in the pension system. 

Traffic and Pedestrian Safety: Our limited resources need to be focused where the police data says the most danger is rather than on the most spots with the most vocal neighbors. We need more enforcement of speeding to develop the reputation that speeding in Westfield gets you a ticket. Drivers need to be taught to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks followed by an enforcement effort to make crossing the street as safe as possible. We need to consider engineering limitations that slow traffic on cut-through streets such as Summit, Roger, Connecticut and Boulevard.

Road Conditions: Need a clear understanding of how many miles of roads per year we need to pave. There was a period of time when Westfield didn’t re-pave any roads. We’ve gotten behind. There’s no way to finance catching up quickly, but we should at least ensure that we are paving enough roads that we don’t get further behind. 

What are the three biggest issues facing your ward?

Beyond the town-wide issues that also dominate the Third Ward residents' concerns, are the diversion of train station traffic through our side streets rather than on Central and Rahway, speeding on those side streets and the separation of the Jefferson school district by Central Avenue.

Right now the easiest way to get to the South side of the train station at rush hour is by driving up Summit Avenue. The installation of a left turn arrow for northbound traffic on Central to turn toward the train station on South is the beginning of a solution to this. Without the turn signal, Central Avenue, the largest street through the South side, is not a viable rush-hour route to the train station.

There are several streets that are cut-through side-streets in the Third Ward. Speeding is particularly egregious on those streets. We need to develop a set of tools for dealing with this issue. Summit, Boulevard, and Tice Place have the disadvantage of having a double-length block which encourages speeding. The location of the missing street would seem to be ideal for some sort of traffic calming.

For more than two decades residents on the east side of Central whose children attend Jefferson elementary school have wanted a light to allow their children to cross to and from Jefferson at Clover street so that they could stay after school for activities and play with school friends who lived across Central Avenue from them. The creation of two cul-de-sacs near the light to eliminate cut-through traffic on the west side of Central will shortly allow the county to install a pedestrian-activated light near that corner. 

What skills do you bring to the position?

As a result of my engineering education I have a very analytical approach to problem solving, and a strong understanding of what data the town collects means. I bring a good amount of experience with the Westfield town government and an ability to work with all people. I also bring a passion for helping this community and a very strong work ethic. I will work hard for the residents of the Third Ward.

Why are you running?

I believe that this town, as great as it is, can be even better, I care deeply about it and want to help it get there. I believe strongly in returning to the community that you live in and I have worked hard to improve the Third Ward and town. I’ve demonstrated an ability to work across party lines, yet to provide a principled dissent when appropriate.

How do you intend to balance the responsibilities of the office with your personal and professional obligations?

Just as all responsibilities are balanced. I have been and will continue to prioritize activities for all three of these obligations and act on those priorities.

Is Westfield better off than where it was 4 years ago?

In some ways yes, in others no. I believe that it has been largely on hold for the past four years.