From the Hilton, Haskins & Brown campaign:
Karen Hartshorn Hilton, Bill Haskins and Bobby Brown, running together for the South Orange Board of Trustees under the banner “South Orange 2021: Devoted, Dependable & Diverse,” today filed the petitions necessary to secure their places on the May 11th election. To their knowledge, they are the first candidates to do so.
Any potential candidate for South Orange Trustee must obtain the signatures of 140 registered voters to appear on the ballot. The South Orange 2021 team filed nearly 900 signatures today. “In normal times, it’s fun to meet neighbors, discuss Village government with them, and ask for their signatures,” Hilton remarked. “However, during this pandemic, we wanted to keep everyone safe. We didn’t knock on doors or approach commuters at the train station, we made a lot of phone calls, and sent many emails with a lot of follow up. We are grateful to the many volunteers who helped us complete this effort.”
South Orange 2021 is committed to working with the Board of Trustees to safeguard our Village’s historic character, enhance our open spaces, and celebrate our diversity.
Hilton is seeking her second term on the Board of Trustees. Over the last four years, she has devoted herself to the renovation of the Baird Community Center (built in 1889), which is now underway. Hilton is looking forward to a potential renovation of the Village’s public library space, including the historic Connett Building (built in 1896).
Haskins has long been active in local volunteer projects related to stewardship of our natural spaces (Meadowland Park, the Rahway River, Clark Street, New Waterlands, and Chyzowych Field) and sustainability in our homes, municipal offices, and businesses. Haskins plans to devote much of his time to improving South Orange’s recycling program.
Brown has a history of working to improve diversity and inclusion in South Orange. A longtime leader in local youth recreation, Brown hopes to widen his influence to increase community engagement and equity in Village government.
South Orange 2021 recognizes the challenges COVID-19 continues to cause. We are all eager to get our students and teachers back to in-person learning. In the meantime, the Hilton, Haskins and Brown platform is committed to bolstering relevant support services for our residents of all ages, families and businesses.
Our schools, stores, and restaurants will open again. When that does happen, Trustees Hilton, Haskins, and Brown look forward to the work of restoring our vibrant community.
