A Tale of Two Candidates

A Tale of Two Candidates: Who’s Listening to Morris Township Residents?

Today is October 30, 2025. Early voting is already underway, and Election Day is less than a week away. Tonight at 7:00 PM, Republican candidate George Talarico will host a Virtual Town Hall on Google Meet, where he’ll share his vision for Morris Township and take questions directly from residents.

If you’d like to participate, you can join the call here.

So far, Jeff Grayzel, his opponent, has not accepted our invitation to hold a similar open forum. This is disappointing — especially from a candidate who has repeatedly emphasized transparency and accessibility in past campaigns.

Engagement and Accountability Matter

Local government works best when residents can speak directly to their elected officials. Mr. Talarico is offering voters that opportunity tonight. Mr. Grayzel, by contrast, has remained largely absent from public discussions this election season — even skipping a recent Morris Township Environmental Commission presentation on sustainable lawn care, native plants, and leaf management.

That absence is unfortunate, since these are precisely the kinds of everyday issues that affect both the environment and neighborhood safety. Residents have long expressed concern about the Township’s failure to enforce ordinances prohibiting the placement of leaves in the roadway, a recurring seasonal hazard. Addressing that issue requires both leadership and follow-through — qualities that are best tested when candidates face voters directly.

The Abbey Redevelopment: Still Unanswered Questions

In his latest campaign mailing, Mr. Grayzel promotes the Restoration Hardware redevelopment of The Abbey as an example of “smart growth.” Yet during the Planning Board review process, several important questions about the project’s scale, traffic impact, and community fit were raised and left unresolved. Notably, Planning Board member Joe Alesso, the only professional on the board with direct construction and land-use management experience, voiced strong opposition — warning that the project was too large for the site and would intensify congestion along Madison Avenue.

Residents deserve clarity on these decisions. Why were these concerns dismissed, and why hasn’t Mr. Grayzel, as a sitting Committee member, been willing to discuss them publicly?

A Call for Transparency

Mr. Grayzel built his past campaigns around openness and accessibility. Voters should expect the same standard now. If he is proud of his record, there should be no hesitation to answer questions in a public forum.

Tonight’s virtual town hall with George Talarico is an opportunity to engage directly with a candidate who is ready to listen and respond. We encourage every resident — regardless of political affiliation — to join, ask questions, and decide for themselves who best represents transparency, accountability, and responsiveness in Morris Township government.