CANDIDATES
Congratulations, Bill & Tyler!
At Thanks to You! celebration, Nov. 26 at Glenbrook Brewery, L-R: Councilmember-elect Tyler Pontier, Houston & Pontier Campaign Manager John Verga, Morris Plains Democratic Committee Chair Tina Genest, Councilmember-elect Bill Houston, Morris County Democratic Committee Chair Amalia Duarte.
OFFICIALS
Mayor Jason Karr
Mayor Jason Karr has ably represented Morris Plains residents since 2007 and is the longest serving Democrat in the history of the Borough. He has served as mayor of Morris Plains since January 3, 2019. Previously, he served as Councilman in the following roles: as Council President (2010 & 2015); as Chair of the Public Welfare, Sanitation and Sewers Committee; as Chair of the Finance Committee (2010-2019); and as a member of the Morris Plains Affordable Housing and the Shared Services Committees.
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Contact Mayor Karr here.
Councilmember Joan Goddard
Councilwoman since 2019, Joan Goddard started 2022 by being nominated by the Mayor and her fellow Councilmembers to serve as Council President for the year. In addition to her leadership role, Joan served as Chair of the Public Works Committee, where she oversaw the Department of Public Works. Her responsibilities included park maintenance, maintenance of municipal buildings, leaf/brush collection and snow removal. In addition, she was a liaison to the Beautification committee which is responsible for maintaining nineteen garden plots across the Borough. She has also chaired the Public Health, Sanitation, and Sewers Committee. She currently is Chair of the Public Building and Grounds Committee with oversight of pools, parks, and municipal buildings and is the Council's liaison to the Memorial Day Parade Committee, Recreation Commission, Shade Tree Committee, and the Downtown Morris Plains non-for-profit organization. With Dennis Wagner and Nancy Verga, she assisted in the initiation of the Business Development Committee. She currently also oversees Morris Plains' cherished Farmers Market.
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Contact Councilmember Goddard here.
Councilmember Nancy Verga
A Morris Plains resident for more than 23 years, Nancy Verga is a married mom of four, retired corporate communicator with a long record of public service in our school and youth organizations, church and government. She was elected Councilmember in January 2020 and served as the Chair of the Ordinance & Public Utilities Committee. She then served as the Council's Chair of the Public Safety Committee with responsibility for the Police and Fire Departments, Fire Prevention Bureau, Traffic Committee and Local Emergency Planning. She is a founding member of the Borough Website Committee which launched a redesigned website in 2021 and online payments in 2022. Nancy also helped initiate the Borough's Business Development Committee, the first of its kind to connect with and support our small businesses and build a framework to attract new businesses. Nancy was elected by the Council to be its President in 2024. She is currently the Chair of the Public Health, Sanitation and Sewers Committee and is the Council's liaison to the Board of Health, the Municipal Alliance (where she once served as Chair), the Teen Center & the Clean Communities program in addition to overseeing municipal sewers, recycling, etc.
Contact Councilmember Verga here.
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Learn more about your municipal government
By-Laws of the Council of the Borough of Morris Plains
Overview of the Council Member Position
Borough of Morris Plains Volunteer Opportunities
NJ Municipalities Magazine Article - Forms of Government: The Borough Form (NJSA 40A:60-1)
NJ State League of Municipalities: FAQs -The Borough Form of Government
Our 2024 Priorities for Morris Plains
January 29, 2024
2024 Election Season Update
October 29, 2024
Senator Cory Booker
George Helmy appointed to U.S. Senate
Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill
To register to vote, to download an application for a mail-in ballot, to find the locations of Morris County drop boxes or early voting sites and hours, click below.