Anneliese Germain, 2022 Rocky Hill Borough Council Candidate

Independent Candidate

Anneliese Germain

Physician

Family/Personal:

Germain is a U.S. Army veteran and served as a volunteer EMT, and on the NJ Disaster Medical Assistance Team. She has one son. I have been a resident of Rocky Hill and have called it my home for 25-plus years. I maintained my home here even when in the Army on active duty for 15 years.

Why are you running?

I believe in service to one’s community — in whatever capacity we can. I seek to serve my neighbors and friends – those I know, and those I have yet to meet – as a member of the borough council.

Top three issues:

Water quality, infrastructure, and taxes.

Economic growth:

A community arts and culture center with safe, local activities for our young adults, plus events - speakers, presentations, and vendors celebrating the history and diversity we have in Rocky Hill.

A bakery – the scent of fresh loaves out of the oven can be a draw for residents and neighbors in surrounding towns alike. Another restaurant. Health and Wellness - We have many offerings in the area but limited options for complementary and non-Western medicine options.

Perhaps we partner with Penn Medicine to have a satellite site for some of their mindfulness classes, for example here or perhaps an Ayurvedic medicine practice.

Thoughts on the Mary Jacobs Memorial Library

When I moved here in the 1990s, one of the biggest attractions of Rocky Hill for me was to have a library within walking distance. When I would come home on leave from the Army with my young son, several trips to the library were guaranteed. There is value in having a library one can go to by foot, but I also see potential in it as a community center. I support seeking legal advice on this matter as it may promote greater transparency.

Goals for the municipal water system?

As a parent, a physician, and a community member, I can assuredly say clean, safe water is the overarching goal. To that end, it is reasonable to consider the costs, benefits, and potential downsides of all options for our water management. Without having reviewed all the data, I cannot endorse one solution over another at this time.

Police and public safety:

Local police already respond to Rocky Hill emergencies to help secure the scene until state police arrive. While emergency services such as fire or emergency medical care are by no means delayed, I have concern that state police support of Rocky Hill could potentially pull resources from other areas the state police are responsible for. For community members, I could imagine the delay in definitive law enforcement arriving might add stress to an already challenging situation.

Cost/benefit/risk analyses need to be looked at carefully, though.

I would welcome hearing input from the primary stakeholders - our Rocky Hill residents and business tenants, the state police, local police departments, and our volunteer emergency services personnel.

Long term, no, and for several reasons. 1) I see a potential for increasing response times as suburban sprawl continues throughout central New Jersey. 2) Communication, especially face-to-face, may be better facilitated across shorter distances – this is important when accident or crime victims or their family members need information. 3) Local law enforcement officers know their communities — the people, the cultures, and the neighborhoods.

Indeed, the trend towards dedicated community police units across the country reflects just how critical such knowledge can be. I have had wonderful interactions with the state police on several occasions as a resident and as an EMT, but I appreciate the fact that the needs of our communities may be changing. We owe it to our community members to evaluate what those needs are, anticipate future needs, and diligently evaluate options to meet those needs. ■