Mayor Bob Conley is undeniably proud of his hometown. “Madison is truly the envy of towns throughout New Jersey due to our leadership, vision, and willingness to tackle the tough problems to find innovative solutions,” he shared. Conley also has a deep connection to the Rose City: “Growing up in Madison and then raising my family alongside my wife Titi has given me a strong feeling of gratitude and an even stronger sense of responsibility,” he explains. “I am committed to continuing to offer my time as a steward of Madison and its future.”
For Conley that commitment has long entailed volunteering. Prior to being elected mayor in 2011, he served two three-year terms on the Madison Borough Council. While on Council, he served as chairman of the Chatham Joint Meeting Finance Committee and was founding chair of the Shared Services Committee with the Board of Education and the Traffic Calming Committee. He was also past president of the Madison Rotary Club, the Madison Rotary Foundation, the Adult School Board of Trustees, and the Grace Counseling Center Board of Trustees, a past chairman of the Madison Recreation Committee, and served as a member of the Open Space and Recreation & Historic Preservation Advisory Committees.
A natural progression of Bob’s dedication to Madison, being elected the town’s Mayor is also a testament to Conley’s inclusive approach: “I have always prioritized listening to and respecting all opinions and my positive leadership style is essential to effectively representing all of Madison’s residents,” he says. “I rely on these same leadership skills as I represent Madison in the League of Municipalities and the NJ Conference of Mayors.”
Conley’s leadership style is also extremely productive, “Together with the numerous volunteers, other elected officials, and Borough administration, we have accomplished much in the last four years,” he states. Just this month, the borough announced an exciting public-private partnership with local resident Martin Heller who pledged $1 million to the borough that will go towards the purchase of the nearly 200-year-old Madison Masonic Lodge on Main Street.
This purchase will not only preserve a historically significant building, but it will also enable the borough to renovate the building for use as a senior center and for other community programs, bringing important senior services back to the borough.
Under Mayor Bob’s leadership, Madison also successfully supported its residents and businesses during the height of the pandemic with the COVID-19 Crisis Toolkit. The town has also tackled the development of a new Master Plan that provides a forward-looking roadmap for Madison’s future, prioritizing fiscally sound budgeting, and navigating the challenges and vast opportunities to position Madison as a leader in climate change action at the municipal level.
Despite his considerable achievements Conley feels he’s just getting started. “Simply put, I have unfinished business,” he explains. “I’m proud of much of what has been achieved under my leadership as your mayor, but I am also motivated to run for another term to continue the good work and to rise to the challenges we currently face.” Challenges that include preserving Madison’s historic buildings and open spaces- specifically Drew Forest. “We must preserve this vital and irreplaceable open space and protect it from being developed,” he says. “This effort is just a part of the overall priority I place on positioning Madison as a proactive leader on climate change.”
As he looks forward to the upcoming election, Conley is energized to ensure Madison’s future remains bright. “I am ready to lead Madison through the current economic factors that challenge us to control taxes while maintaining the services our residents expect. We have weathered challenges like this before and I am confident we will again. I believe my positive leadership, experience, and commitment is essential to getting this done,” he says. Conley also believes he’s running with the right team for the job, too. “I am excited to be on the same ticket with Bob Landrigan, John Forte, and Melissa Honohan as we strive to work together to make Madison an even better place to live, raise a family, and own a business.”
Election day is November 7th. In addition to the vote-by-mail option, early voting runs from October 28th through Sunday November 5th. Voters can read more about the candidates on the Madison Democratic Committee website: www.madisonnjdems.com or on the MDC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MadisonNJDemCommittee.