Madison Democratic Committee (MDC) chair, Alix Jennings, announced that “In keeping with our strong commitment to democratic principles, all Madison Democrats were invited to seek the endorsement. Following a rigorous vetting process, MDC district representatives and elected officials have voted to endorse Council members Bob Landrigan of Kings Road and John Forte of Academy Road for the Democratic nomination for and reelection to the Madison Borough Council.”
Bob Landrigan is completing his fourth three-year term on the Madison Borough Council – one as an elected Republican and three as a Democrat.
Prior to his election to Council, Bob Landrigan served the community as an Auxiliary Police Officer. He was also a long-time member and officer of the Madison Volunteer Ambulance Corps, serving five terms as its president. He is also a past president of the Madison Board of Health and a former member of the Downtown Development Commission (DDC).
As a borough council member, he led the efforts to renovate the Bayley Ellard fields from an unused grass area to a natural grass sport facility with parking and stands. Following significant fires in town, he worked with the borough administration to develop a process where displaced residents could find housing and obtain lost personal records.
“Looking back, I believe the high point of my years on Council took place during my second term when I served managing the borough’s response to Hurricane Irene, the October Snowstorm and Hurricane Sandy as Coordinator of the Madison Office of Emergency Management,” he stated. In that role he also negotiated almost $2 million in FEMA reimbursements for the town.
Landrigan’s running mate, John Forte, is completing his first full term on the borough council. Prior to his election, he served on the Madison Downtown Development Commission (DDC), the Madison Historic Preservation Commission and the Madison Planning Board. He was also a trustee of the Hartley Dodge Foundation from 2020 through 2023.
Looking back at their current term in office, the two council members observed that “much has been accomplished in borough government over the now past two plus years, and we are proud of how we have represented community voices and our contributions to what has been accomplished.” Most notably, the borough recently signed an agreement with Drew University in December to purchase the Drew Forest after many months of intense negotiations. “There are obviously additional steps yet to be taken, be we are clearly now on a path that will save the forest for future generations while enabling the university to move forward in its effort to achieve long-term financial viability,” the candidates added
Other accomplishments during their current term include the moving full time EMS responsibilities – long assumed by the Madison Volunteer Ambulance Corps – to the Madison Fire Department, the construction of 44 affordable rental housing units on Walnut Street and Community Place, supporting the creation of the Climate Action Committee, and the 2024 purchase of the historic 200-year-old Masonic Lodge, which – following needed renovations now underway – will serve our community as the home of what will be named the Peggy Heller Senior Center and a place for other public and nonprofit community programs.
Landrigan noted that “The Walnut St/Community Place project is particularly notable as being the first affordable housing development in the state that meets federal Passive Housing/Net Zero Energy Standards.”
Looking forward, the candidates see additional challenges. “We still need to complete the process of the purchase of Drew Forest, guide the redevelopment of Giralda Farms, develop a plan for upgrading the heart of Madison, Waverly Place, and meet the borough’s current round of affordable housing obligations established by the state,” stated Forte.
John Forte is the President of an insurance company that focuses solely on providing liability insurance to U.S. domiciled governmental entities. He has been directly involved in ensuring public entities for fifteen years and in analyzing their risks and evaluating their budgets, gaining insights into what makes a well-run governmental organization.
Bob Landrigan is a Senior Real Estate Tax Analyst in a major New York tax appeal firm and recognizes the challenges in property values and taxes faced by homeowners, corporations and the Borough.
The candidates concluded: “This is an exciting time to be a part of shaping the future of Madison. We face some extraordinary challenges to protect our environmental and historic assets and to operate with fiscal pressures that make balancing a budget, while maintaining a high level of service.
We feel strongly that our collective experiences, both professionally and from our decades of volunteer work, make us uniquely suited to meet these challenges. Madison prides itself on being a well-run municipality that is the envy of our neighbors, and we intend to build on that and continue to make Madison the most desirable place to live, raise a family, and own a business.”