Chris Carney, Republican incumbent running for county commissioner

I was raised in Sussex County, spending most of my years in Wantage Township. I attended our local elementary schools and am a graduate of High Point Regional High School. I am happily married for 25 years to my wife, Christina, who is a special education teacher at Hamburg Elementary school. We have three sons and have made our home in Frankford Township. I am a 20-year member of Operating Engineers Local 825.

I began serving in our community by coaching my son and his teammates. During this time, I created town sports programs and established scholarship funds. I served on the local parks commission, spearheading the addition of two new athletic fields. I felt that establishing the only U.S. Veteran’s memorial in my hometown would honor the legacy of our brave men and women in uniform.

In 2018, I was elected to the Frankford Township Committee, and in 2020, I became mayor. During this time, I was able to lower and stabilize taxes. In February 2021, I was elected to the board of commissioners to fill the vacancy of then-Freeholder Joshua Hertzberg, where I now sit on board of the NJTPA and serve as liaison to the CWA, Musconetcong Watershed, Prosecutor Office, Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authority, Economic Development Partnership, Clerk’s Office, and serve as an alternate to the Planning Board.

1. Helping business recover from the Covid-19 pandemic through the allocation and distribution of Federal American Rescue Plan funds: Sussex County businesses are the backbone of tax stabilization and offer our residents a variety of different resources and services to keep Sussex County as a safe, vibrant, and thriving place to call our home.

2. Supporting our County employees: These are the people who consistently prove the results of our tax dollars. It is very important to me that we are both able to hire and retain a competent, talented work force to continue the amenities we have here in Sussex. County employees deserve good working wages and solid health benefits so they can afford to raise their families right here in the communities they serve.

3. Improving infrastructure: Roads, bridges, guiderails, and broadband internet access are hallmarks of a thriving community and what the taxpayers expect to see with their tax dollars. Improvements and maintenance must continue, and I will work tirelessly to see these upgrades happen.

Sussex County is a county where many travel a far distance for their employment. The commissioners must support safe roads, solid employment opportunities, access to technology, and broad, reliable goods and services that allow Sussex County to be a place where we continue to lie our heads at night.