Council member Carolyn Dempsey will be running for Mayor. Dempsey, currently in her second term on the Council, is well known for her exceptional people skills, compassion for residents, and thoughtful leadership. A 21-year resident of the Borough, Carolyn also teaches music and Spanish. On the Council she serves on the Budget and Finance Committee, as liaison to the Board of Education, and has been a leader on the Joint Recreation and Historic Riverside Trail Committees among many others. Carolyn was instrumental in the establishment of the Borough’s summer concert series, the Chatham Community Food Distribution, and improvements to Garden Park’s tennis and basketball courts. She and her husband, Brian, have three children, and she is an active member of her Church where she sings in the choir and serves as an assistant minister.

Brian Hargrove and Justin Strickland are the Borough Democrats’ candidates for Council.

Brian Hargrove is an 18-year resident of the Borough and with his wife Judy-Ann has raised three children through the Chatham School system. Hargrove currently serves on the Borough’s Joint Recreation Advisory Committee. Brian is a 20-year sourcing, procurement and vendor management professional with a European MBA (England), Executive Studies MIT Certificate in Technology, Operational, and Value Chain management, and career experience in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He enjoys travelling and spending time with his family.

Justin Strickland has been in the Borough for five years and is currently serving on the Historic Preservation Commission. Justin is a combat veteran who served on the front lines in Iraq, earning a Bronze Star. As a civilian, he also served in the Pentagon and earned the Office of the Secretary of Defense Outstanding Achievement Award for his work in Afghanistan. Justin is an avid Yankees fan, with a passion for American History and antiques. He loves live music and attending concerts by the band The Avett Brothers. A seasoned manager across multiple Fortune 500 companies, Justin chose Chatham Borough to settle after working and traveling all over the globe. “Chatham is the perfect community and I’m proud to call it my home,” he said.

Coincidentally, candidates Hargrove and Strickland are both from Texas, but chose Chatham as their permanent homes. “Great minds think alike,” said Hargrove.

The three incumbents in the mayoral and council seats chose not to run for re-election this year but are unanimous in wishing the new team well in their work for our beloved community.