Meet the Candidates: Kevin Krumaker

On Nov. 8, residents in Galloway Township will go to the polls to vote on three seats that carry four-year terms on township council. Six candidates are vying for these three seats, and over the course of the next week, Galloway Patch will take a look at each candidate, one a day, in alphabetical order.

Name: Kevin Krumaker

Political Party: Democratic

Why are you running? 

I wish the question was, “Why isn’t every citizen of Galloway running?”  I believe that it is the responsibility and duty of every citizen in a democracy to be actively involved in his or her government: locally, statewide and nationally.   This is my home and I think that I can contribute to what is right about Galloway and to lead in resolving what is ailing our community.

As a teacher in Galloway, I would like to see my children grow up here and decide they want to stay and raise their families in Galloway. Too often, we see our children choose to go out of state to attend college and they eventually find a job in that “other” state. I would like Galloway to become a viable option for our children to stay and work/live here.

What do you feel are the most pressing issues? 

Safety is always the most pressing issue for any elected government official. We have to make sure that every resident feels safe in their home, on the roads, and in any public spaces in the community. Crime exists in every community and we have to buttress the law enforcement capabilities of our police so that when it does occur, they have the manpower to handle it without exposing themselves to additional danger. A community known to have fewer vulnerabilities discourages those who would commit crimes from coming to that community. Bringing in ratables to offset the property taxes that burden us all is paramount. Having our professionals study the “Best Practices” of communities throughout the country to emulate success is an achievable goal. Our country was founded by people who studied what worked in Greece, Rome, and England and they used those ideas to develop the foundation for the greatest country in history. As a historian, I believe we can do the same locally.

What changes would you make to what the current council is doing? 

End the partisan politics that crushes effective governing locally as well as nationally. Follow professional hiring practices that will ensure we hire the right person with the best skills regardless of their political affiliation or friendships. I don’t care what a skilled person’s political beliefs are, as long as they place the people of Galloway first and not the goals of politicians. Party politics should have little or no bearing on local government. We all live in this community, we are all affected by decisions made on Council and we need those decisions to be in the best interests of the community as a whole not as a reflection of a political agenda. We have to find ways to institute joint services between the County and local school board in order to reduce expenses. The trash issue can easily be resolved if the Council wants to resolve it. Nothing has ever been achieved by the person who says, “It can’t be done.” 

What are some of the positive things you believe the current council is doing?

Given the past year, I do not see much of anything positive. Galloway  property taxes continue to increase with a decrease in services provided by the Township. The S&P rating issued is only useful if it encourages businesses to relocate to Galloway but the S&P rating alone will not attract businesses to our area.  The current Council has been remiss in doing the legwork required to convince businesses to move here and the dysfunction on Council this past year which has been headlined in the local papers is not a message that businesses want to see about a town in which they are thinking of investing.  Businesses like stability and right now, our township’s public face has shown anything but stability.   I was very disappointed that the majority on Council did not want to move forward in attempting to settle the trash issue by placing it on the ballot so that every registered voter could have their voice heard.

What would you bring to council that no one else can bring? i.e. strengths, experience, etc.?

I bring a tremendous work ethic and passion for serving the needs of the people. I had two influential mentors at Richard Stockton College where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Political Science – Paul Lyons and William Sensiba. Paul and Bill pushed me, continuously, beyond what I thought was possible.  Each time I was confident I had the answer to the question - they would ask a very pointed question to push my thinking further. Little did I know at the time, they were pushing me to be a critical thinker by putting forward difficult and complex scenarios to answer. Paul and Bill believed in my abilities to become an educator, as well as a future leader, even when I was not so sure. The day I “woke up” was the last day of my internship at the United States Information Agency. From all the leaders that I came in contact with, they taught me that government can be a positive force in people’s lives.  From that moment on, I wanted to serve the public. As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “Let us not be afraid to help each other – let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are … the voters of this country.” Those voters are the people who should ultimately decide the issues that affect our town.  

What is your political background? What offices have you held/run for in the past?

For the past four years I have been the president of the Galloway Democratic Club and have served as an Atlantic County Democratic Committeeman for six years. Very late in the season last year, I entered the special election held to fill William Ackerman’s vacated seat on Council. With limited financing and limited time to get out my message, I garnered enough support and votes that demonstrated to me that many Galloway citizens are not satisfied with the current direction of the Township, and that encouraged me to mount a full campaign this year. Last year, I built my platform around the idea of having a “Heart and Mind for Galloway” and found that people liked that message so my running mates and I have continued that theme with our campaign message and platform of “Putting People First.”

Personal Background

I was born in Hammonton and raised in Pleasantville. I graduated from Holy Spirit High School where I was a member of the rowing team that won the Nationals in the “Four” Division. I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. I served an internship in Washington at the US Information Agency.

I am in the 11th year of teaching at the Galloway Township Middle School, where I teach Civics to 8th grade students. Through the years I have coached flag football and girls soccer for the Middle School. In 2007, I coached the GTMS Girls’ Soccer team, which won the Championship of the Atlantic-Cape Junior League. I was the Head Association representative for the Middle School for the past 3 years and have held many leadership positions within the Galloway Education system.

At the age of 16, I joined the ShopRite family where I have continued to work part-time for the past 19 years.

I am an Atlantic County Democratic Committeeman and this year received the Ed Devlin Memorial Award for loyal and dedicated service to the Democratic Party both locally and countywide. I have been the President of the Galloway Democratic Club for the past four years.

My wife, Amy, and I have two young sons, Andrew and Aiden. I am an avid fisherman and musician.