Politics & Government

Mahwah Township Council Candidate Profile: Jonathan Marcus

In preparation for Tuesday’s election, Patch asked the four candidates running for an unexpired term on the Mahwah township council to fill out the following “Patch Candidate Profile.”

Below are the answers Patch received from Candidate Jonathan Marcus.

Name: Jonathan N. Marcus

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Age: 43

Where did you grow up? Please tell us a little bit about your education and profession.

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I grew up in Wyckoff, but fell in love with Mahwah as a teenager when I went to college here.  I graduated from Ramapo College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in Law and Society.  I then earned a Juris Doctorate, magna cum laude, from Seton Hall University School of Law where I was a member of the Seton Hall Law Review.  For the past decade I have been Assistant General Counsel for one of the global “Big 4” certified public accounting firms where I provide in-house representation in connection with business transactional matters.  Previously, I was an associate attorney in the Corporate Department of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP where I provided representation to both public and private clients across a wide range of industries on mergers, divestitures and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, private equity and debt financings, and complex commercial transactions.  Prior to joining Weil, I was an associate in the Corporate Department of Sills Cummis & Gross P.C. where I provided representation to a wide range of clients, primarily at the entrepreneurial/start-up through mid-market  level, in connection with the diverse array of corporate, business and commercial issues that such clients face.

I am the Immediate Past President of the Ramapo College Alumni Association’s Board of Directors and serve as a Governor on the Ramapo College Foundation’s Board of Governors.  I am also a member of the college’s Strategic Planning Task Force which recently completed development of a new five year strategic plan for the college which was endorsed by the college’s Board of Trustees.  I also serve as a member on various college advisory boards and take great joy in being a mentor to students.  I was bestowed the Ramapo College President’s Award of Merit in 2009, the highest award given to an alumni of the college.  In 2011, I was asked by Mayor Laforet to volunteer his time to serve on a "Blue Ribbon" citizen advisory panel which provided advice to the Mayor in connection with his formulation of the Township’s proposed 2012 and 2013 budgets.​  I ran for a seat on the Township Council as a first-time candidate in 2012 and came up 32 votes short.  Subsequently, Mayor Laforet appointed me to be a member of the Township's Planning Board and Environmental Commission. 

How long have you lived in Mahwah?

Over 15 years. I also went to college here.

Why are you running for a seat on the township council?

I believe that community service is a gift that we all have the capacity to give.  What that gift is differs from person to person. I have always believed that serving in local government is the place where one person can indeed make a difference.  The outcomes that result from the decisions you make and the actions you take are seen directly on yours and your neighbors’ doorsteps.  Mahwah has been moving forward in a positive direction.  As a devoted husband, father of two young girls and someone who plans to remain in the township for decades to come,  I am committed to working together with the other members of our Township Council, the Administration and the residents of our community to insure that Mahwah remains a great place to live and also a great place to raise a family.

Why do you feel you are the best candidate for the job?

I am an ethical, honest, consensus builder who will work hard for all the residents of Mahwah.  I have a proven ability to work across party lines in a productive manner and am committed to doing what is right for Mahwah.  I have been attending every township council meeting and every hour of every budget hearing to continue to grow my first hand understanding of the challenges facing our Council today.  I understand the important issues that face Mahwah.  While I believe that I bring with me a toolkit of skills and experiences from a legal, professional and financial perspective that will be of great benefit to the Township Council, I want to stress that I am not the candidate who is about “I” or “me”.  I am the candidate that is about “you” and “we”.  We need a Council that is going to work together to continue to move Mahwah forward with fresh ideas and a positive perspective.  Your Township council is YOUR voice.  To be that voice, it must first LISTEN to the residents of this town.  I have been listening to you and will continue to listen to you.  It would be an honor to serve as representative of your voice on our Township Council.

What do you feel are some of the most important issues the township is facing?

As I have seen in going door to door speaking with residents and as we read on PATCH on a daily basis, there is no one most important issue that is facing our community.  There are many.   Each resident believes that their issues are the most important. We need a Council that does not tell us what is important to them, but rather a Council that listens to what we tell them is important to us.

I learned something about our community during Superstorm Sandy.  It showed me that a community of individuals can be brought together with a common voice. When this occurs, great things can be accomplished.

Some who come before us may look to take credit for just about everything.  That is not me.  That is not what I am about.  As a member of our Council, it would be my responsibility to be a steward of township residents’ trust and serve as a representative of our community’s collective voice.  I would seek to foster a culture on our Council that first and foremost listens to our residents, embraces new ideas, respects differing perspectives and is not afraid to explore fresh opportunities.

The decisions our Council makes today will determine what our community will be in the long term.  I want to assure you that I am here for the long term. It’s time for a new committed Council member whose only motivation is to serve this community’s best interests. 

Do you have an election website and/or Facebook page?

Website: www.marcusformahwah.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/marcusformahwah

Twitter: @marcusformahwah

See the profiles of the other three candidates here.


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