Conrad unopposed, Roy, Wareham face challenges
VILLAS — Six candidates are running for three seats on Lower Township Council but only one is seeking the Ward I seat, while three are vying for the Ward II seat and two for the Ward III seat. The election is Nov. 3.
Lower Township Council is a partisan board with five members — mayor, at-large member and three ward representatives. This year the three ward positions are up for grabs in a busy field.
Incumbent Tom Conrad is running unopposed for another term representing Ward I. He was appointed to council in January 2007 and, barring a successful write-in campaign, likely will take his seat for another four-year term in early January.
At the same time, incumbent Joseph Wareham is facing a challenge in Ward II from Democrat Elizabeth Blair-Slemmer and Independent Caroline Rankovic.
In Ward III, Roland Roy Jr. is being challenged by Democrat Michelle Simmons, who is running on a ticket with Blair-Slemmer.
Below are profiles on four of the six candidates. The Cape May Star and Wave sent the same questions to everyone but Conrad and Wareham ignored requests for comment. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Caroline Rankovic, Ward II
Lifelong Lower Township resident and business owner Caroline Rankovic is running as an independent, challenging Joseph Wareham for his Ward II seat on Township Council.
“I am running as an Independent [and] I am running for the people, not the party,” Rankovic said. “I want to serve because this town is my heart, my history, my home. I want to provoke thoughtful changes while preserving some of the character of historic Town Bank.”
Rankovic, 35, was born in Cape May Court House, with roots in the area going back several generations. Her mother was from Pennsylvania and her father was a Cape May native. Rankovic said they met on a vacation and the rest was history.
She lives in Lower with her husband, Igor, and their three children, ages 12, 9 and 7. Rankovic said being self-employed gives her the flexibility to support her family financially while also spending time with them.
What is your education/employment/military service?
I graduated from the Cape May County Technical High School in 2009 with a focus in natural science technology and [I have] two separate associate degrees at Atlantic Cape Community College, one in general studies science and one in paralegal studies. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science with honors from Rutgers in May 2020.
As I was gearing up for the LSAT and applying to law school, my child became sick and was ultimately diagnosed with Type I Diabetes at age 3. That was a cornerstone for me, and when I started focusing more on wellness and self-care. I decided to pivot professionally and enrolled in massage therapy school at Barberio School of Massage.
What is your experience relative to serving/community involvement?
I opened Town Bank Tranquility Spa in September 2022. In the last four years, the spa has grown and we have promoted self-care and tranquility right here in historic Town Bank. Helping people relax, whether it be with a restorative massage or peace of mind for their pets when they are away, gives me purpose.
I also started a pet sitting business around the same time as my spa. I have always loved animals. I worked at Parkway Veterinary Hospital for several years before my first son was born. Pet sitting has allowed me to continue working with animals without compromising as much time away from my family.
I like to contribute positively to my community and I think running for Lower Township Council is another facet of that community involvement.
Why do you want to serve?
I think it is time I put my skills and hard-earned education to good use in my hometown. I want to work with the governing body to accomplish great things in our town. I took the time to canvass the neighborhood with my family this spring. I had to obtain 176 signatures just to get on the ballot, while my opponents running on the partisan ticket each only needed 25 signatures.
What skills do you have that would benefit the governing body?
I am a Rutgers graduate with an honors degree in political science, but honestly, I think being a mother of three children has given me a lot of skills that would benefit the governing body. For one thing, you can’t make everyone happy; you must be realistic.
I have found that so many residents have felt dismissed and unheard with various local issues. If there is a solution, I am going to make it my mission to find it. I am great at multitasking, problem-solving and researching an issue extensively. Advocacy is one of my greatest passions and strengths.
What do you think are the top issues the community is facing today and in the future?
I think the biggest growing issue is our aging infrastructure. With so much new development emerging throughout Lower Township, we need to take a hard look at our streets, drainage and traffic. Lower Township has a significant lack of storm drainage and crumbling streets.
I also think we need to consider a traffic study and evaluation of our residential roadways. It is becoming increasingly dangerous as speeding increases, making it unsafe for pedestrians. There are times that there is so much traffic and cars are parked on both sides of the street that, in the event of an emergency, an ambulance or fire truck might not be able to access a residence.
What can be done to address these issues?
Research and upgrade the water drainage system in Lower Township by adding drains and repaving the streets, not just applying pothole patchwork. Also, a traffic study to keep our roadways safe for everyone. The increased traffic with no oversight is a tragedy waiting to happen.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I financed my own campaign and bought my own signs. I pounded the pavement for months with my family this spring. Where one door closed, another one opened; some people signed my petition and some people shut the door. I am thankful for this experience and no matter the outcome, I am glad that I took the chance to run for Lower Township Council.
Elizabeth Blair-Slemmer, Ward II
Public service runs deep for Elizabeth “Beth” Blair-Slemmer, a Democrat challenging Joseph Wareham for his Ward II seat on Township Council.
“There has been one party in full control of Lower Township since 1998, without one Democrat serving,” Blair-Slemmer said. “This is not healthy for democracy, as it creates complacency at the very least.”
Blair-Slemmer and Michelle Simmons are running together to fill seats for Ward II and III, under the slogan “Doing good for Lower Township.”
Blair-Slemmer, 62, grew up in Haddonfield in Camden County. She and her husband Rob Slemmer have 10 children between the two of them.
What is your education/employment/military service?
I always knew I wanted to go to college, but it took a while to find the right fit and major. I graduated from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) with a major in political science. I was hired immediately after graduation by the office where I had interned: U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s office in 1988. He wrote the state superfund bill and focused on environmental issues. That is when my awareness of the importance of taking care of our planet kicked in.
From there, I was hired by U.S. Congressman Jim Florio’s office, also an environmental champion known for his clean ocean legislation and Pinelands preservation while he served in Congress. He ran for governor in 1989 and won, and I was named South Jersey director of Constituent Relations and set up satellite offices in all the southern counties.
After that, I served as his legislative liaison at the New Jersey state Department of Personnel in Trenton, where I testified during Senate and Assembly hearings on legislation affecting state workers. Later, I was named assistant deputy commissioner and served as an intermediary between the department heads and the commissioner.
When Gov. Florio lost his bid for re-election because of his stance on automatic weapons, I moved over to the Statehouse to serve on the transition team. I had just gotten married and was pregnant with my first child when we lost that election, so I stayed home and raised three kids in Moorestown.
Why do you want to serve? What skills do you have that would benefit the governing body?
When the issue of affordable housing became a hot topic in [Moorestown], I decided to get involved again and got elected to the Burlington County Democratic Committee and also served on the Moorestown Improvement Association, the oldest civic group in the town. We helped Democrats win a majority of Town Council for the first time in history. I then served on the low- and moderate-income housing committee for four years.
When I realized my [first] marriage was ending and I needed a new career, I chose real estate in the hope it would provide flexibility as a single mom. I have been working in that second career for 21 years now and still love it.
What do you think are the top issues the community is facing today and in the future?
My second husband and I moved to Lower Township full-time in 2020. I moved my real estate license here in 2018. We get calls at my office every day from local people who are trying to find an affordable place to live. Most of the time, we have little to nothing to offer them. That is what drove me to get politically involved here. As a community, we need to be talking about this and gathering people from all sectors to work on solutions.
Another contributing factor is the rapid construction of very large homes in Lower Township, with seemingly no thought for the environmental impact or how this is changing our population. Our school enrollment is consistently dropping, which has resulted in a massive cut to Lower Township school employees this year. Again, we need to address this and decide as a community what we want to look like 10, 20, 50 years from now.
What can be done to address these issues?
Many residents do not feel they are being heard, and that changes are pushed through before communicating with those being affected by the changes.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
At my core, I believe that public service is an honor, and that we can get back to a place and time where parties can work together with mutual respect. That is how it was in my first career; we were actually friends and went out for a beer at the end of the day together. That is the only way we can take on and solve the big issues facing us, and I am ready to do that.
Michelle Simmons, Ward III
Michelle Simmons, a Democrat whose lifelong commitment to public service began in Middle Township, is challenging Roland Roy Jr. for his Ward III seat on Township Council.
“I grew up volunteering at a young age because my mother worked at the American Cancer Society,” Simmons said. “I carried that spirit into adulthood, working over a decade at Cape May while volunteering wherever I could.”
She added that her volunteerism has given her a sense of purpose and a desire to help without expecting anything in return.
Simmons and Elizabeth Blair-Slemmer are running together to fill seats for Ward II and III, under the slogan “Doing good for Lower Township.”
Simmons, 41, grew up in Middle Township but has been living in Lower Township for the past 10 years. She and her husband, a teacher, have four children who attend Lower Township schools.
What is your education/employment/military service?
I put myself through college, starting at Atlantic Cape, then Stockton and finally earning a bachelor’s in history from Rowan University while working full-time. I never pursued a traditional career with that degree; instead, I used my education to fuel a thirst for knowledge and travel.
I lived in South America and volunteered with a nonprofit, backpacked through Europe, visited Japan, drove across the country, lived in Arizona and California and even camped on Hawaii’s Big Island for a month. Some of my most profound experiences include interviewing a Holocaust survivor, visiting Anne Frank’s house in Amsterdam, exploring Nagasaki and Pearl Harbor, and standing in Dachau concentration camp.
These moments expanded my perspective, deepened my appreciation for our country and made me realize we can always be better.
Why do you want to serve?
Currently, I’m not holding a council position, but I know my views matter. I believe our community’s potential lies in protecting its backbone … the locals. I want to serve because I see us as a strong community that feels powerless about what’s happening. Through canvassing, residents tell me no one is listening. We aren’t communicating with the people who actually hold power here: ourselves. That’s why we’ve been successful, yet we’re absent from the table during critical changes.
What skills do you have that would benefit the governing body?
The skills I bring include a clear, resident-focused perspective. I won’t make decisions without first communicating with you. I’m tenacious, I love asking questions, and I won’t give up until we find solutions everyone can be proud of.
What do you think are the top issues the community is facing today and in the future?
The top issues in Lower Township are:
1. A lack of transparency: Decisions are made behind closed doors, leaving residents uninformed and disconnected. For example, 50 employees were fired from Lower Township Elementary last school year due to declining enrollment and health care costs and most people never knew.
2. Crushing unaffordability: Locals are being pushed out. The state has denied four affordable-housing applications over the past two years. People are suffering, and there’s little available for year-round homes. My children, and so many others, likely won’t be able to afford houses here. Why are these applications being denied and when are we going to make this the biggest priority?
3. Stagnant leadership: There hasn’t been a meaningful difference of opinion on Council in 30 years. We lack fresh ideas and diverse voices to tackle our challenges.
What can be done to address these issues?
That’s why I’m running, and here are my concrete solutions:
— For transparency & powerlessness: I will institute regular, structured town hall meetings where residents speak before decisions are made. We need open dialogue, not announcements. I’ll fight for real-time communication on council actions and budgetary changes that affect our schools and services.
— For affordable housing & economic justice: I will prioritize making housing a true priority by supporting zoning changes that enable development, advocating for partnerships to renovate abandoned buildings, and exploring options like accessory dwelling units on underused land, including institutional properties. We must also champion policies that support local trades and create year-round, livable-wage jobs to keep our community rooted here.
— For fresh perspectives & change: I bring a tenacious, question-oriented mindset. I don’t have all the answers, but I promise to listen, learn and advocate for evidence-based solutions. I will actively seek out and amplify diverse community voices, ensuring the council reflects the whole of Lower Township, not just a single, stagnant viewpoint.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
It’s time to do more for our year-round residents. We must prioritize people over projects for visitors. I am ready to fight for the people of Lower Township. If not now, then when? What will the next 30 years look like if we don’t take our power back and build a thriving, inclusive home for everyone, especially our children?
Roland Roy, Ward III
Roland Roy, 72, was born in Cape May Court House, raised in Wildwood and attended Wildwood High School. After graduating, he worked as a pile driver before joining the Wildwood Police Department.
He lives in the Erma section of the township with his wife of 43 years, Melissa. They raised their two children there and both graduated from Lower Cape May Regional High School and continue to live locally in the Wildwood area.
Roy first started serving on Township Council in 2019.
What is your education/employment/military service?
Becoming a police officer required training and attending courses to better facilitate my career, of which I attended 27 different classes throughout my 27-year career.
I held several supervisory positions, handled many investigations, served as a traffic investigation officer, a detective, corporal and retired with the rank of sergeant 25 years ago. In my later years, as a patrol officer I bought property and built my home in Lower Township.
What is your experience relative to serving/community involvement?
I joined the Holly Beach Volunteer Fire Company in 1974 and remain active today, in my 52nd year as a volunteer. I am co-founder and president of Cape Classics M/C (motorcycle club), the club being organized in 1993 evolving into a nonprofit corporation whose purpose, besides providing a family-oriented club, supports Toys for Tots.
My club built and branded the Roar to the Shore motorcycle rally, which, over its 20 years of existence, brought millions of dollars into the local economy each year. In addition to the fire department, club and Township Council, I serve on the Lower Township Planning Board.
How long have you served in your current position, when were you first elected & why do you want to serve?
Being a long-time resident of Lower Township, I have seen the way administrations would fight and confront the public at meetings. The negativity was not getting things done and the morale in Township Hall was very low. I decided to throw my hat in the ring and received support from family and friends and subsequently elected to my position.
Since that time, under the direction of the mayor and fellow council, the township has excelled in newly built and replaced infrastructure, renewal and addition to recreational parks and grounds, sewer installations in Erma, building a first-class police department, an accomplished administration, code enforcement, fire inspections, licensing and zoning, to name a few.
Currently, our public works garage is being rebuilt from the ground up and will be better equipped to handle the recycling and other tasks in a more efficient and cost-saving manner.
Township Hall has become transparent, is efficient and the administration is friendly and welcoming to our residents when walking through the door.
I like to think as council being a ‘well-oiled machine that takes time to work through situations without the name calling, arguing and animosity as seen in past administrations. This all adds to the purpose of making Lower Township a better place to live and a place to remember.
What skills do you have that would benefit the governing body?
Being in the public eye for so long, both when on the police department and working with the public, I have developed skills to listen to what is being said; never to prejudge a person before meeting them in person and believing that we are all entitled to our own opinions; communications should not be short, but direct to determine if the person wants help or to vent; in either case, it is important to know where to direct that person for help and resolve if not being able to solve a problem myself.
Council is united in purpose and as a resident/taxpayer, I want to make sure we are all getting our money’s worth. “Don’t fix it if it is not broken” kind of says it all.
What do you think are the top issues the community is facing today and in the future?
I feel that first and foremost is a balanced budget, resulting in minimal tax increases, if necessary, while providing services and quality of life issues throughout the township. Communicating with the police with handling rowdy Airbnbs, juveniles, code enforcement issues, safety concerns for our residents, seeking viable future income-producing resources, while maintaining a safe environment for all, residents and tourists alike.
What can be done to address these issues?
First off, listen to public-reply and note response, when proposed ideas are presented to council. Remain vigilant throughout the township, noting the work efforts and performance being put forth from our public employees. Communicate with our Township Manager our individual concerns and discuss further at closed session meetings, in proper form, where group cooperation is paramount in the resolve of issues that may arise. Treat people with dignity, as we choose to represent them, and above all else, show respect when doing so.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Our township continues to grow in population, density and diversity. Our laws are always changing and newly enacted policies must be followed. It is frustrating for some to understand the changes but we as council and elected officials are charged with representing the people. Your problems are our problems and together we will work to try to address your concerns.
Communication is the key. Things will change but, in the end, we all want the best of options we have to work with.
By RACHEL SHUBIN and CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Cape May Star and Wave
