“ My top priority is making sure all viewpoints in our great town are represented by listening to our residents’ needs,” said Democrat Lori Sprizza, when asked why she is the lone Democrat running for one of the three seats to be decided on borough council this year.
Sprizza filed to run for one of the two seats also being sought by incumbent Republicans Christopher McAvoy and Devon Morton. The third seat, currently held by incumbent Councilwoman Devon Morton, is for a term to which she was appointed earlier this year .
It is rare for a Democrat to file for election to borough council in the borough that has been governed by Republicans for decades.
But Sprizza, who originally came from Hazlet and attended Raritan High School candidly admits she has no political experience and never had any intention of running for any political office. But how she has been affected by what is happening across the nation, and its impact on her three daughters, neighbors and communities led her to believe “it was time to stop complaining and time to take action and step up.”
Sprizza said “ There’s so much opportunity to show our children that despite what is happening around us that we may not agree with, we can, and should, work together to make a positive impact right here in our own community. “
Towards this end, the candidate feels she brings a unique perspective to the position, specifically to the local school community since she and her husband Lou have a daughter at Red Bank Regional and twin daughters in the local school system.
Asked why she felt the borough council rather than the board of education would be the better place to serve with her concerns for the schools, Sprizza explained she currently attends board meetings and feels residents can be brutal in their treatment of that board, and she does not think she has “the stuff” to handle that kind of constant criticism. The school board work, she feels, would be too stressful giving how supportive the board has always been towards her family concerns and needs.
That Sprizza has had a stressful few years but shows her capability for handling unforeseen personal events cannot be denied. Celebrating a happy marriage of 25 years earlier this month, the couple have lived in Shrewsbury 22 years and have worked their way, and continue to work their way successfully in handling some serious medical problems in the family. Within the last few years, one child had open heart surgery, one had a brain shunt and an unexpected revision ten weeks after her sister’s open-heart surgery.
Currently Sprizza sits on the Shrewsbury Community Alliance, bringing important programs to elementary school children along with information sessions for parents on issues including cyber safety, bullying, and mental health. She was a member of the planning committee for Big Steps for Little Feet for a number of years, an organization run by parents and Monmouth Medical staff that raises funds for the NICU at Monmouth Medical Center.
A nurse herself, with a degree in nursing from Kean University, Sprizza said her own twins spent the first four months of their lives in the NICU after being born prematurely at 24 weeks. “They are 12 years old now and thriving,” she points out happily. As a registered nurse in the Monmouth County community for most of her 30-year career she cares deeply about what is happening with healthcare and the health of our community. “I may not have experience sitting on a town council, but I am passionate about contributing and am ready and willing to learn. she explained enthusiastically.
Since there has never been a Democrat on council even longer than the Sprizza family has lived in the borough, reiterated that “ we have so many compassionate and qualified people that are willing to volunteer their time to serve Shrewsbury, and we need to hear those voices too!”
As part of her work if elected, Sprizza said she is interested in exploring how Netflix will impact Shrewsbury: its effect on local traffic, the potential growth for surrounding small businesses, and possible opportunities for Red Bank Regional students.
“I’m just running on being myself; I do not pretend to know a whole lot about politics or to be someone I’m not. At the end of the day, we all want the same things for our town: safe roads, quality and nurturing schools for our kids, transparency and good communication between borough government, our schools, and our residents, and a clean and safe environment to leave the world. Shrewsbury is a very special place with very special people and the time to step up and volunteer felt right. Working together feels necessary and needed now more than ever.”
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