'Time to Take Action' Committee Candidate Says

Don Babb says there’s only so much complaining one can do from a coffee shop without taking action.

And that’s why he’s running for township committee in the June Primary Election.

Babb, 75, has never held public office. The 43-year Washington Township resident is a former Department of Public Works employee who taught in the Parsippany School District before that.

“I’ve been thinking about [running for office] for a long time,” Babb said. “I’ve got no agenda and no axe to grind. I just want good management in town.”

Committeeman David Kennedy announced Monday–the deadline day to file a petition for the June Primary–he would not seek a second three-year term. Commiteeman James LiaBraaten, still serving his first three-year term, did file to run for another term.

Kennedy’s announcement had no bearing on Babb’s decision, he said, and planned on running in June regardless of who else filed.

Babb’s two children went through the school system and he currently has a grandchild in one of the township’s elementary schools, he said. Babb is on the Washington Township Municipal Utilities Authority board, and is a member of the Fairmount Fire Company.

No Democrats in town filed to run in the Primary Election.

In 2012, Washington Township Mayor Ken Short and Vice Mayor Bill Roehrich ran unopposed in the June Primary Election as well as the General Election.