Dan Harris Confirms Bid for City Council Seat
Harris: We need a watchdog and I want to be that watchdog
Community leader Daniel A. Harris III is the first candidate to go on the record with his bid to challenge the Asbury Together incumbents for one of three open City Council seats.
The Asbury Together ticket is comprised of Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn, Councilwoman Yvonne Clayton and Councilwoman Eileen Chapman.
Harris confirmed Monday evening that he will seek the required 100 signatures needed for a spot on the November ballot.
“There is great development headed for the west side after close to 50 years of neglect,” Harris [shown at right] said. “I think the people on the west side should be active and remain involved in reference to specifically the type of business that will be here. Jobs will be coming to that area, and like the building of the park where no one from this area was allowed to work on it, there will jobs – not just short time jobs in construction after these projects are finished – but long term employment and we want to ensure people from this area are included.”
Harris, who was raised in Neptune on the Asbury Park border, has lived on the west side’s Ridge Avenue for over 30 years. The 64-year-old retired educator is running as an independent candidate.
“We’ve all seen the revitalization on the east side but more often than not that money goes right back out of the community,” he said. “There’s no multiplier effect. We need to ensure that those jobs and businesses are benefiting members of the community. We need a watchdog and I want to be that watchdog in terms of a seat on the City Council.”
Harris said more jobs for members of the community will result in lowered crime rates.
“If people are actively employed there will be no reason to sell drugs and steel,” he said. “We deserve a voice and I will be that voice.”
Harris has been married to wife Emily for 35 years, and their daughter, Nicolle is a graduate of Asbury Park High School and Delaware State University, who sat on the Asbury Park School District’s Board of Education. Harris and his wife served as foster parents for 10 years, he said.
Harris sits on the municipality’s Zoning Board of Adjustment, an NJSIAA certified volleyball official, and a long standing member of The Dialogue Group, a forum comprised of residents who meet on a regular basis to discuss issue facing the community.
He holds a bachelor of sciences degree as well as an MBA from Monmouth University, and a teaching certificate and supervisor’s certificate from Rutgers University.
He owned Harris Bros. Auto Repair Shop before going into education and worked during his college years as a tutor at Second Baptist Church, for which he has been a lifelong member. He serves as vice chairman of the Second Baptist Church Deacon Board, chairman of their Men’s Ministry, senior and men’s choir, and is a member of the Christian Board of Education.
Harris, now retired, worked for the Essex County Vocational Technical School as an auto body teacher and athletic director. He also worked as a consultant to United Community Corp. in Newark for eight years.
During his tenure as athletic director soccer, cross country, boys basketball, girls basketball, girls track and boys track teams won numerous league and conference championships, including state titles. He said, 80 percent of the track athletes and 100 percent of the girls basketball players were awarded Division I college scholarships.
Harris also helped organize and served as president of the North Jersey Technical Interscholastic League and served as director of the New Jersey Technical Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships.
Harris has served as director of the West Side Community Center, running their summer day camp for two years. He also served on Block Watch about 10 years ago.
Harris ran for City Council in 2013 as part of the A-team ticket, and was one of a dozen applicants in May who sought to replace Councilman Joe Woerner, who stepped down for personal reasons.
In a written interview for his May bid, Harris said:
“I know that I can contribute to the decisions made by the council. As a resident of Asbury Park and the southwest quadrant I can bring a point of view that would be beneficial to the entire city. We are running out of space in reference to the development of the downtown and the beachfront areas. It is imperative that the development of the southwest quadrant involve those who have stayed through the hard times. The development of Springwood Ave should serve as a social, cultural and economic renaissance for residents as well as the investors. The southwest quadrant is loaded with absentee landlords who do not have the best interest of the tenants or the city at heart. These people need to be held accountable for their neglect of their tenants and their properties. The “Tale of Two Cities” must end. Whether I would run would be a better question. Asbury Park is known for elections that divide the city. I would be foolish to make any premature statement about an election at this time. I am more interested in taking this opportunity to help the city by being a great public servant.”
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