Melissa DiSalvo, Ward 1 Council Candidate
Melissa DiSalvo, better known as Missy, is a seasoned project manager known for adeptly steering high-level projects to success, an avid gardener and trail runner, and a mother-of-two proud to call Boonton her home. As your next council member for Ward 1, she wants to protect nature from over-development, safeguard the character of our neighborhoods and be proactive in seeking available grant funding for Boonton projects.
Passionate for environmental sustainability, Missy is an avid gardener and home herbalist, blending her love for nature into everyday life. When not on the trails, she spends most of her time with her two young kids, her husband, and their loyal canine companion, Udi. She's a member of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey and the Great Swamp Watershed Association. She’s a Boonton H.S. grad who moved back to Boonton after college, and is excited to put her knowledge to work serving her town.
Marie DeVenezia, Ward 2 Council Member
As a hardworking council member, a 35-year town resident, a mother-of-two and a past Boonton small business owner, Marie has been working to serve Boonton for years. She is on the Boonton Planning Board and Economic Development Committee, championed the effort to rehabilitate the Darress Theater, and has been a board member at Boonton Main Street.
Marie shows up everywhere in Boonton and has made a difference on council, including: being a member of a grant committee that procured over $750,000 in grants for historic preservation and parks; creating the Boonton Main Street Emergency Relief fund that raised over $30,000 for local businesses during Covid-19 shutdowns; fighting overdevelopment in her capacity on the Planning Board, and encouraging business and commerce in Boonton as a member of the Economic Development Committee.
Melissa Couch, Ward 3 Council Candidate
Melissa Couch is a communications professional and a new mom who wants to encourage business growth in Boonton, restore the theater, and foster an inclusive, family-friendly environment. For Melissa, building community and a thriving downtown has become all the more important in thinking about accessibility, quality of life, convenience, and the legacy we leave to our families.
In her professional life, Melissa oversees public relations for a leading luxury real estate brand. Her communications background enables her to work effectively and collaboratively with others in order to move goals forward, and her real estate experience offers her a unique perspective into key characteristics of vibrant and successful neighborhoods. She has been a Boonton resident for several years, sharing a happy home in Ward 3 with her husband, baby girl, and two cherished rescue dogs.
Benjamin Weisman, Ward 4 Council Member
Benjamin Weisman is a Boonton Ward 4 council member and Chair of the Boonton Finance Committee, a Boonton Elks Club officer and a nonprofit director running for re-election to town council to preserve the historic character of Boonton while creating a more vibrant and welcoming downtown in a fiscally sensible way.
Ben has served on the Planning Board and the Police and Parking Committee under the prior mayor, where he was able to fight overdevelopment like the Park Woods project and advocate for Boonton’s finest. Under the new mayor, Ben chairs the Finance Committee, where he works in a bipartisan way on budget priorities to maximize and streamline services while reducing costs where possible and practical. Prioritizing accessibility, Ben continues holding office hours at Boonton Coffee and has an email newsletter residents can sign up for to stay up-to-date on council happenings. He also worked to pass Boonton’s first bipartisan tree ordinance to protect nature and the forest canopy remaining in Boonton.