Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/1141600
Jaffer is very busy balancing her day job, motherhood to her four-year-old and the various mayoral commitments — breakfast with the mayor, the swearing in of volunteer EMS officers and firefighters, attending an intercultural holiday celebration — that go along with this part-time job. Jaffer is quick to credit her husband, who does a lot to support her family when she has meetings. "It's a challenge, but obviously the families of men who have been in elected office have figured it out, and now the families of women in elected office will have to figure it out too." As mayor, Jaffer is responsible for setting the agenda and running the township committee meetings, which occur twice a month. The committee manages the township budget, public works, the park district and the police department. One of biggest projects Jaffer will oversee during her tenure is a $30 million to $35 million municipal building complex that will house township offices, the police station and a new library. Jaffer's goals as mayor are to strengthen communications between the township and citizens, increase transparency of government operations and increase diversity and inclusion on the many township boards and committees. "One of the things I found when I was campaigning was that a lot of people didn't understand what their local government was or how it worked. I wanted to change that," she said. To this end, Jaffer set up a series of town hall meetings to get input from the community on the design of the municipal complex. She also began having regular office hours where citizens can simply stop by to voice their concerns or share ideas, a practice that those who preceded her didn't do for many years. Sadaf Jaffer being sworn in as mayor by New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal. She is joined by her husband Dan and daughter Zareen. Sadaf Jaffer graduated from Harvard University with a PhD in near eastern languages and civilizations. SADAF JAFFER '01 TAKING ACTION 36