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Sherman R. Taylor

Sherman R. Taylor is a lifelong Millville resident (born 1970) with 38 years in emergency services, including work as an EMT, firefighter, Class I Special Police Officer, Emergency Management Coordinator/Deputy, and Senior Public Safety Telecommunicator and Communications Training Officer for Cumberland County 911 and the Millville Police Department. He retired from public safety dispatch in 2024. His family has deep local roots—his father worked at Wheaton Glass for 50 years, his mother served as a controller for local auto dealers since 1955, and his grandparents operated Robbins Market at 5th & Broad.

Taylor frames his candidacy around three themes—Strength, Experience, Commitment—with priorities that start with public safety staffing and readiness: bringing the police department “back to full staff or better,” ensuring the fire department is appropriately staffed with firefighters and EMTs, and improving recruitment/training pipelines. He argues this won’t change overnight due to hiring/training timelines but says reversing long-term understaffing is essential.

Economically, he supports building Millville’s ratable base and positioning the city as “a hub for business and commerce,” which he believes requires the “right economic development team.” He also emphasizes culture and communication: listening to residents, encouraging community involvement, and restoring a sense of civic pride.

Taylor says he’s ready to “hit the ground running,” and, given his background, expresses interest in serving as Public Safety Director if assigned; he notes he has working relationships with multiple department heads and could contribute in any seat under Millville’s commission form of government.

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Rating Explanation

Sherman R. Taylor

Initial transparency/accessibility view: Developing. Taylor has posted a substantive introductory statement outlining his background and top priorities and has an active Facebook campaign page (see below). At this stage, we have not yet logged a dedicated campaign website, long-form interviews, or a truly public facing campaign event. What that means is that there is an upcoming event with Taylor and two other candidates that is technically a fundraiser, which limits voters and the press from hearing campaign messaging without directly supporting it. It also raises the question of whether these 3 candidates are campaigning together without publicly saying so.

What would move this rating up: a central campaign site with organized agenda/issue pages; coordinated communication with the press; long-form interviews (radio/podcast/video); a truly public and advertised campaign event; and timely replies to voter/media inquiries. As those pieces appear, we’ll update the rating to reflect real-world accessibility for voters. The main benefit for voters with this candidate and many others is to engage in the action plans that describe how his campaign ideas will actually materialize if they get elected.

Click the red x at the top of this box and then scroll down for more in-depth information and sources.



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  3. Check the agenda & positions. We group stated priorities plainly to make cross-candidate comparisons easier.
  4. Read the Transparency/Accessibility rating. See how reachable and documented the candidate has been so far.
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Where we add context or opinion, it’s to help busy voters make sense of gaps in local information.

Sherman R. Taylor

Running for:
Millville City Commissioner
Incumbent
Challenger
Sherman R. Taylor headshot

Websites

This election is on November 4th, 2025



Transparency/Accessibility Rating: Developing

transparency rating gauge - developing


Videos

Status

No long-form interview posted here yet. As soon as a radio/podcast/video conversation is recorded, it will appear with timestamps and key takeaways.

Overall Agenda and Positions

  • Public Safety & Readiness

    Taylor’s top priority is staffing and readiness across police, fire, and EMS. He supports returning the police department to “full staff or better,” ensuring the fire department is appropriately staffed with firefighters and EMTs, and improving recruitment, training, and time-to-field given lengthy hiring pipelines.

    Proposes/Emphasizes:

    • Rebuilding authorized strength for MPD and fully staffing Fire/EMS.
    • Shortening time to hire/train where possible; setting realistic timelines for onboarding.
    • Leveraging his 38 years of operational perspective to improve coordination among public safety departments.
    • Expressed interest in serving as Public Safety Director if assigned, citing broad experience and existing relationships with department heads.

  • Economic Development & Ratables

    Taylor links safety and prosperity: a safer city is easier to market, and expanding the ratable base is essential for services and long-term stability. He calls for building Millville into “a hub for business and commerce” with the right economic development team.

    Proposes/Emphasizes:

    • Recruiting/empowering an effective economic development team.
    • Prioritizing projects that broaden the tax base to fund core services.
    • Presenting Millville as a confident, cooperative partner for investors and employers.

  • Governance, Community Input & Civic Pride

    Taylor stresses a collaborative commission that actively listens to residents and restores a sense of pride in Millville. He frames “community involvement” and consistent responsiveness as necessary to rebuild trust.

    Proposes/Emphasizes:

    • Regular engagement with citizens to surface concerns and solutions.
    • Commissioners working cooperatively to reach the best outcome for residents.
    • Campaign theme: Strength, Experience, Commitment—bringing a service mindset to city leadership.


Background and Campaign Message

— Source: Candidate campaign statement

"Hello everyone, my name is Sherman R. Taylor and I am running for Millville City Commission on November 4th, 2025 (Column E, Lever 2). I was born in Millville in 1970 and have lived here for 54 years. My parents, Sherman and Shirley, lived in Millville for over 80 years. My father worked for Wheaton Glass for 50 years, and my mother served as a controller for several long-standing car dealerships beginning in 1955. My maternal grandparents owned and operated Robbins Market at 5th and Broad for decades. I come from a hard-working family with deep roots in this community.

I’ve given back to Millville my entire life—starting with cutting neighbors’ lawns as a kid to volunteering with emergency services. I know and understand this community. I’m married to my wife Susan, a retired Millville Police officer. We have a son, Chuck, his wife Tina, and two grandsons. I’m rooted here for the future.

I graduated from Millville Senior High School in 1989. At the end of my sophomore year I began my emergency services journey as an EMT with the Millville Rescue Squad. I was hooked, and I’ve spent the next 38 years serving Millville and Cumberland County as an EMT, firefighter, Class I Special Police Officer, Emergency Management Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator, and for the last 33 years as a Senior Public Safety Telecommunicator and Communications Training Officer for Cumberland County 911 and for the Millville Police Department (25 of those years), before retiring in 2024.

I believe I’m the best choice for Commission because I care deeply about where Millville has been, where it is now, and what it can become. I’ve seen our city at its best and its worst. With hard work, cooperation, and commitment, we can make Millville the vibrant gem of Cumberland County again.

Priorities: First, public safety. We must bring our police department back to full staff (or better) and ensure the fire department is properly staffed with firefighters and EMTs. Hiring and training take time, but we can rebuild. Second, economic development. We need ratables to grow into a hub for business and commerce, and that takes the right economic development team. Finally, a renewed civic culture: listening to residents, welcoming community input, and restoring pride in our city.

I’m ready to hit the ground running. My goal would be to serve as Public Safety Director if assigned because that’s where my heart and experience are. I also understand other departments and, as a department head for over 15 years, have strong relationships with current leaders and can contribute wherever I’m needed. With your support, I’ll serve to the best of my ability and beyond.

Slogan: Strength, Experience, Commitment for Millville. I will be a strong leader, I have the experience, and I am committed to making Millville a safer, better place to live.


Experience

Emergency Services & Public Safety

  • EMT, Millville Rescue Squad (started during high school; 38 years total in emergency services)
  • Firefighter
  • Class I Special Police Officer
  • Emergency Management Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator
  • Senior Public Safety Telecommunicator & Communications Training Officer, Cumberland County 911; Millville Police Department (25 years); retired 2024

Local Roots & Family Background

  • Born in Millville (1970); lifelong resident
  • Father: 50 years at Wheaton Glass
  • Mother: Controller for local car dealerships since 1955
  • Maternal grandparents: Owners/operators of Robbins Market (5th & Broad) for decades

Education

  • Millville Senior High School — Class of 1989