FREEHOLD – Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian G. Burry has been nominated for the Association of Defense Communities (ADC) 2019 John Lynch Base Redevelopment Award for all the work she has put into the redevelopment of Fort Monmouth.
Freeholder Burry was nominated for this award by the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA). Freeholder Burry serves as a Board member and the Chairwoman of the Veterans Staff Advisory Committee for FMERA.
According to the ADC, this award recognizes those “whose outstanding leadership has been essential in ensuring that a community or local redevelopment authority has helped address the community’s specific economic needs following base realignment or closure, shown measurable results, incorporated innovative public-private partnerships and served as a model for other communities across the country.”
“Freeholder Burry has been the backbone through this whole redevelopment process,” said Bruce Steadman, Executive Director of FMERA. “She has been outstanding in terms of her leadership and her support of every initiative. It was the natural pick for her to be our nominee.”
Not only has Freeholder Burry been instrumental to the redevelopment of Fort Monmouth, but she is also a strong veterans advocate. She works hard to make sure that the Fort’s soldiers are remembered and honored. Freeholder Burry also had a big hand in the decision to place the County’s Veterans Connection office on the Fort’s Main Post.
Freeholder Burry also ensured Freeholder Board approval for Monmouth County to issue bonds backed by a County guaranty, and loan the funds to FMERA for its 2016 purchase of the Main Post.
“Over the course of my career in public service, I have had the opportunity to serve as an advocate for several worthwhile causes, but the redevelopment of Fort Monmouth is something that I hold very dear,” said Freeholder Burry. “Working toward bringing life back to the Fort, while preserving open space and historic sites, has been incredibly fulfilling and something I am so proud to be a part of. To be nominated for such an esteemed award for these years of hard work and achievements made with FMERA, is an absolute honor.”
Freeholder Burry began her career in public service as a councilwoman in Matawan Borough. She then moved on to become a committeewoman, deputy mayor and mayor in Colts Neck. Freeholder Burry began her stint as a freeholder in November 2005 and is now in her fourth term. She also made history as the first woman director on the Board in 2008 and again in 2010, 2014 and 2017.
Her nomination for the Association of Defense Communities (ADC) 2019 John Lynch Base Redevelopment Award is yet another honor earned by Freeholder Burry. Throughout her career, she has earned numerous honors including: Marine Corps League Distinguished Citizen, Sheriff’s Officers Fraternal Order of Police Person of the Year, Historical Association’s Person of the Year, Latino American Association’s Outstanding Community Member, Eastern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce Spinnaker Award for Public Service, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore’s Women of Distinction, and the first Vanguard Award for lifetime devotion to the arts given by the Count Basie Theatre.
The John Lynch Base Redevelopment Award will be presented at the Defense Communities National Summit in Washington D.C. in June.
For more information, visit the County’s website at visitmonmouth.com.
 2019 John){kind=link}