OCEAN COUNTY – John P. Kelly was surrounded by family, friends, colleagues, staff, and elected officials from the state and local levels as he was sworn in for his 11th term on the Board of Ocean County Commissioners.
His oath of office was administered during the recently held reorganization meeting of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners.
Joining Kelly were his children Jimmy and Dawn Marie who stood by his side holding the Bible. He served as the Board’s Director in 2022 and has been a member of the Board since 1993.
Kelly said he looked forward to working with his fellow Commissioners and the Ocean County staff to provide the best programs and services for County residents.
“It’s a privilege to have been re-elected to this seat on the Board of Commissioners. I look forward to a New Year providing services for our residents and making sure Ocean County remains affordable,” he added.
Ocean County Commissioner Virginia E. Haines was sworn in for her third three-year term on the Board by former state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli and accompanied by her nephew Grant Chedester and his wife Darlene.
“To my colleagues on the Board – Jack, Joe, Bobbi Jo and Gary – I look forward to working with all of you in the New Year. Together we will continue to provide good government for our residents,” Haines said after being administered the oath of office.
Haines added, “every New Year provides us with an opportunity to look back and reflect and to look ahead – to grow and to improve on what we already have. It also gives us the chance to be stronger and better than the year before.”
Commissioner Joseph H. Vicari, the longest serving Commissioner in the state with more than 40 years on the Board was named Director of the Board this year and Commissioner Gary Quinn was named Deputy Director.
Vicari stressed the importance of producing results for County residents and that by the Board working together as a team they will provide services and programs for residents while also providing the fiscally conservative policies of the Board.
“Whether it’s our Road Department, our Office of Senior Services, our Veterans Services Bureau, our Department of Parks and Recreation, Transportation, Public Safety, we deliver results. We provide assistance to our residents that we can measure,” Vicari added.
He noted, “we set our goals high. We want to hear from our constituents, we want to know what they like and don’t like.”
Vicari said that while this year’s budget preparation is just under way, he anticipates the county’s property tax rate to decrease for the seventh consecutive year.
“We will continue to meet the needs of our residents in the New Year,” Vicari said. He quoted one of his favorite presidents, Dwight D. Eisenhower, stating, “if a political party does not have its foundation in the determination to advance a cause that is right and that is moral, then it is not a political party; it is merely a conspiracy to seize power.”
Deputy Director Quinn echoed the sentiments of his colleagues on the Board as did Commissioner Barbara Jo Crea.
Quinn said, “I want to extend my appreciation to the Ocean County staff. From our Administrator to the rank and file, the men and women that work for Ocean County are the ones who implement our programs and make certain we can advance the mission of our County government and provide the best possible service.”
Crea also extended her thanks to the staff of the county, specifically noting the departments she serves as board liaison.
“We cannot provide the important services we do without the dedication and hard work of our department directors and the staff,” she said. “With our support and their efforts, the County will continue to be a great place to live, work and retire.”
