Candidates Plan Toms River’s Next 4 Years

Toms River Town Hall (Photo by Jason Allentoff)

  TOMS RIVER – What will Toms River look like four years from now? With development encroaching, and money being tight with taxpayers, everyone wants to make sure their elected officials have a plan.

  Republican Councilman Maurice “Mo” Hill is running against Democrat Jonathan Petro for a four-year term as mayor.

  For this newspaper’s election coverage, both candidates were asked the same three questions. Their answers have been spaced out over three articles since the issues are so important. Previously, they have discussed taxes and development (If you missed them, you can find these articles on JerseyShoreOnline.com). This is the final story, in which they were asked where they see Toms River in four years.

  Their answers are being presented alphabetically by last name. They have only been lightly edited for clarity and to provide definitions for terms that lay people might not know. The election is Nov. 5.

Maurice Hill’s Next Four Years

  “In four years I see Toms River with a vibrant revitalized Downtown area that is thriving with quality apartments, restaurants and shops,” Hill said. “I anticipate our schools will be successful with their pursuit of adequate State funding to provide the quality education our children and grandchildren deserve.

Mo Hill (Campaign Photo)

  “I would hope that the New Jersey Department of Transportation will finally address the failing transportation infrastructure not only in Toms River but in Ocean County,” he said. “As the county continues to grow the State MUST widen and improve Routes 9, 70 and 72 to meet the transportation needs of the residents of Toms River and the over 600,000 residents of Ocean County.

  “Finally, I hope to be seeking my second term as the Mayor of Toms River,” he said.

Jonathan Petro’s Next Four Years

  “Toms River will continue to face many challenges over the next four years,” Petro said. “The mayor will not have an easy job. With a Petro administration, I see Toms River having active leadership that is not afraid to look to successes in other towns and bringing those ideas to our town.

  “We will need to make some very tough decisions. I am not afraid of making those decisions, as long as they are in the best interest of our residents, not in the short term, but in the long term,” he said.

Jonathan Petro (Campaign Photo)

  “I see Toms River in four years having greater community participation in the decisions of our leaders. I see greater collaboration among our government, our business community and our citizenry, where everyone has an ear listening to their concerns. The next mayor cannot do this alone,” he said.

Council Election

  In addition to the mayoral race, voters will also get to decide three out of seven members of the Township Council.

  The stakes are high politically. A few years ago, the governing body was all Republican. There are now two Democrats on the Township Council. If Petro’s running mates win, they could have a voting majority on the council.

  The Republicans are Matt Lotano, Josh Kopp, and Kevin Geoghegan. The Democrats are Michele Williams, Karin K. Sage, and Drew Boyle. None of them are currently council members.

  The candidates were asked about their most recent employment and what experience they have in civic or community groups. Their answers are provided here in alphabetical order.

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Drew Boyle

  Drew Boyle is a 7th grade teacher of math and social studies at Lake Riviera Middle School in Brick. He also serves as the athletic director there.

  “This is my first election, so it is the first opportunity I will have to serve in any public office,” he said.

Drew Boyle (Campaign Photo)

  However, he has already served his community on a volunteer basis, through his work with the National Junior Honor Society, serving on the faculty council. Additionally, he has also volunteered with the Best Day Foundation and the JBJ Soul Kitchen.

Kevin Geoghegan

  Kevin Geoghegan retired as a sergeant from the Toms River Police Department.

  “I currently serve as the Business Administrator for Silverton EMS and an Assistant Fire Chief of Silverton Fire Company. Both of these are volunteer positions and occupy most of my time. I do work on a per diem basis for Virtua Health as a MICU Paramedic,” he said.

  He had been the Fire Commissioner in Toms River Fire District No. 2 in 2014 and 2015. He resigned in January of 2016 to become the Ward 2 Councilman. He served in this role until the end of 2017. He ran for re-election but was defeated.

Kevin Geoghegan (Campaign Photo)

  “In November 2017 I had to run again for a full term and was defeated,” he said. “Despite being defeated I still remained a very active volunteer in the community and still have that desire to serve the residents. I also serve as a Trustee of the Ocean County 200 Club.”

Joshua D. Kopp

  Joshua Kopp is the director of Kopp Electric Company, managing more than 20 people with an annual service volume of $7 million. He also owns Kopp Energy Investments and is a partner in Stratis Solar, companies he described as providing solar solutions.

  He serves as a Reconnaissance Team Sergeant in the National Guard. He is also an EMT with Silverton First Aid Squad.

Joshua Kopp (Campaign Photo)

  If elected, it would be his first time holding office.

Matthew Lotano

  Matthew Lotano is a partner in Lotano Development Inc., a real estate company that is a mix of property management and construction. 

  He has been involved in: Ocean County College Scholarship Foundation, co-chair of The Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce SUP The River, economic development committees, as well as a co-founder of the Meatball Showdown (an event that raises money for the Hope Center food pantry). 

Matthew Lotano (Campaign Photo)

  “I have never held a public office,” he said. “I wanted to run for town council in order to get involved and make a difference to our community for my kids and all of the young families in town. I have lived in Toms River since I was 4 and now I’m raising my family here along with my high school sweetheart Melissa.”

Karin Sage

  Karin Sage is a shareholder in the business and commercial litigation team at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A.

  This is her first time running for public office.

Karin Sage (Campaign Photo)

  “I am a Trustee with the Ocean County Bar Association (appointed in 2015); member of the NJ State Bar Association; member of Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey; member of the NJ Supreme Court District IIIA Ethics Committee (I was appointed by the Supreme Court in 2014 for a 4-year term and re-appointed in 2018 for another 4 year term),” she said.

Michele Williams

  Michele Williams retired as principal of St. Joseph Grade School in 2017 after 14 years.

  “I have created budgets over $3 million yearly, lived within my budget, and created many alternate streams of revenue as well. I lead a staff of 50-plus employees including teachers, administrators and support staff,” she said. “I maintained and upgraded the infrastructure of two buildings, adding ceiling fans, keyless entry on all doors, air conditioned two buildings… St Joseph is still the only grade school in Toms River that is fully climate controlled. I saved thousands moving us to a computerized phone system.

  “Social emotional learning was infused throughout the school and my final project was the creation of a STEM Lab and the PreK program,” she said.

Michele Williams (Campaign Photo)

  She lead the Religious Education Program at St. Justin’s, made up of 1,500 students and 100 volunteers.

  She’s been a member of the Toms River Board of Education since she was elected in 2017.