By John Burton
OCEANPORT – The campaign this year for mayor has turned into a horserace, but one where there are strong assertions being leveled and with the borough administrator’s contract becoming one of the issues.
A write-in campaign and comments offered by campaign surrogates, along with those being expressed on Facebook and elsewhere, have focused attention on administrator and Public Works supervisor John O. Bennett III, whose background includes service as a former state senator, Senate president, interim governor in 2002, and former Oceanport borough attorney. It has become so contentious that Bennett recently announced he would retire from the borough jobs at the end of the year.
Bennett and Mayor Michael Mahon have countered claiming these are manufactured controversies to distract attention from a pending nearly-$40 million school construction bond referendum put forth by the board of education and scheduled for a vote on Dec. 8, which Mahon called “The largest tax increase in Oceanport history.”
For the November election, two-term Republican Mayor Michael Mahon is officially running unopposed for reelection. Mahon is joined on the ballot by Republicans John Patti and Patricia Cooper who are seeking the two available three-year, full-term borough council seats; Republican Stuart Briskey is also running for a one-year unexpired term.
The council is currently all Republican.
But last month, local board of education vice president John “Jay” Coffey decided to under take a write-in campaign; Coffey is running with, who is also hoping enough voters will pencil in his name to secure a full-term seat on the council.
Coffey is a registered Democrat but stressed “I don’t feel party affiliation is important in an election like this.”
Coffey said he decided to run when he “got mad enough” over what he said is the “discord” occurring among the council members in recent months. However, by that point it was too late to file as a candidate for the November ballot.
“A whole bunch of stuff happened back to back to back,” Coffey charged as a motivating factor. Among the issues for Coffey have been the stepping down of some council members and the “disruptive” meetings; and what he said has been a lack of local attention to the workings of the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) as it redevelops the former fort property – including portions of Oceanport property.
In response, Mayor Mahon said, “Our meetings typically run quite smoothly, little controversy.” But Mahon acknowledged “There are plenty of tough decisions for us to make,” everything from Sandy recovery and Fort Monmouth and Monmouth Park issues, to addressing the need to construct a new borough hall. “Throw that in there, we have a lot on our plate, we’re juggling a lot of balls,” and there can be disagreements, “Of course that happens,” he insisted.
But what has arguably attracted the most attention, lighting up social media outlets with locals’ comments, has been criticism and attention primarily to Bennett’s lack of a formal contract.
“I have no problem with Mr. Bennett personally or professionally,” Coffey said, maintaining, “Mr. Bennett is not the problem, but a symptom.”
Coffey and others began questioning elected officials about the terms of Bennett’s employment. Coffey alleged he and others were getting conflicting responses and felt the officials were obfuscating, and some in the public even challenged the legality of it.
But Coffey, Mahon and Bennett all agreed that was legally permissible. Indeed, Michael Darcy, New Jersey League of Municipalities, confirmed “There may not be a formal contract,” for positions like administrator, who serve at the pleasure of the mayor and governing bodies.
And others questioned Bennett continuing to serve as municipal attorney outside the borough. Again Darcy offered “I wouldn’t think it’s unusual.”
Bennett, who continues to serve in an of counsel position for Dilworth Paxson, a Red Bank law firm, does offer assistance for Colts Neck. Bennett said he infrequently attends Colts Neck governing body meetings, but mostly to assist his daughter, who is the firm’s managing partner.
Oceanport pays Bennett $125,000 annually for holding the two jobs. He does not receive any compensation from Colts Neck other than the previously agreed upon benefit as his of counsel status, he said.
Bennett, too, countered that many municipalities, including Oceanport, don’t rely on written contracts. “Quite frankly, a contract in my opinion is more protection for the employee than it is for the town,” he said. “And if I had a four-year contract, you would hear about that, too.”
“To be perfectly honest, there are so many other things to do,” Bennett offered, “the contract was not a priority.” But “They read it on Facebook, so it had to be.”
“Secondly,” Bennett continued, referring to political opponents, “it was a way they felt they could attack the mayor.”
The Bennett issue is “blown out of proportion” Coffey acknowledged. But his and others’ questions about the contract “were fair to ask.”
“What I wanted was full disclosure to the public,” Coffey said.
As for his pending retirement, “Do I want to? No,” Bennett said. “I love my job. I love my ability to do what I’m doing here.” But that being said, Bennett continued, “But frankly, sometimes it’s not worth it. And in my case it was an attempt to refocus issues.”
Mahon called Bennett’s retirement “a terrible loss” for the community. “There is a skill set that he brings to the table through his experience in all levels of government, his legal experience,” Mahon said. “I think we will be hard pressed to find someone with his capabilities.”
Coffey said the departure of four council members over the course of two years is further evidence of the council’s “dysfunction.”
“The discord is worse and worse,” he charged.
Mahon countered that the resignations are easily explained as a series of conflicting obligations, changing jobs or moving for precipitating stepping down on the part of the members.
Coffey conceded “It’s a dubious way to run,” trying to mount a write-in campaign. But his growing anger and frustration left him with no other choice, he said, as he strives “to bring the government of Oceanport into the 21st century,” being more responsive to the needs of its residents.
Mahon is seeking another term because of the list of pressing concerns, “A lot of unfinished business,” that his experience can address.
