By John Burton
OCEANPORT – “We the people,” was the repeated refrain from Democratic Mayor John “Jay” Coffey as he took office on Jan. 1, outlining his plan to address the challenges and meet the community’s needs in the coming year.
Before a full crowd at Maple Place School on New Year’s Day for the municipality’s reorganization meeting, Coffey commented, “This is how I want every council meeting to look,” with “the people of Oceanport, who make Oceanport Oceanport.”
Coffey, who won a startling victory last November as a write-in candidate, told members of the public that they were, “the only legitimate fountain of power” in a democracy (using in part a quote often attributed to James Madison). He added, “The active role of citizenship can’t end when we press the button” in the ballot booth.
He called on his neighbors to get involved and join the volunteers who already contribute to the community. “Those who say they are too busy are abdicating their responsibility as citizens,” he said.
Out of the starting gates, Coffey said the borough council will conduct one workshop meeting and one public council meeting a month, cutting back from the traditionally two council meetings. This will streamline the process of government, he said. And to make the process more transparent, meetings for the borough council and other official boards will be broadcast and streamed online, allowing for greater public input. “It’s time to move into the 21st century,” he said.
“It’s been a crazy and busy four months,” Coffey said of the time since mounting an insurgent campaign. Because it was too late to register and get on the official ballot, he and his supporters took to social media and eventually won the mayor’s race.
At the time, Coffey and others charged that the borough council and mayor, all Republicans, were ineffectual, mired in contention and repeatedly failed to address issues raised by the public. And all agreed the community had substantial issues to address. What remains to be determined for the borough is the continuing redevelopment of the former Fort Monmouth property; a decision on the construction of a future municipal complex, replacing the one that had structural damage from Super Storm Sandy; the hiring of a new borough administrator; working on the future sustainability of Monmouth Park thoroughbred racetrack, the borough’s largest employer and largest taxpayer, as well as a regional attraction; and, certainly not least, the pending multimillion-dollar public school construction referendum. Voters were initially slated to go to the polls in December but the ballot matter was postponed until March.
The reorganization meeting was all about cooperation and conciliatory messages, with the new mayor promising the public, “I’m going to spend the next four years making sure your efforts are rewarded.”
Republican councilman John A. Patti, who was sworn in for his three-year term told Coffey “I pledge my allegiance to you.”
“It is time to build bridges to the other side,” coming together to get things done, Patti added.
Long-serving Republican councilman Joseph Irace was selected as council president. The council also reappointed Scott Arnette as attorney and again named Maser Consulting, Red Bank, as engineer.
The council also extended for 60 days the contract for current administrator John O. Bennett, as the council continues to evaluate applicants.
An attorney and former state Senate president, Bennett’s tenure as administrator had become a flashpoint during last fall’s campaign. Bennett had said he would retire effective Dec. 31, but then asked to continue in that role.
