Oceanport Puts Contentious Election in Rearview Mirror

1832
Oceanport Mayor Jay Coffey addresses the public at the 2020 reorganization meeting.
Oceanport Mayor Jay Coffey addresses the public at the 2020 reorganization meeting.
Photo by Chris Rotolo

OCEANPORT – New Year’s Day marked a cleaning of the political slate for a borough that endured a contentious election cycle.

The Jan. 1 reorganization meeting introduced new blood to the governing body, as Mayor Jay Coffey, who won a second term in November, presided over the ceremonial swearing in of Meghan Walker and Tom Tvrdik, with whom he shared an Independent ticket.

“Elections like that aren’t fun,” Coffey said, recalling a combative campaign intensified by mudslinging between neighbors in both social media and the public arena. “But the good thing about a contested election is that it means you have a choice and choices are good. It means people are involved and care about their future. It means people will express their opinions and it’s the people who get to decide which opinions carry weight. But we’re ready to put the election in the rearview mirror and move forward.”

Coffey also introduced Bryan Keeshen, who in December was approved to fill a one-year unexpired term vacated by former council member and Republican mayoral hopeful Robert Proto.

Proto ran on a Republican ticket with Joseph Irace and Steven Solan. Following the finalization of general election results, Proto resigned his post, and Keeshen, alongside fellow registered Republicans James Murphy and Keith Salnick were nominated as possible replacements. Keeshen was ultimately selected by the borough council and Coffey said his expertise in law enforcement and public safety will be valuable.

“He was a police officer, a firefighter and is currently in construction, so he has a wealth of knowledge that pertains to a lot of the obstacles we’re facing,” Coffey said.

Keeshen served as the Monmouth Beach Fire Chief in 2009 and was the vice president of the fire company for eight years. He now works with a construction company based in Long Branch. Wednesday he was named the chair of the public safety committee, as well as a member of the planning and development committee and the finance and administration committee.

“When they asked me if I was interested in serving this role, I told them they weren’t getting a guy in a suit,” Keeshen said to the approximately 150 community members on hand. “But I will roll my sleeves up and I am looking forward to getting things done with this group.”

Before his successful reelection campaign, Coffey told The Two River Times that a lack of progress and growth for the town was at the root of his consideration to call it quits following his four-year mayoral term. He cited difficulties working with specific members of the governing body, but said the addition of Walker, Tvrdik and Keeshen will provide new perspectives that are much needed.

“Look at the makeup of our new council. You look at Billy (William Deerin), Ricky (Richard Gallo) and I, and we’re old men compared to Mike (O’Brien), Tom (Tvrdik), Bryan (Keeshen) and Meg (Walker),” Coffey said. “They represent Oceanport’s change. And they’re going to have to shepherd Oceanport through its next period of change.”

Coffey recapped the last four years in the borough, pointing to initial concerns about economic solvency at Monmouth Park Racetrack, a lack of development on the approximately 430 acres of Fort Monmouth property the borough assumed and community schools in desperate need of facility upgrades.

Four years later, the track is booming thanks in large part to the success of the Monmouth Park Sportsbook by William Hill. Additionally, Coffey said the borough’s fort acreage is “nearly all accounted” for in terms of development projects, including property eyed by Jersey City University for a satellite campus. And last month the board of education adopted a multimillion dollar facilities plan that will transform Oceanport schools into modern, ADA-compliant educational centers.

“Four years ago I said Oceanport is a small town with big city problems. Each one of the issues we’ve conquered has been replaced by a new issue,” Coffey said, noting security concerns at Monmouth Park, social and economic impacts of fort development and how the new school referendum will effect students and taxes.

“You know what, those are great problems to have, because that means Oceanport is alive, it’s growing, it’s relevant. Oceanport is vibrant and changing. And change is constant and undeniable.”

This article originally appeared in the Jan. 9, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.