By Stephen Appezzato
SHREWSBURY – Following an abrupt vacancy on the Shrewsbury Borough Council, the remaining council members appointed resident Jim Daly at a special meeting to fill the position.
In last November’s election, Republican council member Jackie Woehnker won a seat on the borough council, but, due to restrictions on public involvement imposed by her employer, Woehnker recently resigned her seat.
In a special council meeting Sept. 15, Shrewsbury officials voted to appoint Daly to the position. Daly’s service will be for the remaining unexpired portion of Woehnker’s term, through Dec. 31. Daly will replace Woehnker as a Republican candidate for council on this year’s General Election ballot.
A lifelong Monmouth County resident, Daly has lived in Shrewsbury for 12 years. Throughout this time he served on the borough’s land use board, where he has “improved and protected” the town’s “special character,” according to a release from the council.
Daly said it is “an honor to have been appointed to serve the residents of Shrewsbury.”
“I look forward to the challenge,” he said.
In his free time Daly coaches boys and girls sports, supports the Foundation for Shrewsbury Education and volunteers with the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Daly and his wife Kathleen have three children. Professionally, he is a strategic negotiator at Google.
Daly noted some of the most important areas he would like to focus on during the remainder of his term and if elected for another is “balancing budgets, promoting shared services, enhancing our public safety, supporting our law enforcement, and preserving our quality of life.”
“He (Daly) understands the issues we face in our community and possesses the skillset to work with the other members of council to solve them for the benefit of our residents,” Mayor Erik Anderson told The Two River Times.
“Through my active involvement and track record in the community, I believe I can bring the perspective of both the parent and established resident to each decision our council is making,” Daly added.
The Two River Times reached out to Woehnker to discuss her resignation but did not hear from her by press time.
The article originally appeared in the September 21 – 27, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
