Kennedy Wins Third Term As Mayor In Ocean Gate

by Patricia A. Miller

Longtime Ocean Gate Mayor Paul J. Kennedy has won another term in office, despite a strong challenge from his Democratic opponent Chris Theodos, according to the final results from the Ocean County Clerk’s Office.

Kennedy won by 385 votes, or 53.62 percent, compared to Theodos’ 332 votes, or 46.24 percent. His running mates, Mark Haug and Alex Martinez won the two Borough Council seats.

Theodos filed a complaint with the state Local Finance Board earlier this year about the multiple positions Kennedy holds in this tiny town on the Toms River.

Kennedy also serves as acting administrator, acting personnel director, acting ADA coordinator, acting insurance administrator and unofficial acting public works director. He takes no salary as mayor and receives no benefits, but is paid roughly $50,000 for the acting positions.

“The taxpayers are suffering because of this illegal conduct which forced us to notify the state ethics board,” Theodos said in a press release.

None of the acting positions were advertised to the public, and the potential for conflict exists and a “reasonable expectation” that Kennedy’s judgment could be impaired by serving as mayor and administrator, according to the board’s preliminary ruling.

The Local Finance Board also said that Kennedy had neglected to include Ocean Gate and Ocean County as sources of income on his 2012 and 2013 financial disclosure statements, in violation of state statues.Kennedy said he inadvertently omitted the information.

Borough Council members voted 4-2 over the past three years to appoint Kennedy to the positions.

Kennedy steadfastly denied he had done anything wrong.

“I take my oath if office very, very seriously and I feel I have done nothing ethically wrong at all,” Kennedy said during the campaign. “I’m denying all charges.”

The former paid borough administrator was “let go” in 2006, which saved the borough $85,000 in salaries and benefits, Kennedy said.

Kennedy did all of the “acting” positions for free from 2007 through 2011. In 2012, the Borough Council voted to give him a $15,000 stipend for performing all the jobs. In 2013, the council upped the stipend to $20,000, with no pension or other benefits. In 2014, the stipend increased to $50,000, with no pension or benefits.

“I also started to over see the public works department in July of 2011 and have been doing that as well,” the mayor said. “In 2014 council voted to give me a $50k stipend for handling all the roles I have been doing.”

His workload increased “immensely” after Superstorm Sandy hit Ocean Gate hard on Oct. 29, 2012, Kennedy said.

Ocean Gate has a population of just over 2,000 and only a handful of ratables. So most of the financial burden falls of the taxpayers.

Since Kennedy requested a hearing on the preliminary findings, the state Department of Community Affairs will have no comment on the matter, said Tammori C. Petty, communications director for the state Department of Community Affairs.