Crate Makes History As Brick's First Female Elected Mayor

BRICK, NJ — Lisa Crate took the oath of office as mayor in Brick Township on Tuesday night, making history as the first woman elected to serve as mayor in the township's history.

Crate, 53, spent most of 2023 serving as mayor after she was appointed by the Township Council to fill the position vacated when John Ducey resigned to become a Superior Court judge, and carried out plans that had been set under his leadership.

Crate, who won election to serve the final two years of Ducey's term, emphasized bipartisanship after a harsh campaign against Republican John Catalano. While the council is controlled by Democrats — Steve Feinman, Derrick Ambrosino, Melissa Travers all were seated for their first full terms, and Vince Minichino was elected to his second term, joining Marianna Pontoriero and Heather deJong — they are joined by Republican Perry Albanese.

On Tuesday, Crate promised to not only continue the programs that had made Ducey so popular as mayor, but to build her own legacy.

Debt reduction and continuing to preserve open space remain high priorities, and she promised to continue the work of the Brick Open Space Savers committee, which identified parcels for open space that could be purchased with Green Acres funding to prevent development.

In her election campaign and again Tuesday night, Crate emphasized building a sense of community and kindness, and pledged to continue programs that aim to build both, from the ever-popular SummerFest to the Neighborhood Watch groups, to the Farmers Market, among others.

Crate instituted a program in the fall called "The Longest Table," where residents were invited to gather for a buffet meal and a chance to site and talk with others from Brick, to build community relationships. More than 100 people attended the first one, held in September, and Crate said the event will be held again in 2024.

In 2024, the township is expected to launch a transportation service to help diabetics get to and from dialysis appointments — a program funded by federal grants and a first of its kind in Ocean County.

The township's EMS unit is set to move into its own space at Aurora Place, where the township's Senior Services were relocated in late 2023.