Ocean County Commissioner Primary 2022: John P. Kelly

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — The 2022 Ocean County Commissioners race is nearing the first milestone with the June 7 primary election.

There are two, three-year seats up for election in November, and there are four candidates seeking the Republican nomination for November for those seats.

Patch asked each candidate to answer questions to give voters information about who they are and their stances on various issues. We are printing their responses in full, unedited except for spelling or punctuation.

Your Name: John P. Kelly

Age: 70

Town Of Residence: Eagleswood Township

Position Sought: County Commissioner

Party Affiliation: Republican

Tell voters about your family: Married 42 years, 5 children, 4 grandchildren

Tell voters about your education: I graduated from Southern Regional High School in 1970.

Tell voters about your occupation: Retired

Previous elected office if any: Member of the Eagleswood Township Committee for six terms, served as mayor for six 1-year terms.

Do you or anyone in your family work for the state, county or local governing bodies or public agencies? My niece-in-law works for the Board of Elections. My daughter-in-law worked in the Surrogate's Office for years before she married my son.

Why are you seeking office: I have been in elected public service for 43 years and enjoy serving the people of Ocean County and will continue to keep our county the best place to live, work, and raise our families.

What do you feel is the most pressing issue facing the Ocean County Board of Commissioners, and what do you want to do about it:

Taxes are always the issue elected officials are accountable for. I serve as director of finance and budget and our county tax rate has been reduced for the past 6 years and we will continue our conservative approach for years to come. We will work hard to continue our AAA bond rating as well.

Homelessness is a growing issue in Ocean County, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. The county is the only one in New Jersey without a year-round facility to provide temporary shelter. What role do you believe the county should have in assisting those in need?

The commissioners know how important it is to have safe shelter, food and essentials for our residents. In 2022 the board invested over $10 million through the Department of Human Services alone to assist individuals who are struggling. Funding is also provided to our departments of Senior Services, Planning, Veterans Services, Health and Transportation. We are committed to serving all residents of Ocean County, especially those in need.

Preserving open space continues to be a hot topic across Ocean County. What role do you believe the county should have in preserving open space?

Ocean County voters approved an open space referendum which was placed on the ballot by the then Board of Freeholders, and we have preserved thousands of acres of open space over the years. We continue to invest in open space as well.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you will be effective in office?

I was responsible for implementing the county 911 program in 1993 and building the first fire and first aid training center in Ocean County's history. In 2001 I was responsible for opening the County Connection, which serves thousands of residents throughout the county every year. In 1995 I worked closely with Congressman Chris Smith as well as elected officials from every community in the county to keep our Joint Base off the BRAC list (the federal Base Realignment and Closure list), where it was scheduled to be closed.