Fressola Ready To Close Chapter Of Manchester Public Service

By Chris Lundy

When Michael Fressola moved to Manchester in the late 1980s, like many other residents, he was hoping to retire. It didn’t happen.

His new neighbors weren’t happy with the administration, and said there were stories of widespread corruption.

“I saw an ad in the paper by a group who was trying to fight it,” he said. “I sent them a small donation. Within a day or two, two people showed up on my doorstep and I became involved from then.”

The unrest led to a change from partisan to nonpartisan, and the ouster of the administration that many had suspected of corruption. In the wake of the election, and the ensuing death of township business administrator Joseph Portash, the mass disposal of documents revealed widespread corruption in the township government masterminded by Portash.

An ensuing investigation showed members of the administration, including Portash, had been paying themselves with township checks, inventing vendors, and disposing of all evidence.

Fressola became part of the new government that overthrew the old. It changed the form of government from partisan to nonpartisan in 1990, and elected a new mayor, Jane Cordo Cameron. One councilman elected then, Sam Fusaro, left at times but currently serves on the Township Council.

Fressola, who had served on the planning board in Staten Island, was appointed to the planning board in Manchester. After a council member passed away, he was appointed to fill the remainder of the term. In 1998, he ran for mayor, and was elected to succeed Cameron.

“I think we’ve left behind a legacy of honesty and open government.

I pride myself on having made myself available here (at town hall)

and in the community visiting the villages.” -- Mayor Michael Fressola

“I think we’ve left behind a legacy of honesty and open government. I pride myself on having made myself available here (at town hall) and in the community visiting the villages,” he said. The point of visiting with those groups was to get their feedback, not to make a speech.

When Fressola talks about his tenure, he uses the term “we” a lot. He gives credit to the administration and various officials who have served Manchester over the years.

Raymond Noll was one of the people who came to his doorstop to recruit him many years ago, Fressola said. “He became my mentor and my guide, from that day until he died approximately 10 years ago.” Noll wrote a list of 20 things public figures should live up to. “That became my guide. It kept me from ever going off the deep end in any way,” he said.

The nonpartisan part eventually fell away somewhat. Voters changed the election date back to November, seeking to have elections when more voters are at the polls. Candidates still can’t identify as Republican or Democrat, but the election is on the same day as partisan elections. State law also allowed the school districts to change their elections to November, with the stipulation of meeting a budget cap to avoid having to seek voter approval for district budgets.

A newspaper page with all the names of the major players of the Portash era hangs on the wall behind him, to remind him of how things used to be.

That’s not to say there hasn’t been some controversy. Some of it flared quickly and went away silently. The “Snooki and JWOWW” reality show was filmed in Manchester in 2012. It was a big deal for a few weeks, then got quiet. Even the local police said they were not very disruptive.

More of a shake-up came earlier this year, when the town’s business administrator, Elena Zsoldos, was arrested and charged with attempting to buy cocaine in Asbury Park.

“I treated her like a daughter,” Fressola said. “She raised two great kids. She recognizes the fact that she made a mistake. It doesn’t detract from her being a dedicated employee to the township.”

The major issues in Manchester were similar to other Ocean County towns: large tracts of land caught between developers and environmental regulations. It’s difficult to spread commercial ratables in Manchester, and indeed, a lot of people move down to this area for the quiet residential villages.

Several of the big developments are still up in the air. The Walmart that was planned to straddle both Manchester and Toms River is still in negotiation, for instance.

The Heritage Minerals site, too, remains undeveloped. Based on the size of the property, it could probably accommodate 1,200 homes, he said. The Pinelands Preservation Alliance and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection whittled that down to fewer than 1,000. After a lawsuit, it was bumped up to 2,200 homes, and the developer now wants 6,000.

“It’s the only site in Manchester that could accommodate any kind of large residential development, or large commercial,” he said, but to keep the school taxes from skyrocketing, it had to be controlled.

Only 30 percent of any lot on Route 37 is allowed to be covered, he said. This includes parking lots. It makes it hard to entice businesses.

“That (increasing commercial ratables) had been one of my original goals, and it has been totally unsuccessful,” he said.

The commercial ratable base is the main tool municipalities have to offset taxes, he said.

“Expenses are always going to increase. Over the last year or two, there’s been an unbelievable spike in fuel and insurance costs,” he said, noting his replacement, Kenneth Palmer, will have a challenge with this.

Palmer won 9,668 votes to 5,176. His term begins with his swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 2.

“I hate to lose the way I lost,” Fressola said. He feels age has something to do with it, which might seem strange in a town full of senior developments. Being 86, he was told by some voters that he might not make it to the end of his term.

But, having spent 1990 through 2014 serving in public office, Fressola said he is definitely finished with holding a municipal office.

He said he has received letters of support from residents, businesses and organizations in town, thanking him for his services. “It’s been very heartening.”

He said his goal has always been to do what’s best for Manchester, not to seek a political career. “I never wanted to be freeholder or anything.”

A lifelong Republican, he said he kept true to the nonpartisan government established. The best person got the job, no matter what political stripe.

“I have never asked anyone who has applied to any of our boards what their political affiliation was,” he said. “That was my only criteria -- the welfare of Manchester first -- and I think I’ve succeeded.”

“I did honestly come down to retire,” he said, looking back on the 24 years. And now, he’s finally going to do it.