Shrewsbury Mayor Seeks GOP Nod For County Post Incumbent Holds

SHREWSBURY, NJ — Erik Anderson, mayor of Shrewsbury Borough, said he will seek nomination for County Commissioner by the Monmouth County Republican Committee, presumably for the spot long held by Commissioner Lillian Burry, who has not yet declared her bid.

“As a candidate for County Commissioner, I will focus on important issues like keeping taxes low, ensuring our neighborhoods are safe, and supporting small businesses,” Anderson said in his announcement.

He declined to comment beyond his announcement. But he praised the all-GOP Board of Commissioners:

“The county leadership team does a tremendous job in upholding a high quality of life for our taxpayers. As a lifelong Monmouth resident, I would be honored to work with our Commissioner Board to keep Monmouth the very best place to live, work, and raise a family. I welcome the opportunity to run as a team with Commissioner Ross Licitra.”

Licitra earlier this week announced his candidacy for re-election. He has served one term on the board and that term expires in December. Licitra, of Marlboro, did not indicate in his announcement that he is running as part of a team.

The other term that expires in December is that of Commissioner Burry, who is serving her sixth, three-year term.

When contacted for comment about her plans, Burry said, "Hold your horses. You'll know in due time. Right now, I am a sitting commissioner and there is no reason to alter that statement," she replied in an email Friday.

Burry was the first female director of the board in 2008 and again in 2010, 2014 and 2017, her Monmouth County bio says. In decades of service, she has served on councils in Matawan and Colts Neck and was mayor of Colts Neck.

Anderson said he will file his petition by the Feb. 9 deadline set by the county Republican organization.

Shaun Golden, who is the Monmouth County sheriff, is also head of the Republican party in the county. The GOP county convention is Feb. 23, Anderson said. A message to the Republican organization regarding the matter was not immediately returned.

Anderson has been mayor of Shrewsbury since 2019 and served on the Council for two years prior, he said in the announcement of his candidacy.

As mayor, he said his priorities include "maintaining exceptional municipal services while keeping borough spending low; combatting the region’s ongoing car theft epidemic; and preserving the outstanding quality of life in Shrewsbury while putting taxpayers first."

Born and raised in Monmouth County, he is an owner and partner of the law firm Reardon Anderson, LLC.

He received his juris doctor from Rutgers University School of Law – Newark. He received his master's degree in Environmental Law, cum laude, from Vermont Law School. He graduated from The Catholic University of America with a B.A. in politics and an honors degree in Environmental Studies, according to his announcement.

He and his wife Melissa live in Shrewsbury with their three sons. He is a Shrewsbury Recreation soccer coach, as well as a youth ski race coach. He is chairman of the Shrewsbury Republican Club, active with the Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce and serves as a Trustee for the Monmouth County Bar Association, according to his announcement.