Asbury Together Ticket Confirm Moor/Kendle Run
Incumbents Will Seek Second Four Year Term in November Elections
Asbury Park Mayor John Moor and Councilman Jesse Kendle have confirmed they will run in the November election under the Asbury Park Together Ticket.
The incumbents were first elected to four-year terms in the November 2014 elections after the formal change of government was enacted. This bid for second four-year terms comes at a time when the administration and the governing body have begun to enact changes that will reflect the language crafted in a revamp of its master plan – a living document that reflects the city’s goals and mission over the course of the next 10 years.
“Please walk around and see for yourself,” Moor said in a written news statement. “There’s development from Ocean Avenue to Main Street to Springwood Avenue, plus it’s linked to workforce development. Also please read Moody’s report detailing why they upgraded our credit rating. We’re balancing the budget and getting off State transitional aid. We ran in 2014 promising financial responsibility, and we’ve delivered.”
The governing body has introduced a $47 million spending plan that will reduce the average property owner’s taxes by $47 dollars. “For the first time in many years, the City will not be reliant on the State to plug the budget with Transitional Aid money,” Kendle said. “…We made smart decisions in the best interest of the City, and good things happened.”
Gov. Phil Murphy and Sen Vin Gopal made many trips to the city during their 2017 campaigns for office and held their respective election celebrations at Convention Hall and the Wonder Bar in the waterfront region. On Wednesday, Gopal announced his support of two programs that will help fund redevelopment in the 1.4 square mile community.
“I’ve lived here for over 35 years and raised my family here,” Moor said. “I’ve seen the good times and the bad times that now seem to be ending. I’m tremendously thankful for everyone’s patience while we righted the fiscal ship. We worked toward these goals for four years, and often it was tough. As growth moves forward in Asbury Park, it’s on a stable foundation.”
On April 19 the second Mayor’s Rodeo for Recreation will aim to fund another two years of unlimited scholarships for city youth who want to be a part of the summer camp program run in conjunction with the Asbury Park School District.
“I am especially proud of our Recreation Program,” Kendle, chair of the Recreation Committee, said. “Last summer [and the year prior] not a single young person who wanted to participate in it was turned away. We have the best recreation program in Monmouth County and that’s thanks to some creative fundraising.”
Kendle who is known by many as ‘Coach Kendle’ may be a man of few words on dias but is often spotted speaking with and working toward helping residents that fall within what is often classified as the underserved population.
“No matter where I go in our community people call me Coach because of my years coaching local teams,” he said. “I am especially proud to be one of the five coaches of this [municipal] team – the Asbury Together team, because of all we’ve accomplished for our city.”
In 2014 the Asbury Together ticket swept all five council open City Council seats following the voter-mandated change of government.
“It’s more than a slogan to say that Asbury Together is ‘leadership that works,” said Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn, who ran with Moor and Kendle in 2014 and was re-elected on an Asbury Together ticket with Yvonne Clayton and Eileen Chapman in 2016. “We’ve been effective because we roll up our sleeves and do the work that’s necessary to achieve results. I am so glad that John and Jesse are willing to continue their service to the city, because the five of us make a great team.”
In the past two years, the governing body has held community input meeting on everything from redevelopment of the southwest neighborhood and its master plan reexamination to controlling short term rentals and creating an art park in the previously mentioned neighbood.
A big part of our success has been an openness to transparent engagement with the public,” Moor said. “We listen. When necessary we reach out. We study and take action. We try to bring all parties to the table. Sometimes it’s awkward, but the results speak for themselves.”
The announcement for a second term comes with the launch of a fundraising campaign. Donations can be mailed to Asbury Park Together, PO Box 552, Asbury Park NJ 07712. For more information, call 732-988-7915, email asburytogether@gmail.com, and visit www.asburytogether.com, via Facebook at facebook.com/AsburyTogether and Twitter at twitter.com/AsburyTogether.
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