Woolley re-elected for seventh term on council
Newcomer John Hegarty wins seat on the West Long Branch council
BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer

Joseph C. Woolley

WEST LONG BRANCH - The political makeup of the West Long Branch council may not have changed after last week's election, but a new face has joined the borough's governing body.

Demo- cratic newcomer John Hegarty was elected to council Nov. 6 to fill one of the two open seats, receiving 1,014 votes at the polls.

Republican Councilman Joseph C. Woolley was re-elected to serve his seventh consecutive term on the council after he garnered 1,165 votes on election day.

"I feel honored that so many citizens chose me to represent them," said Hegarty, of Fulton Avenue, after the election.

"Thank you to all the people who helped last year and this year," he said, adding, "Thank you to all the people who voted for the person, not the party.

"And thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve," he added.

Woolley and Hegarty were vying for two open seats on council along with Republican newcomer Joseph G. Hughes. Hughes received 918 votes at polls, losing a seat by a margin of less than 100 votes.

John Hegarty

In addition to Woolley's seat, also up for election was Democratic Councilwoman Bettina E. Munson, who was elected to council in 2004 and decided not to seek re-election this year.

As a result of the election, the political makeup of the borough's governing body will remain the same with one Democrat and five Republicans sitting on council and a Republican mayor.

Woolley said he returned for re-election because after serving the borough for 18 years, it is hard to walk away.

"You get so involved with so many great people, it is hard to say no," Woolley said. "I love West Long Branch and all the people that live here.

"I just want to help," he added.

In his next term as councilman, Woolley said he wants to see the borough have a successful centennial next year.

"I would also like to see a new police department built, which is very close to getting done," Woolley said.

"I want to work to [stabilize] taxes," he said, adding, "Anything we can control we will control.

"We don't plan to spend one penny more than is necessary to keep the same services we have in place now," he said.

Woolley said he wanted to thank the residents for voting to put him back in office.

"I ran this year for the same reasons I ran 18 years ago," he said. "I will try not to let [the residents] down and I will work as hard as I have for the past 18 years."

In his first term as councilman, Hegarty said he would like to create a building maintenance plan so buildings in the borough won't continue to decay.

"We can streamline the building department,

making it more accessible to homeowners and contractors and more profitable to the borough," Hegarty said.

He added, "I would like to install sprinklers fed by well water for the ball fields. This would reduce the operating costs since we won't be paying for the water."

Hegarty said that he also feels that a major issue facing West Long Branch is the lack of a coordinator or administrator to run the borough.

"Without the aid of such a person, we will continue to struggle with rising coasts to provide services for all of us," Hegarty said. "The borough has tried for years to run its business on a shoe string.

"Being frugal is a good thing. Being penny wise and pound foolish is just that, foolish," he said.

Hegarty said he decided to run in the election because he believes in Democracy.

"[I don't believe in] partisan politics or one-sided politics, but a government of the people, by the people and for the people," Hegarty said.

Woolley said he looks forward to working with Hegarty.