Post by admin on Nov 1, 2007 17:13:01 GMT -5
Wilson wants to keep town moving forward
Freehold Borough mayor is running unopposed on Nov. 6
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
Mayor Michael Wilson
FREEHOLD - Calling it a "privilege and an honor" to serve as mayor in his hometown, Mayor Michael Wilson said he is looking forward to another four years in Freehold Borough top elected position.
Wilson, 56, a Democrat who has served as mayor since May 9, 1985, is running uncontested in the Nov. 6 election. He is the longest-serving mayor in the borough's history.
His running mates are Borough Council candidates Kevin Kane and Jaye Sims, both of who are presently serving on the governing body.
Republican Ted Miller is running for a seat on the council. There are two open threeyear terms on the council.
Wilson, who resides on Brookwood Drive with his wife Rita, and their daughter, Ashley, said it has been "a privilege and an honor to serve in the town I grew up in. I look forward to another four years of serving."
In running for another term the mayor said he is still trying to complete the job of "moving Freehold Borough into the 21st century."
According to Wilson, the primary issue facing the community is the constant struggle to maintain a quality of life for residents. He said officials are working hard to maintain the municipality and ensure a good quality of life for the 11,000 or so people who live in Freehold.
The mayor noted once again that the state and federal governments have done little over the past decade to help borough officials deal with the impact that immigration has had on the borough. Many immigrants in the community are believed to be in the United States illegally.
"It is not only Freehold Borough that is threatened, but hundreds of small towns across the country. In that regard, we have increased our police department and booted up our code enforcement department as well," the mayor explained.
Wilson said the borough is an "old historic town" and said the maintenance of its infrastructure such as its sidewalks, businesses and residential streets is very important to him.
"We've paved hundreds of streets over the years," the mayor said.
In a manner that was only half joking, Wilson said he has seen streets that were being repaved when he took office being repaved again more than 20 years later.
"That's how you know how long you've been there - a long time," he said.
Wilson said that as he prepares to begin a new term in January he is focusing on issues such as the downtown area. He said the Freehold Center Partnership, which coordinates activities in the downtown, is active in this endeavor and not just in holding events.
"We take seriously the fact of business retention or business recruiting in the town," he said.
Wilson said an updated downtown vision study is nearly completed and should be available by the end of the year. According to the mayor, it will focus on improvements that will take place over the next couple of years.
He said the study, which was paid for in part by a $25,000 state grant, aims to help borough officials attract new businesses and make the community a place more people will want to visit.
"It is also important to me to maintain the level of services our residents receive here," Wilson said. "Taxes are not cheap anywhere in New Jersey. It's important to maintain good services" such as garbage collection, street sweeping and leaf pickup. "Our services here in the borough are second to none. Some may take these services for granted, but it is important to us that these same services are not always handled as well in other towns."
Wilson said the municipal government and the Freehold Borough Board of Education are enjoying a good relationship, thanks in part to the efforts of Councilman Jaye Sims, who is the governing body's liaison to the K-8 school district. Before Sims held that position, former Councilman Kevin Coyne served as the contact point on council for school administrators.
Wilson said the council has "worked hard behind the scenes with our state legislators to increase funds to the school district. Although the schools did receive some of what they needed, they (the legislators) promised us that the shortfall would be made up by the next school year."
Calling himself a "hometown guy," Wilson said his goal as mayor over the next four years will be to continue to move Freehold Borough in a positive direction and to have residents and other individuals see the community in a positive light.
Freehold Borough mayor is running unopposed on Nov. 6
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
Mayor Michael Wilson
FREEHOLD - Calling it a "privilege and an honor" to serve as mayor in his hometown, Mayor Michael Wilson said he is looking forward to another four years in Freehold Borough top elected position.
Wilson, 56, a Democrat who has served as mayor since May 9, 1985, is running uncontested in the Nov. 6 election. He is the longest-serving mayor in the borough's history.
His running mates are Borough Council candidates Kevin Kane and Jaye Sims, both of who are presently serving on the governing body.
Republican Ted Miller is running for a seat on the council. There are two open threeyear terms on the council.
Wilson, who resides on Brookwood Drive with his wife Rita, and their daughter, Ashley, said it has been "a privilege and an honor to serve in the town I grew up in. I look forward to another four years of serving."
In running for another term the mayor said he is still trying to complete the job of "moving Freehold Borough into the 21st century."
According to Wilson, the primary issue facing the community is the constant struggle to maintain a quality of life for residents. He said officials are working hard to maintain the municipality and ensure a good quality of life for the 11,000 or so people who live in Freehold.
The mayor noted once again that the state and federal governments have done little over the past decade to help borough officials deal with the impact that immigration has had on the borough. Many immigrants in the community are believed to be in the United States illegally.
"It is not only Freehold Borough that is threatened, but hundreds of small towns across the country. In that regard, we have increased our police department and booted up our code enforcement department as well," the mayor explained.
Wilson said the borough is an "old historic town" and said the maintenance of its infrastructure such as its sidewalks, businesses and residential streets is very important to him.
"We've paved hundreds of streets over the years," the mayor said.
In a manner that was only half joking, Wilson said he has seen streets that were being repaved when he took office being repaved again more than 20 years later.
"That's how you know how long you've been there - a long time," he said.
Wilson said that as he prepares to begin a new term in January he is focusing on issues such as the downtown area. He said the Freehold Center Partnership, which coordinates activities in the downtown, is active in this endeavor and not just in holding events.
"We take seriously the fact of business retention or business recruiting in the town," he said.
Wilson said an updated downtown vision study is nearly completed and should be available by the end of the year. According to the mayor, it will focus on improvements that will take place over the next couple of years.
He said the study, which was paid for in part by a $25,000 state grant, aims to help borough officials attract new businesses and make the community a place more people will want to visit.
"It is also important to me to maintain the level of services our residents receive here," Wilson said. "Taxes are not cheap anywhere in New Jersey. It's important to maintain good services" such as garbage collection, street sweeping and leaf pickup. "Our services here in the borough are second to none. Some may take these services for granted, but it is important to us that these same services are not always handled as well in other towns."
Wilson said the municipal government and the Freehold Borough Board of Education are enjoying a good relationship, thanks in part to the efforts of Councilman Jaye Sims, who is the governing body's liaison to the K-8 school district. Before Sims held that position, former Councilman Kevin Coyne served as the contact point on council for school administrators.
Wilson said the council has "worked hard behind the scenes with our state legislators to increase funds to the school district. Although the schools did receive some of what they needed, they (the legislators) promised us that the shortfall would be made up by the next school year."
Calling himself a "hometown guy," Wilson said his goal as mayor over the next four years will be to continue to move Freehold Borough in a positive direction and to have residents and other individuals see the community in a positive light.
