County Official Now Looks Beyond the Elections

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Ocean County officials are now looking beyond this week's brutal elections and toward

improving the quality of life of residents within the county's borders. On WOBM-AM's Townsquare Tonight, Freeholder Director Joe Vicari said the biggest way to do that is to attract companies and businesses that pay well.

Vicari said that plan began months ago by merging two departments and creating the Ocean County Office of Tourism and Business Development. A new department aimed at supporting the businesses that are responsible for the county's $4 billion dollar tourism industry and drawing other large players to the region.

"Companies will come to Ocean County for two reasons, a highly skilled labor force, We will train them at our college and Kean University or vocational school and also the quality of life. People want to live in Ocean County," said Vicari.

Vicari also believes that infrastructure improvements play a large part in drawing businesses. He said that means looking at long range plans like making improvements to Route 9 and the addition of passenger rail service. However, the millions of dollars in federal and state funding already going toward improving the Garden State Parkway, the Manahawkin Bay Bridge and improvements to State Route 35 can not be overlooked. He also noted improvements to Ocean County Airport in Berkeley Township.

Following decades of election victories however, one would wonder if Freeholder Board member longevity is proving detrimental to developing a deep bench of which to draw future county leaders? Vicari said he doesn't believe their tenure is what discourages future elected officials but the negativity of the political campaigns.

"Let's clean it up and let's put the people first and you know something? Let's have a vision for the future. Let's explain what we're going to do. Let's reach higher and let's create an Ocean County that's for our younger people that gives them opportunity," said Vicari.