It was 24 years ago, Feb. 5, 1999, that former Mayor Charlie “Iron Man” Rooney of Sea Bright died. He was serving as Mayor at the time, after a long distinguished term as councilman as well.
On Father’s Day of that same year, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. issued a statement in the House of Representatives lauding the many attributes of Rooney and announcing the dedication of the Spring Bridge Park in his honor.
His son, Charles Rooney, who later also became a councilman in Sea Bright, said that the timing was appropriate that the dedication of Charles Rooney Swing Bridge Park took place on Father’s Day, because Mayor Rooney was the father of so many wonderful environmental improvement projects that enhanced the quality of life in Sea Bright for its residents and others to enjoy.
He was also a tremendous role model, the younger Rooney continued, not only for his son and daughter, but for all of us in public service who could learn so much from the warm and wonderful way he served the people of Sea Bright.
This is Congressman Pallone’s statement in Congress on the occasion of the park’s dedication.
In my home state of New Jersey, at this very moment, children and their parents are starting to pack for their weekend at the Jersey Shore. And they are imagining the beautiful beaches and ocean waters that await them and all the fun and good memories that the coming weekend holds.
Most of these weekend visitors take the Jersey Shore for granted, not realizing that there are people who devoted their lives to protecting and maintaining the shoreline for all to enjoy. Foremost among these coastal champions was Charles Rooney, the mayor of Sea Bright, N.J., from 1988 until his death this year.
This Sunday, June 20, the people of Sea Bright will rededicate Swing Bridge Park in Sea Bright, N.J., in his honor.
The Sea Bright residents who will attend know well how hard Mayor Rooney worked over a 20-year period–first as a Councilman and then as Mayor–to get the state and federal funds to protect Sea Bright from the many “Nor’easters” that threatened the lives and property of residents.
Over the years, these seasonal storms, with their ferocious winds and pounding surf, robbed Sea Bright of its protective seawall and buffer beaches to the point that the town might not have survived another storm season.
My colleagues, you know more about Mayor Rooney and Sea Bright than you realize, because it was to Sea Bright that the New York and national television stations would go for some fearsome footage whenever a hurricane came up the East Coast. Each time, I would talk to a very concerned Mayor Rooney on the phone and later meet him on a tour of the damage and we would agree to press harder and speed up the schedule to repair the seawall and reconstruct the beaches.
And, colleagues, it was your vote, year-after-year that helped us finally make the repairs that resulted in the completion of the multi-million dollar Army Corps of Engineers Shore Protection Project along much of the coastline of my district.
Charles Rooney was a man who served his community like no other I know. His eight years as union representative in the Steel Workers Union helped prepare him for the leadership and coalition building skills he would later utilize as Councilman and Mayor.
He served as president of the local chamber of commerce and established the senior citizens club, the borough recreation center and the youth program. In November, he was inducted into the League Municipalities “Mayors’ Hall of Fame” and in January into the “Elected Officials Hall of Fame” for having served more than 20 years in local government.
There was an amazing personal side to Charles Rooney. He had tremendous character and was himself a character. He used to say that when he took office, the town of Sea Bright was famous for having twenty-one liquor licenses and to reverse the common attitude of “let’s party in Sea Bright,” somebody had to be tough.
It was that toughness that turned Sea Bright back into a beautiful family resort as it was during the glory days at the turn of the century.
It was also his political toughness, combined with his middle-aged entry into long distance running that gave him the nickname of “Iron Man Rooney.” Starting at the age of 48, he ran in 17 career marathons, inspired by another shore legend, Dr. George Sheehan, “The Running Doc” of Rumson.
Mayor Rooney ran the entire length of the New Jersey Atlantic Coastline, from Sandy Hook to Cape May in just over four days.
As the sponsor of local marathons, “he always cheered the loudest for the people coming in last.
At the end of Pallone’s dedication, the mayor’s son also pointed out “he’d be there for the lady running 13-minute miles, when no one else was there. He’d put the biggest smile on her face, making her feel like she’d just won the race.,”
