Guadagno swears in Councilmen

Two River Times December, 2014 By Muriel J. Smith ATL. HIGHLANDS – New Jersey’s Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno will swear in Councilmen Peter Doyle and Jack Archibald to their next terms as councilman in Atlantic Highlands when the Mayor and Council reorganizes at noon on New Year’s Day at Borough Hall on First Avenue. “Councilman Peter Doyle and I are excited to have New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno administer the oath of office to us. Jan 1,” Archibald told The Two River Times. “ The Lieutenant Governor has been a great friend of Atlantic Highlands and a long time supporter of our residents and town. She had many requests for her presence at reorganizations, so we are truly honored that the she has chosen to attend our meeting. Her presence in our town will make this New Year’s Day a truly special time in Atlantic Highlands!” Borough Republican Committee Chairman Jane Frotton, who is also a former borough council member, was as delighted as the council members when she received a call last Thursday evening from Guadagno’s aide confirming the request. “She called at 8 p.m. and started out by saying she was apologizing for calling so late,” Mrs. Frotton said, “and my heart sank. I thought it was to say she couldn’t come. Then she told me it was to confirm Kim’s presence.” The committee chairman, who has held the post for more than ten years and been a member of the committee for more than 20, said she is confident the lieutenant governor accepted the invitation “because of the very close ties she has had with us, especially through the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. She was very helpful in securing FEMA funds for us, always gave us straight answers and gave us a lot of confidence.” However, the chairman conceded, she herself can be “rather pushy” and followed up her initial request for the lieutenant governor’s presence with several calls, texts and e-mails. “While we were at the American Hotel in Freehold waiting for the freeholder results to come in Election night, Jack and Pete thought it would be wonderful if we could get Kim to come to Atlantic Highlands. I said, ‘good idea, I’ll ask her.” The following day, Mrs. Frotton texted the Lieutenant Governor on her cell phone; she in turn texted back that Mrs. Frotton should contact her office in Trenton. Mrs. Frotton did that and received a confirmation the request would be passed on to the scheduler. When she didn’t hear from the scheduling office within a couple of weeks, the committee chairman sent out another note, asking for some kind of response. When she still didn’t hear, she began making plans for another government leader to swear in the council members. “Then I got the call.” Although shocked and pleased that the invitation was accepted, Mrs. Frotton said it was “typical of this outstanding leader who never forgets her roots. She had many, many invitations, many much large communities want her the same day, but she accepted our invitation.” The two women have known each other for many years, dating back to when Mrs. Guadagno was a commissioner in Monmouth Beach. Later, when she was running for Monmouth County Sheriff and Mrs. Frotton was supporting her election, Mrs. Guadagno asked what she could do in Atlantic Highlands. “I told her we had a Fireman’s Fair coming up, and if she wanted to come up and sling hot dogs and serve hamburgers, it would be a great way to get to know more people. She did, and she frequently mentions now that the way to get elected is to serve up hot dogs and hamburgers for firemen’s fund raisers in Atlantic Highlands.” Doyle was elected to his fourth term on Council, and Archibald his fifth, during last November’s election.