Atlantic Highlands Councilman James Murphy is not seeking re-election to borough council in November, with Ellen O’Dwyer Woods stepping in to run for one of the two seats on Council for the Republicans.
Former Councilman Brian Boms is seeking the second seat for the two three-year terms to be decided at the polls.
According to the records filed at deadline with the Monmouth County Board of Elections, Murphy is not listed as a candidate. He is apparently not seeking another term when his current term expires January 1, 2025.
The two Republicans will face incumbent Council President Brian Dougherty and newcomer Jose Pujals in November, with Democrats maintaining control regardless of the results. Currently, Murphy is the only Republican on the governing body.
Borough voters will have contests for the school board election for three of the four seats to be determined for the new Henry Hudson Regional Board which will take over from the interim board appointed this year. The nine-member board to be determined in November will be the first board elected for the new Prek-12 regional school district. Four of the new board seats will be Atlantic Highlands residents, the other five will be decided by Highlands residents.
There were only two candidates who filed for the two three-year terms on the regional board, so incumbent and current board president Cory Wingerter and Claire Kozic will most likely be elected to those full terms.
Noreen Higgins, Bonnie Knechtel and Justin Thomas have filled for the one two-year seat on the board, and Allison Jacobs, Chelsea Witkowski and Richard Colangelo have filed for the single one-year term. This means voters will have choices for the single one year and single two-year seats to be decided.
Voters will have the opportunity to give their opinion on whether they would approve a two-cent increase per $100 assessed valuation in their tax rate to provide funds for open space.
Unlike Highlands voters, however, Atlantic Highlands voters will not have the opportunity to give their opinion on whether Sea Bright should be included in the regional school district. Mayor Lori Hohenleitner had said that question would be ‘frivolous’ in indicating she did not approve it being placed on the ballot.
