Democrats trying to unseat
Larrison, Powers in county
Democratic challengers and Repub-lican incumbents will run unopposed in the June 4 primary for the right to represent their party in the November election for Monmouth County freeholder.
Two three-year seats on the Board of Freeholders will be up for grabs Nov. 5.
In the Nov. 5 general election, Democratic hopefuls John P. Szeliga, 49, of Belmar, and Jeff Pringle, 33, of Tinton Falls, will challenge longtime Republican freeholders Harry Larrison Jr., 76, of Ocean Grove, and Thomas J. Powers, 67, of Wall Township.
For a while it appeared that Larrison and Powers would be opposed in the Republican primary. However, Repub-licans Christopher M. Santora, of Shrewsbury, and William R. Varley, of Red Bank, who had filed to run in the GOP primary, have announced that they are dropping out of the freeholder race.
Libertarians Joe Conklin, of Middle-town, and Jennifer Carter, of Upper Freehold, will also be seeking the freeholder seats in the November election.
Szeliga, a Belmar councilman, has been an ardent environmentalist and has fought to protect the lakes, rivers and bays of Monmouth County.
"I am running because I have a great passion for the area," Szeliga said. "I am also running because eventually there is going to be a changing of the guard. Mr. Powers and Mr. Larrison have been leaders in the county longer than many adult residents of Monmouth have been alive. The time is coming when there will be a natural generational change in the county’s leadership. I would like to offer my and Jeff Pringle’s candidacy as an opportunity to effect that change."
Szeliga and his wife, Carolyn, are the parents of a son, Brian, and a daughter, Gretchen. He is a consultant with Affinity Federal Credit Union.
The Democrats hope to bring youth to county government with Pringle, a member of the Tinton Falls Board of Education and a teacher in the Colts Neck public school system.
With a police officer as a father and a mother who was a nurse, Pringle learned about public service at an early age. He has served as a volunteer fireman and scoutmaster.
"I am always talking to my students about participating in their government," Pringle said. "I believe in an open government, one that is truly a government for the people. Right now I don’t think anybody is representing the everyday working person in the county. Mr. Larrison and Mr. Powers are legends. Mr. Larrison was just about beginning his long run on the freeholders board when I was born. But there comes a time when everybody has to step down."
Republican incumbent M. Claire French and Democratic challenger Pat Gilligan will be uncontested for the position of county clerk in the primary and will square off in the general election in November.
French, of Wall Township, will be seeking her second full five-year term as clerk. She completed an unexpired term before winning the election for her first full term in 1997.
Gilligan, of Keansburg, has been active in local government, serving as a councilwoman and as mayor in Keansburg. After wining a seat on the Keansburg Borough Council in 1994, Gilligan returned to municipal government in 2000 after a two-year absence, returning Democratic government to Keansburg after 12 years of Republican control.
Larrison will be seeking his 13th consecutive term on the freeholders board. At the completion of his current term at the end of the year he will have served 36 years on the board, joining it in February 1966.
Powers, who moved to Monmouth County from Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1962, is now serving his seventh term on the board. He was elected in November 1981 and took office in January 1982.
— Dick Metzgar