It was 247 years ago this week, today, in fact, that General George Washington led his troops to successfully prevent the British marching from Philadelphia to Sandy Hook. It was the Battle of Monmouth and marks the longest one day battle in the Revolutionary War.
It took place in what is now Manalapan and Freehold, and marked the first time the Continental Army fought after intensive training at Valley Forge. In actuality, the battle ended in a draw, but it let the British know they were up against a formidable military force, making it a true turning point in the war for Independence.
British General Henry Clinton
All these facts, along with the story about how British General Clinton and his men commandeered the Covenhoven House in Freehold after learning Washington was on his way, taking possession of the house for the 36 hours before the battle started, are included in the terrific Monmouth County Revolutionary War History book put out by the Monmouth 250 Committee and available at no cost to anybody who requests it.
The Board of Commissioners formed the Monmouth NJ 250 Committee with an eye towards celebrating what was really Monmouth County’s significant role in the War. The book, 40 pages long, is specific to Monmouth County’s role and is divided into the people, places, events and a great timeline that shows the entire period from when the Stamp Act was enacted in March, 1765 until the Treaty of Paris was signed by the new nation and Great Britain on September 3, 1783.
Included are some great stories on Joshua Huddy, Moly Pitcher, of course, Philip Freneau, the poet of the Revolution raised and now buried in Matawan, Nathaniel Scudder, a Freehold native buried in Old Tennent Cemetery and so many more.
At the end of the book, probably meant for children but a great test for everyone, are a group of activities that ask questions, invite a poem, have word games and a crossword puzzle.
For all those who want a copy, check out the Monmouth 250 page, or contact Director Ted Maturo at Ted.Maturo@co.monmouth.nj.us
Monmouth
Tired of Facebook? You can also Find ViniVidiScripto on the Following Platforms …
Residents of CareOne at Middletown held their annual Celebration of Life ceremony in the main room of the care center this week, giving residents, family and employees the opportunity to celebrate the lives of residents who have passed in recent years.
The ceremony was conducted and led by Jessica Malek, the chaplain from ASCEND who regularly visits the care center, and Michele Dyson, Activities Director at the Route 36 facility in Middletown.
Dyson presented a video depicting photos of each of the persons being honored at the ceremony, which also included songs, hymns and prayers. Muriel Smith, patient advocate at the Care Center, also spoke to the residents in attendance, reminding them of the roles they played in the lives of the deceased, and thanking them for attending the celebration of life ceremony.
Each of the residents then carried white roses to a vase, placing the flowers in memory of each of the deceased.
Those remembered at the ceremony who died in recent years were Barbara Areneo, Janet Meyer, Frank Leier, Joan Leier, Elizabeth Dillon, Marie Cottrell, William Sebanskas, Frank Mancino, Felice Tarter, Marcia Smith, Clara Ashraf, James McAdoo, Jeanette Heller, Joan Bozza, Joan Blozen, Sheila Kelly, Janice Kerr, Joan Leland, Elizabeth Hansen, Providence Caleo, Helen Marchetti, Mazine DiMaggio, Katherine St. Amour, Carol Cofone and Yetta Gerskowitz
Tired of Facebook? You can also Find ViniVidiScripto on the Following Platforms …
Internationally known local artist Michael Scherfen was honored by the Mayor and Council as the artist of the month at the June Council meeting after being introduced by Mayor Lori Hohenleitner as “her friend,” someone who “keeps us honest in Atlantic Highlands and is “an amazing artist who has won so many honors.”
Scherfen, in thanking the borough for the honor, also thanked local artist Morgan Spicer who nominated him for the honor, and promised the person he is nominating for the honor in the future is more talented than he.
The artist, whose work appears at the Arts Council on First Avenue and in more than 50 art shows during the year across the country and around the world, noted that while he has loved drawing since he was in the fourth grade and is a graduate of the Art Center in Los Angeles, his first water colors were of business people in Atlantic Highlands where he and his wife Marilyn have lived for more than 20 years.
With Bob Adams, the mailman his first portrait of a local business person and Marie Jackson his second, Scherfen said his habit is to give the portrait to the subject after it has appeared in shows, so that the memories are kept alive. The artist noted he loved his career with an ad agency so much he never felt like he ever worked.
Scherfen is an army veteran of the Vietnam war, and later worked with the late Donald Voorhees in watercolors.
While his work is renowned in numerous shows, and while he has won numerous awards and commendations for his work, Scherfen said he is humbled by the work of other artists and by the talent that is on exhibition at the Arts Council.
Tired of Facebook? You can also Find ViniVidiScripto on the Following Platforms …
Artist of the Month Artist of the Month Artist of the Month Artist of the Month
Congressman Chris Smith hosted a ceremony in his Toms River office for the eight high school graduates whom he had nominated from the 4th Congressional district for appointment to the nation’s military academies. The Congressman also presented each of the graduates with an American flag that had flown over the United State Capitol in their honor and met with many of their family members and friends.
U.S. CONGRESSMAN CHRIS SMITH REPRESENTING NEW JERSEY’S 4TH DISTRICT
“I consider it one of my greatest honors as a Member of Congress to nominate the most capable and extraordinary students from my District to attend the service academies,” the Congressman said at ceremony.
Each of these young men and women will join the ranks of the Class of 2029 for four years of rigorous academic and physical training at the service academies in preparation of eventually serving as an officer in the US Armed Forces.
“Each academy uniquely prepares its graduates to lead others in uniform in the defense of our nation—and I am consistently impressed with the qualities and dedication that these young women and men bring to the process, ” the Congressman said.
“It is a high honor and privilege to join your parents, family and friends in congratulating each of you on a truly remarkable achievement—you have all been chosen through a rigorous selection process to attend one of the prestigious United States Service Academies,” he continued, before also thanking them for their “willingness and commitment to serve. As you become America’s leaders of the most important fighting force on earth, know that our hopes and prayers are with you. I, and all of us, deeply respect your hard work that brought you to this day.”
Attending the United States Military Academy at West Point are: Leila Castell of Shrewsbury Borough, a graduate of Red Bank Regional High School; Jake Dembowski of Middletown, Middletown South High School and Morgan Zylinski of Lavallette, a graduate of the Ocean County Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science (MATES).
Attending the United States Naval Academy are: Aidan Gravelli of Middletown, Nathan Olmeida of Middletown, and Olivia Palutis of Ocean Township, all graduates of the Monmouth County Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST); and Christina Liggio of Colts Neck, a Red Bank Catholic graduate.
Attending the United States Air Force Academy is: Katrina Conti of Lacey Township, a graduate of Lacey Township High School.
Tired of Facebook? You can also Find ViniVidiScripto on the Following Platforms …
Even with the temperature in the 90s at 9 a.m. Wednesday, there was no cooling down the enthusiasm, pride and sheer joy at the commemorative ceremony in the heart of Mater Dei Park that officially transferred the former Mater Dei High School and 25 acres of open land from St Mary Mother of God parish to the open space preservation and community investment made possible by cooperative effort among church, township and county officials.
Representatives of the three groups gathered at the newly-purchase property so sign documents symbolizing their collaboration. Monmouth County Clerk Christine Hanlon and Freeholder Director Tom Arnone were there for the Monmouth County Board of Commissioners, Mayor Tony Perry and the Middletown Township Committee for the township, and the Rev. Jeff Kegley, pastor of St. Mary’s Church, for the parish, along with other township officials employees, and friends and parishioners of the church.
Monmouth County Commissioner Director Tom ArnoneMonmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon
The festive ceremony, complete with the ground painted in large blue and white letters proclaiming the acreage Mater Dei Park, celebrated the agreement reached by the church and township in March when the Township announced an agreement to purchase the 25-acre property, formerly home to Mater Dei Prep, for $11.75 million. Seventy-five percent of the total was funded by a Monmouth County grant and the remaining 25 percent from the Township’s Open Space Trust Fund. The Township Committee unanimously passed the ordinance to acquire the property at its April 28 meeting.
Middletown Township Mayor Tony Perry, Father Jeff Kegley and Monmouth County Commissioner Director, Tom Arnone
This landmark agreement symbolizes the strength of collaboration to preserve Middletown’s unique character,”said Mayor Tony Perry before the crowd seated in front of the table where the three signed the papers completing the transaction. “Through the power of shared values and strategic investment, this Township park will forever hold the memories of the terrific games, athletes, famous alumni, and incredible individuals who called this place their alma mater.”
“Today, I am proud to announce that Middletown Township is being awarded an $8,812,500 grant under the County Commissioners’ Municipal Land Preservation Incentive Program,” said Director Arnone. “Through this grant, the County will hold a conservation easement which ensures that the new park is permanently preserved and can never be developed for non-park or non-recreation purposes. Monmouth County is known for its beautiful landscape and commitment to openspace and this investment helps Middletown build on that legacy.”
With the financial assistance of the county making the transaction a reality, the township takes the first step in preserving the land as protected open space. Reimagining it as Mater Dei Park, the township land also pays homage to its sacred and cultural roots and offers residents Middletown’s first outdoor track, a football field, and four baseball fields.
Mary, Mother of God Catholic Church Pastor, Father Jeff Kegley
Father Kegley, the pastor who has led the parish and residents from throughout Monmouth County through the sadness of losing the catholic high school when it shut its doors in June 2022, due to a decline in enrollment and the Covid pandemic which led to the school’s financial hardship.
In the following year, the school was used for filming the movie Mean Girls, while negotiations were underway with the township .
Wednesday, Father Kegley said it was a joy to share the commemoration day with the new owners of the property and praised their commitment to open space.
He also noted that the partnership extends beyond the signing ceremony and marks a great day for education as well. Part of the funds for the sale will go into an endowment for St. Mary’s elementary school, the pastor said, ensuring that education for the elementary schools in a catholic school is still an opportunity for parents.
The church and township have also agreed to shared access of the site’s parking lot to accommodate both park visitors and parishioners. The church’s beloved fairs and seasonal events will also remain annual staples for the community and helping to support continued catholic education further honors the school’s legacy.
Demolition of the Mater Dei Prep building has been underway since it no longer meets safety standards and is expected to be completed by early fall. At present there are no further plans for any modifications or changes to the acreage in the near future, and residents and visitors are encouraged to enjoy the recreational hub that is now open to the public. Access to the property is easiest and most direct from the Cherry Tree Farm road entrance.
The Atlantic Highlands First Aid Squad recently sent mailers to all the residents of the borough calling for support, part of an annual appeal, it seems.
But there were a couple of things well noting in this particular very attractive, colorful, and informative one page plea! Not only do they need funds to keep as terrific as they are, but they note that they are always welcoming new members and inviting anyone who wants to see what it’s like to help out someone else in need to contact www.ahfirstaid.org. They’re willing to try newcomers!
The flyer also invites residents to reach out to Atlantic Highlands Councilman Jose Pujols and let him know the squad needs some borough help to get some increased funds from the borough to help out with their work.
That sounds like a great idea because Councilman Pujols, besides being the committeeman who is a liaison with the squad, is himself a fire officer and hardworking guy in North Jersey on a full time basis. He knows just how terrific this squad is, and how much municipal funds help to maintain the high level of excellence residents have come to expect from the Squad.
The flyer is also terrific for one more reason….it spells out that not only are any donations tax-deductible, they even tell you what the money is used for!!!!!
It’s more than just putting gas in the tanks or maintaining and upgrading the essential equipment that keeps them proficient and quick on the road. Funds are also used to provide training and certifications for those new members they invite to join; funds are also used to continue to provide the high quality, prompt emergency medical are Atlantic Highlands gets from its volunteers.
Then the flyer invites you to use any one of a number of ways to make donations…be it via venmo, PayPal, cash or check directly to the First Aid Treasurer at 10 E. Highland Avenue, Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716, or hey, I bet if you met one of the volunteers on the street, he or she would even accept a donation for the squad right there and then.
It’s a classy group. They work hard; they’re there when you need them, and they sure could use some help from the borough coffers as well as residents themselves.
And if you live in another town like Highlands or Middletown with a first aid squad that’s as efficient and generous with time and talent as Atlantic…. perhaps it’s time to write out a check with their name on it and send it to them to let them know you appreciate your home town squad!
Tired of Facebook? You can also Find ViniVidiScripto on the Following Platforms …
With all the excitement, happiness, and cooperative actions and people who have put together an incredible sale of Mater Dei High School property to become Middletown’s Mater Dei Park, it was especially wonderful too see that these cooperative efforts, together with dedicated and thoughtful employees all made for a beautiful, thoughtful, and commemorative ceremony under a hot sun Wednesday morning. They all showed how much can be accomplished with patience, negotiations and partnership.
It was really evident far before the brief ceremony even got underway, when employees of St. Mary’s Church and school showed their pastor’s belief that “when we partner in all things, we do good in all things”. While they were busy in another part of the St. Mary’s complex cleaning up even the slightest bits of trash or debris….people do still throw cigarette butts on the ground….. they stopped what they were doing not only to give directions to where the Mater Dei Park ceremony was taking place, but to lead the way in their work cart so motorists wouldn’t get lost.
Once at the site, it was apparent that some township employees from the Public Works department had gotten up early to ensure everything was perfect and as comfortable as could be at the ceremony site. Middletown DPW’s Building Maintenance Division had already set up chairs, even provided bottled water for all in anticipation of the heat, and had the podium and table all set up for the ceremony.
But that isn’t all; it sure looks like all of Middletown’s departments works together to get any job done. That’s because the MIS Department, Communications Department, Parks & Recreation Department, and the Mayor’s Office were all in on making this a very special day not only for Middletown, but for Monmouth County in general and especially for all the alumni of Mater Dei who will forever have memories of wonderful high school days.
Monsignor Bulman must be chatting with the angels about how great this whole parish has been and become even more since the long-ago day when he was here and started it all.
Then there’s Holmdel Township’s Recreation Department who showed even more cooperation and helping their neighbor and friends. It was they who created the “Mater Dei Park” sign painted on the grass just to be sure everyone knew precisely where they were and what was going on. And to add a touch of class and unique décor to the grass!
Off a short distance away at another part of Mater Dei Park, there were a bunch of youngsters at a baseball clinic, and all the amusement rides was an early morning reminder the famed St. Mary’s Fair is underway. Wonderful open space all around and Monmouth County and Middletown just assured everyone it will stay that way!
Middletown Township Mayor Tony Perry
Mayor Tony Perry and just about all of the township Committee were happy to be there and only Committeeman Ryan Clarke wasn’t able to break away to be part of the festivities, but was certainly there in spirit and support of this great continuation of open space for generations to come with a name that will also remind everyone where it came from in the first place.
Monmouth County Commissioner Director Tom Arnone
With his usual busy schedule, …and lately it has also included some great graduations at Monmouth County’s VoTech Schools, County Commissioner Tom Arnone was obviously happy to be a part of the morning and the acquisition of Mater Dei Park as well as assuring the small crowd it will always remain open space. So nice to see all the cooperative projects the County is completing with the township, thanks to great minds thinking alike and great forces putting great ideas into action.
Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon
County Clerk Christine Hanlon took time away from all the wondrous things she’s doing to remind the world that Monmouth County indeed was a vital part of this new nation 250 years ago. The Monmouth 250 celebrations will be all over the County thanks to so many towns and all will be promoted by Monmouth 250 as well. Understand there are a few surprises and announcements about even more happening that might be coming out soon.
Father Jeffrey J. Kegley Pastor, Saint Mary Mother of God Church
Father Jeff Kegley has been a wise and thoughtful spiritual leader for this very large parish, and working with the township and the county shows he’s also got great business acumen and a sincere love for not only always doing the right thing, but always encouraging and supporting everyone else to do the right thing as well.
Mater Dei High School may be gone, which is sad for those who got their education there and can look back on great teachers, great friends and great starts in life.
Father Jeff Kegley and Middletown Township Mayor Tony Perry
But preserving the land, naming the new township park Mater Dei Park, and the promise it will be 25 acres of open space forever while at the same time providing an endowment that will still give parents the option of a catholic school for their youngsters at St. Mary’s grammar school all make the transition bittersweet with great hope for the future.
Russell Karshmer of Highlands gave the closing remarks at the MAST graduation on Pershing Field at Fort Hancock Friday, June 20. He told the audience how much the class of 2025 is itself a group of 66 teens who have undergone as much transition and change on Sandy Hook as the historic ground on which their graduation was taking place itself.
He was one of the most recent class of graduates from MAST who earned scholarships, which this year totaled more than $21 million. This included five students (Carter Braun, Thomas Clark, Aidan Gravelli, Nathan Olmeda, and Olivia Palutis) from the class being accepted into the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD., a record number in a single year not only for the Monmouth County Vocational Technical High School but for the Naval Academy as well.
Aidan Gravelli, Nathan Olmeda, Thomas Clark, Carter Braun and Olivia Paoutis
Karshmer, who along with Connor Feeney and Alexandra Preston received Naval ROTC scholarships, will be attending William and Mary College in Virginia in September. Sarah Flynn and Kevin Ruland received appointments to the Coast Guard Academy and Charlotte McKeon received an Army ROTC scholarship, with all 11 military presentations made during the graduation ceremony.
Karshmer also made history last year when his artistic and historically accurate design was selected for the commemorative coin marking the commissioning of the USS New Jersey (SSN796) , the Virginia-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine commissioned in September 2024 at NWS Earle’s pier in Leonardo. MAST cadets participated in the commissioning ceremony of the third Navy vessel named in honor of the Garden State when the commemorative coin with Karshmer’ s design was available for sale and gift giving for the first time.
In his closing remarks at the end of the ceremony, Karshmer said the ceremony marked not just an ending, but a beginning. In trying to describe his time at MAST, he said, his mind “went to the very ground we are standing on.” He described the Sandy Hook peninsula as “a place along the coast, shaped by tides, time, and transformation … a place that has always been a place of transition and change. Long before it became a National Park, it was home to the Lenape people – a place of gathering and movement. Then it became a military stronghold, evolving over centuries, adapting to every challenge. And now, it’s a sanctuary – a place where nature, history, and people come together.”
All of which is “kind of like us,” Karshmer continued. “We entered high school unsure of our direction and our future – windswept and shifting like the Hook itself, shaped by forces beyond our control. Maybe it was a tough class”…and he cited Marine Bio in particular… “a new friendship, or even a global pandemic that challenged us to adapt.
But we grew. We learned. We found steady ground, anchored here, in this ever-changing world.”
In addition to all Sandy Hook offers, and has been such a part of their high school years, Karshmer said there is even one unique part of it that stands out as truly special.
“If Sandy Hook has a heart, it’s the lighthouse,” he continued, citing the oldest still operating lighthouse in the country located a short distance from the MAST campus. “Built in 1764, it’s stood for over 250 years, weathering every storm and guiding sailors safely through uncertain waters.”
Here again, he described the similarities between the class of 2025 and the historic lighthouse.
“I think we’ve all had lighthouses in our own lives – people or principles that helped us find direction when things got dark. Maybe it was a special teacher who was there for you, a friend who stayed beside you when things got rough, or even your own quiet determination. As we look to the future – with its wide-open sea of possibility – we’ll need those lights again. More importantly, we’ll need to be the light for others.”
Karshmer then pinpointed some of the other important facts about MAST’s location on the peninsula. “Sandy Hook also reminds us that change doesn’t erase history – it adds to it. The old missile sites, the retired barracks, the worn footpaths – they all tell a story. Just like the memories we’ve made in these past four years. They don’t vanish after today. They become part of who we are – part of the foundation we’ll stand on as we build what’s next.”
Addressing his fellow graduates, Karshmer said, “The path ahead will be new, and sometimes uncertain. But that’s exactly where growth happens. The shoreline at Sandy Hook is always shifting – it’s never static, and that’s what makes it alive. Just like us. We’re not meant to stay where we are. We’re meant to stretch, explore, and become something more. We are graduating from one of the greatest high schools in the nation – and we are more prepared than anyone to shape what comes next. We’re not just stepping into the future; we’re taking command of it. Whether it’s in the military, engineering, healthcare, finance, or athletics – we won’t just participate, we’ll lead. It’s in our DNA.
“Excellence isn’t a goal for us – it’s a habit,” the college bound graduate reminded his classmates. “It’s how we think, how we move, how we show up. No matter where we go, what we do, or how we choose to do it, we’ll do it better – because that’s who we are.
Let’s remember the lessons that the Hook has taught us: Stand strong, adapt with purpose, stay guided by light, and check the bushes twice to make sure a ranger isn’t hiding there. Stand tall – like the lighthouse at Sandy Hook – unshaken, steadfast, and built to illuminate the path for others. We are not just navigating the future. We are lighting its way. Thank you and Congratulations, Class of 2025. Be the light for what comes next.”
Karshmer Karshmer Karshmer
Tired of Facebook? You can also Find ViniVidiScripto on the Following Platforms …
The dedication of a grave marker honoring Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Seabrook was one of three activities the Middletown Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution completed last weekend, , holding a ceremony at the grave of the Revolutionary War soldier in Fairview Cemetery on Route 35, Middletown.
Present for the ceremony were descendants of Colonel Seabrook, numerous guests, Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger and Maureen O’Connor Leach. both strong advocates of the DAR contributions to Monmouth County’s history and preservation, and both members of the Monmouth County Historical Commission. State DAR historian Pat Sanftner sung the national anthem at the start of the ceremony.
Bugler Frank Rieman
Scouts from Boy Scout Troop 137 in Hazlet formed the color guard at the grave, and Frank Rieman, a Middletown High School South student, played taps on the trumpet. The Trilogy, a trio of local women with superb mixed voices, sang God Bless America to close the ceremony.
Funding for the event was made possible in part from an operating support grant from the NJ Historical Commission administered by the Monmouth County Historical Commission.
Gary Walling of Colts Neck, a fifth great grandson of Col. Seabrook, and other descendants of the soldier, including Patricia Cowell of West Keansburg, also spoke at the event and uncovered the marker on their ancestor’s grave near the Oak Hill entrance to the cemetery.
Thomas Seabrook was born in 1738, the great grandson of Thomas Seabrook, the first of the family to come to the country in 1664 when he settled in New York.
The Middletown Thomas Seabrook, son of Daniel Seabrook and Mary Brown, married Martha Tallman and the couple, who had five children, lived in the Seabrook-Wilson House in Port Monmouth, for many years best known commonly as the Spy House.
Active in civic life, serving as Overseers of Highways and of the poor, as well as Commissioner and arbiter for Middletown, Thomas Seabrook was a first major in the Monmouth County Militia at the start of the Revolution, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the New Jersey State Troops at the end of November 1776.
He replaced Nathanial Scudder in that position and was commander of eight companies from Middlesex, Monmouth and Burlington counties. He was elected to the state Legislature in 1779, serving three years until 1781 and died Feb. 22, 1805.
During last week’s ceremony conducted by the Middletown DAR under the leadership of Regent Michele Donnelly, guests also paid tribute to all the patriots who left a legacy of unequalled liberties America enjoys today.
Regent Donnelly led prayers honoring the patriots, noting their deep faith and belief in heavenly guidance, together with a hope of living in freedom, fortified them throughout the Revolution. She called for further tributes to all men and women who have served the country with integrity and devotion and noted that with the grave marker dedication at Col Seabrook’s resting place, “we dedicated ourselves anew to a faithful stewardship of the blessings we enjoy today.”
The Middletown chapter is one of five DAR chapters in Monmouth County, which include the Francis Hopkinson Chapter in Freehold, the Shrewsbury Towne-Middletown chapter in Shrewsbury, the Coastal Watch in Allenhurst and the Governor William Livingston Chapter in Spring Lake. The Middletown chapter’s 41members meet bi-monthly at VFW Post No. 2179 on Route 36.
Officers working with Regent Donnelly are Vice Regent Kim Best, Treasurer Gail Bozza, Secretary Helene Henkel and Registrar Maureen Foster. Their mission is historic preservation, education and patriotism.
In addressing the group during the ceremony, County Commissioner Leach thanked the DAR members for their dedication, and noted she always attends their events with pride not only in their dedication but also in the history they so carefully work to preserve.
Reid, the sixth grade student and member of Troop 137 who carried the flag for the dedication, said he wanted to be part of the ceremony because he is proud of what the early patriots did for the country, and feels a sense of pride and dedication himself to be able to take part of the solemn remembrance.
Tired of Facebook? You can also Find ViniVidiScripto on the Following Platforms …
From left to right, friend Carmen Marino, son Nathaniel , Battalion Chief Pujols daughter Jillian , Wife Nancy and Chief of Department Dave Donnarumma.
He wears many hats and he’s proud of every one of them, but Atlantic Highlands Councilman Jose Pujols just added one more major responsibility to his busy but dedicated schedule….he was recently promoted to Battalion Chief of the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue Team in Hudson County.
The Councilman, who is also a fire official in Matawan, works full time at North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue. Hired in March, 2001, he began his training at the Bergen County Fire Academy two years after joining the US Air Force Reserves where he had also served as a fireman. He was one of the 22 recruits in the Fire Academy class , the first since the municipalities of Weehawken, Union City, West New York, North Bergen and Guttenberg regionalized to form the more efficient North Hudson Department.
The North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue is an award winning, nationally recognized fire fighting unit and one of the largest regional firefighting units in the nation. It is also recognized as a unit having one of the best response teams in the nation and does all kinds of rescues including specialty firefighting in high density and water rescues along the Hudson River.
Councilman Jose Pujols
Pujols said it was both because of his wife and his own dedication to wanting to help others that he had learned in the Air Force that had him join North Hudson. “My wife actually saw an ad in in the paper and suggested I apply,” he laughed, “but that’s because she knew that I wanted to continue to serve the public. She knew it was instilled in me in the Air Force, and she was in agreement if that’s what I wanted.”
That he excelled at the job is evidenced by his promotion to Captain of North Hudson Regional in 2013, and has served 24 years of service before this promotion.
Through all those years, Pujols trained in many different academies and departments throughout the state, certifying in a variety of emergency fields, including incident management safety, Tactics, rescue, drill fire ground instructor, engineer operations and Ric Team.
When he ran for borough council in Atlantic Highlands for the first time last year, and successfully won his three year term, Pujols had the support and endorsement of the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey who cited his public service and dedication to his community, noting his exceptional leadership and deep understanding of the challenges faced by any community.
The councilman readily admits he has chosen a tough job for his profession, but shrugs it off saying “ yes, it has lots of ups and downs, wins and tragedies,” noting he is serving in one of the most overpopulated cities in the country with the North Hudson unit. But it gives him a sense of pride, he admits, knowing he can do the job and help protect life and property for others.
Serving in his capacity in Matawan adds to his dedication to want to help others whenever he can, and serving as a councilman in his hometown may add to his work load, but he has the support of his whole family, his wife Nancy, whom he married in 1997, and their twins, Jill and Nate.
Not only that, but Pujols, who laughs when he describes his workload, says “It’s true I love my Jobs!. All of them!” And what’s more, he says firmly, “I hope to continue to serve the public and protect the residents of Hudson County for years to come. “
Tired of Facebook? You can also Find ViniVidiScripto on the Following Platforms …
Monmouth
