Politics & Government

Freehold Borough Candidate Profile: Kevin Kane

Councilmen Kevin Kane and Jay Sims are running to hold their seats on the Freehold Borough Council.

With Election Day on Tuesday there will be two seats on the Freehold Borough Council on the ballot. Councilmen Kevin Kane and Jaye Sims are being challenged by Republicans Robert Gibbons and Elizabeth Slade.

All the candidates were asked to answer the same questions about themselves and their political stances for Howell Patch.

Kevin Kane Candidate Profile: 

 

NAME:  Kevin A. Kane

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AGE:  56

OCCUPATION:  VP / Operations, 111 South Contractors, LLC

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1.  Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your background and why you should be elected.

  A fifth generation Freehold Borough resident, Kevin is the Council President and Chairman of the Public Safety and Finance Committees. He is also the council liaison to the Freehold Borough Board of Health and the Lake Topanemus Commission and serves on the Freehold Borough Community Events and Olde Freehold Day Committees.

He has also served as the liaison to the Freehold Center Partnership, the Freehold Borough Board of Education, the Memorial Day Parade Committee, the Freehold Public Library Commission, and the Neighborhood Pride Committee. In 2011, Kevin served on the Freehold Borough Board of Education’s Strategic Planning Committee, co-chairing the Community Information sub-committee.

Following in the footsteps of his father, former Borough Mayor and Councilman Roger J. Kane. Kevin has given back to his community. He has served on the Borough Planning Board, the Borough Recreation Commission. He is a former member of Richardson Engine Co. # 2, Freehold Fire Department and a member of the Freehold Fire Department Exempt Fireman’s Association. He has been a travel soccer coach and a former Board member with the Freehold Soccer League. Kevin was a Past President of the Freehold Borough Basketball League and the Freehold Slo-Pitch Softball League.

Kevin is a graduate of St. John Vianney High School and the University of Charleston (WV) where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. His business background as a former bank Vice President, Internal Auditor, and Personal Financial Analyst is an asset to the Council. He currently works in the family owned business, 111 South Contractors, LLC. 

Kevin and his wife, the former Ellen Eckhardt, also a lifelong Borough resident and longtime registered nurse at CentraState Medical Center, have three daughters, Erin (a 2005 graduate of Rutgers University), Meghan (a 2008 graduate of Rutgers University), and Caitlin (a 2011 graduate of West Chester University of Pennsylvania), a son-in-law, Terence Howard, who is currently serving in the United States Navy aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN-68), and two grandsons, Bobby and A.J.

2.  What do you think distinguishes you from other candidates? What do you bring to the table? 

What distinguishes me from other candidates is my experience and knowledge of Freehold Borough. Being a fifth generation Freehold native and a lifelong Borough resident, I have proven my commitment to my hometown by being involved in many activities and organizations. I was taught at a young age to give back to your community and have loved every minute of it.  We raised our family here because we believe in Freehold and its future.  I have the knowledge, experience and the drive to meet the challenges that face our community today, and into the future.

3.  What are the most pressing issues facing Freehold today? How would you approach and resolve these issues?

The most pressing issue facing us today is no different than most towns are facing in the State of New Jersey, how do you preserve your basic public services, assure public safety, and maintain a stable tax rate, all by working within a very restrictive 2% cap. 

We are a little different because we are a fully developed town with no room for growth to expand our tax base. Because of this, we have been on the leading edge of developing shared services with neighboring towns and Monmouth County. We are always looking for state grants, like the one we just were awarded for $100,000.00 to enhance our Emergency Management Operations. We are working with our downtown business owners for improved economic development, and just last week were designated as one of the top three downtowns in the State of New Jersey by the American Planners Association. 

These examples are just a small piece of our hard work, but it is paying dividends because Freehold Borough is becoming a true destination for first time home buyers and young families looking for a great town to raise a family.


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