Politics & Government

Outgoing Freehold Officials Thanked For Service During Final Meetings

Both the Freehold Borough Council and Freehold Township Committee will have new faces serving on their board in 2013.

New faces will be taking their seats on the Freehold Borough Council and Freehold Township Committee in 2013. This week marked the last meetings for Councilman John Newman and Committeeman Robert McGirr in their current capacities.

The Monday, Dec. 17 Freehold Borough council meeting was Newman’s last due to the 2012 election turnout. During the Monday night meeting, council members took their time thanking Newman for his service to the town and for making Freehold Borough a better place. 

“John, I said it all before. You have absolutely served this town with distinction. You are a gentleman and a gentle man and as a resident of this town, I appreciate everything you have done for this town in your three years sitting up here. I have enjoyed it, I’ll miss you and I know that you will miss my bugging,” said Council President Sharon Shutzer.”

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After the election results in November, Newman told Patch that although he would not be serving as a Councilman, he still has plans of remaining active in the town and in other capacities. Newman reiterated those plans on Monday.

“It has been my distinct honor and privilege to be up here for the last three years. I want to thank everyone up here for working with me, its been truly enjoyable,” said Newman. “I am part of the Arts Council and I will continue with that, there are a few projects that I will be keeping on with so you have not seen the last of me, but politics possibly, thank you all again for your kind words.”

Find out what's happening in Freeholdwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

During Newman’s term he was the only republican member; Ron Griffiths, who defeated Newman in the 2012 election will return the council to a democratic controlled body.

In Freehold Township Tuesday night, residents, friends and former and current elected officials joined in seeing McGirr’s last night as a Committeeman. McGirr has been active in Freehold Township long before he began serving as a Committeeman in 2010. Many of McGirr’s accomplishments and awards were acknowledged during the meeting, and as a thank you to his time, Monmouth County Freeholder Director John Curley presented McGirr with proclamations naming Dec.18, 2012 Robert McGirr Day in Monmouth County.

“You have certainly given a great deal to your community and tonight on behalf of the Board of Freeholders I am honored to present a recognition certificate and to you,” said Curley. “In appreciation of your dedication and the selfless contributions to this wonderful community over the years, the Board of Chosen Freeholders place in the archives of Monmouth County history that this day, Dec. 18, 2012 as Robert McGirr Day.”

The Freehold Township Committee also proclaimed that Wednesday, Dec. 19 2012 to be Robert McGirr day in Freehold Township. In addition to the many great things McGirr did as an elected official, all the committee members thanked McGirr for his friendship.

“Bob listens to what people say and more importantly he hears what isn’t said, he knows how to help each one of us in the hour that we need his assistance and he does it for no other reason, except that he is Bob McGirr and he is our friend,” said Committeewoman Barbra McMorrow.

Before the meeting ended, McGirr addressed the audience during his last meeting as Committeeman and thanked Freehold Township for letting him serve. In 2013 Tom Cook will fill McGirr’s seat on the Freehold Township Committee.

“It has been an honor to serve with each and every committee member, they are each committed to making Freehold Township a better town and keeping it the great town that it already is,” said McGirr. “It [serving on the Committee] has been the best experience, it has been a great time, it’s just time for a new phase of my life.”


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