Politics & Government

Thomas Antus Reflects on Time as Freehold Township Administrator

Antus is set to retire Friday, April 1.

After Friday, April 1, a familiar face will be missing from Town Hall. His Steelers mug and Terrible Towel will disappear from the administrator’s office, but his legacy in Freehold Township will remain in the hundreds of acres of preserved land, in the municipality’s sports complex at Opatut Park, in the construction of the senior center, and through the respect and admiration he has garnered from colleagues and township officials.

Freehold Township Administrator Thomas Antus will retire after 27 years in service to the municipality.

Antus grew up in Western Pennsylvania and attended Slippery Rock University before moving to Freehold Township in the 1970s.

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“I moved here literally not knowing one person. You teach for a year or two and you start thinking this is the kind of place you want to raise a family. You wake up and its 40 years later,” Antus said.

He spent 12 years teaching social studies and ran the township’s summer camp. In 1984, Antus was tapped to become assistant superintendent of Freehold Township Parks and Recreation. He spent his four years in the department managing the recreation programs. The experience afforded him the opportunity to learn the recreation needs of the community. He noticed, for example, soccer’s growing popularity in the township. This information would prove invaluable in Antus’ career in administration.

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In 1988, Antus was called into the office of then Township Administrator Fred Jahn, who was the municipality’s first administrator. Antus was taken by surprise when Jahn asked him if he had any interest in becoming deputy administrator.

“I was a sports and kids guy. I was given the opportunity to completely change careers,” Antus said. He took that opportunity.

When Jahn retired in 1994 after 25 years of service, Antus was tapped to step up to the administrator post. Antus said his vision for the town’s long- and short-term goals has been directed by feedback from the public.

“You look at the needs of the community. We never had a park on the east side of town—that’s how Opatut Park came to be. We heard complaints about Halls Mill Rd. being a windy road and that led to it being straightened. A few years ago, it was virtually impossible to make a left-hand turn out of Raintree. We did a traffic study and that led to a traffic light, ” Antus says. “The community defines what changes need to be done.”

Antus brushed off credit for many of the projects in town he was instrumental in. “No one person does any of this,” Antus said. “When all is said and done, surround yourself with people smarter than you are. The department heads here are really good at what they do. You have to be smart enough to listen to them.”

Antus said township employees and officials have endeavored to run the municipality like a business, making a conscious effort to develop housing and road plans with an eye toward what they would like the town to look 20 years down the line.

“You have to practice managed growth. There will be some commercial development. Traffic will always be an issue. But the governing body has acquired massive open space to preserve and enhance Freehold Township,” Antus said.

When Antus announced his pending retirement at the Jan. 25 meeting of the governing body, members of township officials and members of the public praised 17-year tenure as administrator.

Paul Hessler, a township resident for 10 years, said he has always been impressed by Antus’ professionalism.

“I don’t think I’ve ever run into as professionally run a town as I have here in Freehold,” Hessler said. “The response has always been the most positive and the most energetic.”

As Antus looks forward to retirement, he feels fortunate for the time he has spent in Freehold Township.

“I consider myself a lucky person,” Antus said. “This town has done more for me and my family than I’ve done for them.”


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