Ocean County Commissioners GOP Primary 2021: Gary Quinn

TOMS RIVER, NJ — With Primary Day for the 2021 general election coming up June 8, Patch is sharing profiles of the candidates for local office.

Gary Quinn is one of four candidates seeking the Republican nomination for the two, four-year seats on the Ocean County Board of Commissioners on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.

Patch asked each candidate the same questions. Here are Quinn's answers.

Your name: Gary Quinn

Age: 64

Town of residence: Lacey Township

Position sought: Ocean County Commissioner

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: Married to wife Linda for 42 years. Two children, two grandsons, daughter-in-law

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, Ramapo College, Class of 1978

Occupation: Director, Ocean County Board of Commissioners, and NJ Licensed Real Estate Broker

Previous elective office, if any: Lacey Township School Board 5 years. Lacey Township Governing Body 15 years. Ocean County Freeholder/Commissioner serving in 3rd year

Do you or anyone in your family work for the state, county or local governments? Yes, municipal government

Why are you seeking office? As a current member of the County Board of Commissioners and this year's director, I have had the opportunity during the last three years to represent and work as an elected official representing all of the residents of Ocean County. I have served as a member of a school board as well as a mayor in my hometown, which provided me with a great deal of experience in dealing with issues that affect each and every one of us as residents of Ocean County. That experience has been so valuable to me as a commissioner during my time on the board. I consider it an honor to be one of the members of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners and look forward to having the ability to represent the residents of Ocean County again for another three years.

What do you feel is the most pressing issue facing the community, and what do you want to do about it? Currently the greatest issue facing Ocean County overall is the COVID pandemic which we have been dealing with for the last 15 months. As a county we have worked very hard since the beginning to try and get as many people tested and vaccinated as possible and we are in a situation now where we can finally see the progress that has been made. Unfortunately, that portion of the pandemic is not all that Ocean County has to deal with. During the last year and a half, our local businesses have been struggling to survive and many unfortunately have not. Our schools have been closed or operating on limited schedules which has put parents in very difficult positions being able to work themselves, as well as the fact that it has had a major impact on our children and grandchildren. As we come out of the pandemic, we recognize that we are going to be dealing with a great deal of issues when it comes to drug abuse, mental illness, homelessness and evictions, as well as finding ways to get our economy back to where it was pre-pandemic. The Board of Commissioners recognizes this and over the last six months we have come out with grant programs to help small businesses, tenants and landlords, as well as all of the outstanding nonprofit groups we have in the county. We have been able to provide funding for these programs, as well as reimbursement funding to all 33 of our towns that were faced with expenses that they would not normally have had until the pandemic hit them. And thankfully we have been able to do it all with grants and Cares money that the county obtained with no additional cost to our taxpayers. It's certainly going to take a lot more work to bring Ocean County back to where it was but without a doubt we are looking at a much brighter future moving forward and we will work very hard as a team with all of our local towns to do everything possible to help anyone that needs our help.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking to serve? I have the utmost respect for any individual that chooses to get involved and run for public office at whatever level of government they choose to do so. At this point in my life, I believe the years of experience I have in local government, as well as county government has helped me and will continue to help me if I am re-elected. Currently representing all 33 towns in Ocean County, I have had the ability to work with most mayors and elected officials throughout all of our towns. The most important thing that I try to emphasize always is the fact that each and every one of us in public office is here because of the voters that have put us into office to do what is right. It is our job to provide services to our communities and continue to provide the quality of life that so many people have moved into Ocean County to enjoy over the years. The most important fact, however, is for elected officials to keep in mind is that the money we spend is not our money and the checkbooks belong to the taxpayers.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform. Ocean County, like most communities throughout the country, is facing issues today that no one could have imagined we would be dealing with two years ago. The pandemic, as well as a great deal of mandates issued by state and federal government that we were forced to deal with over the last year has certainly hurt Ocean County. As a community that relies heavily on our tourism during the summer months, our immediate problem is finding ways to get sufficient labor for our businesses to be able to operate throughout the upcoming months and try to get the local economy back to where it was pre-Covid. Getting our schools open full-time is crucial for our children and their families. And most important making sure our residents are safe. County government has an obligation to work with and help residents throughout all 33 municipalities and I look forward to continuing working together with my fellow commissioners to do that.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you will be effective in office? Having served in different levels of elected offices during the last 22 years, I feel I have both learned and experienced things that have been very helpful to me the last 2-1/2 years as a county commissioner. In addition to my experience as an elected official, I also had the opportunity to own and operate a private business for 42 years, which I believe has been even more helpful to me. When you are an elected official whether it be for a town or a county, you always have to recognize that it is no different than running a business and every decision you make is important. As an elected official, it is my job to always do what's best for the majority of the people and always try to come up with a solution to solve whatever problems you're confronted with. The most important thing to always remember, no one person can do it all by themselves. As a commissioner or member of a governing body, you are part of a team and it is very important to always try and work together representing our residents.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I have lived in Ocean County since 1978 and I moved to Ocean County because my wife and I chose to settle down here and raise our family. Looking back I could have never imagined being an elected official when I was younger and looking back now, I can only say I have been very honored to serve at the different levels of government that I have had the opportunity to do so. Years ago when my children were young, someone approached me in my town and asked me to get involved on the school board and here we are 22 years later. Without a doubt, the county, as well as all of our communities, has grown consistently over the years and my goal always has been and always will be to continue doing what I can to help residents and towns whenever I can, as well as working to ensure that Ocean County remains the special place that drew most of us here over the years.

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