Ocean County Commissioners GOP Primary 2021: Michael Thulen Sr.

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

Michael Thulen Sr. 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 Thurlen's answers.

Your name: Michael Thulen Sr.

Age: 65

Town of residence: Brick

Position sought: Ocean County Commissioner

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: Fiancée, Madeline, we have been together over 10 years. We have 7 children between the two of us, four hers and three mine, and five grandchildren with a newborn expected in the next couple of weeks.

Education: Associate Degree in Building Construction, Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration

Occupation: Construction manager in energy efficiency and part-time public adjuster

Previous elective office, if any: I had the honor of serving as councilman for Brick Township, NJ for 12 years: 1993-1997, 2004-2012.

Do you or anyone in your family work for the state, county or local governments? My son, Michael, works for Point Pleasant Borough, and my fiancée, Madeline, works for Brick Township.

Why are you seeking office? My passion to serve you is fueled by our need to aggressively promote economic growth in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that has affected all of us in ways big and small.

As a resident of Ocean County for 36 years, I am running to ensure all residents can enjoy the highest possible quality of life in the many wonderful communities we call home in Ocean County. I moved here for the same reasons as many other Ocean County residents — for a safer and healthier environment to raise a family, where jobs were readily available, taxes were affordable, and the school systems were committed to stellar educational practices.

As a commissioner, I commit to the idea of keeping Ocean County at the top of the list of places to reside, work, and start your business in. My interests in serving as your commissioner are to focus solely on the future of Ocean County and our residents. These issues that are as important to me as they are to everyone in our great county include senior services, veterans affairs, persons with disabilities, public safety, open space, infrastructure, economic development, traffic, transportation, public health, and the preservation and maintenance of our county assets as parks, libraries, pine forests and the many buildings that the county operates.

If you believe, as I do, that we can make our great county better with new jobs, stable taxes, improved infrastructure, and clean spaces for all residents to enjoy healthy lives, then I ask not only for your vote, but to join my campaign for Ocean County’s future.

What do you feel is the most pressing issue facing the community, and what do you want to do about it? My top priority is attracting new jobs to Ocean County as there is no faster, more sustainable way to improve our local economy. My plan calls for development and support of the new wind industry off the coast of Ocean County. While still in its nascency, as hundreds, then thousands of wind turbines are installed, the construction and maintenance of this multi-billion-dollar project will require a robust skilled labor pool to keep the turbines running and energy flowing. Construction of these turbines will occur just 16 miles off the Ocean County coastline, and in addition to the 15 years of construction jobs and 30 years of maintenance jobs, I propose that we begin preparations to fund the development of at least three seaports to support the commercial navy to maintain them, furthering the economic benefit this industry represents to Ocean County. With tested real-world experience in development, energy conservation, and public infrastructure projects, I know the companies to partner with in port development and have relationships with their teams to lay the groundwork for what I foresee resulting in over 5,000 well-paying jobs that could last over 40 years.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking to serve? The primary difference between me and the other candidates in this race is my depth of experience in a broad array of fields.

Having been a private developer, Brick Township councilman, state coordinator for New Jersey’s Energy Savings Improvement Program, and political organizer responsible for a number of important victories, I can confidently say there is no one more prepared to fill the vacancy on the Ocean County Board of Commissioners who is ready to get to work and make a difference on Day One.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform. While Ocean County is large and complex with a broad array of interests and constituencies, I believe the four pillars of my platform are universal and will help all of Ocean County.

In addition to my top priority, bringing new jobs to Ocean County, as commissioner, I will work to:
• Ensure Infrastructure Meets Ocean County’s Growing Needs.
Ocean County’s Engineering Department has done a great job in overseeing the support of our roads, bridges, and other improvements throughout Ocean’s 33 municipalities. With a conservative approach over the years, we have saved money and kept our infrastructure safe and maintained. However, our development of new, clean industry will require road improvements. Bridges will require enhanced maintenance, as well as road widening to permit better flow of traffic and commerce between our shore towns and docks. Lakewood and the widening of the southern stretch of Route 9 is but one example of such improvements. Traffic moves relatively smoothly from Route 88 north most times of the day, but south of Route 88 to Toms River, traffic comes to a stand-still throughout the day. That this was the case even during the Covid-19 Pandemic when traffic was at historic lows underscores the need for the widening of Route 9 as this extreme congestion will return once our schools, businesses, and other public spaces return to full operation in coming months. The widening of Route 9 and similar improvement projects take years to develop. They require a commissioner who cares and has the experience to see them through. As your next commissioner, I’ll get Northern Ocean County moving again.

• Preserve Public Greenspaces Through Smart Growth.
Preservation of public lands is a top charge of any Ocean County Commissioner. We enjoy a great park system throughout Ocean County, but as the county has developed, less land is available to buy with our Green Acres tax. However, some towns have purchased property that sits undeveloped and some of them may wish to add to Ocean County lands, using any revenue to support their local budgets or other development plans. I believe the county should be considering these purchases in the future and planning for development into county parks so more of our residents have the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors at home, in their own county.

As your next commissioner, I’ll lead the charge to ensure responsible growth while also safeguarding future generation’s ability to enjoy the quality of life these cherished green spaces have given us.

• Holding the Line on Taxation for Ocean County Residents.
Runaway taxation kills economic growth, and my final priority is keeping Ocean County taxes stable, especially for our seniors. This critical priority goes well beyond my pledge to oppose tax increases for our residents. I believe we can effectively prevent residents from leaving, encourage new business to open, and improve Ocean County’s economy by successfully implementing my first three priorities: 1. Bringing new jobs to Ocean County will increase the overall economic activity in our communities, and along with it, increased revenues that relieve pressure to raise taxes. 2. Ensuring infrastructure meets Ocean County’s growing needs will bring new jobs, help attract new residents, and encourage commerce. Overseeing these projects with a critical eye will also control cost, relieving strain on municipal budgets, and the pressure to raise taxes. 3. Preserving public greenspaces through smart growth requires jobs to develop parks and recreational facilities, proper management of these new attractions will help them become self-financed. Working in tandem, the duo of new jobs and conservative management will serve as a powerful bulwark against the ever-present threat of disruptive taxation.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you will be effective in office? With tested real-world experience in development, energy conservation, and public infrastructure projects, I know the companies to partner with to get the job done for Ocean County. My experience developing property in Ocean and Monmouth counties included development of a lot of roadway — I know which people in Trenton and the DOT to get in touch with to design the Route 9 expansion and other projects. As a Brick councilman, I helped guide the approval of Exit 89 on the Garden State Parkway and was involved in the two Route 70 left-turn extensions, improving traffic through Brick Township today.

The acquisition and renovation of the Traders Cove Marina and Park property during my service as councilman for Brick Township is another example of how my approach to governing has worked to the advantage of all residents. Once a public eyesore being considered for sale to developers interested in building high-density condominiums, we prompted the municipality to purchase, clean up, and repurpose it as a township marina and recreation area. Today, I can happily report this project not only provides valuable benefit to the community, it’s also self-sustaining, with financing coming from recreational fees associated with its use, rather than draw upon municipal coffers.

These are but a few of the many examples of jobs both big and small that I have undertaken on behalf of the people who I am proud to call neighbors and friends. Further, it is a record I hope to build upon as your next commissioner so that future generations can enjoy the same quality of life we have come to identify with Ocean County — one of the greatest places to live on Earth.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

For the past 19 years, I have been the president of Brick’s TNR nonprofit. Millions of unwanted animals end up in shelters or on the streets each year and people all over the country, from all walks of life, care for outdoor cats every day. When it became apparent that Brick’s community cats needed help, I moved to establish Brick’s Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) nonprofit organization and as president for the last 19 years, I have worked to ensure caregivers of the township’s community cats have the required funding and organizational support to continue their mission.

TNR is the only humane and effective approach to managing community cat populations, as sheltering them routinely results in their being euthanized. Further, TNR ensures no new kittens are born, stabilizes cat populations, provides vaccines, and improves cats’ lives. These routine medical procedures not only help control pet overpopulation, but they may also prevent medical and behavioral problems from developing, allowing your pet to lead a longer, healthier, and happier life.

Building on the success of the program in Brick, I would like to promote the TNR campaign to other Ocean County municipalities as many experience surges in abandoned or lost pets at the end of each summer season. Seeking refuge in abandoned buildings and boardwalks, these innocent animals suffer once the weather turns cold and food becomes scarce.

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