Jeffrey Foster resigns from Wall Township Committee
Jeffery W. Foster resigned from the Wall Township Committee last week. He is applying to be the Director of Public Works for the Township and wants his application to be considered on it’s merits, not based upon his political position.
Jeffrey Foster
Foster was elected to the Township Committee in 2007 and served as mayor in 2012. He has been chairman of the Public Works Committee throughout his tenure.
If only a certain former Manalapan Township mayor had taken the same approach when he wanted to sell the development rights to his farm to the government.
Foster, 59, has been looking to get a municipal public works position for last the last few years. He applied to be the Director of Public Works in Belmar two years ago. Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty said Foster’s application was given serious consideration. “Jeff would make an excellent Public Works Director,” Doherty told MMM in a phone interview.
Foster has also applied to be an Assistant Public Works Director in Middletown. He sold his auto repair and towing business last summer. He started working as a maintence worker at the New Jersey Department of Transportation last September. “They let me use the heavy equipment,” Foster said, “I love this work. ”
Foster enrolled in the Rutgers University Certified Public Works Management Program last February. He is paying his own tuition for the program he expects to complete next May. He is pursuing his Bachelors degree at Thomas Edison University. He expects to earn his degree in July of 2016.
When the current Director of Public Works in Wall, Robert Hendrickson, announced his retirement effective September 1, Foster decided to apply for the job. He delivered his resignation from the Township Committee and his application on the same day. “I want my application to be considered like any other,” he said, “When Clint (current mayor Clinton Hoffman) first ran for Township Committee we promised people of Wall that we would only serve three terms. One year into my third term, I’m cutting it a little short, but there are a lot of good people coming up behind me.”
Foster has gone out of his way not to use political influence to get the job in his hometown. Ironically, his political service might be his biggest detriment to getting the job. Prominent Republicans on both the municipal county levels have expressed political concerns about the all Republican Township Committee awarding a well paying job to “one of there own.”
Doherty, a Democrats, thinks that is unfortunate. “It’s not that people oppose a politician getting a job,” Doherty said, “it’s politicians getting jobs that they are not qualified for and don’t perform in that is the problems. Rightfully so.”
Foster said the salary for the Wall job was not advertised. Hendrickson was paid $103,928 in 2013, according to Data Universe.
The Wall Republican Committee is meeting on Tuesday evening to select three candidates to submit to the governing body to replace Foster on the Township Committee. The selected candidate is expected to run in the November general elections to complete the unexpired term. The new committee person will join Deputy Mayor George Newberry and Committeewoman Anne Marie Conte, both of whom are running for reelection, on the ballot.
The Wall Democrats did not file candidates to run for the two Township Committee seats, but Gary Faraci was nominated via write-in vote in the primary on June 3. Faraci and his wife Linda are hosting a fundraiser for the Monmouth County Democrats featuring Senator Cory Booker on July 25.
Wall Democratic Chairman Eric Brophy could not be reached regarding whether or not the Wall Democrats would put up a candidate to run for Foster’s unexpired term. Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal said the decision is entirely up to the Wall Democrats and that he would support whatever they do.
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Gee, an honest politician that wants his application based on the merits as well.
Jeff, run for President, PLEASE! 🙂
Hmmm, interesting. Jeff Foster didn’t resign from the Wall Committee when he applied to Belmar for employment–Democratically controlled Belmar that is.
Yet, he resigned his Wall Committeemen position for a prospective position in Wall. He claims he wants his application to be considered on its “merits; not based on his political position.”
This is the man who also endorsed Golden for County Chairman. I think the writing is clearly on the wall (no pun intended). I just love when politicians attempt to be transparent by proclaiming they submitted their resignation and application for the job on the same day.
If you connect the dots–which includes the fast tracking of his education–Mr. Foster has a job waiting for him.
This might be early: Congratulations Mr. Foster!
@Let me get this correct,
I understand your cynicism,but your analysis if faulty. If Foster was looking out only for new job and thought the Party Chairman would exert influence, he would have been smarter, politically, to hedge his bets and not make a public endorsement.
@ Let me get this correct…
You think endorsing Shaun Golden and him winning the Chairmanship has much to do with Jeff getting a job in Wall Township as a Director Of Public Works?
Absolutely Art, However smart people make dumb mistakes as well. That is why they put erasers on pencils.
If–or should I say when Mr. Foster gets the job, it would be interesting to see the other applicants that got passed over.
I just can’t wait to see who the hand-picked–ahem, selection is for the Brookdale trustee.
I just love the smell–or stench (depending on affiliation of course) of Club Monmouth rearing its head again.
Why don’t y’all just cool your heals, sit a spell and wait to see what happens on both the job in Wall and the Trustee positions at Brookdale?
Why does it always have to be “something bad is gonna happen,” I know it, I know it.
Let me give you a hint, Club Monmouth is long dead.
My God, I can’t figure out how people go through life thinking everything bad is going to happen with everything.
If club Monmouth is “dead” how is it, when on better terms, did Bennett’s daughter get a $60k job with the Sheriff’s dept . Maybe its the Golden Club now
Red, If Club Monmouth was still alive and well Bennett’s daughter would have been shown the door the minute Golden beat her dad.
It goes to show that the NEW MONMOUTH COUNTY that was built in the post-Larrison era by Handlin, Clifton, Barham and Democrat turned Republican McMarrow, is working correctly. Bennett has a job because she was qualified and just because her daddy didn’t win she doesn’t get fired. Education and experience trumps patronnage in today’s Monmouth.
it does: for certain of the lawyers??- Well, that remains to be seen.. one one hand, we hear about qualifications, on the other, we hear: “to the victors belong the spoils,” then, we watch who gets what, after who supported whom, yet again.. so, with all the time, and polarization, and camps,and angst, the spin-cycle just begins, again, doesn’t it?
Sorry to hear when any good representative of the people steps down or away from their elected position.I believe he won 3 elections in Wall and that speaks highly for his character and how the citizens of Wall felt towards his abilities.
I can speak about Jeff Foster as I know him pretty well and have had many conversations with him in the past 8 years.I can tell you he is a hard working, highly intelligent,and competent human being.I believe Wall is a town that could be a model for many to emulate and he was a part of that with others who I feel the same way about.
I have no say in this decision but could tell you that with what I know of Jeff if he was to apply in Howell Township I would strongly consider him for a position.I do not believe that we all should just be discarding good people because of any connection. Anybody get a union job,government job , or any job for that matter in the last ten years because someone recommended them or supported their being hired.
In Howell 6 years ago some complained when we put Helene Schlegel in as town manager because they claimed she was only deputy manager for a year and before that she had worked her way up through the ranks to become the director of recreation over 20 years. Could I have with the governing body voted in a person with maybe more paper credentials,”YES”. One of the best decisions made by the governing body in my 10 years was putting Helene in that position. She helped guide Howell through the toughest recession I pray any of us ever see and put her stamp on many wonderful accomplishments during her 6 years.
If someone adds to your organization you add them,period!!! That is what you do in business and that is what the people really want done.
I want to apologize to Helene Schlegel in advance as I knowI opened the door for some anonymous slandering of hers,and my name. God Bless All!!
Ok Bob, we get it. You obviously like the guy. Residents in Wall like the guy.
Now to the real meat of the situation: Do you know about his knowledge, skills and abilities to be a Public Works Director? Do you know anything about the others that applied? Just being a nice guy may not be enough for the job–however, it appears to me this one is in the bag for Foster. I hope Art tells us in the future if he secures this job.
I think Art opened up a lively debate on this one–perhaps even a can of worms for Foster, LOL
@REd: Regarding the Sheriffs Dept.
Ok, you must be the know..what are her qualifications, education?
Was anyone else interviewed, was the job posted for others to apply?