Politics & Government

Former Deputy Mayor Ryan Green Runs for Freeholder

Green says the county needs to do learn to do more with less money and not compromise essential services.

Committeeman, and former Deputy Mayor, Ryan Green is running for the open Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders seat in a special election on Jan. 14. .

The Freeholder vacancy emerged due to the imminent departure of county Freeholder Director Robert D. Clifton. With one year left in his term as Freeholder, Clifton has been elected to the state Assembly.

Green will be running against Holmdel Deputy Mayor Serena DiMaso, Howell Mayor Robert Walsh, and Atlantic Highlands Councilman Peter T. Doyle in the special election on Jan. 14 - Republican representatives of Monmouth County's voting districts will cast their vote at Colts Neck High School.

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These Monmouth County Republican Committee members will select a candidate who will replace Clifton on the Freeholder board, run in the 2012 election, and then run for a full term in the 2013 election. Green told Patch he is prepared to make this committment and has a strong record of working hard to earn the trust of residents and get elected to public office.

This is the first time Green has run for a County position. He has served as a Committeman for Manalapan Township and served as Deputy Mayor of Manalapan last year. Although his term expires on Dec. 31 of this year, if elected Freeholder, Green would have to resign from his position on the Committee.

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

"I love serving the residents of Manalapan Township and working to make our community an even better place to live," Green said. "If I have the opportunity to serve as a Freeholder, I'll be able to work on behalf of our residents at the County level, which will help Manalapan in many different ways."

Green said he is most proud of the fact that he has never raised municipal taxes. "For the past two years in Manalapan, we have cut spending and kept the Township budget flat," Green said. "One way this was accomplished is through shared services.  Manalapan has been a leader in facilitating shared services agreements, including vehicle maintenance, garbage collection, and animal control. This saves taxpayer dollars and makes our municipal government more efficient. This is the mindset that I will bring to the Board of Chosen Freeholders."

Doing more with less is the backbone of Green's philosophy. He said the county must maintain essential services, while limiting its spending.  "Public safety and infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and other means of transportation, can never be compromised," Green added. "As a Freeholder, I will work to maintain these services without raising taxes."

Green contends he will bring a fresh perspective to County government, along with his strong record of keeping taxes stable and cutting spending. The Committeeman also said he believes very strongly in transparency and making government more accessible to residents; he said he will work to increase communication among municipalities and with Monmouth County residents, as Freeholder.

Green also was a member of Manalapan Township's Planning Board and is a proponent of preserving farmland and against overdevelopment. He also served as the Police Commissioner of Manalapan Township in 2010 and established the Public Safety Operations Tax Force, according to Green's biography on the Monmouth County Affiliated Republican Club Web site.

Get to know Green, and the other candidates, at Doolan's Shore Club (Rt. 71 in Spring Lake Heights) on Friday, Jan. 13 for a "Meet the Candidate's Night". The evening offers a cash bar, which opens at 6 p.m., and a dinner at 7 p.m. for $30 a person (or reserve a table of 8 for $240). Call (732)-280-1185 to RSVP.


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