The temporary outage will affect calls to City Hall and other municipal offices.
For the first time in years, there will be a contested municipal election in Sea Isle City.
Two candidates filed nominating petitions to challenge City Council incumbents Mary Tighe and J.B. Feeley and their running mate Mike Jargowsky in the May 13 election.
Ian Ciseck, a local real estate agent, and retired high school teacher Steven Cossaboon are running together on the slogan, “Fresh Faces – Fresh Ideas.”
Thursday was the deadline for candidates to file their nominating petitions with the City Clerk’s Office. Ciseck and Cossaboon filed their petitions on Wednesday, while Tighe, Feeley and Jargowsky submitted their petitions on Feb. 6.
Usually, Sea Isle’s municipal elections are devoid of any vitriol or drama because the incumbents routinely run without opposition. But that won’t be the case this year.
It has been at least three elections, and possibly as far back as 2011, since Sea Isle has had a contested race.
There are three open Council seats this year. Council terms are for four years. Council has five members, but William Kehner and Frank Edwardi Jr. are not up for re-election this year.
Tighe is one of the five original Council members who were elected when Sea Isle switched from a Commission-style form of government to the Mayor-Council format in 2007. She is seeking her fifth consecutive term and formerly served a two-year term under the previous form of government.
Feeley is seeking his third four-year term on Council. Jargowsky, a retired Sea Isle police captain, is joining Tighe and Feeley on their ticket to replace Councilman Jack Gibson, who has decided not to seek re-election as he approaches his 91st birthday.
Incumbents J.B. Feeley and Mary Tighe and political newcomer Mike Jargowsky, center, are surrounded by supporters after officially filing for the election on Feb. 6.Tighe, Feeley and Jargowsky are running under the campaign slogan ““Committed to Community, Dedicated to Progress.”
“We're really honored to be working together, and we want to continue good governance moving forward.” Tighe said when she, Feeley and Jargowsky submitted their nominating petitions on Feb. 6.
Feeley alluded to the ‘Committed to Community, Dedicated to Progress’ slogan to summarize their campaign.
“That’s what we’ve done before, and that's what we will continue to do,” Feeley said on Feb. 6.
In separate interviews Thursday, Ciseck and Cossaboon said they believe it has been too long since Sea Isle had a contested election, and that it will be healthier for voters to have a choice of different candidates.
“I felt it was time to get involved,” Ciseck said. “Our last three elections have been uncontested. That’s not healthy. I think it’s time for fresh faces and fresh ideas.”
Cossaboon said it has been “a long time” since Sea Isle’s voters had a choice other than the incumbents.
“Why not someone else jump in there and see how it goes?” Cossaboon said of his candidacy.
Ciseck is a real estate agent for Long & Foster who has lived in Sea Isle for 24 years with his family, including his wife, Lauren, a member of the city’s Board of Education.
Cossaboon is a retired special education teacher and football, wrestling and girls softball coach at Haddon Township High School in Camden County.
His wife, Michelle, is a teacher. The couple spent their vacations in Sea Isle for 12 years before becoming full-time residents three years ago.
