FREEHOLD – Incumbent Democrats Michael DiBenedetto and George Schnurr have won new three-year terms on the Borough Council in Freehold Borough.
The council members ran unopposed in the Nov. 7 election. DiBenedetto received 1,492 votes and Schnurr received 1,430 votes, according to results posted online by the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office. The results are unofficial until they are certified by the county.
With the victories, Democrats will continue to hold all six council seats, as well as the mayor’s office, in Freehold Borough.
DiBenedetto is a lifelong resident of Freehold Borough and has served on the council for 20 years. He is the owner and operator of Joe’s Barber Shop, South Street.
Schnurr, who is serving as council president for 2017, has been a resident of Freehold Borough for 29 years and has served on the council for 10 years. In his professional career, he is responsible for all technology related activities for FedEx Office Commercial Press.
“We will continue the development of the sharing of services with other municipalities and with Monmouth County,” DiBenedetto and Schnurr said in a joint statement. “Freehold Borough is a municipal leader in shared services with almost 20 shared services and purchasing agreements, from fuel and rock salt purchases to the sharing of state mandated functions such as animal control and the health department. Networking with other municipalities on a variety of services and purchases is a way to save money.
“The winters have taken their toll on our roads and we continue to invest in infrastructure improvements. This year we have increased funding for street and curbing replacements. The council has also invested in well and water processing equipment.
“We will also encourage downtown economic development and promote sound growth of office, retail, hotel, restaurant and other commercial development, which in turn is critical to the long-term economic health of the entire borough,” the councilmen said. “We have a first class downtown district that attracts visitors from all over the region and we need to keep it that way.”
DiBenedetto and Schnurr’s new terms will run from Jan. 1, 2018 through Dec. 31, 2020.
