FREEHOLD – Matthew Goode, who is serving as the president of the Keyport Borough Council in 2021, has been appointed as Freehold Borough’s municipal attorney.
Goode will succeed Kerry Higgins in that position. Higgins, of the firm McKenna, DuPont, Higgins and Stone, of Red Bank, has been appointed a state Superior Court judge. She represented Freehold Borough for 25 years.
During a Borough Council meeting on Feb. 19, Freehold Borough officials announced that Goode has been named the new borough attorney.
In comments at the meeting, Higgins voiced her support of Goode’s appointment and said, “Freehold Borough is moving in the right direction. Matt is the guy who will take you there.”
Goode has been a member of the Keyport governing body since 2016.
According to his municipal biography, Goode holds a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. He is a member of the firm Arbus, Maybruch and Goode, of Hazlet. He has resided in Keyport since 2013.
Goode thanked the council members and Freehold Borough Mayor Kevin Kane for their support and congratulated Higgins on becoming a Superior Court judge.
“Kerry, congratulations on your new role,” he said. “I know I have very large shoes to fill.”
Goode noted that he previously worked with Freehold Borough Business Administrator Stephen Gallo, who was Keyport’s business administrator when he was hired by Freehold Borough officials in 2019.
In a Facebook post, Freehold Borough municipal officials wrote, “It is with great pride and a little sadness that we announce the appointment of our colleague Kerry Higgins to the judiciary as a Superior Court judge; pride because we have had the wonderful benefit of Kerry’s advice, friendship and counsel as Freehold Borough’s attorney for many years, and a hint of sadness that she will no longer be available to us in that capacity.
“We know Kerry will make an outstanding judge who will serve the people of this state as she served Freehold Borough, with compassion, dignity, fairness, kindness and human decency,” municipal officials said.
