Ocean Mayor John Napolitani takes the long road to the top

By:  | May 8, 2024 |  Features |  Monmouth County

By Gena Ansell-Lande

John Napolitani knows a thing or two about persistence. After enduring a painful series of losing bids for various county and state positions, the lifelong Monmouth County native finally took the reins as Ocean Township Mayor in 2023. With a knack for collaboration and an avid passion for public service, he is proof that finding the strength to get back up when life knocks you down and remaining true to yourself can pay off in the end.

We had a chance to chat with the Napolitani about his career, family and why he loves life in Monmouth County so much. Here is what he had to say:

Community Magazine: What attracted you to the public service sector?

John Napolitani: I got started in public service working on Mary Pat Napolitano’s Board of Education race. From there, I worked on then Assemblymen John Villapiano and Dan Jacobson’s Assembly run two times. I was appointed to the Deal Lake Commission in 1995, where I served for eight years. Seeing the need for open and honest government, I ran for a seat on the Interlaken Borough Council in 1999 and was elected to serve. I knew that if I wanted to make positive changes, I needed to be in a position where I could make a difference. I ran for re-election in 2002, lost that bid, and followed that up with a failed bid for Interlaken Mayor in 2003. I was later chosen to run for the New Jersey State Assembly in 2007, and once again, I lost. I then decided to run for the Board of Education in Ocean Township in 2011 and lost by a slim margin. I knew if I worked harder, I would be successful, if I chose to run again. I was appointed to a seat on the Ocean Township Council in 2017, ran for the unexpired term, and finally broke the losing streak. I followed that up with a re-election bid in 2019, won, and was chosen to serve as Deputy Mayor. In 2023, I ran for my second full term and was chosen to serve as Mayor of Ocean Township. Going from being a four-time loser to becoming the mayor, I proved that when you put your mind to it, work hard, and do the right thing, anything can happen.

CM: What is the most challenging aspect of public service?

JN: I think the most challenging aspect of this job is the need to be prepared for whatever comes your way. Things can change so rapidly that it’s important to make sure you are adaptable and ready for any challenge. It also requires you to be at many activities in and out of town. Making time for when constituents want to see you is also paramount. I believe that it’s vital to make sure I am accessible to whoever asks me for help.

CM: What issues are you the most passionate about?

JN: I am passionate about getting things right the first time. I try to avoid situations where we have to go back and modify something because a detail was overlooked. I also care about getting our municipality on the right track. This means looking at what needs to happen to ensure we are properly poised for the future. Some of these [issues] include looking into Highway 35 blight, flooding mitigation, catching up on our road program, and fixing up an outdated town hall.

CM: You are also an educator in the Asbury Park school system. Tell us about that role and what you enjoy most about the job.

JN: Being an educator has many challenges. The career I started over 25 years ago has changed tremendously. I took a much different route than my colleagues and chose to be more involved on the staffing side, which means being a local union leader. This led me to the role of president, and I believe I am one of just two people in the State of New Jersey who currently serve as President of a Teachers and Support Staff Union, as well as Mayor of a neighboring municipality. I enjoy this because my dual roles help me understand different aspects of how the township operates. It also affords me the ability to be more aggressive in looking into shared service agreements within the school system, as I know this space extremely well. Collaboration in this position is paramount to success.

CM: Tell us about your family.

JN: My family is originally from Asbury Park. Most, if not all of my predecessors have Asbury Park roots. This means most of us either had parents that graduated from Asbury Park High School or in some cases, the person actually graduated from Asbury Park before building our school. My wife, the former Michele Levin and I both graduated from Ocean Township High School. We have five children, Maxwell DeGeorge, Abbey DeGeorge, John Napolitani Jr., Nicholas Napolitani, and Julia DeGeorge. We currently live in Wayside.

CM: How do you manage your time effectively?

JN: It takes a lot to juggle a career, politics, and a business. Couple that with a family and it can get overwhelming at times. It can be a total challenge, but one that I have honed over the years. At times it gets difficult, but in the end, it’s worth it. I know many people count on me, so it’s important to remain focused on the task at hand. I do have times that are busier than others. It requires me to prioritize my tasks so that I can make sure I finish what’s most important.

CM: What are some current projects you are working on?

JN: We have a golf simulator building at the William F. Larkin Golf Course that opened in April. We are also selling our property on 1515 Logan Road, which will make way for six new homes. I am taking a hard look at Route 35 and at the vacant and blighted properties. This has been a huge bone of contention with the residents, and we want to clean it up. We are in the stages of revamping our planning department for efficiency and are in the preliminary stages of a long overdue town hall, just to name a few.

CM: What are some important things you have learned from being in public service?

JN: I have learned many things since becoming a public servant. Most recently, I learned that there are people with many different personalities. The difficult aspect of public service is it has turned into a game where people don’t always do the right things. A lot of people get into politics for personal gain and fulfilling their agenda, at any cost. Trust is something that has been lost with many elected officials. It’s sad because this is different than the way I was taught by my mentors over 30 years ago. I also have been blessed with some fantastic employees in Ocean Township that truly make my job enjoyable.

CM: What is the best way to engage young people in volunteer work?

JN: Unfortunately, volunteerism is declining and not at all like it used to be. Our first aid volunteer base is gone and the fire department volunteers are waning. Getting people to do more in town has been a struggle. However, we are lucky that we have some great events and staff that motivate people to get more involved. It's our job as elected officials to be the catalyst that motivates the younger generation to be more active and engaged.

CM: What do you enjoy most about living in Monmouth County?

JN: Monmouth County is one of the best places to live in New Jersey. We are literally in the center of the action. We are lucky to be a little over an hour from Atlantic City, New York City, and Philadelphia and have some of the best parks and open spaces in the state. We live close to the beach, which is a destination that people drive hours to visit. We also have some of the best historical aspects in this county. I’m also very lucky to be serving with colleagues in other municipalities who I can lean on for support and in some cases, advice. I believe there is no better place to live and raise a family than the Township of Ocean.