The Coaster
Saturday, June 3, 2023
No Result
View All Result
  • Browse News by Town
    • Allenhurst
    • Asbury Park
    • Avon
    • Bradley Beach
    • Deal
    • Interlaken
    • Loch Arbour
    • Long Branch
    • Neptune
    • Neptune City
    • Ocean Grove
    • Ocean Township
    • Tinton Falls
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
Subscribe / Renew
  • Browse News by Town
    • Allenhurst
    • Asbury Park
    • Avon
    • Bradley Beach
    • Deal
    • Interlaken
    • Loch Arbour
    • Long Branch
    • Neptune
    • Neptune City
    • Ocean Grove
    • Ocean Township
    • Tinton Falls
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Coaster
No Result
View All Result
Home Asbury Park

Two Asbury Park Advocates Form Ticket for City Council seats

by The Coaster Editorial Staff
August 18, 2020
in Asbury Park
11
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare via EmailShare on Twitter
Kerry Margaret Butch

Longtime Asbury Park resident Kerry Margaret Butch and Asbury Park native Felicia Simmons announced their candidacies for this year’s City Council election scheduled for Nov. 3.

Both women are  vocal advocates who consistently devote time and talent to local issues. Recently, they participated in the successful campaign to restore Asbury’s historic boardwalk and continued to oppose installation of a private pool club and a condominium complex on the dune buffer on the oceanfront. They also successfully advocated for a new affordable housing law and helped craft and negotiate the recently passed ordinances.

When the coronavirus hit the area, they advocated early on that information and resources needed to get to the city’s most vulnerable populations in order to impact outcomes in Asbury Park and save lives. Butch and Simmons also participated in the peaceful stand for Black lives in June underscoring the value of Asbury Park youth and families.

The candidates said their focus will be to preserve what is special about Asbury Park- its diversity, history, art, music, waterfront, and, especially, its people. They will ensure that issues and concerns that affect the welfare of Asbury Park residents become the council’s priority.

Butch and Simmons believe that people shouldn’t make the choice to leave Asbury Park because of steadily increasing taxes, a scarcity of parking and unaffordable rent. Their number one focus will be to prevent people from getting forced out. They will also advocate for employment, job creation, access to healthy food and health services.
More on the candidates:

Butch, a graduate of George Mason University,  currently works for Rutgers University. She has over 25 years of experience as a nonprofit program development and administration professional and has served as the Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, the Urban Project Director for the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, the Executive Director of the Asbury Park Consortium and as a community organizer for the Ironbound Committee Against Toxic Waste. She was a member of the first graduating class of AmeriCorps serving with Clean Ocean Action in Asbury Park. Notably, she produced the award -winning documentary entitled, “Greetings from Asbury Park” that was shown throughout the country and on PBS. She is a long-term board member of the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance, served on the Wesley Lake Commission, taught catholic education at Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church and helped renovate  the Stephen Crane House.

Felicia Simmons

Simmons is a graduate of Asbury Park High School. She was mentored in youth ministry by the Project Hope Mission located at the West Side Community Center. She studied social work and political science at Brookdale Community College in its partnership with Rutgers University. For nearly a decade, Simmons worked at King Manor Care Center in recreational therapy where she developed her special talent for working with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. She is currently the President of Monmouth Ocean County National Action Network and Chair of Education for the Neptune/Asbury Park NAACP and serves on the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She was selected out of thousands of entrants to participate in the program for TEDx Asbury Park where she performed her inspired piece, “The Smile,” which has now been translated from English into five different languages. She is the co-parent of a wonderful 17-year old son, Zachariah D. Simmons-Bryant, who attends the Asbury Park High School and is enrolled its early college program, the Dream Academy.

For more information, or to arrange an opportunity to meet the candidates in a socially distanced or completely virtual way, contact Kerry at kerrymbutch@yahoo.com or call (732) 982-6942 or Felicia at fsimmons4ap@gmail.com or call  (347) 374-1133.

Related Posts

In Asbury Park School Budget Features Substantial Tax Boost

In Asbury Park School Officials Discuss Resurrecting Alternate School

May 31, 2023
Condominium Complex Planned Adjacent to the Wonder Bar

Condominium Complex Planned Adjacent to the Wonder Bar

May 24, 2023
Beach Cinema Still for Sale

Asbury Park to Receive $526,000 In Funding to Support Local Businesses

May 22, 2023
Stabbing Incident at Asbury Park High School

Asbury Park Man Indicted For Torturing, Killing Pet Cat

May 16, 2023
Farmers Market Returning to Neptune

Asbury Park Farm Stand Opening

May 10, 2023
Husband Indicted for Killing Wife, Leaving Body on Roadside in Ocean

Asbury Park Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Sex Crimes Against Teens

May 10, 2023

Trending This Week

Ocean Grove Burglar Arrested

May 31, 2023
2 Lawsuits Filed Over Neptune City’s Marijuana Ordinance

In Neptune Another Cannabis Business OK’d

May 31, 2023
In Asbury Park School Budget Features Substantial Tax Boost

In Asbury Park School Officials Discuss Resurrecting Alternate School

May 31, 2023
$500,000 Grant For Fitness Path

Ocean Grove Residents Complain About Beach Badges Featuring a Cross

May 31, 2023

Advertisement

Advertise Online with The Coaster

Advertise on The Coaster to reach countless new customers for your local business.

START ADVERTISING TODAY

E-mail Newsletter

Sign up to get a free weekly newsletter to your inbox.

Subscribe

Contact Us

The Coaster
1011 Main St
Asbury Park, NJ 07712
Phone: 732-775-3010
FAX: 732-775-8345
editor@thecoaster.net

Email Newsletter »

All Articles

Search Our Site

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 The New Coaster, LLC. All rights reserved. • Privacy Policy

No Result
View All Result
  • Browse News by Town
    • Allenhurst
    • Asbury Park
    • Avon
    • Bradley Beach
    • Deal
    • Interlaken
    • Loch Arbour
    • Long Branch
    • Neptune
    • Neptune City
    • Ocean Grove
    • Ocean Township
    • Tinton Falls
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
Subscribe / Renew

© 2023 The New Coaster, LLC. All rights reserved. • Privacy Policy