Freeholders Thornton, Hayes Begin New Terms

COURT HOUSE — Freeholders reorganized Jan. 3 setting Cape May County on track for the new year.
Director Gerald Thornton took his oath from U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-2nd) as his new wife Linda held the Bible and son, Mark Thornton and granddaughter Kirby Thornton observed.
LoBiondo recalled the long friendship between himself and Thornton which began when he was a newly-elected Cumberland County freeholder who sought advice from Thornton on various topics.
Freeholder E. Marie Hayes took her oath of office from state Appellate Court Judge Carmen Alvarez as her husband, Lloyd held the Bible. Hayes’ grandchildren, Liliana, Isabella, michael and Audrey Carrano were to have rendered the Pledge of Allegiance, but were snowbound in their Cumberland County home. Her son, Lloyd was snowed in in Pennsylvania.
Alvarez, a Cape May County resident before whom Hayes appeared many times in her 29-year career as a detective with the County Prosecutor’s Office, was careful to choose her words but noted that Hayes was always truthful when she testified.
Both Hayes and Thornton were quick to compliment their department heads and all county employees for working hard and often tirelessly. Both cited the extra work that went into clearing county roads and ensuring that senior citizens who receive meals on wheels were cared for, frigid temperatures and snow notwithstanding.
Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Elliott, pastor, Cape May Lutheran Church, Cape May delivered the invocation and Benediction.
Soloist Jacklyn Buckingham of Court House sang the national anthem and “God Bless America.”
Members of the County Sheriff’s Honor Guard presented the colors.
Thornton was re-elected in November to serve a three-year term. He served as freeholder from 1976 to 1987 and from 1995 to the present.
Thornton was elected freeholder in 1995. A former freeholder for 11 years (1976-1987) and former freeholder director for three years, Thornton attended Kellogg Community College and the University of Maryland Overseas Extension. An 11-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Thornton attended technical schools including Air Traffic Controller, Space Tracking and Telemetry, Automatic Radar, Management and Supervision and Non-Commissioned Officers Academy.
Thornton is on the Executive Board of the New Jersey Association of Counties. He is a member of Southern New Jersey Freeholders’ Association, American Legion Post 193, Cape May County Union League, AARP, Villas Fishing Club, Local 18 AFL-CIO, and a former member of Rotary and Optimist. A former eight-year member of the Board of Elections, Thornton was a member of the 1980 Presidential Electoral College.
Hayes was elected to her first term as freeholder in November, she was appointed to the board in February 2013 to serve the unexpired term of Freeholder M. Susan Sheppard, who resigned her seat to become Surrogate of Cape May County.
Hayes was selected by the county Republican Committee on Jan. 30, 2013 to fill the unexpired term of M. Susan Sheppard on the Board of Chosen Freeholders. In late 1970’s Marie was hired by the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office as an Investigator. During the majority of her career, she was assigned to Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Investigations. She rose through the ranks being promoted to Sergeant of Detectives to Lieutenant of Detectives, retiring at Captain of Detectives in 2009. Hayes received her Associate Degree from Atlantic Cape Community College, where until this year; she was an Adjunct Professor teaching Criminal Investigation. Hayes received a Bachelor Degree in Human Services, with a Concentration in Criminal Justice from Thomas Edison State College and is a 1996 graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va.
Also at the meeting, Sea Isle City Mayor and Freeholder Leonard C. Desiderio was elected vice-director of the board.