STONE HARBOR – Across Cape May County, only one contest in this year’s primary election, June 6, is really that, a contest.
In Stone Harbor, three individuals are running for two seats in the Republican primary. In the borough, the winner of the primary is usually the winner in the November general election since no Democratic contender typically materializes.
The Republican primary will see Borough Council incumbents Robin Casper and Reese Moore try to retain their governing body seats in the face of a challenge from Zoning Board of Adjustment member Tim Carney.
Moore first came on the council as an appointed replacement for Karen Lane when she stepped down from her unfinished term in 2014. Moore served as council president in 2022. He is the current chair of the Public Works standing committee of council and is a member of two other council committees, Utilities and Administration and Finance.
Moore provided leadership for the borough’s move to standardized containers for trash and recyclables for use by trucks with automatic tippers. The effort, along with the establishment of a convenience center for trash drop-off, was a response to a short-lived problem when staffing shortages impacted trash pickup schedules.
Moore and his wife moved permanently to Stone Harbor in 2014 following his retirement from a 30-plus-year career with fine flooring manufacturer Mannington Mills in Salem. He served as a trustee of the Stone Harbor Property Owners Association (SHPOA).
Robin Casper first came to council following the 2020 election. She serves as chair of the Natural Resources Committee and is a member of the council committees for Public Safety and Utilities. She has been active in environmental issues. Casper was a strong advocate for an alternative means of dealing with predator control at Stone Harbor Point.
Casper’s Natural Resources Committee has the lead in terms of council oversight of beach and bay issues, including the current replenishment effort by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Casper grew up in Stone Harbor and attended the borough’s elementary school. Her parents lived in the borough since 1965. Following college, Casper married and raised a family outside of New Jersey while she served as a systems analyst for the GE Space Systems Division. She moved back to Stone Harbor in 2016.
Recently, former Mayor Suzanne Walters hosted a meet and greet for Tim Carney at her home, seemingly giving Carney the nod of approval to unseat one of the incumbents.
Carney is running on a platform of “common sense leadership” and “fiscal discipline.” He says he wants to manage the borough’s continuing growth and development, protect the beaches and bay, and “restore” fiscal discipline to the budget process.
Carney says growth is vital in the borough but must be approached with a concern for parking, flood mitigation, and infrastructure.
Along with his service on the Zoning Board, Carney has been a first responder with the fire department and is a member of American Legion Post 331, which is in the borough.
Contact the author, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
