Fred Coldren: The Right Man in the Right Place with the Right Cause

One morning in the fall of 1992, my Chief Financial Officer and I left the City of Wildwood to drive to Fred Coldren’s office in City Hall in Cape May to discuss Green Acres funding for beach acquisition. As we exited Wildwood via the George Redding Bridge, we noted the excellent job that Wildwood’s Public Works Department had done on the streets and public areas. There was not a weed in sight. Unfortunately, there were some private properties that needed attention. Several minutes later, as we entered Cape May, we couldn’t help but notice weeds everywhere, but the city looked beautiful! Upon arrival at Fred’s office, I chided my friend about the weeds on the streets and sidewalks. He got that self-assured smile and said, “I choose to exercise benign neglect in that area. You see, we have Victorian weeds.”
This little anecdote illustrates not only my late friend’s good humor, but also his ability to prioritize, and his constant willingness to help others while seeking no reward. At that moment in time, he was like a jockey about to ride the Kentucky Derby winner. He knew that he was at the right place at the right time, representing a special city, one that he loved.
I hope all of you saw the nice tribute to Fred on the front page of the Herald Feb. 5. He would have appreciated the fitting tribute to his lifetime of public service. Art Hall did a beautiful job on the editorial page emphasizing Fred’s love of God, country and family.
At the reception at 301 Franklin on Feb. 2, Art and I briefly discussed some of our fond memories of Fred, noting his role in starting the Cape Issues group, which he originally called Cape Perspectives. I had favored that title because, to me, Fred was always a guy that wanted to look into the appearance of things. He would take a good look at the big picture, and then study the relation of the parts to each other and the whole. He had learned from experience that appearances could be deceiving. Standing in the Coldren home, Art and I were probably pondering the same question: How do you properly eulogize a man that dedicated his life to public service? I believe that his friends are finding it truly gratifying to see this fine and decent man get the recognition he so richly deserves. His supportive and dedicated family deserves equal recognition for sharing Fred with us for the last five decades. They provided the base from which he served all of us.
While speaking with Bryan Fegley, the eldest of Fred and Diane’s eight grandchildren, I stated that I had known his grandfather for 35 years. I told him that, unlike those men in government whose public discourse doesn’t match their speech behind closed doors, any secret tapes of his grandfather’s conversations could be played in church. The Fred Coldren I knew was a consistent gentleman who wanted to see the best in others. Although he was willing to build bridges and forge consensus, he was equally willing to fight anything that was harmful to taxpayers or his fellow workers.
Always an early riser, his hard work, clear thinking and fairness went a long way to advancing the entities he served. He raised municipal leadership to a higher moral plane and understood that ideological differences are easier to bridge when true friendship exists. I believe his claim to greatness is linked to a great city, Cape May. Fred’s greatest victories and defeats took place in the Cape May arena. By geographical blessing, Cape May was on the world map long ago; Fred recognized this and was honored to be a custodian of that timeless seaside resort.
Although he played well for other teams, when he goes into the Hall of Fame, it will be as Cape May City Manager (1980-95). During those years, there was a confluence of the right man, the right place and the right cause. That cause was the just recognition of Cape May’s historic legacy, which was founded on history, architecture and Victorian charm.
When I reviewed my Coldren notebook (everything he ever sent to me or my sons was placed in a plastic page and entered in a blue binder) I noticed some common themes in his notes, letters, and annual Christmas reports. He talked about good times and forecast better times to come. He frequently mentioned “the good news” (he attended Cape Island Baptist Church), passed on kind words about others and joyfully shared his photographs of friends and family. His reward was to witness their happiness. His letters sometimes closed with, “May God, and your own choices, keep you happy and healthy forever.”
To sum things up, let me say that of all South Jersey municipal managers and administrators, J. Fred Coldren was the best. He had no peer. His voice supplied the most reliable advice and counsel. He earned the respect of all of his colleagues. He was ethical, professional and a man of great personal integrity. He changed his part of the world in meaningful and lasting ways. The people who were fortunate enough to come under his wing flew first class.
Every year, Fred would volunteer to drive “the guys” to the Penn Relays on the last weekend in April. He had been a track guy, an outstanding triple jumper, in his youth. Last year, we talked him into letting my son Chaz drive. That way, we didn’t have to ride in Fred’s purple van “Barney.” That vehicle was invented to keep used tire dealers and manufacturers of jumper cables in business. It will be a longer ride to the relays this year.
One of Al Campbell’s recent editorials dealt with the difficult question of how to say goodbye to a departed friend. I don’t pretend to have that answer, but I hope that Diane and her wonderful family know that I gave it my best shot.
Tom Flud served in various local government positions from 1977 to 2004. He is currently the Chaplain and a Trustee of the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, located in North Wildwood, where he served as the first City Administrator. Tom and his wife, Sandy, maintain homes in North Wildwood and Middle Township.