Avalon’s new mayor, John McCorristin, has one overriding goal for his tenure as the borough’s chief executive, “I want to keep Avalon a great place to live,” with no apologies for the statement’s sentimental simplicity.
McCorristin speaks of coming to Avalon as a youngster when it served as a summer residence. He talks of moving to the borough as a young man, building a business and raising a family in the town. Through it all, McCorristin has been trying to give back to Avalon.
McCorristin’s background in public service is long and stands as evidence of his love affair with the borough. Eighteen years on the school board, 12 of them as board president, and 10 years on Borough Council, with stints as council president, all stand as proxies for his desire to maintain and improve the town.
Now, McCorristin is in the mayor’s chair following the 32 years in which “Mr. Mayor” meant Martin Pagliughi. Pagliughi brought vision and a strong hand to Avalon. Pagliughi was instrumental in the transformation of the borough from a sleepy municipality of cottages on small lots into a prized location for second homes, rising property values, and low tax rates.
————
McCorristin sees a new set of “wants” coming from taxpayers.
————
The Avalon that McCorristin inherits as mayor, a town he himself helped forge, is one with a calculated “true value” of over $14 billion on just over 4 square miles of land. It is a town with a large second home base and a small year-round population. More than 85% of Avalon’s living units sit vacant part of the year.
McCorristin says he and Pagliughi shared many common goals. McCorristin sat on the council finance committee that worked to rid the town budget of long-term debt. He readily admits his tutelage on borough finance under long-serving former Council members Nancy Hudanich and Charles “Chuck” Covington.
As the baton is passed, we asked McCorristin about his priorities for the town he loves.
Property owners have come to expect sound financial management and a low tax rate. McCorristin sees a new set of “wants” coming from taxpayers. “They want more activities,” he says. In the summer season, when most property owners are in town, they seek more recreation opportunities.
McCorristin sees a continuation of work at the 8th Street sports complex. “We are not removing anything,” he says, “but we are improving what’s there.” He points to the success of Surfside Park and the plans for Bay Park Marina. Those plans will offer more recreation opportunities and continue the always ongoing effort to protect the borough from flooding. A much-needed dog park is part of that vision.
The new mayor realizes that the borough will face challenges from Mother Nature. He touts the 13 pump stations the town has installed and the continuous effort to upgrade borough bulkheads. “When property owners see us doing the borough’s bulkheads, there is a strong tendency for them to join in.” Repair and elevation of bulkheads is a constant activity in Avalon, even though McCorristin says the town has no ordinance that requires bulkheads to be at a certain height by a certain date, as does neighboring Stone Harbor.
McCorristin is likely to be a very hands-on mayor. He holds regular meetings with department heads, saying he wants to know the challenges.
Whether one approves or disapproves of what transpired, Avalon was transformed in recent decades into the high value summer retreat that it has become. McCorristin played his role in that transformation from various positions of public service.
The new mayor sees no need for a radical change of course. This is the town he helped shape. He sees the desire for more recreation opportunities, vigilance in continuing flood mitigation efforts, and maintenance of a commitment to efficiency and a low tax rate. He speaks of the continued need for a long view for financial planning.
McCorristin comes to the mayor’s office later in life than did Pagliughi. When asked how long he might serve, he says he is willing, if the voters agree, to stay as long as he is mentally and physically able to do the job.
There are no illusions. McCorristin expects bumps in the road. But the new mayor’s love for the borough and a commitment to work hand-in-hand with the council provides a foundation for making the right decisions.
——–
From the Bible:
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecclesiastes 3:1
