Imagine Ventnor celebrates their re-election at Nucky's Speakeasy and Kitchen Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR – Turnout for in-person voting was light, but that was expected for the uncontested Board of Commissioners election held yesterday. There were 591 votes cast at the polls Tuesday, May 14 out of 7,117 registered voters. There were 28 write-in votes.
The vote count will increase when the Board of Elections certifies the final count, which will include mail-in and provisional ballots. The Atlantic County Clerk’s Office has until May 20 to receive ballots postmarked by the end of the day Tuesday.
The Imagine Ventnor Team celebrated their victory with friends and other Downbeach public officials at Nucky’s Kitchen and Speakeasy Tuesday evening.
The newest member of the Imagine Ventnor Team, Maria Mento received the most votes at 192, followed by current Mayor Lance Landgraf with 187. Tim Kriebel garnered 184 votes and will serve as the city’s next mayor.
Mento thanked voters for their support.
“I love this city, the people, the culture, our restaurants and shops,” she said. “We have a wonderful community spirit here. I’m thrilled and honored to be able to serve as a commissioner and vow to do my best to serve the taxpayers of the City of Ventnor.”
Mento is looking forward to working with Kriebel and Landgraf who “work well together,” she said.
“Our skills complement each other and although a team, we still challenge each other.”
She gave a personal thank you to the team of people who helped get them to the finish line.
Landgraf said he is happy to have had the support of the community over the last eight years.
Landgraf and Kriebel were part of the original Imagine slate of candidates elected along with Beth Holtzman in 2016.
“We very much look forward to another term. We feel we still have work to do and our team is the best qualified to get that work done,” he said, also thanking the voters for their show of support.
Kriebel said the uncontested election allowed them to “continue focusing on the work underway in our respective departments without too much distraction.”
“We have always prioritized making the city financially resilient, balancing the maintenance and improvement of day-to-day operations with the creation and addition of amenities, all while living within our means,” he said.
Kriebel said that formula will continue in their next term, noting that their celebration took place in the iconic and historic building that was saved from the wrecking ball under their leadership.
“It is fitting that we celebrated at Nucky's and the Ventnor Square Theatre. Its opening in 2021 and continued success have been the pivot point in Ventnor's reimagining,” Kriebel said. “I want to personally thank the residents and the entire city staff for their trust, support, and belief in our shared vision. Together, we are about to write the next chapter in Ventnor's success.”
The team will be sworn in at the next regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners meeting, 4 p.m. Thursday, May 23.
Copyright Access Global Media & Technology, LLC 2024
