The MANCHESTER Times Vol. 30 - No. 44
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
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Crestwood Village IV Celebrates 50th Anniversary
New Council Member Chosen By Bob Vosseller MANCHESTER – The Township Council chose a new member at a special meeting to fill an empty seat at the table. Sandy Drake was appointed to serve on the council during a special meeting held on the evening of January 28. During this meeting, five applicants were interviewed. Among the other contenders were Nina L. Charlton, Tim Poss, Felicia Finn and Eugenia Lawson. They were interviewed separately between 6 and 7 p.m. in a closed session and then discussion began prior to a vote taken in open session. Council Vice President James Vaccaro nominated Drake for the position to which Council President Roxy Conniff seconded. Councilwoman Michele Zolezi abstained while Vaccaro, Conniff and Councilman Craig Wallis voted yes via phone. Drake replaces Joseph Hankins who was
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Photo by Bob Vosseller Jan Kokes, the developer whose family built Crestwood Village IV, recalled his time working with his father on the development. By Bob Vosseller MANCHESTER – It is said that it takes a village to raise a child but it also takes several villages to form a community. Crestwood Village IV recently celebrated a half century of life and activity in Whiting. The Kokes’ homebuilding business began in 1964 and broke
ground for one of the first of many age-rest r icted, work force housing developments. According to Jan Kokes who took the reins in 1989, the process of what would become Crestwood Village IV began in November 1962 when his father Mike Kokes went to a seminar at Rutgers to
learn about the demand for senior housing in the state. His partner owned 120 acres in Whiting and wanted to build a retirement community. The term “active adult” community was not yet coined when Crestwood opened for business in 1964. The fi rst home was
February 1, 2025
(Member - See Page 14)
sold for $6,999. Eventually 500 homes multiplied into 10,000. A mong t he special events that took place during Village IV’s evolution was the gala opening of Clubhouse IV that was part of the fanfare of welcoming Crestwood’s 3,000th (Anniversary See Page 4)
Food Truck At Lake Proposed
By Bob Vosseller LAKEHURST – The idea of having a regular food truck at Horicon Lake during the summer season was brought up during the latest Bor-
Ocean County Leadership Joined By Two New Commissioners
By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER - Ocean County Deputy Commissioner Director Frank Sadeghi led the board for a second time at its January 15 meeting, stepping in for Director Jack Kelly. Clerk of the Board Michelle I. Gunther announced Kelly’s absence was due to personal reasons. This is Sadeghi’s second year as a commissioner, albeit his first elected position. Director Jack Kelly and Commissioner Virginia “Ginny” Haines are seasoned members of the board. All five members, including newly elected Commissioners Robert Arace and Jennifer Bacchione, are Republicans. (Commissioners - See Page 5)
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Photos courtesy Ocean County Commissioner Jennifer Bacchione is sworn in by former Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno as her husband Berkeley Mayor John Bacchione holds the Bible.
Commissioner Robert Arace is sworn in by Manchester Business Administrator (and former Ocean County Clerk) Carl Block as his wife Deanna holds the Bible.
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ough Council meeting where the governing body also introduced an ordinance to buy a new garbage truck. Councilman Brian DiMeo noted that “we should take advantage of the influx of people we get at the lake.” Council President Steven Oglesby - who chaired the meeting in the absence of Mayor Harry Robbins, who was excused due to illness - noted that the township ordinance governing mobile vendors within the community might have to be changed to accommodate a regular vendor. Currently food trucks (Truck - See Page 15)
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