{"id":9340,"date":"2025-12-18T12:16:41","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T17:16:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/?p=9340"},"modified":"2025-12-18T12:29:59","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T17:29:59","slug":"decades-of-dedication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/decades-of-dedication\/","title":{"rendered":"Decades of Dedication: Honoring Commissioners Kelly &#038; Haines"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>On December 17, 2025, Ocean County bid farewell to two pillars of public service \u2014 Commissioners John P. \u201cJack\u201d Kelly and Virginia \u201cGinny\u201d E. Haines \u2014 during their final Board of Commissioners meeting. With over three decades of dedicated leadership, Commissioner Kelly was celebrated for his unwavering commitment to public safety, infrastructure, and fiscal stewardship. Commissioner Haines, whose career spanned more than 40 years at the local, County, and state levels, was honored for her trailblazing roles in state government and her passionate advocacy for parks, recreation, and environmental preservation.<\/p>\n<p>The ceremony featured heartfelt tributes from the\u00a09<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0District State Sen. Carmen Amato and Assemblyman Gregory E. Myhre, Vetworks, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, former Ocean County Commissioner Barbara Jo Crea, and incoming Commissioners Ray Gormley and Sam Ellenbogen. Commissioner Kelly and Haines\u2019 retirement mark the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter for Ocean County. We thank them for their extraordinary service and lasting impact on our community.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-9340 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/decades-of-dedication\/dsc_6010\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_6010-250x250.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"2025 Final Ocean County Board of Commissioner Meeting, including a certificate presentation for Commissioners Virginia E. Haines and John P. Kelly for their retirements from the Board.\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/decades-of-dedication\/dsc_6022\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_6022-250x250.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"2025 Final Ocean County Board of Commissioner Meeting, including a certificate presentation for Commissioners Virginia E. Haines and John P. Kelly for their retirements from the Board.\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/decades-of-dedication\/dsc_6040\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_6040-250x250.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"2025 Final Ocean County Board of Commissioner Meeting, including a certificate presentation for Commissioners Virginia E. Haines and John P. Kelly for their retirements from the Board.\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/decades-of-dedication\/dsc_6045\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_6045-250x250.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"2025 Final Ocean County Board of Commissioner Meeting, including a certificate presentation for Commissioners Virginia E. Haines and John P. Kelly for their retirements from the Board.\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/decades-of-dedication\/dsc_6066\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_6066-250x250.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"2025 Final Ocean County Board of Commissioner Meeting, including a certificate presentation for Commissioners Virginia E. Haines and John P. 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Kelly for their retirements from the Board.\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/decades-of-dedication\/dsc_6144\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_6144-250x250.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"2025 Final Ocean County Board of Commissioner Meeting, including a certificate presentation for Commissioners Virginia E. Haines and John P. Kelly for their retirements from the Board.\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/decades-of-dedication\/dsc_6171\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_6171-250x250.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"2025 Final Ocean County Board of Commissioner Meeting, including a certificate presentation for Commissioners Virginia E. Haines and John P. 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Kelly for their retirements from the Board.\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/decades-of-dedication\/dsc_6194\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_6194-250x250.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"2025 Final Ocean County Board of Commissioner Meeting, including a certificate presentation for Commissioners Virginia E. Haines and John P. Kelly for their retirements from the Board.\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/decades-of-dedication\/dsc_6220\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_6220-250x250.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"2025 Final Ocean County Board of Commissioner Meeting, including a certificate presentation for Commissioners Virginia E. Haines and John P. Kelly for their retirements from the Board.\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/decades-of-dedication\/dsc_6228\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC_6228-250x250.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"2025 Final Ocean County Board of Commissioner Meeting, including a certificate presentation for Commissioners Virginia E. Haines and John P. Kelly for their retirements from the Board.\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl>\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On December 17, 2025, Ocean County bid farewell to two pillars of public service\u2014Commissioners John P. \u201cJack\u201d Kelly and Virginia \u201cGinny\u201d E. Haines\u2014during their final Board of Commissioners meeting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":9343,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-photo-galleries"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9340","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9340"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9340\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9362,"href":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9340\/revisions\/9362"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9343"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/co.ocean.nj.us\/GalleryWP\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}