Ocean County Republican Candidates Advocate for Building Trades Representation on College Board
OCEAN COUNTY, NJ – Lavish vacations paid for by the county. That was the news recently from former President of Ocean County College Jon Larson. Now, Ocean County’s future commissioners are calling for the replacement of Virginia Haines, the current liaison to the college on the Ocean County Board of Commissioners.
Instead, they want a commissioner with solid self-made experience and a knowledge of valuable building trades.
Ocean County Republican candidates Jennifer Bacchione and Rob Arace have urged the Ocean County Commissioners to appoint a representative from the Building Trades to the Ocean County College Board of Trustees. Their call aims to align the college’s offerings with current economic trends and job market needs.
Although Commissioner Ginny Haines is the liaison to both Ocean County College and the Vo-Tech school, it has been Commissioner Frank Sadeghi who has initiated greater cooperation between the college and Vo-Tech to provide significant opportunities for the over 500 students who are on the waiting list for Vo-Tech Courses. Commissioner Sadeghi has been leading the way in utilizing Ocean County College facilities to increase classroom space for trade courses for all of our students who want a future in the Trades.
Haines, now in her 70s, has spent much of her childhood and adult life working in government in taxpayer-funded positions.
Jennifer Bacchione, President of the Board of Education in Berkeley Township, emphasized the evolution of higher education expectations over the past decade. She highlighted the importance of expanding the curriculum to include vocational courses that cater to diverse career paths beyond traditional college degrees. Rob Arace, the Mayor of Manchester Township, praised the work of the Building Trades in his area and advocated for their expertise to enrich the college’s program offerings, suggesting that such a move would provide balance and added value to the board of trustees.
Currently, the Ocean County College Board of Trustees is comprised of nine members. One of the nine is selected by the student body as their representative on the board. Of the remaining eight members six are attorneys, one is a retired educator, and one is a realtor. Zero members of the board come from blue collar careers that are powering today’s economy.
The current board composition includes six attorneys, one retired educator, and one realtor, with no representatives from blue-collar sectors. Bacchione and Arace are supporting Lynn Canfield, a member of the Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, as a candidate for the board, citing her qualifications and readiness to contribute effectively.
Bacchione and Arace said, “We are aware of at least one member of the building trades, Lynn Canfield from the Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, who is highly qualified and ready to serve. We strongly encourage the Commissioners to appoint Lynn to the college board.”
The candidates also commended Commissioner Frank Sadeghi for his efforts to facilitate cooperation between Ocean County College and the Vo-Tech school, which aims to expand trade course offerings and address the vocational aspirations of students on waiting lists. Their proposal and commendations reflect a concerted effort to integrate practical trade skills into the academic environment, preparing students for high-demand careers in the trades.
Bacchione and Arace concluded, “We want to thank Commissioner Sadeghi for taking the lead to address the increasing number of students who are placed on a wait list to enroll in courses in the Trades.”