SOMERS POINT — Two seats are up for grabs Nov. 3 in the race for City Council, which has six Republicans and one Democrat serving the city’s 10,662 residents.
While two of the candidates are seeking their first term in office, only one is an incumbent as the other is seeking a return to the board.
In Ward I, City Councilman Rick DePamphilis III is running for another term and facing a challenge from Jordan Road School teacher Kim O’Brien.
DePamphilis, who has served on City Council in both Somers Point and as mayor in Linwood for many years, was appointed in February 2022. He then won re-election in 2023.
O’Brien is president of the Somers Point Democratic Club and co-president of the Somers Point Education Association after spending 15 years as the public relations chair.
Former councilman Mike Owen and newcomer Steve Lamond are facing off in Ward II.
Owen was elected unopposed in 2019 and defeated former longtime councilman Carl D’Adamo in 2022. He then lost to Councilwoman Morgan Slaughter last November.
Lamond worked in civilian technical roles on Department of Defense-related projects then worked as a consulting database programmer for SmithKline Beecham and Merck.
STORY AND PROFILES by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
Rick DePamphilis III, Incumbent, Ward 1
Councilman Rick DePamphilis III believes local government works best when elected officials listen, remain accessible and put the community ahead of politics.
“Public service has been an important part of my life, I believe. I enjoy serving the residents of Somers Point and did not want to leave unfinished business,” he said.
DePamphilis, who has served on City Council in both Somers Point and as mayor in Linwood for many years, was appointed in February 2022. He then won re-election in 2023.
He has four children and numerous grandchildren. He was a police officer and beach patrol chief in Longport as well as a security shift manager at Caesars Atlantic City.
DePamphilis said the city faces important decisions involving development, infrastructure, affordability, parking and the waterfront.
“I want to continue serving because my experience, steady approach and willingness to listen can help the city move forward without making rushed decisions that could permanently affect its character,” he said.
Before moving back to Somers Point, where he raised his family, DePamphilis was mayor of Linwood for 18 years, serving on the Planning Board and Board of School Estimate.
“That experience has taught me to evaluate budgets, understand land-use and redevelopment issues, work with professionals and bring people with differing views together,” he said. “I also understand that elected officials do not have all the answers. I listen, ask questions and seek practical solutions that are responsible, achievable and fair to the entire community.”
DePamphilis said the major issues the city is facing are managing development responsibly, maintaining aging infrastructure, controlling taxes and spending, improving parking and traffic, addressing flooding and stormwater, and protecting the character of neighborhoods and the waterfront.
“We must also attract and retain families, support local businesses and provide appropriate housing opportunities. These issues are connected: development can affect parking, traffic, infrastructure, drainage and quality of life. City Council should consider those impacts together rather than making decisions in isolation,” he said.
DePamphilis believes the city needs long-term planning, open communication and meaningful public involvement before major decisions are made.
“Residents should have an opportunity to help shape proposals early, rather than simply react after most of the work is complete,” he said.
City Council should also evaluate the infrastructure and drainage effects of development, pursue available grants, coordinate capital improvements, review municipal services and examine opportunities involving underused public property, he said.
“Good local government should be proactive, transparent and willing to adjust when the facts or legitimate community concerns warrant it,” DePamphilis said.
He recently hosted a meeting to solicit opinions from the public regarding development of Bay Avenue, where several multi-family housing projects have been proposed.
“I support the right development in the right locations. City Council should evaluate each proposal based on factors such as height, density, parking, traffic, drainage, public access and its effect on nearby neighborhoods and the waterfront’s character,” DePamphilis said.
He believes residents, business owners and property owners should help shape a long-term vision for the Bay District so that individual projects do not determine its future one property at a time.
The city tax rate has increased steadily for years, depending more on the levy than other sources of income. DePamphilis said the city should strengthen its tax base without placing an unfair burden on existing homeowners.
“City Council can encourage appropriate commercial and mixed-use redevelopment that provides revenue without the cost associated with residential housing, support local businesses, pursue grants, review shared-service opportunities,” he said. “Somers Point’s restaurants, waterfront, events, medical community and position as a shore gateway are economic strengths. We should build on those strengths while protecting the character that makes people want to live, work and visit here.”
The city is researching the idea of building a new city hall. The existing building is more than 50 years old and has experienced numerous problems.
“Continuing to spend substantial public money maintaining and repeatedly repairing an outdated building is not a responsible long-term solution,” DePamphilis said. “The city should seriously evaluate the need for a modern, efficient and accessible municipal facility that can serve residents and employees for decades. However, any project must be evaluated carefully, including its costs, financing options, operational needs and potential long-term savings.”
He said he supports moving the discussion forward in a deliberate way.
“Residents should understand the need, alternatives, financial implications and long-term benefits before City Council makes a final decision,” DePamphilis said.
Kim O’Brien, Challenger Ward 1
Kim O’Brien thinks it’s imperative that leaders of the city and school district cooperate to improve conditions for both facets of the city.
“When elected, I will work to create a closer relationship between the city and our school district,” she said.
O’Brien has lived for 24 years in Somers Point, where she raised two daughters.
She grew up in North Wildwood and graduated from Wildwood High School, then went on to study English and Spanish at Johns Hopkins University before serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Russia.
O’Brien earned a master’s degree in teaching from Columbia University in New York while serving as an instructor in Queens and the Bronx.
After getting married, she and her husband moved in 2000 to Atlantic County, where she taught ESL and Spanish in Absecon for seven years. She now has been teaching in Somers Point School District for the past 20 years.
“I have three decades of experience as a public servant and a volunteer,” O’Brien said, noting she served as a Girl Scout leader for six years for two troops.
As the public relations chair for the Somers Point Education Association, she secured and oversaw tens of thousands of dollars in grant money for the school district from the New Jersey Education Association.
She currently serves as co-president of the union and on the executive board of the Cape Atlantic chapter of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
Outside school, O’Brien is president of the Somers Point Democratic Club, through which she worked with city Republicans to keep the city in the Second Legislative District.
“The bipartisan State Committee was redrawing maps in 2021 and considered moving us to LD1 in Cape May County. I testified before the committee, along with Republicans, that moving us to LD1 would disenfranchise Somers Point voters,” she said. “The committee not only kept us in LD2, but complimented our bipartisan cooperation. I will continue to cooperate with all city leaders when it’s in the best interest of Somers Point.”
With school enrollment and state aid falling and the tax rate rising, O’Brien said City Council should be more informed about what’s taking place in the district.
“The school board and City Council both meet on Thursday nights and sometimes they meet on the same night. I would work with them to create their meeting calendars together to avoid conflicting dates so that the city liaison and the school liaison can attend each other’s meetings,” she said.
O’Brien believes if the city were better informed about the school’s challenges and successes, “they would promote our schools as a reason to move here.”
Noting the steady decrease in school enrollment for the past decade, O’Brien said the city should market Somers Point as “a great place to raise a family, not simply a second-home destination.”
She said city leaders are “making it harder for people with children to live here year round.”
As an example, she said she spoke with a homeowner in the historic district who was a summer resident and moved his family there, adding two young children to the school system.
“He has the only home on his block with no driveway and requested a parking permit. He was turned down even though the block next to him is all permit parking,” she said.
O’Brien plans to work to improve recreation.
“Somers Point offers some great services and recreation. I will work to enhance them for residents and businesses while also exploring ways to lower our taxes,” she said.
City Council has entered into multiple redevelopment agreements aimed at improving aging properties and boosting the tax base. O’Brien said the projects have helped the city but believes they have been over-utilized and residents are not happy with the overdevelopment that has been the result.
She cited the redevelopment of the former Atlantis Apartments into Bayview Court as a good example of an improved property. However, she does not feel that the empty lot on MacArthur Boulevard should become a condominium development as proposed to the city.
“Yes, it is a blighted area, but Somers Point is a destination for business and the right business will come along,” she said.
O’Brien said she is concerned about the amount of construction in the city along with the variances and PILOT projects the city has permitted.
“I’m also concerned about city decisions that are made in committee without public input or even knowledge. I’ll fight to correct that process and prioritize outreach,” O’Brien said. “Leaders should be seeking input and hearing residents’ concerns.”
“Somers Point is a great place to raise a family and we should be encouraging families to move here,” she said.
City Council has been looking at options to finance a new City Hall. O’Brien said she has many questions for which she wants answers before deciding whether to support the plan.
“Is it necessary? Are repairs and upgrades so costly that building a new building may make better financial sense in the long run? Will there be a bond referendum to reduce the city’s cost portion? Have we explored grant opportunities? Will it consist of green infrastructure to keep energy costs down? What will the tax increase be and for how long?”
Mike Owen, Challenger Ward 2
Mike Owen said he is not opposed to responsible development, but that every proposal should be carefully evaluated on its individual merits, with consideration given to its impact on traffic, infrastructure, parking, surrounding neighborhoods and the overall character of Somers Point.
Owen was elected unopposed in 2019 and defeated former longtime councilman Carl D’Adamo in 2022. He then lost to Councilwoman Morgan Slaughter last November and is trying to get back on the governing body.
Owen has two daughters, both graduates of Mainland Regional High School. He grew up in Linwood, attended Seaview Elementary School and graduated from MRHS in 1986.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Widener University, he got married and moved to Somers Point in 1992.
He works as an environmental engineering technician for Handex at the federal superfund site known as Price’s Pit in Pleasantville.
Owen said he believes in “responsible development,” both on Bay Avenue where new housing developments have been proposed and throughout the city’s commercial zones.
“Bay Avenue is one of the crown jewels of Somers Point, and it has continued to evolve throughout the city’s history. It is a unique area with a rich history that includes both commercial businesses and established residential neighborhoods,” Owen said. “Any future development along Bay Avenue, as well as in other areas of Somers Point, should be approached in a measured and responsible manner.”
He said the city needs to balance opportunities for appropriate growth with the character and quality of life of the neighborhoods.
“Our goal should be to encourage investment while making sure that new development strengthens, rather than diminishes, the community we have worked so hard to build,” Owen said.
Somers Point has struggled with budgeting for more than a decade. City Council adopted this year’s $21,775,398 spending plan with a 3.6-cent increase in the local tax rate and $605,837 hike in the tax levy.
The tax rate rises to $1.18 per $100 of assessed value and the tax levy to $13.728 million. The owner of a $300,000 home would pay $3,540 in municipal taxes.
The city’s tax rate has increased 35 cents since 2014, when it was 83 cents per $100. That includes an 8.36-cent increase to $1.11 in 2023.
Owen said “there are certainly opportunities to review user fees and identify areas where the city can generate additional revenue,” but that he does not believe continually increasing fees is a sustainable long-term solution.
“The most meaningful way to strengthen the city’s revenue base is to increase the value of our ratable base. That can come through appropriate development, redevelopment and investment in our community,” he said. “We need responsible development that expands the tax base while protecting our character of our neighborhoods and maintain the high level of quality of life for our residents.”
He said the city should continue to look for grants, shared services, partnerships and other “creative funding opportunities that can reduce the burden to the local taxpayers.”
The city has gone through some growing pains over the past decade as City Council has vacillated between maintaining a family community and promoting itself as a tourism locale.
The city started a second-home campaign that encouraged the sale of homes to visitors that was highly successful in turning over and improving the housing stock. However, when owners began taking advantage of the city’s short-term rental opportunities, the city pulled the rug out from under them by requiring a seven-day minimum stay.
Owen believes in keeping the city a “welcoming and desirable place for families to live and raise their children.”
“The significant increase in property values over the last several years, driven in large part by economic forces, has made it more challenging,” he said. “We need to be mindful of the housing opportunities available to working families and make sure Somers Point remains a place where people can afford to put down roots.”
He said that means encouraging family-oriented housing, protecting existing neighborhoods, investing in parks and recreation, maintaining the streets and public spaces and continuing the quality of life.
“The city and school district also need to recognize that we are partners in this effort. A strong community, strong neighborhoods and a strong school system all reinforce one another. Our goal should be to create an environment where families not only want to move to Somers Point but to stay here and raise their children here,” he said.
City Council is looking into options to finance a new City Hall, and Owen supports the idea.
“Our facilities are aging, and we need to take a serious look at their condition, useful life and long-term needs. A new City Hall may ultimately be a part of that solution, but any major capital project must be carefully evaluated, particularly with regard to cost and impact to the taxpayers,” he said.
He believes the city should explore “creative financing opportunities, grants, partnerships and other alternatives that could help address our infrastructure needs without placing the burden on the taxpayers.”
“If a new City Hall, or a significant renovation of our existing facility, is determined to be the best long term solution, I believe we should pursue it thoughtfully, transparently and with clear understanding of both the costs and benefits to residents of Somers Point,” he said.
Steven Lamond, Challenger Ward 2
“My experience at Somers Point City Council meetings has been largely negative,” Steven Lamond said. “When folks rise to ask a question or state a viewpoint, some council members appear either disinterested or dismissive. Even when an answer might be relatively simple to provide, one is rarely forthcoming.”
That is the main reason why he is running for a seat on the governing body.
Born the middle child of five and schooled in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia, he has four children and five granddaughters.
“I spent summers building tree houses and forts near our home, at summer camp, swimming at the YMCA, playing street ball, riding bikes and exploring Fairmount Park,” he said.
After high school, he attended East Stroudsburg University before joining the U.S. Air Force, where he was trained as a ground-radio technician.
Lamond served four years at McGuire Air Force Base maintaining air-traffic control equipment.
His first civilian job was working for RCA Missile and Surface Radar, which was the prime contractor for the U.S. Navy’s line of AEGIS guided-missile cruisers.
Lamond returned to school at the time, earning a liberal arts degree at Rutgers-Camden and later took master’s-level classes at Temple University. He later earned a project-management certification from the Project Management Institute, and went to work in the pharmaceutical industry.
While raising his children, Lamond volunteered to build playgrounds in Westampton and to assist the Westampton Recreation Department in various volunteer efforts.
While living in Merchantville, he canvassed for a friend who ran successfully for City Council. Since moving to Somers Point in 2019, he has volunteered to canvass and call-bank every single year.
Lamond believes his work experience lends itself to serving on the governing body.
“I was awarded progressively responsible roles in my career because I was recognized as having certain traits — I am extremely disciplined, focused and love to dig into details,” he said. “These are extremely valuable skills in both private and public life.”
He also feels that his work at a technical communicator benefits the need to communicate clearly to residents matters that are often complicated and difficult to grasp.
“I’m convinced this was also an ideal testing ground for a role serving the public on Somers Point’s City Council,” he said, noting he also has experience adhering to challenging time and resource budgets.
Lamond said Somers Point faces a number of challenges, foremost of which may be how to maintain the city’s brand as gateway to the shore while remaining a livable and walkable historical community for year-round residents.
Demographics are another.
“Rising home valuations has meant that fewer young families can afford to buy here, and that has consequently reduced school enrollment, which cascades into school budget crises,” he said.
According to the Northeast Neighborhood Action Plan on the city website’s home page, Somers Point real estate valuations in the 10 years ending in 2024 decreased 5 percent.
“In Atlantic County overall, they decreased 20 percent over the same period. Yet the costs of goods and services over that period went up; to achieve balance, Somers Point’s real estate tax rate was increased by 32 percent,” he said.
Lamond believes it is imperative to expand employment opportunities and commit to creating the educational resources that directly lead to employment county-wide.
“The FAA Technical Center isn’t large enough to sustain this effort on its own. Since we live at the shore, our local institutes of learning should allow South Jersey to become a hub of specialized shore technologies — researching how to remove microplastics from our water and the food chain, how to produce alternative energy, how to grow and monitor fish populations,” he said. “Rather than simply replenishing our beaches to promote vacation livelihoods, we should be developing partnerships — both public and private — to invest greater capital here at the shore in a way that creates sustainable job growth.”
He said maintaining the Somers Point brand can be a part of that: “a landscaped harbor walk was proposed last year and is still being considered. That would be an opportune way to connect those who live here with the nascent shore technologies and with the many local volunteer groups that together do so much invisibly to promote a clean ocean and bay.”
Lamond said maintaining that brand may be more difficult if action is not taken quickly.
“Given recent redevelopment trends: 100 new units are proposed between Bay and Sunny avenues, 70 more on MacArthur Boulevard. Growth is admirable, but it needs to be sustainable. Many of the people now living in Somers Point helped build the town. But it’s becoming increasingly difficult for hands-on workers to afford becoming our neighbors.”
“All redevelopment plans should benefit from the scrutiny and advice that results from review by the boards established for that purpose — boards on which multiple City Council members are privileged to sit,” Lamond said.
