SOMERS POINT — “Guy was a great boss — always hard working, shows up every day, always willing to help out guys any way they need, at work or in their personal lives. He’s a public servant through and through,” Stephen Hornig said of former Department of Public Works General Supervisor Guy Martin, who retired Jan. 1. “He’s a guy’s guy, always had our backs.”
According to a resolution honoring his years of service, Martin was hired as a seasonal employee in April 1977 and became full time in July 1978.
“For nearly 50 years, Guy reported to work each day with a strong work ethic, quiet determination and a commitment to doing his job — and doing it well,” the resolution states.
Martin rose through the ranks of Public Works, being appointed assistant supervisor in March 2005 and general supervisor in February 2008.
“In his leadership roles, Guy earned the respect of his colleagues and served the city and its residents with integrity, reliability and pride,” the resolution states.
After contributing to the city’s operations across portions of six decades, Martin retired at the beginning of the year.
The general supervisor of Public Works is responsible for the overall management, supervision and coordination of the department, overseeing residential sanitation services, including trash, bulk waste, e-waste, metal, brush and leaf collection.
The supervisor also manages the maintenance of city-owned buildings, public spaces and vehicles, as well as minor road repairs, snow removal and street sweeping. In addition, the role includes oversight of the operation and maintenance of the city’s sanitary and storm sewer systems.
With Martin’s retirement, Hornig will take his place, attempting to fill those old boots the best way he can.
Hornig, who will be 42 this year, is the father of Joseph Garay, 21, and husband of Emerald Hornig, 40, who works as the city’s deputy tax collector and serves on the Somers Point Board of Education. He is a lifelong resident of the city and a 2003 graduate of Mainland Regional High School.
In addition to his work for the city, Hornig also is chairman of the Somers Point Bayfest Committee, a class II member of the Planning Board and serves on the boards of Somers Point PAL and the Gateway Playhouse.
“I enjoy the sense of giving back to the community that has given me the opportunity that I have today,” Hornig said. “I was able to make a career here, become friends with the people who live in town and enjoy being part of the community and giving back.”
According to a resolution appointing Hornig to the position, he started his career in October 2005, served as deputy municipal safety coordinator, has obtained designation as Certified Public Works Manager, NJDEP Public Wastewater Collection System-C2, Certified Recycling Professional, Sustainable Resource Management Professional and Clean Communities Coordinator, issued by the state Department of Community Affairs.
Hornig was appointed assistant supervisor of Public Works in April 2025 and was acting supervisor since the beginning of the year. His contract pays him retroactively to Feb. 14.
Hornig is the fourth of four children — his twin sister is 5 minutes older, and never lets him forget it — whose parents worked full-time jobs while raising the family. His mother was a preschool teacher at a private school in Linwood and his father a casino worker.
He enjoys living in the town where he was raised, noting he still has friends that he grew up with and keeps in contact with the parents of those who have moved away.
“The slogan says it all, ‘Small town charm by the bay,’” Hornig said. “It still is a close-knit community.”
Working in a position that takes him from one corner of the city to the others, Hornig said his favorite place is John F. Kennedy Memorial Park overlooking Great Egg Harbor Bay, and not just because that’s where he started his work for the city as a part-time boat ramp attendant.
“The views, the peacefulness, the tranquility are unmatched on the East Coast,” he said. “There’s nothing better than enjoying your lunch down there.”
Hornig faced two big challenges right at the beginning of his tenure, with major snowstorms hitting the region Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 22-23, blanketing the streets with a combination of more than 3 feet of snow.
“It was difficult, but we were able to get out early and keep up with the second one,” he said. “We worked through the night and kept going at it until Monday. It was a battle.”
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
