Barnegat Businessman Tapped For Township Committee Vacancy

BARNEGAT, NJ - Township Committee members recently appointed a local businessman who has lived in Barnegat for several years to fill the unexpired vacancy of Susan McCabe.

Joseph Lopes, 59, took his seat on the dais at the Feb. 6 meeting. He is the owner of Simple T's and Dot Graphics on Route 9, according to a report in The Sandpaper.

He and his wife have lived in Barnegat since 2013.

“I started to get an interest in the town, and when this opening came up, I thought I’d give it a try,” said Lopes. “I know I’ll have to run in November to keep the seat, so I’ll have some time to see if I like it.”

Township Committee members also considered former school board candidate Tripp Rogers and former Township Committee candidate William Cox for the vacancy.

McCabe was offered a job as the township's labor counsel, human resources director and conflict attorney back in January.

"The township thought I'd be better working behind the scene full time than sitting up on the dais," she said then.

It will be the second time a Barnegat Committee member has stepped down and taken a township job. Current Administrator Martin Lisella resigned his committee position back in 2015 to take the administrator job for $120,000.

Lopes said he is stepping back from daily operations at his business and will have more time to devote to his Committee post.

“Being a businessman in town can help me in talking with people who are interested in having a business in Barnegat,” he said. “A lot of politicians don’t have that kind of business experience, so I think my experience there can be an asset.”

Photo: Courtesy of Barnegat Township