Meet the Next Stone Harbor Council Members
Frank Vaul, Ken Biddick, and Bob Ross won’t sweat ballot-box results June 10. All are assured a place in the next Stone Harbor Council because the three candidates seek three positions in the primary elections. All will be officially confirmed for office in November.
Where they plan to expend energy is in the financial future of the borough, whether that stems from infrastructure, project-reserve money, or the tax rate.
Vaul and Ross will assume three-year terms. Biddick, who assumed the council slot when Tim Carney became mayor in January, will use the election to serve beyond January 2026.
All three are bright, passionate, and well-rooted in economics.
Here’s a look at the soon-to-be successful candidates for Stone Harbor government.
FRANK VAUL
Vaul had an interesting reason to join politics: wanting to learn something about government process rather than address a grievance.
“Some of what’s been going on in the town I have questions about,” he says, “and I figure the only way to understand what is happening is to get involved.
“There were some financial challenges I saw at the beginning of the year. There is a cap on spending increases in New Jersey and initially it looked to be a problem. Based on subsequent meetings, those concerns were resolved, but I would like to see how that occurred, how it was handled, etc.”
A money issue is right in Vaul’s wheelhouse. He retired as the director of finance for Cape Regional Medical Center four years ago.
Throughout his career, Vaul was responsible for all aspects of financial management. That included capital financing, long-term planning, revenue and expense budgeting and management.
His goals on council include providing proactive transparent leadership, ensuring responsible decision making, improving Borough employee relations, and protecting the natural resources here.
Vaul has been fully immersed in the Stone Harbor life. The native of Brookhaven, Pa., has been a homeowner here for 37 years and a full-time resident for 26. Frank and Joanne, his wife of 43 years, have seen their two children and grandchildren attend Stone Harbor and Avalon schools.
He laughed upon discussing this uncontested election (“I’ll keep my fingers crossed”) and looks to increase his Stone Harbor service resumé.
Vaul is the Stone Harbor Office of Emergency Management Coordinator and a planning board member. He has been a volunteer firefighter for 25 years. Vaul has also been a treasurer, volunteer EMT, and Stone Harbor/Avalon youth soccer coach.
“I couldn’t think of a better place to enjoy being with the family,” he says. “This is a wonderful place. Where we live now is the longest the longest time period I have ever owned a home in.”
KEN BIDDICK
The Woodbury-area native who has lived here since 2015 considers it important to educate homeowners about the origins of the borough’s debt.
“For the moment, the debt in Stone Harbor is completely related to infrastructure, like bulkheads, water, and street repair,” Biddick asserts. “There are things you might have to replace every 100 years and it would be great if an administration says, ‘Hey, someday we will have to replace all of this, let’s build a reserve.’ That wasn’t done here in the past. Without that reserve, you will have a large fluctuation in your local purpose tax when it comes time to replace things.”
Biddick estimates that Stone Harbor is about 60% of the way to where it needs to be regarding infrastructure upgrades. He also wants to see the borough revamp and maintain its website, a valuable link to the public.
“It should be done on at least a weekly basis,” he says. “That would eliminate any rumors. Anything you are working on or talking about should be right out there for people to see.”
Biddick has a background in finance and owns the Stone Harbor-based KB Consulting Group. Kenneth Biddick & Co., PC is a certified public accounting firm. Founded in 1993 and trading as KB Consulting Group, the company was solely focused on forensic accounting and financial expert witness services. In 1998, it expanded service offerings into traditional CPA firm service areas, including financial statements, tax, and accounting services.
He established himself as an innovative leader who consistently develops and implements cutting-edge processes. He was an early adopter of data analysis and management techniques, making him the go-to person for unique, complex, and large engagements. He also lectures at accounting firms and professional organizations on professional ethics, investigating financial fraud, insurance claims, CPA responsibilities in both attest and non-attest services, and work-paper documentation issues.
BOB ROSS
Ross is a study in local politics. He narrowly lost a mayoral run to Carney last November, coming up short by only 31 votes. But he jumped right back on the service bandwagon and will join Carney across the table as a member of council.
He has a passion reserved for those with deep local roots. He spent summers here until age 11, when his family moved here. Ross is a graduate of Avalon Elementary and Middle Township High School.
“My lifelong presence on Seven Mile Island has sculpted my understanding of where Stone Harbor has been and where it is going now,” he said on the mayoral campaign last year.
Ross has served on the Stone Harbor Zoning Board for the last 13 years and the Stone Harbor Board of Education for the last nine. Over the last 25 years, he operated the family construction company, Ross General Construction.
Ross and his wife Diane have two children and four grandchildren.
