Outgoing Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian is returning to his roots up the New Jersey Parkway, taking a job as business administrator for Ocean County's largest town.
Guardian, who lost his re-election bid in November, will become the chief municipal officer for Toms River Township after leaving office in January, he said in a statement Wednesday.
He took his first job out of college working for the Boy Scouts of America in Toms River and Ocean County. Toms River is one of New Jersey's largest municipalities, with more than 90,000 people.
"I believe my experience over the past four years has helped me tremendously in preparing for this important municipal government position. And it completes a circle that started for me personally 42 years ago," Guardian said in the statement. "I have nothing but great memories of Toms River and Ocean County."
He said he will remain a resident of Atlantic City and commute 50 miles up the Parkway for work.
The new job will come with a big pay raise and, presumably, smaller headaches: His salary as administrator will be $175,000, up from $103,000 as mayor, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
Guardian, who once said he never envisioned staying long in Atlantic City when he took a job with a development agency in the city two decades ago, became an unlikely mayor at a turbulent time for the one-time gambling mecca.
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His tenure saw the closings of five casinos, including the monumental failure of the billion-dollar Revel. The remaining casinos sued successfully to have their local tax obligations greatly reduced, throwing the city's finances into turmoil. Guardian, a Republican, also fought with fellow Republican Gov. Chris Christie over a state takeover of the city.
Still, some state and local officials hope that the downsizing will stabilize the remaining casinos in the years to come.
Amid all the internal tumult, surrounding states like Pennsylvania and New York continued to expand their gambling portfolios. Casinos and other localized gaming in those states have squeezed Atlantic City for more than a decade.
Uncertainty remains for the small city with a new Democratic governor coming into office next month. Guardian said his four years as an elected official were fulfilling.
"Serving the residents of Atlantic City has been my most fulfilling job ever," he said. "Now, I look forward to bringing that same enthusiasm and love of municipal government to the residents of Toms River."
