Seaside Heights Mayor to Resign, Take Job With Borough

Bill Akers (Photo: Seaside Heights Borough)

Seaside Heights Mayor William Akers is expected to tender his resignation Thursday following a vote by the borough council to hire him as an assistant to Borough Administrator Christopher Vaz.

“What was decided tonight will cause a resignation to take place,” said Borough Attorney George R. Gilmore, following a unanimous council vote that appointed Akers as a confidential assistant to Vaz.

Akers was not present at Wednesday evening’s council meeting because he did not want to be in the room while council members voted on his employment, Gilmore said.

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Akers will be assigned specific tasks in his new position, including mapping out the borough’s police budget and working on Superstorm Sandy recovery issues, Vaz said. The job will pay $60,000 per year.

After Akers submits his resignation, Republican county committee members from Seaside Heights will be tasked with selecting three candidates for mayor. The borough council will then have 30 days to select one of the candidates to fill the mayor’s position until the next election.

The borough council is expected to meet Monday at 6 p.m. to discuss the mayoral vacancy. In the interim, Council President Harry Smith will serve as the borough’s highest-ranking elected official.

Akers served on the borough council for 16 years before being elected mayor in 2012. He and his wife, Gloria, have operated Bobber’s Family Restaurant on the Boulevard since 1986.