Bart Russell Announces Candidacy for Fourth Ward Seat on City Council

Bart Russell became the third person to announce his candidacy for the Fourth Ward seat on City Council in the May 8 election.

Russell submitted his petition on Monday (March 5). and have also submitted petitions to run for the Fourth Ward seat. The deadline to submit petitions is 4 p.m. today. Check back with Ocean City Patch for a complete list of candidates.

Russell graduated from Ocean City High School in 1964 and attended Yankton College. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1966 to 1969 and served in Vietnam, earning a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

Russell and his wife, Barbara, have two children and two grandchildren. He operated businesses in Wildwood and worked as a real estate agent in Stone Harbor before returning to Ocean City in 1996 and operating the seasonal Buddy's Ice Cream. He is a managing partner in SEABECK LLC, a property investment business.

Among other posts, Russell taught at Cape May County Tech for 10 years, served on the Lower Township Board of Education, served as a vice president on the Cape May County School board and served on the Ocean City Board of Education.

Russell said the lives of his family were forever changed in 1996, when his youngest daughter, Becky, was murdered by a convicted sex offender.

"From this, Barbara and I became very well-informed in the working of the criminal justice system, much like when a family member gets a life-threatening disease," Russell said. "Along with Assemblywoman Diane Allen, we worked to put into law the No Early Release Act. This bill makes criminals serve at least 85 percent of their sentence."

"I have continued to speak to groups on this subject," he said. "The State of New Jersey, because of this bill, has given us their highest award."

Russell was a candidate for the Fourth Ward seat in 2008. Incumbent Roy Wagner is not seeking re-election.