John P. Kelly will be named director of the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders at the board's organization meeting on Jan. 2, the board announced this week.

Kelly, of Eagleswood Township, is serving his seventh term on the freeholder board and has served as its director three previous times, in 1995, 2001 and 2007. He is the board's director of Law and Public Safety and the liaison to the Ocean County Engineering Department.

James F. Lacey of Brick will be named the board's deputy director. He is the liaison to the county's roads department and to Ocean County’s Department of Solid Waste Management.

The board's organization meeting is set for 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 2, and freeholders Gerry P. Little, the board's current director, and John C. Bartlett Jr., the deputy director, will be sworn in after they were re-elected to the freeholder board in November.

“Every new year comes with its own set of challenges,” Kelly said. “I look forward to working closely with my colleagues on the board as we work to rebuild our great county in the New Year.

“We have a long road ahead of us,” Kelly said. “And this board will do all it can to help our municipalities and citizens in the coming year.”

“The new year, at times, will be difficult,” said Lacey, who served as deputy director in 2007. “But we are well prepared to serve our residents and to meet the challenges that we will be facing.”