Bridgeton UEZ to Honor Mayor Albert Kelly, Judge Demetrica Todd‑Ruiz March 12

Bridgeton’s Urban Enterprise Zone has scheduled a merchant meeting on March 12 to recognize Mayor Albert Kelly and Cumberland County Superior Court Judge Demetrica Todd‑Ruiz as part of Black History Month programming, the UEZ announced on its social channels. An Instagram post stated, “BRIDGETON – Mayor Albert Kelly and Cumberland County Superior Court Judge Demetrica Todd-Ruiz will be two of the history-making honorees.”

Albert B. Kelly brings an extensive civic and nonprofit résumé to the honor. Kelly is founder and president/CEO of Gateway Community Action Partnership, an agency formed in 1984 with an annual budget of over 60 million that serves more than 56,000 low- to moderate-income people through more than 40 programs at sites in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer and Salem counties in New Jersey and Germantown, Pennsylvania, and that employs over 800 people. Kelly was elected mayor of Bridgeton on July 1, 2010 with 76 percent of the vote and was re-elected running unopposed in November 2014; he has been elected president of the New Jersey League of Municipalities.

Demetrica Todd‑Ruiz is identified in UEZ publicity as a Cumberland County Superior Court Judge and is among the honorees the UEZ will present at the March 12 merchant meeting. No additional biographical details or remarks from Judge Todd‑Ruiz were included in the UEZ announcement.

The recognition ties into ongoing UEZ merchant-engagement work that the city and UEZ staff have highlighted since an inaugural UEZ Awards Gala at the Marino Center on Nov. 8. That Nov. 8 event recognized some 200 individuals and organizations, and UEZ coordinator Stephanie Gonzalez called the night “an unforgettable evening” that celebrated those who have had an impact with the city’s program over the past year. Minerva Alvarado, a trustee on the UEZ Board of Trustees, said, “We had a very good turnout and I’m very happy about that. It was exciting to just see first responders, people from the city of Bridgeton, and the business owners as well out here, and their families.”

At the Nov. 8 gala, Mayor Kelly told attendees, “I do not hesitate to say, ‘the great city’ because of things like this going on. We have people like Stephanie and her staff working together to enrich our community, and you are following her lead.” Harlan Miller, an award recipient mentioned in the gala coverage, praised Kelly’s presence that night: “We truly appreciate the fact that you stood up front with us, helping pass out awards and representing the city the entire night. That was a great moment of leadership and unity,” Miller said.

Bridgeton UEZ is one of 32 urban enterprise zones in New Jersey; participating businesses receive state tax benefits and access to programs intended to spur development. UEZ program manager Heather Moran has said there are “plenty of projects in the works” to help businesses and the community, and the March 12 merchant meeting is presented as part of those merchant-engagement efforts tied to Black History Month recognition.

Organizers have not published a start time or venue for the March 12 merchant meeting in the materials publicized so far. City and UEZ officials listed in recent coverage include Business Administrator Kevin Rabago and City Council members Edward Bethea, Rosemary DeQuinzio, Curtis Edwards, David Gonzalez and Marian King. The March 12 merchant meeting will fold the local honors into the UEZ’s broader push to connect Bridgeton businesses to façade, tax and support programs.