By MICHAEL FEELY

Staff Writer

Jim Barber, Brigantine’s city manager for the last seven and a half years, is retiring at the end of the month. Barber also served as the city’s director of public safety.

Barber has been a resident of the island for 45 years, almost as long as he has been married to his wife, Mary. They married 47 years ago, but lived in Atlantic City for two years. “Mary, the Saint,” as Barber calls her, is a lifelong Brigantine resident. They have two children, a daughter Nicole who has two children; and a son, Christopher, an officer in the Atlantic City Police Department who has two sons and a daughter.

Barber was a police officer in Atlantic City for 14 years starting in 1964 before moving to the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s office, where he served for 18 years, heading up the Major Crimes division before retiring.

An editorial printed Jan. 24, 1995 in The Press of Atlantic City called Barber “Atlantic County’s top homicide cop” and “the type of police officer the public needs more of.” The same editorial quoted a fellow officer who called Barber “tenacious” and “a pit bull… but a nice pit bull.”

In 2004, Mayor Phillip Guenther had this to say about the newly appointed city manager: “Jim Barber has earned this promotion as a result of his long and successful career in service to the public, and his dedication and commitment to the city of Brigantine Beach.”

“I’ve worked with Jim Barber for 14 years, first as director of public safety and the last seven as city manager,” Guenther said last week, reflecting on Barber’s tenure. “He has been a dedicated, hard-working, fair manager while running the affairs of Brigantine. Whatever issues, he immersed himself into the question, conducted research and made recommendations to council. Or he took action acting with authority as the city manager.

“Jim displayed in Brigantine unquestionable integrity and honesty. He was consistent and fair in dealing with city employees,” Guenther said. “On behalf of City Council, I want to thank him for his efforts. He will leave behind a legacy of professionalism that he brought to the city.”