The Challengers: New Hats in the Ring
Ian Cisek and Steve Cossaboon run on the slogan of “Fresh Faces, Fresh Ideas.” They have a rich background in public service, the enthusiasm of first-time office seekers and the hope of breaking through with the voters. Here’s a look at them.
Ian Ciseck
Ciseck does not view himself as a politician. But by deciding to run for City Council, he immediately gave voters a dividend.
“There hasn’t been much of a choice for elected officials in our community for more than a dozen years,” he says. “You have the same incumbents running year after year. That’s not good for democracy. There are enough people out there wanting fresh ideas and new faces. That’s kind of what led me to this.”
Ciseck, 48, is the youngest of the five office seekers. He thus represents long-term availability to serve Sea Isle City residents. Ian and his wife, Lauren, have become immersed in the workings of the community. They have been full-time Sea Isle City residents for 24 years. Ian has been a real estate agent for Long & Foster for 17 years. Lauren is a member of the Sea Isle City Board of Education.
The couple has three children, giving him a logical platform.
Two are of the age of playing recreational basketball, often in neighboring towns. That’s where people found Ian throughout the winter, attending their games.
He looks at the fall unveiling of Sea Isle City’s new Community Center as a link to its future.
“Since we have been raising our kids here, Lauren and I get more and more involved in the community,” says Ciseck, who grew up in Williamstown.
“I would like to bring in family-oriented programs within the city. The Community Center is going to be a wonderful place for people, but I would like to see more being done for the people who live here year-round. I would hope that every student has access to it from 3-5pm. I want to see kids having a place to go every day instead of being home and on their devices.
“There are all kinds of programs they can be part of,” he asserts. “There can be dodgeball, basketball, pickleball, you name it. The kids can get eight or 10 of their friends together and have hours of activities.”
Local access is one element of his vision. The other involves Sea Isle City as a magnet for area youth similar to what he sees in nearby communities. He would love Sea Isle City to host some local tournaments, bringing area players together.
“There is a trickle-down effect for this community,” he says. “It is not just kids playing basketball in the gym. This can attract people from outside of our community who support our businesses here.”
Ciseck lives on 38th Street and often bikes to his office on 50th Street in the summer. He feels blessed to have this local connection and wants to take it one step further.
Steve Cossaboon
Cossaboon retired in 2023 after a 32-year teaching and coaching career in the Haddon Township school district. He was a special-education teacher and a football, wrestling, and softball coach. His wife, Michelle, is a teacher. They have three children.
Living in Sea Isle City now is the realization of a dream.
“The town has been great for me,” says Cossaboon, who grew up in Royersford, Pa. “I started coming down here as a kid and then worked as a bouncer and bartender at the Ocean Drive. It put me through college [Millersville University]. I met my wife down here. Her parents were here, we visited them nearly every weekend.
“Our kids don’t know what it’s like not to spend a weekend in Sea Isle City during the summer,” he adds. “About 12 years ago, we purchased a house here with the idea that some body we would make it permanent. Three years ago, we came here full time.”
Two factors propelled him into this race. One was his penchant for community involvement. In Haddon Township, he started a youth flag-football program that grew to 350 kids. He later launched a K-12 lacrosse program.
Cossaboon was also part of the Knights of Columbus.
Now retired, and with free time, he was looking to get involved in the community.
The second factor was pure chance.
In January, he saw a Facebook post from a local resident encouraging newcomers to the council race. One day later, after church, he passed Ciseck on the road. Cossaboon had worked for Ciseck last summer.
When Ciseck spotted Cossaboon, he called.
“He saw me and asked to meet in the office,” Cossaboon recalls. “He said, ‘I am thinking about running for office, why don’t you do it with me?’ I told him I had just seen the Facebook post the night before. I feel like this was meant to be. So we went in together.”
Cossaboon said he wants to improve Sea Isle City’s transparency after it got just one of six stars in a published report of area governments. He would make meetings accessible to the public, along with providing top-grade audio and Zoom access to enable questions.
“The average person can’t attend a meeting if you have it in the morning or during the day,” he says. “I would look to change that to 5pm, as Stone Harbor just did.”
Cossaboon recalls many Easter egg hunts and similar activities that brought more people into town. He would like to see events like that launched again.
