McQueen himself, after serving as an assistant supervisor of cashiers at Resorts Atlantic City, joined the Police Department's Communications Bureau, working as a civilian handling dispatch.

That civilian status inside the department is an experience he hopes to apply again if he becomes mayor. He wants to create a civilian review board to combat problems and misconceptions with Internal Affairs.

"We're in a crisis situation and there doesn't seem to be much communication going on," McQueen said. "Now we can't be out here fighting police, but that's not saying you just lay low and take a beating."

Pushing the cause

Although McQueen concedes his energy initiative might not spark the interest of a resident struggling to pay new taxes on his or her home, he won't bend on insisting the plan would directly affect those tax concerns.

He said his approach to freeing the city of its oil dependency would save the city millions and could create new revenue to direct toward tax relief.

His plan is centered on the conversion of everyday cooking grease into biodiesel fuel. The city's role in that shift would begin within the first 100 days of a McQueen administration, with plans to open a municipal alternative fuel facility solely designed to create new city revenue.

He said the facility could operate out of City Hall, and he pledged to jump-start the program by lending his own equipment he uses at his home facility and another in Hammonton.

The former diesel mechanic's interest in biodiesel and general energy resources began with an immediate love for science at Atlantic City High School. From there he attended the Agriculture Technical Institute of Charleston, N.C., studying microbiological research. He dropped out after one-year to pursue full-time work, but maintained aspirations to continue in the field.

A few years after returning home, he started his own research company to experiment with techniques for commercial breeding of shrimp, lobster and clams. He continues that work today.

McQueen's newest company, New Jersey Renewable Resources, is what his energy initiative is based on. McQueen processes used cooking oil at his home facility or at a separate site in Hammonton. The finished biodiesel is delivered to individuals and businesses throughout the area that have heard about McQueen through word of mouth.

But his previous attempt to expand his business is not something he is quick to mention. In early 2007, McQueen signed an agreement with the Atlantic County Utilities Authority to form a biodiesel pilot project.

The deal, however, ended after just one month. McQueen claims he suddenly lost contact with Nelson Dilg, the contractor delivering the waste oil to the ACUA for McQueen to obtain. But Dilg claims ACUA asked him to stop delivering the oil because McQueen was neglecting to move it.

Dilg considers McQueen a passionate, professional man, but a little naive.

"I just don't think he realized how limited the waste oil is," Dilg said. "In terms of making it into a successful business, I don't think it's possible."

Round six

These days, McQueen says 90 percent of his business is on hold to concentrate on the election - another election.

The Venice Park resident has earned the status of a perennial candidate, starting his sixth candidacy in the last two and a half decades.

In 1982, he ran for a 4th Ward City Council seat and received several hundred votes. He finished seventh with 67 votes when he ran for mayor in 1990. In 1992, he received Mayor Jim Whelan's endorsement, but lost the 1st Ward council race to incumbent John Kelley. In 2002, when he was a Democrat, McQueen unsuccessfully sought William Marsh's 4th Ward council seat.

He switched parties a year later and by 2005 he was back in another mayor's race. He received only 57 votes in a Republican primary won by Councilman Tim Mancuso, who bowed out of the race shortly afterward.

He ran uncontested in June for the Republican nomination, but in a city dominated by Democrats, the general election is expected to end with the same result McQueen has seen in previous years.

But McQueen said he's been going door-to-door since December and is packing a secret campaign team: his children.

Five out of his six children, ranging in age from 7 to 20 years old, are trying to get the word out about their father. His 28-year-old daughter is the only one unable to contribute because she lives in Florida.

"That's what everyone says, is you never see John out campaigning without his kids," he said.

"That's what it's all about, in the end, is making this a better place for our kids. We need to get people back to saying, 'Wow, I want to go to Atlantic City.' That's what it was like when I was a kid. Now, you tell someone you're from here and it's, 'Wow, I'll pray for you."

E-mail Michael Clark:

Michael.Clark@pressofac.com