“Congenial” Republican Primary in Atlantic Highlands Gets Ugly
Boms disavows Frotton’s flyer
Golden affirms his endorsements
In early April the four candidates running for two Republican nominations for Atlantic Highlands Borough Council declared in a facebook group that they would hold a “congenial and productive primary strengthening our Party for 2018 and beyond.” In early May the candidates said that they wanted the primary voters, “not individuals who want to wield control,” to choose the nominees.
The candidates, Penny Hofman-Morris, Richard Colangelo, Brian Boms, and Jim Murphy are all friends. Colangelo and Murphy work together. Boms coaches youth sports with Colangelo and does business him.
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Monmouth County Republican Chairman Shaun Golden took notice.
All four candidates are deeply involved in the community and have good reputations. Any two of the four would be good candidates and fine council members. Those who were not nominated this year would be great candidates in the future.
Golden put all four candidates on the “County Line” of the primary ballots to let the voters decide—as the candidates publicly said they wanted.
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Yesterday, the peace and party unity was broken by Jane Frotton, the long time local party chair.
Frotton, apparently desperate to retain control, despite the fact that she was spreading the word that she was retiring from local politics, distributed an ugly flyer that accuses Hofman-Morris and Colangelo, as well as former Republican Mayor Fred Rast, of being “fake Republicans.” She said that Hofman-Morris, Colangelo and their County Committee running mates are Rast’s “puppets.”
Excerpt of flyer distributed by Jane Frotton
Frotton went on to accuse Golden, without naming him, of being tricked into granting the “Monmouth County Republican Organization” slogan and ballot position to Hofman-Morris, Colangelo and their team of County Committee candidates by Rast. She said the “Regular Republicans” are the real Republicans who have the County organization’s support.
Excerpt of flyer distributed by Jane Frotton
In an email to MMM, Golden affirmed his County Committee endorsements. “I encourage all Atlantic Highlands Republicans to vote for the Monmouth County Republican Organization County Committee candidates,” Golden said. “They are community oriented people who are committed to rebuilding the Party in the town and supporting our candidates on the County and State levels.”
Boms disavowed the flyer, which endorsed him and Murphy, and condemned the divisive petty small town politics. “Penny, Rich, Jim and I want to unite the party,” Boms said in a phone interview with MMM.
In an email following up the interview, Boms said, “I’m angry . These are not my words and I never approved this. This is not my approved literature. As I have said from the beginning and continue to say. I am running based on my accomplishments, I am not a mud slinger.”
The intra-mural battle in the Atlantic Highlands GOP goes back 2015 when the Atlantic Highlands Republican County Committee was split 4-4 between then Councilman Jack Archibald and Councilman Lou Fligor as the Party nominee for mayor after Rast announced he was honoring his self imposed term limit of 8 years. Frotton, as local chair, broke the tie with her endorsement of Archibald. Golden deferred to Frotton in awarding the County line to Archibald.
With the County line, Archibald beat Fligor in the primary but went on to lose in a landslide to Democrat Rhonda LeGrice. The following year, Frotton refused to endorse Fligor and Jacob Hoffman for reelection to the Council as punishment for Fligor running for mayor in the primary with Hoffman’s support. Fligor was the top vote getter as an Independent in 2016 with Hoffman losing to Republican Stephen Boracchia by 83 votes.
Republicans have lost 4 of 5 contested seats on the governing body since the 2015 split.
The primary is on Tuesday, June 5. Polls are open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Districts One and Four voters cast their ballots at the Senior Building, 1 Simon Lake Dr. Voters who live in Districts Two and Three vote at the Charles Heese Parish Center, 55 South Ave.
The Monmouth County Republican Organization endorsed candidates for County Committee are:
In District One: Joseph Freitas, III and Valerie Freitas
In District Two: Jacob Hoffman and Sandra Hoffman
In District Three: Benedict DeMonte and Cynthia Fligor
In District Four: Edward Cetron and Michelle A. “Mickey” Rast
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I can tell you that there is truth ms Frotton post. In districts 2 3 and 4 for the Monmouth County all of these people are either related by marriage or blood so here we go with the nepotism again which this town is full of, and or serve or have served on the planning board or mayor and Council or some sort of head of department for the town. I do know that because there has been now a Republican primary that our former mayor is beside himself about it as are the people that are listed for Monmouth County Representatives. I also know that people should look at it go back and look up the township minutes and agendas and see how many of those names you see that sit on the planning board that approve all of the building going on around town the carton Brewing building 158 1st Avenue Leonard Avenue McConnell. Unfortunately this group all are connected in one way or the other. And unfortunately for mayor and Council people are taking notice now they’re attending meetings which the mayor does not like the meetings are now being broadcast which the mayor does not like and things are being questioned which no one on those committees like they’re trying to keep a hold of the old guard.
With respect to the Atlantic Highlands council candidates, who have all agreed to run a positive campaign amongst themselves because they are friends and/or have business relationships, the county committee seats are a very different thing. In District 4, Ed Cetron and Michelle Rast are lifelong Democrats who changed parties this year to run as Republicans. They are not Republicans and to think they will “rebuild the party” is ludicrous. Mrs. Rast is married to Fred Rast, former mayor who has openly supported and campaigned for Democrat candidates the past 3 years. Further, Mr. Cetron sits on the Planning Board which approved several dense development projects that are causing major impact on parking, traffic and infrastructure in town. Mr. Colangelo, a candidate for Council, also sits on that same Planning Board. Both were appointed, not coincidentally, by former Mayor Rast. Cindy Fligor is the wife of Lou Fligor, longtime councilman. Together with Mr. Rast, Mr. Fligor oversaw some of the highest tax raises ever in Atlantic Highlands. Further, Mr. and Mrs. Fligor have been seen in the Democrat party headquarters after elections, celebrating wins. Mr. DeMonte is the fiancee’ of Mr. and Mrs. Fligor’s daughter, soon to be son in law. To think that any of these will “rebuild the Republican party” or have any degree of independence is beyond comprehension. Mr. Hoffman is a former councilmember with serious health problems who frequently fell asleep during meetings and also presided with Rast and Fligor over the high tax increases. He was defeated for Council re-election two years ago because of his high-tax record and a questionable property deal. Ms. Hoffman is on the current Planning Board and was appointed by former Mayor Rast. Both are firmly in the pro-Rast camp. The Frietases, besides being married to each other, also have been seen at Democrat HQ on election night. Former Mayor Rast himself, besides presiding over the highest tax increases and most dense development to date in town history, openly supported Democrat candidates over Republicans in the past three years and attended the Democrat watch and victory parties. To think that any of these persons will “rebuild the Republican party in town” is a fiction. The goal is control and increase in valuation of property on First Avenue. When this group says they are “for the town”, they mean “First Avenue property owners and developers”, not the actual residents in town, who are viewed as ATM machines.
Hi firesign58,
I don’t have time to factcheck all of what you claimed above, but I was able to verify that you are inaccurate about Mickey Rast’s Republican bonafides.
Mrs. Rast has voted in 5 of the last 6 Republican primaries. She’s not a “lifelong Democrat who changed her affiliation to run for County Committee.
She told me she has not been a Democrat in over 20 years.
Please double check your other claims and post corrections, if appropriate.
Hi firesign58,
I don’t have time to factcheck all of what you claimed above, but I was able to verify that you are inaccurate about Mickey Rast’s Republican bonafides.
Mrs. Rast has voted in 5 of the last 6 Republican primaries. She’s not a “lifelong Democrat who changed her affiliation to run for County Committee.
She told me she has not been a Democrat in over 20 years.
Please double check your other claims and post corrections, if appropriate.
OK, thanks Art, that’s very interesting and I will double check.
yet another usually Republican town is in- fighting, has lost council seats, (largely because of the in- fighting,) and, therefore, our entire organization is weaker for it. No point in enumerating how many towns this in- fighting has occurred/is occurring in, but the questions are: when does it stop; who stops it?.. When the egos, and the old and new, clash and get personal, the local and county orgs suffer, and hence, so do their taxpayers.. If we could all get past our own ambitions and agendas, perhaps, and look around the county, we would see a slow drip -drip of formerly all- GOP areas into Dem majorities- which we say we do not want, but it is unfortunately what is being wrought! Wake up!
After checking with sources I can say that as recently as 2 years ago Mrs. Rast sat at the Democrat challenge table in Atlantic Highlands and was seen by hundreds of voters. Can a Republican challenge for Democrats? Someone who claims to have helped her change parties also indicated to me that the change was recent. We seem to have an unresolved question only about the timing of her change of party, and we all agree she did change parties.
As for the rest of the comment, it stands, with a few tweaks:
Mrs. Rast is married to Fred Rast, former mayor who has openly supported tax increases and tax breaks for developers on First Avenue (borough historical records corroborate this), and campaigned for Democrat and opposition candidates the past 3 years. (MMM articles, roadside signs and other forms of political advertisement, and other sources corroborate this.) Mr. Cetron is a longtime Democrat who may have recently changed parties to run for committee. Further, Mr. Cetron sits on the Planning Board; this Board approved several dense development projects that are causing major impact on parking, traffic and infrastructure in town. Mr. Colangelo, a candidate for Council, also sits on that same Planning Board. Both were appointed, not coincidentally, by former Mayor Rast. Cindy Fligor is the wife of Lou Fligor, longtime councilman who together with Mr. Rast oversaw some of the highest tax raises ever in Atlantic Highlands. (These are all corroborated by borough records.) Mr. DeMonte is the fiancee’ of Mr. and Mrs. Fligor’s daughter (public Facebook posts corroborate this). He resides with the Fligors and also works for the Borough as of January (corroborated by borough payroll records). Mr. Hoffman is a former councilmember who frequently fell asleep during meetings (corroborated by two firsthand witnesses) and also presided with Rast and Fligor over many of the tax increases. He was defeated for Council re-election because of his high-tax record. (Corroborated by voters.) Ms. Hoffman is on the current Planning Board and was appointed by former Mayor Rast. (Corroborated by borough documents.) Former Mayor Rast himself, besides presiding over the highest tax increases and most dense development to date in town history, openly supported opposing candidates over Republicans in the past three years. (Corroborated by borough documents and press archives.) To think that any of these persons will “rebuild the Republican party in town” is a fiction. The goal appears to be control, and increase in valuation of property on First Avenue. Residents who are aware of this have said that saying they’re “for the town”, means “First Avenue property owners and developers”, not the actual residents in town, who are apparently viewed as ATM machines because of the recent reassessments and high tax increases recently. (compilation of actual voter comments).
of “ home rule” in NJ. We all know one reason local taxes are so high, is because none of the 566 towns in NJ ever wants to give up its “ history” or “ identity.” Let’s face it, the smaller the town, the more nepotism or “ club” mentality you will see- not that the big towns don’t do it, it is just more concentrated, at the small-town level. As far as the developer deals, go all along the Shore or the rivers, and you see the same thing: the town leaders fall for the big “deals,” always claiming the new ratables will” lower our taxes-“ which, between the hiring of too many friends and friends’ kids in the town halls, police forces, more equipment and offices, on and on it goes, so “lower” never happens. One of my biggest beefs is the outrageous retirement payoffs that towns often bond for, ( for 25 years!) to pay thousands/ millions in “ unused” sick- time pile-ups: am totally sick of hearing how they are all ‘“grandfathered” into their “boat” checks: it simply HAS to stop! -Again, you cannot keep doing the same expensive things you have always done, and expect a different result! I will not vote for anybody who won’t promise to CUT the number of hires, and huge retirement payouts, and CUT expenses. Period. Until and unless we all demand less of the same mindset and nonsense from any “ leaders,” we will continue to have over- crowded little streets, over- worked, old sewer systems, ( small,half-square or one- square little towns just cannot support all these “ mixed- use,” retail/ residential, multi- storied palaces- period!) .. and, of course, we all get is, usually, more Democrat voters, and worse, way more in higher taxes!! Enough!! Maybe our fine legislators will someday grow some nerve, and force consolidation, stop, statewide, these crazy retirement payouts, force sharing services, and finally, save us poor taxpayers some real money : for a change!!( I won’t hold my breath- bad behavior patterns of the municipal- and yes, the educational “clubs” are so hard to break!)
When you realize that after June 5th we could have three elected Atlantic Highlands officials who live in the same home as our elected representatives making critical decisions that should be unbiased for our town; it gives me great pause for thoughts and concerns. And this is just the tip of the iceberg on the ties.
Just because you vote in Republican primaries doesn’t mean you are unifying the party or showing true Republican support. I am told Mickey Rast had a large sign supporting the Democrat candidates in her front yard at a very recent election; please confirm if this is fact.
crickets…
Shaun Golden, why are you endorsing a group of individuals that has flip flopped parties regularly and has not supported the Republican Party consistently; that has democratic signs in their lawn, that has members on the ticket that were recent Democrats, that has voted for tax increases and that does not represent the views of the republican party in any way. Very bad Optics and decision making Shaun Golden. Care to comment and explain your position?
AH, Holmdel, Colts Neck, Howell? Elsewhere? What the heck is happening?? Any suggestions, fellow bloggers? More local chair meetings, put names in a hat as to who gets to be in charge? Do we still care??