Monmouth Tax Board: Towns Can Opt Out of Assessment Demonstration Program

Tax Commissioners Cliff Moore, James Stuart and Kathy Cody Bjelka

The Monmouth County Tax Board acted on Monday to allow municipalities to opt out of the controversial pilot program, the Assessment Demonstration Program. The program has resulted in the volatility of property assessments and spurred a grand jury investigation into alleged conflicts of interest among key players in the County’s complex property tax system.

By an unanimous vote Monday afternoon, the Tax Board approved a resolution offered by Commissioner Clifford J. Moore III to immediately allow municipalities to opt out of the program for the 2017 tax year.  Towns must notify the board that they are opting out by 11:59 p.m. on April 29, 2016.

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Ocean Township Police Seek Help in Locating Alleged Burglar

photo via Ocean Township PD

The Ocean Township Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating James Florio, a suspect in a burglary earlier this month.

There is a warrant for Florio’s arrest and he has refused to cooperate with the OTPD. Anyone with information regarding Florio’s whereabouts is asked to call 732-531-1800, 732-531-1428 (Dectectives) or 732-531-3323.

The Case Detective is Michael Melody.

Melody refused to give Florio’s age, last known residence or the location of the alleged burglary when MMM called for additional information.

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Guadagno to shop Red Bank on Small Business Saturday

Lt Governor Kim Guadagno. Photo credit: Tim Larsen/Governor’s office

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno will be visiting three Red Bank business on Saturday morning, Small Business Saturday.

Guadagno is scheduled to arrive on White Street at 10am with stops at Rook Coffee and ToyMasters.  She will wrap up her visit by stopping at Poor Cat Designs at 69 Broad Street.

The Lt. Governor will continue her support on small businesses tomorrow afternoon in Westwood in Bergen County where she will visit Songo Coffee, Conrad’s Confectionery and Society Men.

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Novak Concedes Spring Lake Hts Council Race

Nate Novak

Republicans Sarah King and Robert Merriken each picked up votes in the recount by the Board of Elections this morning which was requested by their Democratic opponent, Nathaniel “Nate” Novak.  Novak trailed Merriken by one vote, 638-639 after the provisional ballots were qualified and counted on November 9.

King, an incumbent councilwoman remains the top vote getter at 680. Merriken expanded his lead over Novack to 640-638.

Novak told MoreMonmouthMusings that he accepts the results and does not plan to contest the election. “We just wanted to make sure all the votes were counted, ” Novak said, “I congratulate Robert Merriken on his election.”

Novak said that he hopes to start serving on the Borough Council in January, despite is loss, as the replacement for Councilman Thomas O’Brien who was elected mayor. “I hope to get that appointment and run again next year,” said Novak.

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Recount Tilts Outcome Of Neptune City Council Race

Neptune City Councilman Richard Pryor is trailing Michael Skudera by one vote after the recount

The outcome of the election for a seat on the Neptune City Council changed as a result of the recount that took place this morning at the Board of Elections office in Freehold.

Democratic candidate Michael Skudera (not the same Michael Skudera who is the former mayor of Tinton Falls) gained three votes in the hand count of Vote-By-Mail  and provisional ballots and now leads incumbent Republican Councilman Richard Pryor by one vote, 602-601.  Pryor picked up one vote in the recount.

Hand recounts of Vote-By-Mail and provisional ballots often result in additional votes being counted. The votes are first counted electronically via scanner.  During a hand recount, elections commissioners are able to determine the intent of a voter who may have not completely filled in the box on the ballot sufficiently to be  read by the scanner.

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Sen Jennifer Beck calls for Tax Administrator’s Suspension

Senator Jennifer Beck

Senator Jennifer Beck today called for Monmouth County Tax Board Administrator Matthew Clark to step down or being suspended, pending the outcome of a reported Monmouth County Prosecutor’s investigation to his relationships with vendors of the the controversial Assessment Demonstration Program that creates new assessments of Monmouth County properties for property tax purposes annually.

“In light of the fact the Prosecutor has an active and ongoing investigation into the Tax Administrator, steps must be taken to suspend him from his day-to-day duties until the Prosecutor’s investigation is complete,” Beck said in a statement issued to the media.  “At present, our taxpayers have lost confidence in the Administrator and until he is either vindicated or indicted, Matthew Clark should step aside.”

The Asbury Park Press reported last week that grand jury subpoenas were served on at least three county towns as well as the Monmouth County government in connection with a criminal investigation to the program.

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Keyport Garden Club Decorates Governor’s Study

via Keyport Garden Club’s facebook page

The Keyport Garden Club is decorating the Governor’s study at Drumthwacket,  for the holiday open houses at the official residence of New Jersey’s chief executive, according to a statement by First Lady Mary Pat Christie.

Keyport’s garders cut and dried hydrangeas and luminaria from members’ gardens, which club designers artfully turned into elegant holiday pieces.  Preserved cream colored roses and orchids are interspersed throughout our arrangements to add elegance and brightness to the Governor’s Study.  Dogwood red twigs, also from a Keyport Garden Club member, creates a gentle flow to the arrangements.  Also, the white vestibule is decorated by the club to entice visitors into the Governor’s Study.

Also participating in the holiday decorating of the mansion are garden clubs from Bayhead, Mountain Lakes ,Warren, Morristown, Somerset Hills and for the first time, the Garden Club of America.

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Howell Mayor Gotto calls his video taped behavior “unacceptable”

Howell Mayor William Gotto. Photo via HowellRepublican.com

A heated exchanged between Howell Mayor William Gotto and a 19 year old Township resident, Chris Cohen, that ended with both parties apologizing, shaking hands and expressing their respect for one another has ignited a social media outrage now that a video of part of their encounter has been posted on facebook and YouTube, more than a month after the incident occurred.

On October 14, there was a petition drive at the Howell library to collect signatures of residents opposed to a proposed affordable housing development at West Farms on Route 9.   Grotto and Deputy Mayor Robert Nicastro went to the gathering to answer questions about the proposed development.

The questions were heated and pointed when Cohen says he asked the mayor, “Whose pockets were being lined here?”

Gotto says he heard the question as an accusation of personal corruption. He lost his composure, as can be seen on the video:

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DuPont Concedes Red Bank Election

Red Bank Councilman Michael DuPont

Red Bank Councilman Michael DuPont told MoreMonmouthMusings that he will not contest the results of the election that has him losing to his Republican challenger Michael Whelan.   Whelan increased his margin of victory from 2 to 3 votes as a result of an Election Recount and Recheck this morning that DuPont had requested.

“After consulting with my representatives who were present at the recount this morning, I have decided to accept the result and wish the new council members well in doing what is best for Red Bank, ” DuPont said.

“You haven’t heard the last of me,” the three term Democrat continued,”but for now it is best for Red Bank that we move forward.”

Whelan and his running mate Mark Taylor, the top vote getter in the four way race for two seats on the Council, will be sworn into office in early January,giving the Republican Party control of the Borough’s government for the first time time in two decades.  Republicans will have a 4-2 majority.

“I hope the new councilmen do what is best for Red Bank and that they are not beholden to Party bosses,” DuPont said.

Red Bank Republican Chairman Sean DiSomma issued the following statement:

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Republican Michael Whelan prevails over Michael DuPont in Red Bank recount

Bruce Padula, Esq, attorney for the Red Bank Republicans, Joseph Libutti, Monmouth Dem Exec Director, Rajvir S. Goomer, Esq, attorney for Michael DuPont and Bertha Sumick, Special Deputy Clerk of Elections prepare for the recount of Red Bank ballots.

FREEHOLD-Republican Councilman-elect Michael Whelan increased his lead over incumbent Democratic Councilman Michael DuPont after the ballots were recounted this morning by the Monmouth County Board of Elections.  Whelan now leads DuPont by 3 votes, a net pick up of one vote from the unofficial count on November 9 when the provisional ballots were counted by the Board.

All four candidates for the two Red Bank Council seats picked up votes as a result of the hand counting of Vote-By-Mail and Provisional Ballots, which prior to today have been tabulated electronically by a scanner.  The results, which are expected to be certified my Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon today are:  Michael Ballard- 937, Michael Dupont 968, Mark Taylor 1038, Michael Whelan,971.  Republicans Taylor and Whelan have thus far maintained their victory and are on track to join Republican Councilwomen Cindy Burnham and Linda Schwabenbauer in partisan control of Red Bank’s local government for the first time in two decades.

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