There’s no such thing as a free beach

Sweeney wants to pay for beach safety and maintenance by getting rid of cops and dpw workers

Photo credit: www.SignsByTheSea.com

MMM has called Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) three times since he jumped on board with the Senator Mike Doherty (R-Warren) in sponsoring legislation that would ban shoreline municipalites from selling beach badges or imposing other user fees to pay for lifeguards, beach cleanup and policing, if those towns accept federal and state money to rebuild from the destruction of Hurricane Sandy.  He hasn’t called back.  Steve Sweeney is a kitten.  Kitten, kitten, kitten!

Given that he won’t talk to us, we’ll have to judge Sweeney’s crusade for free sand in his ass by what others report he says.  The Senate President invited himself to a meeting with the Asbury Park Press Editorial Board earlier this week to make his case for free beaches.

“You don’t charge me to breathe air, why are you charging me to sit on a beach?”

We should be grateful that the top elected Democrat in New Jersey hasn’t figured out how to tax breathing (yet).  But really now, our Senate President thinks breathing air (as opposed to grapefruit juice?) is analogous to sitting on a beach?  That is something we should be concerned about, especially since this guy is considering a run for governor.

Sweeney told the APP that Belmar and the other shore communities that impose beach user fees should cover those costs by consolidating police forces and departments of public works.  He said he would “beat up mayors down the shore” to make it happen “because its not acceptable, you know, to charge beach fees.”

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty took Sweeney’s first beating:

“I asked (Doherty), how many people live year-round in his town,” Sweeney said. “He’s got a one-square mile town, he’s got 5,800 people. Now, could we run a shared police department? I met his public works director today, could we run a shared public works office?”

“You guys know how I feel about shared services,” Sweeney told the APP.  We don’t know if the APP knows how he feels, but MMM thinks Sweeney is thwarting shared services and other methods that municipalities could use to reduce the size and cost of local government.   If Sweeney was serious about property tax reduction and more efficient local government he would have passed Governor Christie’s property tax tool kit.

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Christie’s Belmar Town Hall Meeting Will Include Cabinet Members

Governor Christie is bringing much of his cabinet to Belmar tomorrow for his 99th Town Hall meeting.

Joining Christie to discuss the State’s efforts to recover and rebuild from Hurricane Sandy will be the Governor’s Office of Recovery and Rebuilding Executive Director Marc Ferzan; Board of Public Utilities President Robert Hanna; Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin; Health Commissioner Mary E. O’Dowd; State Police Superintendent Colonel Rick Fuentes; Transportation Commissioner James Simpson; Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez; and Community Affairs Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III.

Christie will also take questions from the audience regarding matters other than Hurricane Sandy recovery and rebuilding.

The Town Hall meeting is schedule to start at 3 p.m. in the borough’s gymnasium, 601 Main Street, Belmar.  Doors open at 2:15 p.m.

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Christie Administration Announces Extension for New Jerseyans Affected by Hurricane Sandy to Register for Disaster Assistance

Trenton, NJ – The Christie Administration today announced that New Jersey residents affected by Hurricane Sandy now have until January 30, 2013 to register for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“The single most important step people can take in this recovery period is to register with FEMA, if they haven’t already,” said Governor Christie. “The process of a family receiving any type of federal disaster assistance begins with registering as a disaster survivor with FEMA and working with a coordinator to determine what sort of relief they are eligible for. This extension will help us ensure that anyone who has been affected by the storm gets registered and the help they need and deserve.”

People with storm losses in all counties can register online atwww.disasterassistance.govor via smart phone or tablet here.

Survivors also can register by phone or 711/VRS by calling 800-621-3362, TTY800-462-7585. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.

At the request of the state, FEMA extended the registration deadline beyond the original 60 day window due tothe magnitude of the Hurricane Sandy disaster.

The disaster registration process serves as a referral point for FEMA programs and those of partner agencies such as the U.S. Small Business Administration, American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Small Business Administration.

FEMA disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property losses and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

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Is Christie’s reelection inevitable?

Governor Christie will be in Aberdeen today to accept the endorsement of the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) for his reelection bid.

Before wingnut conservatives get all crestfallen or disgusted, let me remind you that the Teamsters endorsed Ronald Reagan.   A labor union’s endorsement doesn’t automatically make that Republican a RINO, unless you consider Reagan a RINO.

Yes, this means that New Jersey is not likely to become a “Right to Work” state so long as Christie is governor,  It also means that we will continue to overpay “prevailing wage” on government funded and supported construction projects. As our friends at InTheLobby point out, it also explains why Christie has thwarted efforts to expand legalized gambling in New Jersey to race tracks, but those are all other stories.

What the LIUNA endorsement really means is that New Jersey Democrats are not likely to make a fight of the gubernatorial campaign in 2013.  Christie’s post Sandy poll numbers make him look invincible.  By locking up a major union endorsement early, Christie is creating an air of inevitability for reelection.

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Monmouth County Freeholders Join “Jersey Shore Open” Campaign

By Thomas A. Arnone

Super storm Sandy and the following nor’easter may have dealt us quite a blow, but I am pleased to report that the county is actively working to get our businesses up and running as we move toward the next year and the next tourism season.

Through a coordinated effort, we are encouraging visitors to return to Monmouth County’s beaches, parks, historic sites, cultural attractions and shopping venues.

We are doing this by actively participating in the “Jersey Shore OPEN” campaign. This is a grass roots effort to encourage businesses to display a specially created “Jersey Shore OPEN” sign for Monmouth County. This regional approach will help further our many public relations efforts to spread the word that Monmouth County is recovering and open for business.

I encourage your business to join this campaign. By displaying this sign, your local business can clearly show that you are open and supportive of other Monmouth County tourism efforts. You can download the sign from the county website at www.tourism.visitmonmouth.com. The “Jersey Shore OPEN” campaign is a joint program with Ocean County Tourism and the Jersey Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Tourism is important because as an industry it supports thousands of jobs and typically generates nearly $2 billion in business activity for the county. We are confident that Monmouth County will return to prominence as one of the best family vacation spots in the state.

I will convene a roundtable meeting with mayors from various municipalities in January. We will address the 2013 tourism season and offer the help and assistance of the county’s tourism division. Our local leaders will be of great assistance as we focus and target the county’s 2013 promotional program.

The county’s 2013 tourism promotion activities will include creating focused radio, print and internet promotion on recovery efforts and business and attraction reopening. We are also expanding social media efforts to promote and engage visitors and residents. Keep in mind that we will also distribute the 2013 Visit Monmouth Travel Guide  that is the cornerstone of the county’s efforts to promote Monmouth County as a tourism destination.

Monmouth County will also participating in targeted, key travel shows such as the Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show, the Atlantic City Boat Show and the Montreal Hunting and Camping Show. These travel shows are uniquely suited to the visitors who enjoy vacationing at the Jersey Shore.

Remember, the county tourism division is here for you. If you have out of town visitors, call 732-431-7310 and they will put together a packet of information to help you entertain your guests. Likewise, if you have a business that relies on tourism, the office can help you connect with many ways to reach visitors. Together we will strengthen our economic vitality and restore the wonderful quality of life that Monmouth County enjoys.

Happy Holidays and get ready for a great 2013.

• Thomas A. Arnone is Freeholder Deputy Director Monmouth County and Liaison to the Department of Public Information and Tourism

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Christie and Guadagno will visit Sea Bright today

Governor Chris Christie and Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno will be the Sea Bright this afternoon to make an announcement regarding small business recovery and relief from Hurricane Sandy.

The 3PM event will be at the Sea Bright Fire House, 1099 East Ocean Ave.  A press conference will follow the announcement.

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JCP&L Executive Admits Company Does Not Prepare For Major Storms

What did JCP&L’s parent company learn from Hurricane Irene and the October 2011 Nor’easter? Nothing.  They just assumed their great grandchildren would have to just deal with the next one.

The president of First Energy Utilities (parent company of JCP&L) told financial analysts  that the company doesn’t plan for 100 year storms, according to a report on NJSpotLight.

“And I think we really understood that these storms are — I mean I tell Tony [Anthony Alexander, chief executive officer and executive director of FirstEnergy]  they are 100-year storms.’’

“So he’s not going to have to worry about them again, hopefully. But they can’t be prevented and you can’t plan for them,” Jones said.

“And I’ve gotten questions at the board [of directors] several times about how we’re going to increase our storm budget because of them and the answer is no. I mean, they are literally events that I don’t think we should plan for. When they come, we will deal with them,’’ Jones said.

Charles E Jones was speaking on a earnings call on February 29, 2012.

From First Energy’s website:

Charles E. Jones President, FirstEnergy Utilities

Charles E. Jones is president, FirstEnergy Utilities, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. He has responsibility for Energy Delivery, Customer Service, compliance with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission transmission requirements, and Energy Efficiency activities, while leading FirstEnergy’s 10 regulated electric utility companies and other regulated operations in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia.

Chuck began his career with Ohio Edison as a substation engineer in 1978. He held a variety of positions in the Akron, Marion and Elyria areas, and in 1995 was named president of Ohio Edison’s Penn Power subsidiary. He returned to Akron in 1996 as division manager. Chuck was named president of FirstEnergy’s Northern Region in 1997, vice president of Regional Operations in 2001, senior vice president of Energy Delivery and Customer Service in 2003, and president, FirstEnergy Solutions Corp., in 2007. He was named senior vice president, Energy Delivery and Customer Service, in 2009, and senior vice president and president, FirstEnergy Utilities, in February 2010.

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O’Scanlon: Displaced residents in need of temporary housing should visit FEMA, even if they’ve been turned down before

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon told MMM that FEMA is bring temporary housing online at that New Jersey residents displaced by Superstorm Sandy and in need of temporary housing should visit a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center, even if they have previously been turned down for assistance by the agency.

In Monmouth County the DRCs are located at:

Belmar Municipal Bldg., 601 Main St., Belmar, N.J. 07719

Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center, 945 Highway 36, Leonardo, N.J. 07737

Long Branch Fire Station #4, 199-205 Union Ave., Long Branch, N.J. 07740

Union Beach Municipal Building, 650 Poole Ave., Union Beach, N.J. 07735

Click here for DRC locations elsewhere in New Jersey.

O’Scanlon said that any resident in need of temporary housing that is not satisfied after visiting a DRC should call his office at 732-933-1591 for assistance.

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Senate Budget Committee Hearing in Highlands

The State Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee toured the damaged areas of Union Beach and Highlands today before convening their scheduled hearing at the Henry Hudson Regional High School in Highlands.

State Senator Joe Kyrillos, who represents the Bayshore in Trenton, issued the following statement following the hearing:

Touring the damage today in Union Beach and Highlands gave my colleagues in the Senate a good visual of the destruction this storm wrought on our district and Monmouth County as a whole.  However, the testimony from members of the community who are putting their lives back together best illustrated the anguish and exhaustion our friends and neighbors are going through.  I thank members of the Committee for coming out to the Bayshore today.

They also got to see the best New Jerseyans have to offer: neighbors helping neighbors, residents rebuilding with dedication and courage, and the generosity of charities such as the Robin Hood Foundation that announced today their contribution of hundreds of thousands of dollars to relief efforts in Sea Bright, Highlands, Keansburg, and Union Beach.

As FEMA continues to assess the damage and make plans to compensate victims and help them rebuild, I encourage them to remember words of the residents who came to Highlands to testify.  The perception that the New Jersey shoreline is only for wealthy vacationers who live elsewhere is a false one.  This area is full of hard-working, middle class families whose homes have been in their families for generations and will have a difficult time rebuilding what they’ve lost even with flood insurance.  It is incumbent upon us to work together and ensure they are able to rebuild their homes to the condition in which they existed prior to the storm, or help them find a new home elsewhere if rebuilding in certain areas is too dangerous.  Only then will their lives truly be made whole after this unique event.

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon said that the tour and the hearing dispelled any notion that some legislators have heard from their consitituients that FEMA and the State are bailing out exclusively well to do and second home owners on the shore who should have known better than the build near the water.

“This one was different,” said O’Scanlon, “properties were never touched by previous major storms and hurricanes were destroyed this time.  Hard working familes whose homes have been passed down four generations lost everything.  Every town is different and it is appropriate that the Committee came and meet the people of the Bayshore.”

Highlands Mayor Frank L. Nolan gave FEMA a “D” when asked to grade the federal agency by Senator Jeff Van Drew. “Do you say B?” ask Van Drew.  “D, as in not good,” responded Nolan.

Nolan gave the FEMA personnel on the ground an A+, saying his issues are with the agency’s bueracracy and red tape.

Nolan also announced that the Rainbow Foundation has pledged $200,ooo for Highlands recovery.

Councilwoman-elect Tara Ryan asked the committee to keep up the pressure on the National Park Service to open Sandy Hook by this summer, citing the park’s importance to the Northern Monmouth economy.

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Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee Coming To Monmouth County

Hearing will be soley to hear from members of the public

The Senate Budget and Appropriations has heard from local officials, first responders and representatives of utilities companies in the last two weeks.  This week they want to hear from members of the public who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy.  The committee will convene in Highlands on Tuesday, December 11, 3PM at Henry Hudson Regional High School.  The hearing is scheduled to go until 7PM.

“The first two hearings have provided us with a tremendous amount of feedback and ideas from those who were on the ground during the storm,” said Senator Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen, Passaic), chairman of the Committee. “What we really need now though is to hear directly from those affected by the storm. We can’t move forward in this process with direct input from the public. While I know it may be difficult given individual circumstances, we wanted to present an opportunity for people to come and share their experiences, so that we can learn from them.”

“We are further driven to immediately help our state recover as we connect with our small business owners, first responders and residents fighting to overcome devastation from Sandy,” added ranking committee member Senator Tony Bucco, (R-Morris). “An integral step toward revitalizing New Jersey is fully grasping the struggles and needs of those in Highlands and surrounding areas.”

Those wishing to speak at the hearing must register in advance via email [email protected]; fax , 609-943-5995 or by calling the committee staff at 609-847-3835.

Anyone providing written testimony is asked to provide 20 copies on the day of the hearing.

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