Mallet slams Burry, “Club Monmouth” over Brookdale scandal

Burry on Mallet:  “She’s a fraud, she a fraud, a fraud, fraud, fraud!”

Former Freeholder Amy Mallett, a Democrat, laid the blame for the Brookdale Community College scandal that lead to former college president Peter Burnham pleading to guilty to theft by deception and official misconduct earlier this week at the feet of the Monmouth GOP’s “cozy” relationship, “Club Monmouth” with the leadership of college.

In an OpEd piece published in The Asbury Park Press, Mallet took aim at Republican Freeholder Lillian Burry and her campaign treasurer, John Cantolupo who was the Brookdale Board of Trustees’ lawyer at the time Burnham’s lavish contract and spending irregularities were uncovered.

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Gopal Slams Monmouth GOP, Freeholder Burry, Over Brookdale Scandal

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal released the following statement yesterday afternoon after former Brookdale Community College President Peter Burnham pled guilty to theft by deception and official misconduct:

“Earlier today, Brookdale Community College President Peter Burnham pled guilty of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money. The web of corruption surrounding this case is just another example of Monmouth County Republican cronies profiting at the taxpayers’ expense.”

“Mr. Burnham, along with Brookdale Community College’s then Board President Howard Birsdall and Brookdale’s Board Attorney John Cantalupo were all close allies and major political supporters of the Republican Party establishment here in Monmouth County. Mr. Cantalupo served as Freeholder Lillian Burry’s close confidant and official Campaign Treasurer in her 2005 and 2008 Freeholder campaigns. In this same time period, Mr. Cantalupo negotiated the terms of Peter Burnham’s lavish Brookdale contracts. This represents a clear conflict of interest, given that Mr. Cantalupo was Freeholder Burry’s right hand man. Perhaps this is why Freeholder Burry sat silently on the sidelines as the truth about Mr. Burnhams theft was being exposed.”

“As a result of the Republican-controlled Freeholder Board’s lack of oversight, student tuition increased at Brookdale Community College while their college president profited immensely. This is what happens when a chief advisor for the Republican Freeholders is negotiating salary contracts on behalf of a College President that is funded by these same Republican Freeholders. It is time for Monmouth County taxpayers to unite against the Good Ol’ Boys Network here in Monmouth County”

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DEP Decision On Holmdel Sewer Service Mapping Shatters Public Trust

By Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian G. Burry

Whether it has been leading the fight to clean up a “superfund” site, preserve an historic building, protect open space, conserve farmland, expand parks, roads or libraries, I have always had one unifying goal, and that is to protect and enhance the quality of life for the people I am sworn to serve.

Having the trust of the people is essential for meeting this commitment. That doesn’t mean always having their full agreement, but it does mean having their faith that you will deal with them openly and honor agreements that are made.

The Wastewater Management Plan for Monmouth County is the product of years of effort on the part of many individuals and government agencies, including the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Monmouth County Planning Board and its staff, the municipal governments of all 53 towns and eight sewerage authorities as well as many other public and private interests.

The process has been a long one. It has required many meetings and a great deal of patience on all sides. It has always been a process that was open, inclusive, collaborative and consensus-building and in almost every case produced an outcome agreeable to all parties. There is a great deal of good in this plan and it must be acknowledged along with the efforts of all who were involved.

Not long ago I had expected that my remarks would end at this congenial point. That is no longer possible. The DEP, acting within its prerogatives, directed Monmouth County to change sewer service area mapping in Holmdel Township.

This is an issue that had been a source of great contention and disagreement throughout the process. It necessitated special meetings and discussions with landowners, the municipality, the sewerage authority and members of the public.

Throughout this long open process, my own thoughts have always been guided by a few specific principles:

First, I look to municipal intent as expressed in master plans and zoning ordinances as well as the stated position of the governing bodies;

Second, I looked to the broader world of land use policy as embodies in the Monmouth County Growth Management Guide, the State Development and Redevelopment Plan and the Wastewater Management Plan itself, and Third, I looked to the ability of landowners to secure their options through the Monmouth County Planning Board Amendment Review Committee, which is the mechanism by which changes to the plan can be accomplished as disagreements with the municipality are resolved. What I found is this:

There is a consistent concern for protecting drinking water supplies in Monmouth County. A very important element of this is protection of the Swimming River Reservoir, part of a system serving more than 340,000 people, and the watershed that supports it. The southern slope of Holmdel Township is part of that watershed. Holmdel is committed to limiting sewers there.

More than 25 years ago, the Monmouth County Planning Board adopted, as part of its Guide Plan, a document that calls for this protection. The State Development and Redevelopment Plan uses locations within a water supply watershed as the basis for designating land as Planning Area 5 – Environmentally Sensitive. This proposed wastewater plan identifies eight Monmouth County water purveyors as being in potential deficit for water supply and finds there is virtually no reserve in the confined aquifers from which their water allocations are drawn.

Installing sewers not only facilitates the expansion of impervious cover, which increases storm water runoff, but also transfers wastewater out of the drainage basin and discharges it into the Raritan Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Both of these things reduce groundwater recharge essential to preserving base flow in streams that support the reservoir.

The Monmouth County Planning Board Amendment Review Committee remains an effective mechanism for amending this plan that is available to all landowners that secure municipal approvals requiring expanded sewers. All of these facts argue against the action directed by NJDEP.

My final concern goes beyond these objective and technical issues. It is the matter of public trust I spoke of earlier.

When a process where the greatest care has been taken to build consensus among the parties and protect the rights of all involved is effectually overturned at the 11th hour, the trust of the public is shattered. And when it is done to accomplish something that could as easily be achieved through normal administrative means, it is particularly troubling.

In my experience, one of the most important things about having authority is knowing when not to use it. This is the kind of action that can color relationships with the DEP well into the future and make both individuals and agencies question whether they should see the DEP as a trustworthy partner.

This would be unfortunate; the DEP is a great resource. But once public trust is lost, it is very hard to regain.

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Treaspass? Eminent Domain? Why Are They Ending Road Work Anyway?

How long has that sign been on my property?  I’ve been keeping odd hours lately, but how did I miss it?  Surely government workers were working overtime on Saturday to post that sign on MY PROPERTY.

Who do I call?  Mayor Little?  Hmmm, I live on a county road, is it too early to call Director Burry?

How much rent should I charge?  I think I’ll charge $15,000.  That would cover the property taxes I pay in Highlands for a year.  But this is a county road, prime real estate.  Thousands of commuters, including Oceanport Council President Joe Irace drive past my house everyday on their way to the SeaStreak ferry to NY.   We’re coming into the prime sign season as politicians are usually very nice to me around now so that I’ll let them put their signs on MY PROPERTY.

I’ll have to think this through and consult an attorney.  How long will the road work be going on?  Maybe I can charge enough rent to cover property taxes for two years!   Maybe I can get the 5 acre requirement for farm designation waived so that my property can be declared a fish farm and I’ll get a property tax break forever!

Here’s what I’ll do.  I won’t file trespassing charges and I won’t charge rent. Why would I want to gouge my neighbors and friends anyway?  I’ll let the sign stay there for free so long as the union workers who do the road work earn market rate wages instead of “prevailing wage.”  If I’m not going to gouge my neighbors, why should they?

That sounds like a fair deal to me.  Draw up the papers Lillian, I’ll be calling.

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