Burry and Rich take leadership roles on Freeholder Board

Arnone, DiMaso sworn in as freeholders

Shaun Golden sworn in as County Sheriff

Freeholder Tom Arnone, the 2013 Director, turns over the gavel to 2014 Freeholder Director Lillian Burry. Don Burry, the director’s husband, and Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande look on with approval.

FREEHOLD, NJ – Monmouth County freeholders Lillian G. Burry and Gary J. Rich, Sr. became, respectively, freeholder director and deputy director at the Board’s 2014 organization meeting held on Jan. 2 at Biotechnology High School.

“In the year ahead, I promise to work tirelessly for changes we desire that will make better lives and a stronger economy for the people of Monmouth County,” said Director Burry. “We have much work to do in transitioning Fort Monmouth into an engine for economic growth while restoring services for our veterans, finding a balance between economic development and historic preservation at Fort Hancock, creating a new County Master Plan and completing the County’s Child Advocacy Center.”

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Monmouth County Government to Reorganize on Thursday

Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso with Sheriff Shaun Golden

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders will hold their annual reorganization meeting on Thursday, January 2, 2014, 4 PM, at the Biotechnology High School, 5000 Kozloski Road, in Freehold Township.

Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso will be sworn into their new terms of office, as will Sheriff Shaun Golden.

Freeholder Lillian Burry is expected to be elected Freeholder Director for 2014.  Freeholder Gary Rich is expected to be elected Deputy Director.

The 2013 Freeholder Board will hold a Sine Die meeting to conclude the years business at 2PM on the 2nd, at the Monmouth County Hall of Records.

The Latin term Sine Die means the final adjournment of a legislative session, without adjourning to a specific time or date; literally it means “adjournment without a day.”

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Third Monmouth County Business Gets A Post Sandy Face Lift

Gaetano’s Restaurant and Market of Red Bank is the latest Monmouth County business to benefit from the Grow Monmouth Facade Improvement Program. The $75,000 program is funded by HUD Community Development Block Grants and administered by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone presented Gaetano’s owner Tom Cappello a check for $1,824 on Wednesday as reimbursement for lighting fixtures for the restaurant.

Early this month, Woody’s Roadside Tavern in Farmingdale received a $1700 grant for its facade improvements. Old Monmouth Candies of Freehold was the first recipient of a Grow Monmouth Facade Improvement Grant.

Businesses with privately held commercial properties in the municipalities of Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck (Naval station only), Deal, Eatontown, Farmingdale, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Hazlet, Highlands, Howell, Keansburg, Keyport, Lake Como, Manalapan, Matawan, Neptune City, Neptune Twp., Ocean Twp., Red Bank, Shrewsbury Twp., Tinton Falls (naval station only), Union Beach and West Long Branch are eligible to apply for facade improvement grants of up to $1,850.

Asbury Park, Long Branch and Middletown businesses are not eligible for this program because those municipalities receive designated HUD Community Development Block Grants directly.

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Freeholders support traditional and religious holiday celebrations and displays in schools

By Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

At the December 10, 2013 meeting of The Board of Chosen Freeholders, a resolution was passed regarding Assembly Bill 4481 which provides school districts with the option of educating students about the history of traditional winter celebrations and allows students, faculty and other staff to offer traditional greetings regarding the celebrations. Some examples of the traditional greetings would be Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays.

Furthermore, Assembly Bill 4481 also provides the option to allow a school district to display on school property scenes or symbols associated with traditional winter celebrations, including a Menorah or a Christmas image such as a nativity scene or a Christmas tree; however the scene must display a scene or symbol of more than one religion, or one religion and at least one secular scene or symbol.

In addition to holiday displays, the legislation provides that a school district may include musical selections with religious themes at winter or holiday programs if the winter or holiday program includes musical selections of more than one religion or one religion and music secular in nature.

I felt that this piece of legislation was something that was very important to bring back into our schools because it encourages the support of understanding the importance of individuals and families keeping with tradition. Not only was I a strong supporter of this piece of legislation but I received the full support of The Board in particular my fellow board member, Freeholder John Curley.

Assembly Bill 4481 which allows school districts to teach about traditional winter celebrations, display holiday symbols on school property, and include musical selections with religious themes is legislation that I will continue to support in hopes of seeing those old family values and traditions restored to what they once were.

            With the Holidays come family gatherings, office parties, socializing with friends and Year End football game get-togethers. These are occasions each and everyone of us looks forward to all year.

            The Board of Chosen Freeholders wishes the residents of Monmouth County a very safe and happy holiday season.

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Arnone Announces School and Grow Monmouth Funding

Freeholder Director Tom Arone

By Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Last week the Christie Administration announced the approval of $507.7 million in state funds to help fund the cost of 1,538 individual school construction projects in 331 school districts throughout the state. Of the state funding $37.8 million will go to support 171 projects in 26 school districts in Monmouth County, supporting a total of $94.4 million in school construction throughout the county.

            Between state and local contributions, the total project costs of the 1,538 eligible projects are estimated to exceed $1.1 billion. The state-funded grants represent at least 40 percent of eligible costs for projects in the Regular Operating Districts and address health and safety issues, student overcrowding and other critical needs. The grants are contingent on local approval of the remaining cost to school districts. Regular Operating District grants are separate from the funding for the 31 “SDA districts,” where the Schools Development Authority is responsible for financing 100 percent of eligible costs.

            The Department of Education determines the selection of school projects receiving grant funds, which are administered by the Schools Development Authority. The State Department of Education received applications for more than 2,100 individual school projects.

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Walsh To Challenge Freeholder Incumbents

Howell Councilman Bob Walsh, second from left, and Freeholder Gary Rich, right, are set to compete for a 2014 GOP nomination. Andrew Lucas, left, then a Manalapan Committeeman and Wall Township Committeeman George Newberry, between Walsh and Rich. Photo from 2011 Freeholder nomination race. Photo credit Rhoda Chodosh

Freeholder Lillian Burry: “They (her opponents) should say what they would do better. Their negative attacks make them look like asses.  They are asses!”

The By-Laws instituted by Monmouth Republican Chairman John Bennett as the fulfillment of one of his major campaign promises in 2012 will likely result in one of his most ardent supporters, Freeholder Lillian Burry, being challenged at the 2014 Monmouth Republican Nominating Convention in March.

Howell Councilman Bob Walsh said he will seek a nomination for freeholder when the Republican County Committee convenes next spring.  Incumbents Burry and Freeholder Gary Rich both said they will seek the nominations for new terms…Burry’s 4th, Rich’s 2nd…and that they are prepared to fight back Walsh’s challenge.

“Tell him to wait his turn,” Burry said of Walsh’s challenge.  “I’m running and I support Gary Rich for another term.”

“I’ve heard the name mentioned as a candidate,” Rich said of Walsh, “but I haven’t heard from him. It is interesting that he would challenge an incumbent like Lillian Burry who has such an exemplary record serving the taxpayers of Monmouth County.  Lillian and I both work very hard to improve the county.”

“Freeholders are not elected for life,” Walsh, a former Howell mayor elected as an Independent, said, “my record speaks for itself.  Lillian and Gary are both vulnerable. The Democrats are looking to take them out are excited about running against them.  I am more electable than either of them and I would be a better freeholder than either of them.”

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Oceanport Councilman Resigns To Take County Job

William Johnson, right and Oceanport Councilman Joe Irace. Photo credit: Rhoda Chodosh

William Johnson resigned his seat on the Oceanport Borough Council on November 1, due to his recent employment by Monmouth County.  Johnson’s resignation was first reported by LittleSilver-Oceanport Patch.

Johnson is the Monmouth County Recycling Coordinator, working out of the County Reclamation Center in Tinton Falls.  Prior to his employment by the county, Johnson was a loan officer at Colonial American Bank.

Municipal elected officials from Monmouth County towns are banned from employment with the county due to a Resolution proposed by Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, then a Freeholder, in 2005.  The resolution was passed unanimously by the all Republican Freeholder Board in April of 2005 in the wake of the Operation Bid Rig raid that February wherein numerous county employees and municipal elected officials were arrested on corruption charges.

Employees who held elective office at the time the resolution was passed were grandfathered.  County Administrator Teri O’Connor said this morning “there might be a few” employees still grandfathered and holding elected office, but she wasn’t aware of any.

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone said that Johnson applied for the job through a posting on the County’s website, and that the appointment was not a matter of political patronage.

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Stuff to know about Freeholders Arnone and DiMaso

By Tom DeSeno

Sen Jennifer Beck, her husband Dan Shields and Freeholders Serena DiMaso and Tom Arnone @ Highlands Mayor Frank Nolan’s Rally @Bahr’s Landing. November 3.

The Freeholder Board runs the county government.  It’s always been puzzling why political parties are so entrenched in the process of selecting candidates, because the job of Freeholder has so little to do with the center-right and center-left political ideologies that the parties have come to represent.

The Freeholder board transcends the purely political because the issues they deal with don’t lend themselves to the various divisive topics that get folks to arguing.  The reality of being Freeholder is this – delivering quality government services at the least possible price.

With that understanding, let’s take a look at two of the candidates for Monmouth County Freeholder.

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Made In Monmouth

By Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Freeholder Director Tom Arone

This year’s MADE IN MONMOUTH ANNUAL EVENT now in its second year surpassed last year’s expectations and proved to be a win-win for both Monmouth County vendors and shoppers alike. The second annual ”Made in Monmouth” was held this past Saturday, September 28, 2013 at Monmouth University in West Long Branch. The event took place from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

            This event was a proactive approach originated as a way to give Monmouth County Vendors an opportunity to display and sell their products. All products were made in Monmouth County and showcased an array of amazingly well crafted products. Many of the vendors were true artists and the creativity brought forth had no end.

            As liaison to the Department of Economic Development, it gave me great pride as I walked around with my fellow Board Members and had an opportunity to meet and speak with the many vendors who participated in this fantastic event.

            There were approximately 140 vendors in all with more than 2000 shoppers in attendance for the day.

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$647K In Grants For Monmouth County Road Improvements Secured

…and other Monmouth County Government News

Freeholder Director Tom Arone

By Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

A Monmouth County project will reduce Memorial Drive in Asbury Park from four lanes to two. Monmouth County has received $422,000 from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority’s Local Safety Program to improve Memorial Drive, which carries Monmouth County Road 40-A from Avon-By-the-Sea through Neptune Township and into Asbury Park.

            On behalf of The Board of Chosen Freeholders, I serve as the liaison to the North Jersey Transportation Authority, and one of my duties is to try and receive money. I am very pleased to be able to report that I was successful in doing just that.

            The project, known as a road diet, will also install wider shoulders, bicycle lanes and a center turning lane off Memorial Drive. The Transportation Authority recognized that Memorial Drive, with few signalized intersections south of Asbury Park and poorly-marked crosswalks, was dangerous for pedestrians and other non-motor vehicle traffic.

            In addition to obtaining funding for this project, I am also pleased to report that on behalf of the Freeholders I was successful in lobbying the authority to fund $150,000 in safety improvements at a Howell intersection between West Farms Road and the Squankum-Yellowbrick Road that will include a blinking traffic light and improved pavement markings.

            Other news in Monmouth County – The Department of Public Works and Engineering has received a grant from the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for de-snagging and debris removal at various stream corridors. The Division of Bridges is in the process of completing this project which will result not only in the county receiving $75,000.00 to offset the cost, but will also reduce flooding and damage to our infrastructure.

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