Republicans Win Red Bank in Photo Finish

Republican Mark Taylor is the top vote getter in the Red Bank Council race with 956 votes.  Taylor’s running mate Michael Whelan is leading Incumbent Democrat Michael DuPont by 4 votes, 896 -865.  Democrat Michael Ballard, a member of the Red Bank Board of Education got 837 votes.

There are reportedly a “hand full” of provisional ballots.

Should tonight’s result stand, the GOP will take control of Red Bank’s municipal government for the first time in two decades.

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Hornikcrats Sweep in Marlboro

Democratic Mayor Jonathan Hornik has been elected to a third term in Marlboro.

With 27 of 28 districts reporting, Hornik is leading Republican Ira Goldberg with 68% of the vote, 4,739 votes to Goldberg’s 2,138.

In the Council race, Democratic incumbent Randi Marder and Michael Scalea held off Republicans John Dwyer and Sui Allex.

Scalea is the top vote getter so far in the Council race with 3820.  Marder has 3772.   Dwyer earned 2761 votes and Allex got 2706.

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In LD 11, Angelini and Casagrande trailing Houghtaling and Downey

With 158 of 160 districts reporting, incumbent Republican Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande are in danger of losing their seats to Democratic Neptune Township Committeeman Eric Houghtaling and Attorney Joann Downey of Freehold.

Houghtaling is leading with 14,836 votes and Downey has 14,602. Angelini has 14,523 and Casagrande has 14,285.

Republicans are not conceding the race, which they are saying is “too close to call.”

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Democrats Sweep in Atlantic Highlands

Mayor Fred Rast

With all districts reporting in Atlantic Highlands, Democrat Rhonda LeGrice has defeated Republican Councilman Jack Archibald for Mayor, 847 to 559, a 60-40 margin. Archibald only received  233 votes more today than he received in the Republican Primary last June when he defeated fellow Councilman Lou Fligor.

The Democrats also retained the two Council seats they were defending. Incumbent Democrat Roy Dellosso, 916 votes and newcomer Charles Lero, 848 votes, defeated Republicans Jim Krauss, 513 votes and France Karras 489 votes.

Mayor Fred Rast, a Republican endorsed the Democratic slate in a letter than he sent to all voters, at his own expense, late last week.  In his letter, Rast listed a litany of complaints about Archibald and GOP Municipal Chairwoman Jane Frotton. Additionally, he said that during his eight years as mayor, he lead the governing body with a bi-partisan coalition of Fligor, Dellosso, Republican Jacob Hoffman and Democrat Robert Sutton.

Archibald and Republican Peter Doyle have been a functional minority on the Council.  A fact that Archibald confirm during the primary campaign.

Rast had endorsed Fligor in the Republican Primary.

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Dems win in Hazlet

Demcratic incumbents in Hazlet Jim DiNardo and Barbara Ronchetti have defeated Republicans TJ Mann and Bill Shea.

DiNardo won with 1,565 votes, Ronchetti with 1,526, Mann earnd votes 1,1954 and Shea got 1,202.

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Deception and Distraction: An Inaccurate Report on Health Benefits Remains Inaccurate Nearly 4 Year later

By Joseph M. DiBella

Recently the Asbury Park Press published a story based on a widely criticized and discredited State Comptroller’s 2012 report examining the state of health benefits for public workers of municipalities, county governments and school districts. The report, which was panned by most benefit and insurance professional at the time as being actuarially and statistically invalid, also failed to accurately reflect the process local governments must use when selecting benefits for its employees. The report made for good headlines, but it didn’t make for good policy.

The takeaway of the report was that local entities in New Jersey — counties, townships, boroughs, school districts — could simply join the state health benefit plan and save the state $100 million dollars. But that wasn’t correct then and it isn’t correct now. The report overlooked the fact that benefits are collectively bargained for and can’t simply be changed on whim or all at once. It also made the false assumption that just by merging all the groups across the state, their claims history, which is how insurance policies are priced, would miraculously get better and generate savings. Finally, the report largely blamed local benefit brokers and consultants for the high cost of health care for public plans even though the cost of brokerage services is about 2% to 3% of the total cost of healthcare. The state plan is a solution for many public employers as are other private plan options. The key is to examine all of the options and align the entity with the best solution for their circumstances.

The report was largely discredited and dismissed at the time of its issuance by industry experts for being naïve and non-factual. But because it includes an eye-popping alleged savings number, the nearly 4 years old report is regularly dusted off and re-circulated by political operatives and media types looking to re-create a controversy that never existed.

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DiSomma: Investigate Zipprich’s Use of Red Bank Taxpayers’ Property for Political Purposes

Like Ground Hog Day, Ed Zipprich is flaunting the rules again.  photo via facebook

Red Bank Republican Chairman Sean DiSomma is calling for an investigation into the likely improper use of Red Bank Borough Property, the Parks and Recreation Department’s email list, after a political email, “Election Request from Councilman Ed Zipprich” was sent to Monmouth County Recreation Commissioner Michael Harmon, a resident of Atlantic Highlands who regularly receives electronic correspondence for Red Bank’s Parks and Recreaton Department.

“Desperate people do desperate things.  On the eve of losing control of Red Bank voters’ escalating property taxes, the Democratic Chairman, Councilman Ed Zipprich, apparently decided it was worth the risk of violating New Jersey Election Law, Ethics Law and to potentially commit Official Misconduct by illegally obtaining the Borough Parks and Recreations Department’s email list and using it for political purposes, ” said DiSomma. “On behalf of Red Bank taxpayers, I am calling for an investigation by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Local Finance Board and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.”

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Race to watch: Red Bank

Over the last two elections, Red Bank voters have expressed their dissatisfaction with their municipal government and transformed a Democratic stronghold into a swing town by splitting their partisan preferences in Council candidates.

Tomorrow, Red Bank will either turn over their government to Republican office holders with a 4-2 new majority, split partisan control of the Council 3-3, giving Democratic Mayor Pat Menna a deciding vote, or keep the current status-quo of 4-2 Democratic partisan control with Menna presiding over meetings and cutting ribbons, but having no power over policy.

Democratic incumbent Michael DuPont, 54, is running for his fourth term. Joining his effort to retain Democratic control of Red Bank is Board of Education Member Michael Ballard.  Ballard, 52, replaced former Council President Art Murphy who resigned after a video of a drunken rant of him deriding a small business went viral.

Challenging DuPont and Ballard are Young Republicans Mark Taylor, 37, an attorney and Michael Whalen, 24, an insurance executive.

As the campaign comes to a close, the Democrats seem desperate to maintain control and their composure.

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Old Bridge Man Arrested in Hazlet Bank Robbery

Stephen Fedorka. photo via facebook

Stephen Fedorka, 33, of the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge Towship, was arrested on Sunday and charged in the Armed Robbery that occurred at the Santander Bank branch at 2985 Route 35, Hazlet, on Wednesday, October 28, according to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

The Hazlet Police Department was contacted at approximately 9:46 a.m. on October 28 and responded to the Santander Bank located at 2985 State Highway 35, Hazlet, New Jersey, for a reported robbery. The suspect was described as a white male possibly in his 30’s, approximately 5’9”, wearing dark blue or black sweatshirt and dark colored jeans. The suspect entered the bank and handed a note to a bank teller demanding money and indicating that he possessed a gun. The suspect then fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of United States currency.

An investigation by the Hazlet PD, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the FBI lead to Fedorka’s arrest in Hazlet on Sunday morning.
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Veitengruber: Keep Big City Politicians Out of Howell’s Board of Education

By Sue Veitengruber

I have a self imposed rule of not using my Facebook page for political views on candidates. My friends’ beliefs and ideals cover the entire spectrum. However,  at the risk of a few individuals never speaking to me again, I have questions about certain BOE candidates on the ballot.  Board of Education members are supposed to be the epitome of community volunteers. Howell is not “the big city.” So why, I need to ask, is one candidate being funded by state wide Political Action Committees and the Mayor of Elizabeth?  The Elizabeth BOE has been fraught with corruption and nepotism. Board officials, including an attorney,  were indicted on fraudulently  claiming their kids were eligible for free lunches. Staff members were pressured into contributing to BOE members campaigns. Why does that candidate list her name and “politician” on her  election FB cover page?  This is not what the Howell BOE needs. It is the largest and best K-8 in the state. I am proud to have been part of the reforms in the 80s as a board member for almost 9 years, reforms that succeeding boards built on to continue the excellence in education in our town. We don’t need the Elizabeth political machine determining  the decisions and future of the Howell BOE.
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