Are those sharks or rays swimming along the Jersey Shore? Experts disagree

MONMOUTH BEACH — Are those sharks or rays swimming along the shore in Monmouth Beach and Belmar? The answer to that question can’t seem to be agreed upon among those in the ocean research community . Police received a call Tuesday when residents spotted dorsal fins less than 10 feet from shore in Monmouth Beach. An… Read the rest of this entry »

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Monmouth County Launches Flooding Awareness Program

John Szeliga, Verizon; Middletown Mayor Gerald Scharfenberger; Monmouth County Freeholder Deputy Director Serena DiMaso; Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden; Capt. Jay Steingold of Naval Weapons Station Earle; FEMA Region II Administrator Michael Moriarty and Tony MacDonald Director of the Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute.

A countywide collaboration with Monmouth County’s government, FEMA, Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute, New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, National Park Service, Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve at Rutgers University, Navy Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Verizon designed to raise the public’s awareness of flood risks and to encourage the mitigation of those risks was launched this morning in Middletown with the installation of a High Water Mark (HWM) sign at the Belford Ferry Terminal.

FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program’s High Water Mark awareness program gives participating municipalities Community Rating System (CRS) points which result in residents of the community getting a break on their flood insurance premiums.

Municipal participation is voluntary and there is no cost to the towns for participating.

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Pulling the curtain on Lawless Matt Doherty’s Trickery

First in a series

By Art Gallagher

Belmar Mayor “Lawless Matt” Doherty’s first order of business after winning the Democrat primary for Monmouth County freeholder was to promote his record of not raising taxes in the borough.  He’s attempting to put his fiscal credentials up against Republican Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Deputy Freeholder Director Serena DiMaso who, along with their colleagues on the Board, cut county taxes $4.5 million this year and have kept spending flat since 2008.

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Ex-Birdsall exec, ex-Belmar engineer, gets 3 years in $1M pay-to-play scheme

TRENTON — A former executive at what was once among the state’s most politically connected engineering firms was sentenced to state prison Friday for his role in a scheme to skirt New Jersey’s campaign contribution laws. Thomas Rospos, 64, the former executive vice president at Birdsall Services Group, was given a three-year sentence by Superior Court… Read the rest of this entry »

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Judge: Doherty violated Belmar voters’ civil rights

Lawless Matt Doherty addressed Belmar residents while Governor Chris Christie practiced his Trump sidekick routine

Lawless Matt Doherty, the mayor of Belmar, violated the civil rights of his borough’s voters last year with a “invalid and misleading” ballot explanatory statement regarding the $4.1 million bonding referendum for a beach pavilion, according to a ruling by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Katie Gummer last week.

The ballot statement was not discussed and approved in public at a Council meeting, as is required. Rather, Belmar submitted the ballot question and statement to Monmouth County Clerk Christine Hanlon without any input from the public or from the citizens who challenged the bonding ordinance.

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“Lawless Matt” Doherty defies Court, Pay to Play Ordinance

Defy– openly resist or refuse to obey

Mayor “Lawless Matt” Doherty speaks during the Two Year Hurricane Sandy Anniversary while Governor Christie practices his Trump sidekick pose(Governor’s Office/Tim Larsen)

In his latest campaign finance disclosure with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Belmar Mayor “Lawless Matt” Doherty did not disclose the names of donors who gave his campaign $300 or less, as required by Belmar’s Ethics and Pay to Play Law.

Before he stopped talking to MoreMonmouthMusings, shortly after he declared his candidacy for Monmouth County Freeholder in January, Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty told us that his borough’s pay to play ordinance was unenforceable.  Never-the-less, he pushed the Borough Council to pass a new ordinance that would allow him to take donations from people and entities who have business with or are regulated by the Borough and not to disclose donations less than $300.

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Judge: Belmar’s new pay to pay ordinance, “Matt’s Law” is not law

Doherty’s lawyer asks Court for a gag order

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty

Freehold-Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Katie Gummer ruled Wednesday that the new pay to pay ordinance in Belmar, dubbed “Matt’s Law” in honor of Mayor Matt Doherty who the measure would  immediately benefit, is not law, has never been law and will not become law unless approved by Belmar voters in a referendum or unless the Court rules otherwise in coming weeks as a suit regarding a protest petition filed under the Falkner Act is further litigated.

For now, Doherty, who is running for Monmouth County Freeholder, and all candidates for office in Belmar are bound by the pay to play ordinances, passed in 2004 and amended in 2005 and 2011 (the current ordinance), that restrict campaign contributions from Belmar vendors, developers, liquor license holders and professionals to $300 and/or require that the office holders to recuse themselves from matters regarding the contributors that come before them.

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Doherty to withdraw from Freeholder race

Mayor Matt Doherty and Governor Chris Christie walk the Belmar boardwalk. Photo Credit: Tim Larson, Governor’s Office

Belmar, April 1- Mayor Matt Doherty will withdraw as a candidate for Monmouth County Freeholder and resign as mayor of the borough to become Deputy Mayor of Jersey City, according to a confidential memo obtained by MoreMonmouthMusings.

For years, Doherty has declined to run for Freeholder because, like his friend Governor Chris Christie, he prefers to be #1 rather than one of group. He agreed to Monmouth Democrat Chairman Vin Gopal’s plea that he run this year because he needs a quick exit from Belmar where he knows the gimmicks and tricks he has employed as mayor will blow up next year and cause massive tax hikes. Doherty calculated that this would be the year for him to win on a county level because Hillary Clinton, he thinks, do very well with Monmouth County voters and he will benefit from her pant suit tails.

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Belmar won’t disclose where FEMA money is, Resident sues for records

Where is the $5.4 million that Matt Doherty claimed FEMA gave Belmar for Taylor Pavilion?

Gov Chris Christie and his favorite mayor, Matt Doherty of Belmar, on the boardwalk celebrating Sandy recovery.

The ongoing controversy over the rebuilding of the beach pavilions in Belmar has resulted in yet another law suit filed against the Borough by an activist resident calling for fiscal responsibility and transparency.

Joy DeSanctis filed suit last week against Belmar and Borough Clerk April Claudio in her capacity as Custodian of Records.  DeSanctis is not seeking money, other than her legal fees.  Rather, she is asking the Court to Order Belmar and Claudio to comply with the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) and provide copies of all correspondence between Belmar and FEMA regarding Superstorm Sandy Funds and correspondence regarding the construction of the pavilions between October 29, 2012 and February 5, 2016, the date that DeSanctis filed her OPRA request.

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The Arnone Report: Spring into Monmouth County

By Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Deputy Director Serena DiMaso at the Asbury Park St. Pat’s Parade

The past two weekends have been filled with fun festivities throughout the county and the list of activities throughout the rest of March includes parades, plays and performances. March is the month to celebrate the end of winter by getting outside and with two holidays happening this month, there are plenty of great events to choose from.

There’s nothing like a parade to usher in the month and the St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Belmar on Sunday, March 6 was the perfect place to do it.  Those of you who were in attendance may have seen me, along with my colleagues, on our 2016 float – it was a great way to participate in the parade – we had the best view! I also had a great time at the Asbury Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 13 walking with Freeholder Serena DiMaso, along with Mayor Moor and members of the Council and look forward to keeping the festive spirit alive in the Highlands by walking in their parade on March 19.  March 20 marks the first day of spring, so take the kids outside (if weather permits) and join the Monmouth County Park System for a nature walk at 10 a.m. at the Manasquan Reservoir to look for signs of the new season.  Log onto www.visitmonmouth.com for a full list of activities throughout the County.

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