Belmar Residents Seek To Repeal Loosened Ethics Laws

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty laughs with approval during Governor Chris Christie’s speech during the Two Year Anniversary Community Event in Belmar, N.J. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014. (Governor’s Office/Tim Larsen)

Belmar- A committee of Independent and Democrat Belmar voters is gathering signatures to repeal the recently passed Pay-to-Play/Ethics Ordinance that allows Belmar elected officials running for higher office outside of Belmar to accept campaign contributions from Borough vendors, professionals, liquor licensees and developers.  New the Ethics Ordinance also allows those who contribute less than $300 to an elected official’s campaign to remain anonymous.  The previous Ethics Ordinance required that all campaign contributions be disclosed.

In an announcement released on Common Sense for Belmar, Thomas Fahy, Linda Chelsen, Linda Sharkus, Katrina Clapsis, and former Mayor Kenneth Pringle said:

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Doherty: Belmar’s new pay to pay law has nothing to do with his Freeholder campaign

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty, left, is preparing to face off with Freeholder Director Tom Arnone, right, in the November election.  Doherty said the relaxed pay to play law he is set to pass in Belmar has nothing to do with his Freeholder campaign.

The Mayor and Council of Belmar has introduced an ordinance that would remove the current restrictions on the Borough’s liquor license holders, real estate developers, professionals and vendors from contributing to the campaigns of Borough elected officials seeking higher office.

Mayor Matt Doherty told MoreMonmouthMusings that the ordinance has nothing to do with his candidacy for Monmouth County Freeholder.

Doherty announced that he is seeking the Democrat nomination for Freeholder on January 15.  The ordinance was introduced on January 19 and is on the agenda for a public hearing and final vote at the Borough Council meeting tonight.  Doherty said it will be tabled and another version will be introduced at tonight’s meeting.

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Year in review: February 2015

Fire fighter Pat Breen and Freeholder Lillian Burry inspect the devastation in Ocean Grove. Feb 7, 2015. Photo by Bob Burlew

Fort Monmouth was designated as an Ebola quarantine site.

Mater Dei Prep was slated to close.  The community raised $1 million to save the school.

While in New Hampshire, Governor Chris Christie criticized Governor Maggie Hassan for appearing to be more focused on running for her next job than on governing the state she was elected to lead.

Christine Giordano Hanlon was nominated to replace M.Claire French as Monmouth County Clerk.

Locals remembered Brian Williams’ early exaggerations.

A fire destroyed four businesses and seven apartments in Ocean Grove.

In reaction to 50 Shades of Grey, Tommy DeSeno wrote that sex is the same for everyone, like eating, and that we shouldn’t talk about it so much.

Belmar’s Home By Summer campaign raised $50K in two weeks to assist the last two borough residents who were displaced by Hurricane Sandy get back into their homes.

The year in review: 2015

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Belmar’s controversial boardwalk pavilion narrowly approved by voters

BELMAR — Belmar residents should be getting a new pavilion on the boardwalk after voters Tuesday night narrowly approved a bond ordinance to borrow $4.1 million to rebuild what Hurricane Sandy destroyed three years ago. The approval wasn’t without confusion, though. Shortly after borough officials declared victory with a plan they had pushed and modified for… Read the rest of this entry »

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Belmar marks Sandy anniversary with return of last 2 displaced families

BELMAR – In February, borough officials and The Saint Vincent De Paul Society of St. Rose in Belmar announced a fundraising campaign, called “Home by Summer,” aimed at getting the borough’s last two families displaced by Hurricane Sandy back in their own homes by June. Well, June came and went – as did the entire summer… Read the rest of this entry »

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Shark River Dredging Contract Awarded

The New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Office of Maritime Resources has awarded the bid to complete the long awaited Shark River and Shark River Spur Dredging Project to the low bidder, Mobile Pumping & Dredging Co., of Chester, PA. MPD’s bid of $7,649,817.50 was $1.8 million lower than the next closest bidder.

The State of New Jersey will contribute over $5 million to the project. Monmouth County will contribute $1.1 million and Neptune Township has committed $450,000.  Belmar, Neptune City and Wall Township are expected to share the remaining costs of the project, according to a statement isssued by Senator Jennifer Beck,  Freeholder Tom Arnone and Neptune Township Committeeman Randy Bishop.  Beck said the project will start this year, “if all the stars align,” and will be completed by the end of 2016.

“After over two decades, there has finally been a bid awarded to dredge Shark River. Notably, The National Marine Fisheries only allows dredging work from July 1st to December 31st, so I’m happy to see this monumental step taken forward, which, if all the stars align, will allow dredging to begin this year. None of this could have been possible without the work of Freeholder Tom Arnone and Committeeman Randy Bishop, working together in a bipartisan fashion with every state, county, and local stakeholder to make this project happen. While the State is investing more than $5 million, the project couldn’t have moved forward without the assistance of Monmouth County, which is accepting the material at its landfill and helping to fund the trucking. In addition, a number of surrounding municipalities have preliminary agreed to share in the cost of the project” said Beck.

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Spurned Belmar waitress’ ‘LOL’ receipt goes viral

BELMAR — After a server at D’Jais Bar & Grill shared an image of her receipt on Facebook, thousands have weighed in on tipping etiquette in the restaurant industry. The Asbury Park Press reports that on Aug. 17, Jess Jones was waiting on a party of eight at the seaside restaurant and nightclub. The diners’ bill… Read the rest of this entry »

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Hammerhead shark swimming around Jersey Shore surfaces off Belmar

BELMAR — Elias, a 100-pound Hammerhead shark that has been swimming around the Jersey Cost over the past week, made its way to Belmar Sunday morning. The shark was recently tagged by OCEARCH, the same non-profit organization that tracks the whereabouts of social media sensation Mary Lee, a 3,000 pound great white shark. The group is… Read the rest of this entry »

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The Arnone Report: Progress on Shark River Dredging and Two River Bike Path

By Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone

Freeholder Tom Arone

Summer is in full swing and I hope everyone is out there enjoying the beautiful weather we’ve been having. An annual tradition here in Monmouth County is the County Fair. The 41^st Monmouth County Fair was a huge success with thousands of residents attending over the five days it was held at the East Freehold Fairgrounds on Kozloski Road.

Monmouth County is the gateway to the Jersey Shore, and you will find more than 50 miles of beaches, revolutionary history sites, nationally recognized parks and golf courses, outdoor dining experiences for all tastes and plenty of places to spend the night.  The Monmouth Park System offers over 30 park areas to explore, please go out and enjoy all our beautiful county has to offer.

While we are on the topic of outdoor activities you can enjoy throughout our County, I would like to take a moment to address several concerns within different regions, including the Shark River dredging and the two-river area bike path.

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Belmar is Closed—Seafood Festival Fills The Town To Capacity

photo via shorevacations.com

UPDATE:  Traffic from Route 35 into Belmar was reopened at 7 p.m., according to a tweet by Mayor Matt Doherty.

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Belmar Mayor Matt Dorherty announced via twitter that the iconic Jersey Shore Borough that is hosting the New Jersey Seafood Festival this weekend, is filled to capacity.

As of 3 p.m. all traffic into the borough from Route 35 is being diverted.

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