Backlash from Bennett’s “Endorsement”

Eatontown Councilman Richard “Duke” Robinson, the Eatontown GOP Chairman, Sheriff Shaun Golden and Councilman Kevin Gonzalez. Photo via EatontownGOP.com

Monmouth GOP Chairman John Bennett was apparently too enthusiastic in his use of language in the endorsement released yesterday from Republican leaders from Rumson, Shrewsbury Township, Eatontown, Oceanport, Red Bank and Tinton Falls.  In addition to the endorsement letter released to MMM, Bennett posted comments on his facebook page and in a email to County Committee Members to the effect that he had picked up the support of  “7 towns in the 2 Rivers area…. “

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Healthy Aging Fair Today–May 14

SCAN is presenting a Healthy Aging Fair, at the Monmouth Mall, 
Rte. 35 & 36, Eatontown, Today, from 11am to 3pm.

Everything you need to know about Healthy Aging, including Health Screenings: Cholesterol – Body Composition Analysis – Balance Screening – BMI – Derma View Facial Scans – Fall Prevention

Give-a-ways: Raffles, Gift Baskets, BlueClaws Baseball Tickets, Mall Coupons for Food and Shopping
Open to the Public, Please Join Us.

Sponsors include: New Jersey Natural Gas, 
Horizon Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Assisted Transitions, Comfort Keepers of Central Jersey, Central Jersey Radiologists, Laurel Bay Health Rehabilitation, Monmouth Medical Center.

SCAN is located at the basement level of Monmouth Mall, 
180 Highway 35 S., Eatontown, NJ 07724. Phone 732-542-1326,www.scannj.com


The above information was brought to you by,
Lynn Humphrey Administrator/Owner of
BizEturtle:Events in Monmouth, www.bizeturtle.com
The website fully dedicated to Monmouth County.
BizEturtle does not have any information on the
above subject except what is stated.

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Flo’s Happy Clipper joins Facade Improvement Program

Groomer receives $1,727 check

EATONTOWN, NJ – The Grow Monmouth Facade Improvement Program recognized Flo’s Happy Clipper for recent upgrades today.

“Flo’s is receiving a check for $1,727 for a new awning,” said Freeholder Thomas A. Arnone. “Every Facade Improvement Program check helps make a needed improvement to a local business. This is the seventh check presented so far.”

Flo’s Happy Clipper is located at 20 Main Street in Eatontown. Owner Robert Ferrara accepted the reimbursement check from Arnone.

The program is part of the successful Grow Monmouth initiative that is utilizing HUD Community Development Block Grant funds to help improve the look of privately held commercial buildings located in HUD eligible areas of Monmouth County. No County funds are being used for the program.

HUD eligible areas include all or part of 26 of the County’s municipalities. Eligible municipalities are: 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.

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

“No matching funds are required from the business,” Arnone said. “To date, $12,178 has been dispersed out of a total of $85,000 that has been set aside for this program, so businesses should apply now.”

For more information about the Grow Monmouth Façade Improvement Program please contact the Division of Economic Development at 732-431-7470 or visit the Grow Monmouth section of the County website at www.visitmonmouth.com

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Winners and Losers of 2013, Part One

Winners

January 2013 seems like a long time ago.

The years are supposed to go by faster as we get older.  2013 missed the memo, at least for me. President Obama’s second Inauguration and Freeholder John Curley’s second swearing in seem like a long time ago.

Selikia Joshia Gore started us off in 2013 with a timeless call to renew our humanity; the ongoing struggle of saints and sinners to love one another regardless of standing, status or creed.   It is a winning message that works only by embracing our failures without resigning to them.

The Governor. Governor Chris Christie started the year lambasting House Speaker John Boehner and the Congressional Republicans for playing politics with Superstorm Sandy aid and ended the year as the front runner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. In between he built a bi-partisan and multi-cultural coalition that reelected him with over 60% of the vote in Blue Jersey.   Christie had the best year of any politician in America.  Only Pope Francis and Vladimir Putin had better years globally.

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez.  Menendez started the year on the losers list. Embroiled in a sandal of allegations of his cavorting with teenaged girls in the Dominican Republic and using the powers of his office to benefit the businesses of the donor who arranged the party, speculation was that he would resign as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, if not his Senate seat.  Menendez seems to have survived an FBI investigation into his relationship with Dr. Saloman Melgan unscathed.

At the end of the year, Menendez’s position seems secure. He is the leading, and most powerful, critic of President Obama’s foreign policy.   His approval ratings are net positive 22 points in the last Monmouth University Poll. He got engaged to be married earlier this month.

Given where he started, Menendez may have had the best 2013 of any New Jersey public figure, other than Christie.

The Gramiccionis.  The Wall Township power couple had a very good year.  In March, Christopher, the Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor and U.S. Naval Reserve Officer, received orders to report for a 9 month tour of active duty in Afghanistan effective in August.  Those orders were canceled in July, keeping Chris on the job fighting crime in Monmouth County and home for the holidays.  Deborah was appointed by Governor Christie to be the Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.  The job pays $289,657.

Monmouth County Republicans.  Sheriff Shaun Golden, Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Deputy Director Serena DiMaso were always expected to be reelected on the strength of their records and due to the fact that Monmouth County Independent voters usually vote Republican.  They make the winners list by virtue of fact that they ran as if they were behind, not taking any votes for granted.  More importantly, they ran a positive campaign based on reducing spending, holding the line on taxes, and improving services, in the face of yet another negative campaign on the part of the Monmouth County Democrats.

Monmouth County’s Legislative Delegation.  Each member of Monmouth County’s Legislative Delegation deserves more recognition than space will allow.

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Potential Old Orchard Developer Sues Eatontown Planning Board

Potential Old Orchard Developer Sues Eatontown Planning Board (via Long Branch-Eatontown Patch)

A complaint filed by the developer states that the board’s decision to reject a Master Plan change is arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable. By Christopher Sheldon A developer whose plans for Old Orchard Country Club have been stopped twice by the…

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Municipal Races To Watch

The Battle of Monmouth is in the municipalities today.

Monmouth Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal is hoping to be the Gene Michael of politics. Michael, the New York Yankees General Manger in the early 1990’s, rebuilt the mediocre team back to dominant glory by focusing on new talent in the farm system.  As a player, Michael was a master of the hidden ball trick.  In baseball the hidden ball trick is when a position player fakes throwing the ball back to the pitcher after a play, only to tag out the base runner when he take a lead off the base.

Like Michael, Gopal is trying to build his farm team in Monmouth County municipal races, knowing he can’t win the big show in the short term, with an eye on future dominance of Monmouth County government and the State of New Jersey.  Also like Michael, Gopal always has a trick up his sleeve behind his youthful smile and pleasant demeanor.

Gopal hasn’t even fielded a team in 23 races in 16 Monmouth County towns.  Yet he has the press and New Jersey’s Democratic leadership convinced he’s building a future empire from the bottom up.

But if he doesn’t deliver the goods tonight, Gopal could end up as a Hardy Peterson, the Yankees General Manager who only lasted in the job for one year, 1990, instead of Michael, and find himself challenged for the county chairmanship when his first term ends in June.

The towns to watch tonight are Red Bank, Aberdeen, Eatontown, Highlands, Hazlet and Marlboro.

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Asbury Park Press Gets Its Facts Wrong Again

No news. Empty newsstands stored in the Asbury Park Press’s empty parking lot in Neptune.

This morning the Asbury Park Press Neptune Nudniks have an article about something that might be happening and that might cause something else that’s bad to happen.

Two of the three mayors on the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority may be breaking confidentiality rules — and possibly jeopardizing millions of dollars in redevelopment deals — to keep their governing bodies up to date on property negotiations affecting their towns. (Emphasis added)

In a nutshell, the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) is the entity responsible for redeveloping the fort that Congressmen Frank Pallone and Rush Holt let get away.  The authority is governed by a 13 member board. 6 of the board members are representives of the State government. 1 is a Monmouth County Freeholder, 3 are “public members.” The final three are the mayors of the communities that host the fort, Oceanport, Tinton Falls and Eatontown. 

Here’s where APP reporter Bill Bowman got a basic fact wrong:

A state authority under the umbrella of the state Department of Community Affairs, FMERA is the sole body that seeks out potential buyers and lessors and negotiates and approves contracts for the property.

FMERA is not under the umbrella of the state Department of Community Affairs.  It is an independent authority staffed by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

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Monmouth SPCA Asks For Public Help In Burnt Dog Investigation

Chief Victor “Buddy” Amato of the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (SPCA) is asking for help from the public in the investigation of a dog suspected of being burnt to death in Eatontown on Tuesday evening.

Eatontown firefighters responded to a report of smoke and possible fire in the wooded area behind the Country Club Apartments off Tinton Ave between 7:00pm and 7:30pm where they found the burning remains of what is believed to be a beagle.

The animal’s remains were taken to the Red Bank Animal Hospital were a necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.

Amato asks that anyone with any information about the dog call him at 732-312-7153.

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MONMOUTH DEMOCRATS WIN MAJOR LOCAL RACES

Press Release

The Monmouth County Democratic Organization swept races across the county yesterday! U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. for a big 65% district-wide victory! Congressman Pallone also comfortably carried the Monmouth County portion of the district with over 55% of the vote. President Obama and Senator Menendez nearly matched Governor Romney and Senator Kyrillos vote by vote in what analysts had predicted earlier in the year would be a Republican blowout in Monmouth. They were wrong! Monmouth County Democrats delivered over 125,000 votes for President Obama, the 6th highest amount of votes in the state of all 21 counties. Turnout for the election was at an impressive 58% of registered voters despite half the county still not having power and with thousands of people still displaced from their homes.

Monmouth County Democrats scored major municipal wins, defeating 7 incumbent Republicans. NO Democratic incumbents were defeated. Monmouth Dems scored major wins in the Bayshore this year, with wins in Highlands, Atlantic Highlands, Hazlet, Keyport and Matawan, setting up a strong foundation in the Bayshore for future years. Here are some of our major wins

In Atlantic Highlands, Roy Dellosso and Bob Sutton were re-elected, topping two Republican challengers by over 350 votes.

In Belmar, Councilwoman Jennifer Nicolay won nearly 60% of the vote, trouncing her Republican challenger.

In Eatontown, incumbent Councilman Anthony Talerico was top vote-getter by nearly 1,000 votes defeating his Republican challenger. In addition, Janice Kroposky comfortably defeated Republican incumbent Kevin Gonzalez to win the second seat. Welcome to the Eatontown governing body, Councilwoman-Elect Kroposky!

In Farmingdale, 4 Democrats faced 4 Republicans in a showdown for the Western Monmouth community. Democrats Richard Geffken and newcomer Carly Immen defeated their Republican opponents to win 2 of the seats. Democrat Jan Zientek currently trails by just 5 votes behind his Republican challenger for the 3rd seat. Absentee ballots and Provisionals still need to be counted and Monmouth County Democrats’ attorneys are weighing a re-count for Jan’s seat. Still, winning these 2 seats is a huge breakthrough in a town where Republican voter registration outnumbers Democrats 2 to 1.

In Freehold Borough, Democratic newcomer Ron Griffiths outsed Republican incumbent John Newman while Democratic incumbent Sharon Shutzer was re-elected.

In Hazlet, Democrats Jim DiNardo and Barbara Ronchetti beat Republican incumbent Mayor David Tinker and Committeeman Jim Brady to take a 3-2 majority of the Hazlet governing body, a big win for the Bayshore community.

In Highlands, Democratic Councilman Kevin Redmond was re-elected and Democrat Tara Ryan was elected, winning a Republican held seat.

In Keyport, Democratic Councilman Ken McPeek was re-elected and Sophia Lamberson was elected. Councilwoman-Elect Lamberson will take the seat of Council President Christian Bolte who did not seek re-election. The duo beat their GOP challengers by more than 500 votes.

In Matawan, Democratic newcomer Kim Daly was elected to the Borough Council defeating incumbent councilman Andrew Lopez. Democrat Nicholas Nellegar was narrowly defeated for the 2nd seat by just 80 votes. Monmouth County Democrats Attorneys are currently reviewing absentee ballots and provisionals but Democrats have broken the all GOP stronghold in Matawan.

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Oceanport Pans CommVault’s Move To Fort Monmouth

Eatontown and Tinton Falls approve the move

CommVault,the Oceanport based Lucent spinoff  that is growing at a pace of about 24% per year, has proposed moving it headquarters to the Tinton Falls portion of Fort Monmouth where the company will build a 650,000 square foot facility.  CommVault has revenues of about $400 million per year and employs over 1200 people.

The Asbury Park Press reportsthat Oceanport did not support the revisions to the Fort Monmouth Redevelopment Authority’s development plan to accommodate CommVault.  Eatontown and Tinton Falls, the other municipalities that host Fort Monmouth, did approve the proposed revisions.

While Oceanport’s disappointment over losing such a fine company is understandable, CommVault has outgrown its current homeand will move out of its Oceanport facility anyway. The company was eyeing the Avaya site in Middletown prior to choosing Fort Monmouth.  Monmouth County is fortunate that the company has chosen has chosen to stay here.

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