Scharfenberger and Kiley are taking nothing and no one for granted

GOP Freeholder candidates Gerry Scharfenberger and Sue Kiley in Ocean Township.

On paper they are unopposed for the Monmouth GOP nominations for freeholder to be awarded on Saturday morning at iPlayAmerica in Freehold Township.  But former Middletown Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger and Hazlet Deputy Mayor Sue Kiley are taking no chances and are campaigning as if they were in competitive races.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Monmouth Freeholders Budget Below 2006 Spending Levels

Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders have introduced a budget for 2017 that is $24.6 million lower than the 2016 budget and $11.8 million lower than 2006 spending.

The $445,250,000.00 spending plan will be the subject of public hearings on Thursday, March 9 at the Freeholders’ meeting to be held at the Monmouth County Library on Symmes Drive in Manalapan and on Thursday March 23 at the Monmouth County Library Eastern Branch at 1001 Rt. 35 North in Shrewsbury.  Both meetings are scheduled for 5 p.m.

The County’s property tax levy is budgeted to be $302,475,000, the same amount it has been for 6 of the last 7 years.

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The Arnone Report: Memorial Day Weekend Was a Great Summer Kickoff

By Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso with County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon and Sheriff Shaun Golden at the Farmingdale Memorial Day Parade

What an incredible Memorial Day weekend! It was the perfect setting to remember and honor those that have served our country, and those that continue to protect us today.  We recognize those individuals who sacrificed to provide us with the freedoms we enjoy every day – we are the land of the free, because of the brave.

I would have loved to have attended all of the parades throughout the county, but unfortunately I could not do so as several of them are at the same time, so I attended as many as I could.  I had the honor of walking in the Bradley Beach and Union Beach parades on Saturday, as well as the Matawan parade on Sunday. Monday was a very busy day, as I attended the memorial ceremonies for the Freehold, Oceanport, and Ocean Township; and then walked in the jammed packed Farmingdale parade. The attendance and welcome received this weekend at all the events was overwhelming.

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Freeholders Reduce County Spending By $18.2 million

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders will introduce their new budget to the public on Feb. 25 at the Monmouth County Library Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury and at 7 p.m. on March 24 at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters on Symmes Drive in Manalapan.  Both meetings start at 7 p.m.

The $469.85 million budget is $18.2 million less than last year’s, reduces the county tax levy to the 2010 level and reduces spending to the 2007 amount.  County property taxes are reduced by $4.9 million.

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Freeholder Lillian Burry Recoverying From A Fall

Freeholder Lillian G. Burry photo by Art Gallagher

Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian G. Burry is resting comfortably at home after being released from Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank where she spent most of last week after sustaining injuries resulting from a fall outside of her Colts Neck Realty office.

During a phone interview this morning, Burry told MMM that she sustained a mild concussion, injured her left knee and crushed her right elbow.  Her elbow joint was replaced.

“There’s still a lot of life in this old broad,” Burry said, “that’s it.  When I do something, I really do it.”

Burry’s knee is being treated with an ice pack.  Her right arm is in a cast that feels like it weighs 50 lbs., she said.

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Will Freeholders Curley, Rich and Arnone turn their backs on the handicapped?

By Ernesto Cullari

In the pursuit of trimming Monmouth County’s bottom line Freeholders Tom Arnone, Gary Rich and John Curley, Curley who faces the voters in November, are about to turn their back on several handicapped and indigent patients living at the John L. Montgomery Care Center in Freehold, despite a viable, fiscally responsible and compassionate alternative being proposed by Freeholders Lillian Burry and Serena DiMaso. The Burry-DiMaso plan both trims the budget and saves the facility, which serves some of the county’s most needy families.

Life is wondrous, beautiful and vital, until it’s not. Many of us have watched a grandparent, so active and so engaged from the earliest moments of our youth, suddenly decline and descend into illness and death. It’s even harder when it’s a parent or a child. My dad recently fell ill. As I write this he lays in intensive care, holding on to his relatively young life via prayers and the constant attention of family and medical professionals. If he survives this dangerous chapter, he may have a lifetime of respiratory, physical and occupational therapy ahead of him. A wondrous beautiful life is all at once fragile and uncertain.

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1st Annual Pound the Pavement for Purple was huge success

By Freeholder Tom Arnone

The 1^st Annual Pound the Pavement for Purple 5K Run/ 2 Mile Walk for Pancreatic Cancer was held Saturday, November 1^st and was a tremendous success despite the unpredictable weather conditions presented by Mother Nature. In fact, I believe the cold temperature along with the wind and rain only contributed in helping to make this race not only a memorable one but an extremely positive and inspirational experience.

First and foremost on behalf of Neptune Township Committeeman Eric Houghtaling and me, we would like to thank everyone who worked so diligently on putting this race together and ensuring its success.  To begin with, a tremendous thank you to the outstanding joint committee mostly comprised of Neptune Township and Monmouth County employees, namely Michele Narciso, Tiffany Bailoni, Sandra Petersen, Carina Santos, Mike Zarro, Fred Rummel and Darlene Di Leo. Thank you also to Gail Temple and my wife Chickie Arnone who also worked hard on the committee.  All of these people were instrumental in helping Committeeman Eric Houghtaling and me bring this effort to fruition.

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Freeholders seek candidates for Brookdale’s Board of Trustees

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders have opened a search for a new member of the Brookdale Community College Board of Trustees.

“This is a terrific opportunity for a resident to take a dynamic role at New Jersey’s best community college,” said Freeholder John P. Curley, liaison to the college. “Brookdale needs leaders who will help steer the future course of this quality, affordable higher education institution.”

Applicants should be interested in taking an active leadership position as a Trustee of Brookdale Community College and be knowledgeable in the opportunities and challenges of higher education. This unpaid position is for a term of four years.

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Monmouth County to auction surplus helicopter

The Monmouth County Board of Freeholders will be holding on online auction for a surplus helicopter from the Mosquito Commission from May 17 at 9am through June 17 at 6pm.

The well maintained 1980 Bell 206B III Jet Ranger has only 2560 flight hours.

The helicopter may be inspected by appointment only, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. (EDT) from Monday, May 19, 2014 through Monday, June 16, 2014, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and (Memorial Day) Monday, May 26, 2014. Potential bidders may contact the Monmouth County Division of Fleet Services at 732-431-7830 or its representatives, Dennis Szostek at extension 4891 or Paul Grosselfinger at extension 7165, with any questions or to make an appointment to inspect the Helicopter.  Inspections will take place at the Monmouth County Mosquito Commission, 1901 Wayside Road, in Tinton Falls.

“The sale of this helicopter is a rare and exciting opportunity for the County and potential buyers,” Freeholder Deputy Director Gary J. Rich, Sr. said. “The County’s online auctions provide a great benefit in terms of revenue and make it easier for bidders as they can monitor the sale though their computers. Another benefit is that we get many more bidders, including some in other states.”

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The Arnone Report

By Freeholder Tom Arnone

Freeholder Director Tom Arone

As reported last week, The Board of Chosen Freeholders have begun pairing up with the local municipalities and conducting Business Roundtables as a means of helping small businesses promote themselves within Monmouth County. As liaison to the Department of Economic Development, I attended the first of these roundtables which took place in the Borough of Matawan. I partnered with Matawan Mayor Paul Buccellato to host the first Grow Monmouth Business Roundtable event. The department of economic development identified and invited businesses from Matawan to join us to discuss what makes doing business in Matawan great and what can be improved. The mayor and I were joined by Assemblyman Rob Clifton and Senator Sam Thompson. I am very pleased to report that 35 people were in attendance representing some 27 businesses. In the next couple of weeks we will be hosting roundtables in the Township of Hazlet and also in the Borough of Manalapan.

In keeping with promoting small businesses within MonmouthCounty, our third annual Made in Monmouth event has been scheduled for Saturday, April 12^th. We are again partnering with MonmouthUniversity for the event. We encourage all businesses that make a consumer product in the county to show and sell their products, free of charge, at the event. Made in Monmouth is open to the public free of charge. We invite everyone to attend and to take advantage of the opportunity to buy the multitude of great products that will be available.

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