Clerks: Christine Giordano Hanlon and her predecessor M. Claire French
FREEHOLD, NJ – Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon has announced the creation of the annual “M. Claire French Award for Leadership in Historic Preservation.”
French, Hanlon’s predecessor, was County Clerk from 1997 until her retirement on April 1, 2015. During French’s 18-year tenure, she oversaw the modernization of the Clerk’s Office, including digitizing county records and the electronic reporting of election results, as well as the expansion of the Office’s services with Monmouth County Connection Office in Neptune Township.
“Claire was an outstanding leader and public servant for more than 30 years, 18 years as Clerk. We want to recognize and remember her long time dedication to the County of Monmouth,” Hanlon said. “Importantly, as County Clerk, Claire supervised the Monmouth County Archives and worked to improve the ability to preserve our historic records and make them accessible to the public.”
Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal’s entourage showed up at County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon’s office today for the ballot positioning drawing, armed with a space age temperature gun.
Not Linda Baum
Linda Baum, a Middletown Democrat who has twice been defeated for Township Committee, and who got the Middletown Librarian fired when they conspired together to politicize library operations behind the backs of the Library’s Trustees, was on the scene in Freehold to take the temperature of the capsules containing the names Democrat and Republican for the ballot positioning drawing.
Gopal issued a press release this morning wherein he accused former County Clerk M. Claire French of refrigerating the capsules in the past in order that she could pick the cold one to assure the Republicans win the favored ballot position.
Baum, who’s certification in temperature gun operation is unclear, pointed her gun at the capsules while Bertha Sumick, the Clerk of Elections and a Deputy County Clerk looked on.
Hanlon had recused herself from presiding over the drawing, because she is on the ballot in November.
Poll worker Annie Barr stands by while Governor Chris Christie votes for President of the United States with his daughter Bridget, at the Mendham Emergency Services Building in Mendham, N.J. on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. (Governor’s Office/Tim Larsen)
There is an urgent need of poll workers in Monmouth County, especially in the coastal towns impacted by Hurricane Sandy, according to a statement today by Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon.
“Voting is one of the greatest privileges that we have as Americans,” said Hanlon. “Poll workers are essential to the voting process. Right now, we are asking our Monmouth County citizens to become a part of this process to help ensure fair and efficiently run elections.”
To qualify to be a poll worker, you must be a registered voter in Monmouth County and attend a poll worker training class. Classes are being scheduled now for the November General Election.
Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon recently made an amazing discovery. While settling into her new job and familiarizing herself with the various functions of her office, Hanlon discovered the naturalization records of 34,677 Monmouth County residents who applied for United States citizenship between 1800 and 1991.
Until 1991 when the the responsibility of granting citizenship was transferred solely to the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service, the recording and filing of records from naturalized citizens was the responsibility of the County Clerk.
Private companies are mail soliciting Monmouth County homeowners to pay between $79 and $89 for certified copies of the deeds to their homes, according to a statement by County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon. Those same copies can be had from Hanlon’s office for $10.00.
“It is unfortunate that companies would prey upon citizens who are sometimes already struggling financially, especially our senior citizens in Monmouth County who are living on fixed incomes,” Hanlon said, “for a very minimal fee, residential and commercial property owners can request and receive a copy of their deed, and other property documents, directly from the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.”
Hanlon cautions property owners to be on the lookout for these solicitations because they appear as if they are coming from a government agency, but they are not.
