Monmouth County Honors Its Fallen Firefighters

The Fallen Firefighters Memorial was dedicated at the Monmouth County Fire Academy in Howell on Sunday morning during a moving ceremony that commemorated the courage of the 47 heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting the lives and property of county residents from 1881 through 2017.  Read the rest of this entry »

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The Arnone Report: Fighting Cancer

By Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone

Monmouth County Freeholders proclaim Infinite Love of Kids Fighting Cancer Day

As an elected official, you have the chance to meet hundreds of people during your tenure. I would like to share a story about a few special people I had the honor of recently meeting in person during a meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders.

It all started a couple weeks ago when I was reading through a local newspaper and came across a story about a charity event held to raise funds for pediatric cancer research. As part of the fundraiser, members of the community, including first responders, volunteered to have their heads shaved by children. Helping to coordinate the event was the Gorsegner family of Middletown. Read the rest of this entry »

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Job Fair At Brookdale on Friday

Spring Job Fair at Brookdale Community College, April 2014. file photo by Art Gallagher

The Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, in partnership with the Monmouth-Ocean Development Council, Brookdale Community College, and the State of New Jersey, are hosting a job fair at Brookdale’s Lincroft campus on Friday, September 29, from 10am till 1pm, Freeholder Serena DiMaso, Esq. announced today.

“Top employers from throughout the Monmouth County area will be participating and are looking to hire qualified candidates,” said DiMaso, liaison to the County’s Division of Workforce Development.  “Job fairs are one of the ways the County directly helps residents while also working to strengthen our businesses.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Fort Monmouth Reopens Between Eatontown and Oceanport

Freeholder Tom Arnone and Freeholder Director Lillian Burry commemorate the reopening of County Road 537 in Fort Monmouth

Less than two months after Monmouth County financed the purchase of the remaining available acreage of Fort Monmouth, thereby removing federal red tape from the redevelopment decisions of the property, the gates were removed from the entrances on Route 35 in Eatontown and Oceanport Ave in Oceanport as County Road 537 opened for vehicular traffic.

County, state and local officials gathered at the fort on Tuesday morning to commemorate the reopening.

“Government usually doesn’t work this fast.  In Monmouth County it does,” declared Freeholder Tom Arnone as he acknowledged the men and women of the County Department of Public Works and Engineering and their director, John Tobia, for their work in opening the road.

The road was closed to the public in 2011 when the U.S. Army moved the operations of the fort to Aberdeen, Maryland following the 2005 decision by the federal BRAC (base realignment and closure) commission decision to close the historic facility.

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The Arnone Report: In Monmouth County, We Keep Our Promises

By Freeholder Tom Arnone

Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone

Happy New Year! Last week I was sworn into my third term as Freeholder and I am excited and grateful to continue to serve the residents of Monmouth County. I would like to thank my family for their support and my fellow Freeholders for their continued dedication to our County.

I would like to congratulate my running mates, Freeholder Serena DiMaso, Sheriff Shaun Golden and Surrogate Rosemarie Peters on their well-deserved re-elections. I would also like to congratulate Lillian Burry on her selection as the 2017 Freeholder Director and John Curley on his selection as Freeholder Deputy Director. I look forward to working with you both, and the entire Freeholder Board in the coming year. As always, I would like to wish all of our mayors best of luck as we begin the New Year.

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The Arnone Report: Fort Monmouth Progress, Monmouth Park needs help

By Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Hello Monmouth County! What an incredible few weeks it has been here throughout our beautiful county. The weather has been near perfect, providing great opportunities to visit all the wonderful places and activities we have to offer.

I have some very exciting news to share about the Former Fort Monmouth property. The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders provided final approval last week to guarantee $35 million in notes and bonds through the Monmouth County Improvement Authority (MCIA). The funding will be used to revitalize the property which has been closed since 2011 and the potential impact of this redevelopment on our residents is enormous. It was the right thing to do for the region.

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Monmouth County Breaks Ground on Phase II of Child Advocacy Center

Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Peter Boser, Sue Rekedal, Multi-Disciplinary Teams coordinator at the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center, Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini, Dr. Martin Krupnick, Chairperson of the Friends of the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center, Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry, Freeholder Deputy Director Gary J. Rich, Sr., Freeholder Thomas A. Arnone, Freeholder John P. Curley, Freeholder Serena DiMaso and Monmouth County First Assistant Prosecutor Marc C. LeMieux.

The Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center, a partnership between the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, the Board of Chosen Freeholders, a local non-profit named for the facility and the National Children’s Alliance broke ground on a $1.6 million addition to the facility in Freehold this afternoon.

The brainchild of former Prosecutor John Kaye, the facility provides a physically and psychologically safe place for victims of child abuse and their families to receive treatment that is coordinated with the investigations into their abusers in such a way as to prevent and reduce the traumatic effects of the investigations into the devastating events they have already suffered.

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Monmouth County Government to Reorganize on Thursday

Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso with Sheriff Shaun Golden

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders will hold their annual reorganization meeting on Thursday, January 2, 2014, 4 PM, at the Biotechnology High School, 5000 Kozloski Road, in Freehold Township.

Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso will be sworn into their new terms of office, as will Sheriff Shaun Golden.

Freeholder Lillian Burry is expected to be elected Freeholder Director for 2014.  Freeholder Gary Rich is expected to be elected Deputy Director.

The 2013 Freeholder Board will hold a Sine Die meeting to conclude the years business at 2PM on the 2nd, at the Monmouth County Hall of Records.

The Latin term Sine Die means the final adjournment of a legislative session, without adjourning to a specific time or date; literally it means “adjournment without a day.”

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Freeholders support traditional and religious holiday celebrations and displays in schools

By Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

At the December 10, 2013 meeting of The Board of Chosen Freeholders, a resolution was passed regarding Assembly Bill 4481 which provides school districts with the option of educating students about the history of traditional winter celebrations and allows students, faculty and other staff to offer traditional greetings regarding the celebrations. Some examples of the traditional greetings would be Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays.

Furthermore, Assembly Bill 4481 also provides the option to allow a school district to display on school property scenes or symbols associated with traditional winter celebrations, including a Menorah or a Christmas image such as a nativity scene or a Christmas tree; however the scene must display a scene or symbol of more than one religion, or one religion and at least one secular scene or symbol.

In addition to holiday displays, the legislation provides that a school district may include musical selections with religious themes at winter or holiday programs if the winter or holiday program includes musical selections of more than one religion or one religion and music secular in nature.

I felt that this piece of legislation was something that was very important to bring back into our schools because it encourages the support of understanding the importance of individuals and families keeping with tradition. Not only was I a strong supporter of this piece of legislation but I received the full support of The Board in particular my fellow board member, Freeholder John Curley.

Assembly Bill 4481 which allows school districts to teach about traditional winter celebrations, display holiday symbols on school property, and include musical selections with religious themes is legislation that I will continue to support in hopes of seeing those old family values and traditions restored to what they once were.

            With the Holidays come family gatherings, office parties, socializing with friends and Year End football game get-togethers. These are occasions each and everyone of us looks forward to all year.

            The Board of Chosen Freeholders wishes the residents of Monmouth County a very safe and happy holiday season.

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Monmouth County Department Of Consumer Affairs Fight Sandy Scammers

Click photo for Consumer Affairs Brochure

The Monmouth County Department of Consumers Affairs has resolved $1.6 million in disputes since Superstorm Sandy, Freeholder Lillian Burry reported last night, according to NJ.com.

For the entire year of 2012, the department resolved only a little over $1 million in disputes.

Burry said the Department has taken a proactive approach to combatting fraud, answering calls related to price gouging, used cars sold with flood damage, fake charities and illegitimate contractors.

Earlier this year, the Department repeated warnings to consumers of home improvement and repair schemes in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Earlier this month, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs settled the first two Sandy-related price-gouging cases against gas stations for $46,000 – the division is in the process of investigating the over 2,000 price gouging complaints it received after the storm

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