The Arnone Report

ZERO PERCENT TAX INCREASE

Freeholder Director Tom Arone

By Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone

For the fourth straight year in a row The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders has had a 0% tax increase. I am pleased that I have been able to be a part of this budget especially in the hard economic times we are faced with. It has been and always will be a priority of mine as well as the entire Board of Chosen Freeholders to continue this trend of savings to our Monmouth County residents.

Additionally, The Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to report we have collected over $1 Million (Actual is $1,022,976.56) in revenues at this early stage in the year from our 911 communications shared service. This amount is based on revenue received from 21 towns. This is a vast increase from prior years where the invoice and revenue collection process typically began in April. This year, the Freeholders in conjunction with the Sheriff through the Office of Shared Services began the process at a much earlier date. The result has been beneficial to all parties as the county has earlier use of funds to help offset our expenses which allows for efficient budgeting for the county as well as for our municipalities. The Board of Chosen Freeholders is extremely pleased with these figures and anticipates the numbers to continue to increase as we receive revenue from the remaining municipalities. The revenue the County receives that is generated through shared services offers relief to the municipalities that translates to lower costs for the services being performed.

April is Autism Awareness Month, and at the last meeting of The Board of Chosen Freeholders a Proclamation was presented to Dr. David Abbott, Superintendent of Schools, for The Shore Center for Students with Autism located in Tinton Falls,. The Proclamation was presented to commemorate Autism Awareness Month in hopes of raising awareness of Autism.

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HUD Homebuyers Education Workshop

Affordable Housing Alliance is hosting a HUD HOMEBUYERS EDUCATION WORKSHOP on Saturday, April 19 At Eatontown Public Library, 33 Broad Street, Eatontown from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Be sure and RSVP: 732-389-2958 for your spot. Seating is Limited

Come learn about the KEYS TO YOUR FUTURE at our workshop!

Topics Include: Education Workshop Overview.
How to start saving money for a down payment on a mortgage.
Grant Program & Fair Housing.
What Monmouth County has to offer you.
Special Loan Programs Available.
Credit & Budgeting.
How to check your credit and create a budget plan for your future.
Real Estate Process.
Applications & Qualifying Process.
Underwriting & Approval Process.
Closing Cost & Attorney Fees & Homeowners Insurance,
and Much More

Further information, Affordable Housing Alliance, www.affordablehousingalliance.com/

Information Brought to you by
Lynn Humphrey, Administrator/Owner
BizEturtle:Events in Monmouth
contact me at lynn@bizeturtle.com or 732-759-0485

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NJ Friends of Clearwater seeks Vendors & Volunteers & Sponsors

New Jersey Friends of CLEARWATER FESTIVAL is celebrating
it’s 39th Annual Environmental Festival on
Saturday, September 13, 11:00 am – 7:00 pm &
Sunday, September 14, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Yes That is Right!! THIRTY-NINE YEARS !!

The NJ Friends of Clearwater Festival is New Jersey Friends of Clearwater’s annual open-air music and arts festival celebrating the spirit of people working and singing together for the environment.

From Sandy Hook to Asbury Park and NOW in Long Branch
The New Jersey Friends of CLEARWATER FESTIVAL has a strong
following of faithful earth-loving attendees.

This Year’s Theme: What Would Pete Do?
A Dedication to Our Founder: Pete Seeger

This year’s Festival is Located at The Great Lawn
Off of Ocean Blvd, Long Branch, NJ 07740
Near The Beautiful Ocean Place Resort & Spa
The event is handicapped accessible and sign language
interpreters are available.

We are also celebrating Our 40th Anniversary As a Sloop Club.
We would love for you to be a part of our Celebration.
Concern for our environment is becoming more crucial with each passing day. The education ofour youth is so important to all of us. There is a
serious decline in family-friendly entertainment like our festival.
Won’t you take a few moments to consider how you can help make this year’s Clearwater Festival as successful as possible?

Please help us by Sponsoring Us. Write to Ed Dlugosz at info@mcclearwater.org or call 732-859-5752

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James M. Coleman, Jr, Rest in Peace

James M. Coleman, Jr. 1924-2014.
photo courtesy Asbury Park High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame

James M. Coleman, Jr, 90, a native of Asbury Park and life long public servant to the people of Monmouth County and New Jersey, passed away on Saturday, April 12, in Rockville Centre, NY.

Born in Long Branch on February 17, 1924, “Chippy” was a student-athlete at Asbury Park High School, Class of 1942, and at Dartmouth College where in played in the NCAA basketball tournament as a freshman in 1943.  He interrupted his college career to serve in the U.S. Army Air Forces with the 461st Bombardment Group in Italy.

Chippy returned to Dartmouth in 1945 and played basketball for three more years.  He was named All League in 1945-46 and Team Captain from 1945-1948.

Upon graduation he enrolled in Cornell Law School and received his law degree in 1951.  He returned to Asbury Park and joined the law firm Patterson, Cooper & Coleman.

Elected to the Asbury Park City Council in 1957, Chippy served in that position until 1965.  He served in the Assembly for three terms, serving as Chairman of the Joint Budget and Appropriations Committee.  While in the Assembly he worked with his college Thomas Kean, who later became governor, on creating the framework of the New Jersey State Lottery.

Coleman served as Monmouth County Prosecutor from 1972-1977.  While prosecutor, President Richard M. Nixon appointed him to a term year term on the Commission on Review of the National Policy on Gambling.   From 1977-1980 he served in the office of NJ Legislative Reviser of Statutes.

Governor Brendan Byrne appointed Coleman to the Superior Court bench in 1980.  He served as a Judge on Monmouth County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court until his retirement in 1987.

He remained active in public service in following years, serving from 1998 to 2007 on the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards. He was elected to the Shore Athletic Club Hall of Fame and the Jersey Shore Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 and to the Asbury Park High School Hall of Fame in 2003.

Chippy’s friends remember him for his story telling, his sense of humor, his wise council and for being a down to earth gentleman.

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Monmouth County Freeholders Adopt Budget With Zero Tax Increase

Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry

For the fourth straight year, the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders adopted a county budget with no tax increase.

At their meeting April 10 meeting the Freeholder Board, comprised of 5 Republicans, adopted $480.9 million budget, a $100,000 spending reduction from last year’s budget.  The amount raised through property taxes is $302,475,000, the same amount raised every year since 2010.

“It is a challenge every year to try to cut spending without impacting the level of services our taxpayers have come to expect,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry. “This process is not something that is done in haste. This budget reflects the months of work that has gotten us to a flat tax rate for the fourth year in a row.”

“This year, an internal budget subcommittee met with each department to look for duplicative services and identify areas for consolidation and savings,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Gary J. Rich, Sr., liaison to the Finance Department. “This process has yielded savings in the areas of information technology, finance, human resources, building maintenance and legal services.”

Monmouth County relies less on taxes than most other New Jersey counties. As a percentage of the overall budget, Monmouth County’s taxes comprise 62 percent of the total budget, historically behind Union, Hudson and Essex counties.

“The department heads deserve a lot of credit for their hard work in paring down the budget,” said Rich. “This is the fifth year in which we asked for concessions from the departments and, as a result, this is the fourth year in which the tax levy has remained the same.”

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Brielle woman killed by 2 NYC taxis was celebrating job offer, report says

Brielle woman killed by 2 NYC taxis was celebrating job offer, report says (via NJ.com)

Kelly Gordon, a Boston College senior from Brielle who was struck and killed by two taxi cabs while crossing the street in New York City, was celebrating a job offer with her sister Thursday night, according to multiple published reports. Gordon, 22…

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Monmouth County’s Next Star: Heather Brittain O’Scanlon

Move over Bruce, Jon, Max, Maury  and Queen Latifah.  Heather Brittain O’Scanlon’s star is rising.

“I’m a mother. I’m the wife of a New Jersey politician. And, after taking some time to devote myself to loving those wonderful people, I rekindled with my first love… acting. I am living my own personal trifecta. Life is good.”

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Historic Rumson Country Club to get a facelift, return to its roots

Historic Rumson Country Club to get a facelift, return to its roots (via NJ.com)

RUMSON – More than 100 years after being founded on the banks of the Shrewsbury River, the historic Rumson County Club is about to get a facelift. Tripp Davis, an Oklahoma-based golf course architect renowned for his work restoring historic golf courses…

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Happy Passover 2014

Passover (Pesach) celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.

It is a week long festival of clelebration with a number of important rituals, including traditional Passover meals known as seders, the removal of leavened products from their home, the substitution of matzo for bread and the retelling of the exodus tale.

Passover Begins sunset of Monday, April 14, 2014 and Ends nightfall of Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Be sure and Check the BizEturtle: Calendar of Events & Plays atwww.bizeturtle.com for Passover Community Seders and More

Be sure and check the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County for
more events and information, www.jewishmonmouth.org/

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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Report: N.J. school bus driver assists with arrest of child’s accused stalker

Report: N.J. school bus driver assists with arrest of child’s accused stalker (via NJ.com)

ENGLISHTOWN – An 18-year-old Manalapan resident was reportedly charged with stalking and harassing a young girl while she was on her way home from her school bus stop. On April 1, a scared and upset 13-year-old girl called 9-1-1 to report that a man…

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