Drought watch issued for 12 counties, 6 million people as N.J. water worries worsen

A drought watch has been issued in parts of 12 New Jersey counties, encompassing more than two-thirds of the population, after months of dry, warm weather that have driven the state’s water supply to worryingly low levels. Rainfall totals in parts of northern and central New Jersey have been just over 50 percent of average over… Read the rest of this entry »

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Tax Board Rejects Curley’s Call To Suspend Assessment Program

Prosecutor Mum On Whether He Will Investigate Anonymous Allegations

Freeholder John P. Curley

The Monmouth County Board of Taxation voted unanimously on Friday to reject Freeholder John Curley’s call that they suspend their new method of assessing values on properties in the county for property tax purposes.

Curley’s call to suspend the program came last week after he said received an anonymous letter from a group of realtors, appraisers, tax assessors and former tax assessors alleging that the program, “Tax Assessment Demonstration Program,” is not being implemented in accordance with the law that created it and implying that Matthew Clark, the Tax Board Administrator, has inappropriate dealings with the program vendors.

Curley referred the anonymous letter to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni, declaring in his own letter to the prosecutor that it is “omnipotent (sic) that all government business be conducted with full transparency, ethical and legal standards.”   Curley also wrote Tax Board President James Stuart to request the tax assessment program be suspended while Gramiccioni investigates.  He then released the anonymous letter and his letters to Gramiccioni and Stuart to the Asbury Park Press.

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Burry and Hammond To Receive History Awards

Freeholder Lillian G. Burry

MANALAPAN, NJ – Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon is pleased to announce that Freeholder Lillian G. Burry has been selected to receive the inaugural M. Claire French Award for Leadership in Historic Preservation and Joseph W. Hammond has been selected to receive the 2015 Jane G. Clayton Award at Archives and History Day.

Both awards will be presented at Monmouth County Archives and History Day on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters.

“Both of these recipients are very deserving of recognition,” Hanlon said. “There is no public servant more deserving of the inaugural M. Claire French award than Lillian Burry. Lillian has been an advocate, champion and enthusiast of historic preservation in Monmouth County as a citizen and throughout her entire career as a public servant and elected official.”

Freeholder Burry has made many notable contributions to historical preservation throughout her career, including heading Matawan’s Historic Preservation Program while serving on the Matawan Council, during which time the group purchased and restored the borough’s most historic 1700’s era mansion. She also founded and chairs the Colts Neck Historical Preservation Committee.

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FEMA extends deadline for Sandy homeowners

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency agreed Tuesday to give Hurricane Sandy homeowners an extra 30 days to ask the government to review their damage claims. FEMA agreed to the last-minute extension just hours before the original deadline. The agency initially agreed to review all claims submitted by homeowners in response to allegations that insurers… Read the rest of this entry »

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Former Asbury Park Mayor Considering Gubernatorial Run

Ed Johnson photo via facebook

Former Asbury Park Mayor Ed Johnson is “seriously thinking about” running for governor in 2017, according to a report on PolitickerNJ.

“I know a little about raising cities from the dead, and I know about staring down Hurricane Sandy,” said Johnson, who runs his own private consulting firm. “There are no greater troubled waters than our state right now. Whether it’s Democratic or Republican it just keeps going.Everything I’ve done, people said ‘you can’t do that,’ and we did it. People now say the state is too far gone, too broken, it can’t be fixed. I think it can be. I’m not saying I’ve made a final decision. It would be a wildcat, barn-burner election, no question, but the people must regain control of this state.”

Johnson stared down Hurricane Sandy by hosting New Jersey Democratic leaders at a pre-election rally on October 28, 2012.    Senator Bob Menendez, Cory Booker, then mayor of Newark, former Governor Dick Codey, Congressman Frank Pallone and state Senator Barbara Buono joined Johnson and Monmouth Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal in a rally for Menendez and President Obama while the rest of New Jersey was preparing for the worst and  praying to be spared by the troubled waters of Sandy.

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The Arnone Report: Locals’ summer follows a great season, Hire locally for county work

By Thomas A. Arnone, Monmouth County Freeholder

Freeholder Tom Arone

I can’t believe I am saying this, but summer has slipped away before our eyes. While the calendar does not officially declare autumn until September 23, the unofficial end of the season is Labor Day, when our beaches officially close, lifeguard towers are put away and the school doors open.  As most of us locals know, some of the best beach and park days are still ahead of us, as September and October provide us with the perfect weather to continue to enjoy these gems we are lucky enough to call home.

The 2015 summer tourism season went extremely well, as we were blessed with great weather – modest temperatures and very little rain; in addition both the Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays provided us with an extra two weeks of the season.

I am extremely happy to hear that most beach towns are providing initial reports that badge sales were up over last year, with some reporting the 2015 season as a record year.  Asbury Park has already reported that beach badge sales were up 21% over last year and Belmar has already exceeded their final total number from 2014. Spring Lake officials have reported that beaches have been crowded all season and the shops on 3^rd Avenue are doing record business.  Long Branch not only reported record crowds at Ocean Fest, but has continued to experience a packed beach and boardwalk all summer, with all Pier Village shops and restaurants doing very well.

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John L. Montgomery Care Center Resident Requests for the Conditions of the Sale of Their Home

By Jennifer Gregory

As we approach the next phase in the process of privatizing of the long embattled Monmouth County Care Centers, the following items were submitted to the Freeholders, on behalf of the residents and family members of John L. Montgomery, to be included in the Request for Proposal and the Conditions of the Sale of their home:

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Golden: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden

As summer is coming to a close, law enforcement throughout Monmouth County is participating in the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign lead by the NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety, according to Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden.

The campaign to crack down on drunk driving started last Friday and extends through Labor Day, September 7.

“We want everyone to enjoy the remainder of the summer, but, if you are going to drink, don’t drive, it’s as simple as that,” said Golden. “Law enforcement will be out in full force and on the lookout for drunk drivers.”

In an effort to avoid presenting a danger to yourself or others, it’s important to follow these safety tips:

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, August 21-23, 2015

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, August 21

• Nobody’s Girl by NJ Repertory Company (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• Colts Neck Country Fair – MORE INFO
• How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Spring Lake) – MORE INFO
• NJ State 4-H Horse Show (Allentown) – MORE INFO
• Teen Yoga Class (Middletown) – MORE INFO
• Campfire on the Beach at Sandy Hook – MORE INFO
• ALS Coastal Explorers Program on Sandy Hook – MORE INFO
• Bluegrass Mini Golf at Monmouth Park (Oceanport) – MORE INFO
• Atlantic Cinemas Movie Night (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

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Gopal Surrenders Red Bank

Democratic Councilman Michael DuPont Remains Confident He Will Be Reelected

Vin Gopal: “GOP Will Take Control of Red Bank”

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal told The Two River Times  that the Republican Party will win control of the Red Bank municipal government in this November’s election.

Gopal, who launched a campaign of personal destruction against Red Bank GOP Chairman Sean DiSomma in 2013 when he issued a false press release asserting that DiSomma, then a candidate for council, had a warrant for his arrest in Texas over an unpaid traffic violation, whines incessantly to TRT reporter John Burton over the video that led to the resignation of Art Murphy from the borough council. Murphy, the Council President at the time of his resignation last week, also resigned his candidacy for reelection.

Gopal apparently has more of a problem with the fact that Murphy was caught vulgarly belittling his constituents than with the former Council President’s actions.  Regardless of whether or not the Republicans released the video, which they deny, they did not fabricate charges, as Gopal did in 2013 against DiSomma.

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