As I complete my 11th time serving as the Director the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders I look back at the year with great pride knowing many good things have been accomplished in 2017.
Providing core services to the more than 600,000 people who call Ocean County home, along with maintaining affordability and a stable county tax rate were all goals met by the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 2017.
I am especially proud to be a part of the partnership that has resulted in work getting underway on a new Performing Arts Academy for our young residents who are interested in pursuing this area as a career. Enhanced performing arts training empowers graduates with the practical skills for higher education and/or a professional career in the arts. The academy offers four majors: theater, vocal, dance and audio engineering. By developing a unique public/private partnership that includes the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Ocean County College, the Ocean County Vocational Technical Schools and the Grunin Foundation, we will be able to provide our high school students with the rare opportunity to attend a new Performing Arts Academy on the campus of Ocean County College, Toms River. By locating the new academy on the college campus students will be accessing college courses and all the amenities of the college like its library, student center and the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts. Once they complete the academy curriculum, students will be awarded OCC’s associate degree and will be half way to a bachelor’s degree – all for a fraction of the tuition cost of a university degree.
Ocean County’s senior citizens – now at almost 170,000 – will benefit from the changes coming to the Ocean County Southern Service Center in Stafford Township that will be completed in 2018. The county operated facility will be expanded to accommodate meal preparation for the almost 300,000 meals served to the County’s seniors over the course of the year that are part of the senior nutrition and home delivered meals program. Meals are also served to seniors at the numerous senior nutrition sites located throughout the County. As chairman of Senior Services, I recognize the senior nutrition and home delivered meal program is essential for allowing seniors that are frail and homebound to maintain their independence. The program also serves as a lifeline for seniors providing them with a daily visit from someone who not only delivers a meal but can assess if there is a problem. I am especially proud of this program and look forward to the positive changes that will be implemented in the New Year.
Throughout 2017, I have closely worked with my colleagues on the Board of Freeholders to make certain Ocean County remains an affordable place to live, raise a family and retire.
Through our work as fiscal conservatives, Ocean County has again been awarded the AAA bond rating – the highest possible. Maintaining this AAA bond rating speaks volumes about the experience of this Board of Freeholders and is a testament to the entire county government, each department working to make certain this county remains financially stable and able to withstand any financial challenges that may come its way. The Board also works in concert to make certain our county property tax rate remains stable so as we end the year we have held true to our pledge of no surprises when it comes to county property taxes or the budget.
As liaison to tourism and business development, I am pleased that the summer of 2017 brought thousands and thousands of visitors to Ocean County which is a premiere vacation destination. From our pristine ocean beaches to the many recreational activities found on Barnegat Bay and throughout the County, we had a strong summer season which equates to jobs and a boost to the county’s economic engine.
All of my colleagues on the Board continued to assure top notch services were provided to our taxpayers and residents throughout the year. Under the leadership of Ocean County Freeholder John C. Bartlett Jr., the state’s longest serving freeholder, work is advancing on the reconstruction of Berkeley Island County Park and is expected to be complete late spring/early summer of 2018. Our more than 1,600 county road lane miles continued to be well maintained under the guidance of Freeholder Gerry P. Little. Freeholder John P. Kelly, Director of Law and Public Safety, makes public safety a priority and works closely with agencies like the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, Ocean County Prosecutor and Corrections Department in keeping our streets safe and our residents out of harms’ way and Freeholder Virginia E. Haines who works tirelessly with agencies like the Board of Social Services, Human Services and the Planning Department’s key programs like First Time Homebuyer and Community Development Block Grant helps wherever possible to make a difference for those residents who need help and assistance.
From our veterans to our seniors, from students to young families to our retirees, we are committed to providing the best services and programs to all of you.
As we conclude 2017, I want to extend my congratulations to Freeholders Little and Bartlett as they are named Director and Deputy Director of the Board respectively for 2018. And, I want to take this time to say thank you to all of you who call Ocean County home. It is a privilege to serve you and I look forward to continuing to serve you as a Freeholder in the New Year.