St. Rose of Lima Students Win County Poster Contest

Three St. Rose of Lima students won the “My County” poster contest sponsored by the Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Monmouth County Surrogate Rosemarie D. Peters announced the winners at Thursday’s regular meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders at the Hall of Records building in Freehold.

The contest was open to fourth graders across Monmouth County, who designed posters that reflected the spirit of the county. Peters said 175 entries were judged blind by representatives from the Monmouth County Surrogate’s Office, the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office, and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office. The three winning entries came from Patty Natale’s fourth grade class at St. Rose of Lima.

 “The results are a testament to the skill of Mrs. Natale in motivating and inspiring her students,” Peters said. “Her students did an absolutely amazing job.”

Nicholas Cabrera took first place, Joseph Gerber took second, and Joseph Vagnone came in third.

Notes From the Freeholder Meeting

• The freeholders approved a request by the Freehold Borough Fire Department for 10 firefighting helmets no longer needed by the county.

• The Board of Chosen Freeholders approved a resolution opposing the on Friday, July 29.

“We would be the only county seat in the state of New Jersey that doesn’t have a post office,” Freeholder John Curley said.

• The freeholders reaffirmed a 2007 agreement among the county, Eatontown, Oceaport and Tinton Falls. The resolution would allow Monmouth County and the municalities to acquire 351 acres of property on the site for public park and recreation purposes.

• Freehold Lillian Burry said she and the representatives from the towns and the county parks department had some concerns that the resolution previously accepted by the Fort Monmouth Revitalization Planning Authority may not be understood by the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority, the current authority over the site’s redevelopment.

“These are properties that belong to the people,” Burry said.

• The governing body accepted a 1.105-acre portion of Port Monmouth Road vacated by Middletown. The property will be used as an access way to Bayshore Waterfront Park.

• Holmdel will delay becoming a member municipality of the Monmouth County Board of Health until January 2012. Under the agreement, the township’s health service needs will be met by the county. The Board of Chosen Freeholders approved a resolution rescinding a contract authorized in April.

• The county entered into a settlement agreement with 21 Monmouth County corrections officers on a lawsuit filed in January 2006. The lawsuit alleged violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act. The county denied liability and settled the case for a portion of the cost of the litigant’s attorneys’ fees in the amount of $25,000, according to Monmouth County Counsel Andrea Bazer.

• The freeholders approved plans for repairs to Oceanic Bridge, which spans Rumson and Middletown, and reconstruction of Seven Bridges Road Bridge.

The cost to repair Oceanic Bridge is estimated at $3.7 million, with funding provided by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. Work will likely begin in October 2011 and by completed by May 2012, according the Monmouth County Engineer Joseph Ettore.

“Due the extent of the bascule span repairs, this structure must be closed to vehicular traffic during the rehabilitation work,” Ettore said.

The cost of improvements to Seven Bridges Road Bridge is estimated at $1.7 million and will be funded by the county transportation trust fund. The construction may take place in late fall of 2011 or the spring of 2012, depending on wetlands issues at the site. The bridge would be under construction and closed to traffic for about six months.

Ettore said while the closures will be an inconvenience for area travelers, particularly if work on both bridges takes place in the fall, the detours for each bridge will be independent of one another. In addition, a temporary traffic light will be installed at Route 520 and Branch Road.

“It certainly will be an impact on the area, but when we schedule these, we speak to the municipalities and make sure everyone’s aware that the projects are move forward,” Ettore said.

• The Board of Chosen Freeholders approved a $22.56 million contract with Motorola to design, build, install and maintain a digital radio network for emergency services across the county to communicate on one frequency. The county also approved a $7.03 million contract with Motorola for radio communications equipment for the network.