Longtime Freehold Florist Dies At 90

Claire M. Scotto, 90, of Freehold Township, owned Nature's Creations Wholesale Florist

Claire M. Scotto, 90, of Freehold Township passed away on Monday, April 22, 2013 at Brandywine Assisted Living, Howell. Claire was born in Italy and had lived in Brooklyn before moving to Freehold Township in 1946. Along with her late husband Salvatore, she owned and operated Nature’s Creations Wholesale Florist, Freehold from 1946 to 1992. Claire loved to cook and enjoyed her oil painting. She was predeceased by her husband, Salvatore L. Scotto and a brother, Louis Permer.  Claire is survived by three sons, Frank Scotto of Howell Twp.; Robert Scotto and his wife, Dale of Freehold Twp. and Mark Scotto and his wife, Carol of Uniontown, Ohio; a daughter, Diane Fedeson of North Tonawanda, NY; four grandchildren, Kristopher Fedeson, Michelle …

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Come Plant a Tree and Celebrate Arbor Day in Freehold Township This Weekend

In recognition of Arbor Day, the Freehold Township Committee and the Shade Tree Commission invites will host a tree planting ceremony on Saturday, April 27 at Durand Park Memorial Arboretum.

Sheriff's Office: Freehold Man Attempts to Escape From Monmouth County Jail

Man scaled a recreation area wall, authorities say

Jeffrey Phillips wanted out.  The 27-year-old Freehold man had been housed in the Monmouth County jail since Feb. 4 on charges of threatening to kill someone and attempting to cause bodily injury to another -- both stemming from an incident in Freehold Borough, according to jail records. Phillips, of Schivera Ave., could not make his $12,500 bail. So three days after he was first bought to the Freehold Township facility, Phillips scaled a recreation area wall  of “C-Dorm,’’ in an attempt to reach the roof of the county jail, according to an arrest warrant filed by the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office. It didn’t work. Phillips was charged with escape, according to the arrest warrant. An additional $25,000 was added to his initial bail, …

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Freehold Township Auctioning Off Nine Vehicles

The township is holding an online auction which features abandoned and unclaimed vehicles and surplus property no longer needed for public use.

Starting on April 2, Freehold Township will be hosting an online auction to sell a nine different vehicles. The auction will run through April 16 at the online auction site Municibid. For sale through the auction is a 1997 Chevrolet 3500 van, a 2001 Ford 4x4, a 1991 Toyota Camery Wagon, 2000 Venture L.S. minivan, a 1999 Nissan Altima S.E.,  1996 Honda Accord L.X., 1997 Ford Explorer 4x4 two-door, a 1996 Pontiac Bonneville S.E. and a 1999 Ford Explorer 4x4 two-door. To view the abandoned and unclaimed vehicles and surplus property no longer needed for public use, visit www.municibid.com. To view Freehold Township items, go to the Municibid website and search for freeholdnj. For information call 732-294-2160.

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With Warmer Weather DOT Tackles Freehold Potholes

Program helps repair roads across the state.

Now that spring has returned to New Jersey the Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is busy tackling pothole problems that have developed along their roadways.  Last week a crew was hard at work along the Freehold stretch of Route 33 using a machine appropriately known as the "Pothole Killer." After a winter full of freezes and thaws Garden State roads have taken a pounding and will now be fixed to make them safer for all motorists.  NJDOT Commissioner James Simpson said crews will be hard at work now that warmer weather is in the forecast. "The investments we are making in major roadway resurfacing and reconstruction projects are paying dividends in the form of improved roadway conditions," he said. "We have pushed up our roadway ratings …

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Freehold Township: What's a Revaluation?

Here's a handy primer explaining the process that tries to more fairly distribute the tax burden in a municipality.

In an attempt to fix the imbalance between the assessed value and the market value of properties, Freehold Township had Realty Appraisal Company conduct a property reassessment for all township properties. Under the township-wide revaluation, homes and businesses were inspected for their comparable assessed worth in an effort to more fairly distribute the tax burden. Local government and school tax levies are comprised of tax points, which are literally every cent a resident pays in property taxes per $100 in assessed value. While some residents may see their assessments and consequently their tax bills increase under a township-wide revaluation, the process is intended to correct inequities in the tax base that may develop over time. …

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Freehold Township Summer Camp Registration Now Open

Summer camp will run from July 1 until Aug. 16.

Just because there is snow on the ground and temperatures are near freezing does not mean it is too early to start thinking about the summer. The Freehold Township Recreation Commission is now accepting registration for 2013 summer camp and students interested in becoming a Counselor in Training (CIT). Freehold Township summer camp will run Monday through Friday from July 1 until Aug. 16. The camp is held at Michael J. Tighe Park and is open to non-residents as well as Freehold Township residents between kindergarten and eighth grade. Students older than eighth grade are eligible to become a CIT. Those interested in signing up for summer camp can do so by registering online at registerb.parksreconline.com.

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Last Chance: Deadline for Scheduling Property Reassessment Conference

Friday is the last day Freehold Township residents who received their appraisal letter can schedule a reassessment conference to discuss their property's appraised value.

Correction: The Friday deadline is only for those who have already received their appraisal letter and wished to schedule a conference. Those who have not received their appraisal yet will be given a time to call to schedule a conference, if needed, when they receive their letter. The deadline to schedule a property reassessment conference is quickly approaching. Freehold Township residents have until 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25 to schedule a time to discuss their property’s appraised value with the company that conducted the town-wide reappraisal this past fall. In a letter sent to township property owners advising them of their reappraised property values, Realty Appraisal Company noted that the reassessment of all township property was …

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Jacklyn Corley

4:47 pm on Friday, January 25, 2013

Thanks for the correction, Mike. We were basing this off the letter I had received from the appraisal company with my property tax appraisal, which indicated Friday would be the last day to call. We've corrected the article to indicate that the deadline was only for those who had already received their letters and were given until Friday at 4 p.m. to call.   more ›

Two New Officers Join the FTPD

Two residents were sworn in to the Freehold Township Police force during the Freehold Township Reorganization meeting.

Two new officers have joined the Freehold Township Police Department. In front of a crowded boardroom, Officer Sean P. Moody, and Kevin G. Skievaski, were sworn in as Freehold Township Police Officers. Moody, 27, was the first officer to be sworn in. Moody is a Freehold Township native, and 2003 graduate of Freehold Township High School. He has a BA from Rutgers University in Criminal Justice and attended the Monmouth County Police Academy in 2009. Moody previously worked at the Stockton College Police Department where he served as a Police Officer. He also worked in the security field at Jersey Shore University Medical Center and at the Freehold Raceway Mall. Skievaski, 28, has been a resident of Freehold Township since 2008. He enlisted …

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Freehold Township Committee Appointments for 2013

The governing body accepted nominations and appointments from the mayor for 2013.

The Freehold Township appointments for 2013 were announced at the Friday, Jan. 4 Freehold Township Reorganization meeting. The appointments are as follows.

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