Organization Comments by Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari


2011 Organization Comments by Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari

Good afternoon,

I want to welcome everyone to the annual organization meeting of the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders and to wish all a Happy and Healthy 2011.

I want to congratulate my colleagues on the Board, Freeholders Jack Kelly and Jim Lacey on their being sworn into their 7th term on the Board of Freeholders.

In 2011, the Ocean County Board of Freeholders will continue to reduce spending as much as possible while making every effort to maintain the vital core services for county taxpayers in the New Year. We will work with our towns to enhance cost effective shared services.

In Ocean County, this Board lives within our budget. We keep a surplus balance for emergencies. We keep debt service low. Ongoing and long time fiscal conservative policies have resulted in a AAA bond rating for the county - the only one in southern New Jersey. Longstanding fiscal policies allow us to handle the cost of winter cleanups from blizzards like this past weekend without asking for more money from our taxpayers. The financial actions we have taken have consistently helped us to reduce the burden on the taxpayer.

In 2010, the county budget was reduced about $11 million, and about 105 positions were not replaced throughout county government. The Board will continue to do the same in the New Year, keeping county property taxes affordable and county services available. Even as we open an expanded jail in the New Year, we will continue to live within our financial means just like our residents and taxpayers do.

Residents in Ocean County can seek help at the One Stop Career Center on Route 9, and from the Workforce Investment Board. Training through premiere educational institutions is available to our residents at a reasonable cost. The Ocean County Vocational Technical School District offers many courses in the trades and Ocean County College provides the path to a college degree and also continuing education courses that can help our residents who are unemployed or underemployed. And, our libraries also play a role in providing skills and training in a host of areas.

As we work to bolster our efforts in providing employment opportunities, we will continue to work with Joint Base – Dix, McGuire, Lakehurst to ensure Ocean County residents and businesses have a full opportunity to work and or do business with the federal government and the military.

I also want to emphasize the need for our residents to participate in the "Buy Locally" campaign not just during the holiday season but also throughout the year. Retailers are important to the economic fabric of this County. In addition to the bigger shopping centers, I encourage everyone to visit the downtowns and to patronize local businesses.

I will also work with our partners in the tourism industry - a $3.3 billion industry that comes with 65,000 jobs locally - to help promote the many great attributes we offer in Ocean County – from the Atlantic Ocean and its majestic beaches to the east to our farmlands brimming with locally grown fruits and vegetables to the west. Encouraging visitors to come here and support the local economy is taking on even greater importance and I will do all I can to make certain tourism increases in the New Year.

As chairman of Senior Services, I pledge to the more than 160,000 seniors that call Ocean County home to provide them with the best services and programs possible to keep them healthy and give them the opportunity to continue to live independently and with dignity.

Our seniors make up 98,000 households and contribute $1.6 billion annually to our economy just in Ocean County.

At the end of last year, the freeholders approved contracts with Community Services Inc. to ensure our most vulnerable seniors will receive a healthy meal every day. Community Services, Inc. plans to provide over 68,000 congregate meals and 220,000 home delivered meals in 2011. The average age for a congregate meals participant is 84-years-old therefore, providing an evidence-based health education program such as the Chronic Disease Self Management in addition to the meals provides numerous benefits.

We will also help to protect our seniors from scam artists through the proactive work of the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

Working with Freeholder Little, who serves as chairman of Human Services and the Board of Social Services we will continue to provide a safety net for our seniors and all of our residents affected by these difficult economic times.

As chairman of buildings and grounds, a few years ago I began the work of implementing alternative energy sources to operate county facilities. There are more than 130 buildings maintained by Ocean County. Our solar panels in Manahawkin continue to produce energy for the county buildings located at our Southern Ocean County Government Complex on Haywood Road.

We will be installing additional solar panels this year in the county complex in Toms River. And we will continue to review other alternative energy sources that are available to us. We use only proven energy sources in Ocean County.

The Board will continue to work as stewards of the environment. We will continue our ongoing efforts to improve stormwater management, we will protect Barnegat Bay with the continued use of pumpout boats, and we will work with the DEP and the state to improve the conditions of the bay - one of this state’s recreational and environmental centerpieces. We have already made a $1 billion investment in our environment and we will continue to do more.

Our efforts to preserve open space and farmland through the Natural Lands Trust Fund program will continue under the direction of Freeholder John Bartlett. Our award winning recycling program, under the direction of Freeholder Jim Lacey will continue to provide economic benefits to municipalities and environmental benefits to all of our residents, our most needy and vulnerable residents will be provided for by the Ocean County Board of Social Services and the Ocean County Department of Human Services, both under the direction of Freeholder Gerry Little, and our emergency responders will continue to get the finest training at our Training Center in Waretown, and public safety will continue to be a priority under the direction of Freeholder Jack Kelly.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the great work of the Ocean County government workforce. The dedicated staff carries out all of our programs with great pride and professionalism.

The New Year will not be an easy one financially. As we continue to move through the 2011 budget process we know some programs will be adjusted or modified because of reduced funding so that we do not place a greater financial burden on the taxpayer.

But even during difficult times, there is a great spirit of optimism and encouragement that is present in Ocean County. I point to the many volunteers we have in this County – emergency responders, EMTs, firefighters, counselors, senior caregivers, mentors – role models all – who represent all that is good about this county. Winston Churchill said "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." And to all of our volunteers who give so much I say thank you.

I look upon the New Year with cautious optimism as we continue to provide the best services and programs possible, and as we continue to do our share to stimulate the economy and assist businesses, residents and our municipalities, within our means, with the best interest of the taxpayer in mind.

Thank you and Happy New Year.