Politics & Government

Freeholders Agree To Lower Speed Limit on Route 516

In other news, they are seeking approval for another access road for Freehold Raceway Mall

Additional Freehold Raceway Access Road

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders approved a resolution Thursday calling for a fourth access road to the Freehold Raceway Mall.

The fourth roadway would allow visitors to enter or exit the mall from Route 33 West between the Wemrock Road and Route 537 interchanges.

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Freehold Township owns the parcel of land bordering the mall, Wemrock Road, Route 33 Business and Route 33, where the new road would be built. Roadways entering and exiting the mall currently exist off of Route 9, Route 537 and Route 33 Business.

The Freehold Township Committee approved a resolution Tuesday, June 14 to join with the county in an application to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) requesting the additional roadway. Route 33 is a state highway and the NJDOT would need to approve any work connecting a new road to it.

Find out what's happening in Matawan-Aberdeenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Speed Limit Lowered on Route 516

•  The Board approved a resolution lowering the speed limits along County Route 516 from 40 mph to 35 mph. The section of County Route 516 affected runs from the Middlesex-Monmouth county line and Route 79, passing through Matawan, Aberdeen, Keyport, Hazlet (Middle Road), Holmdel (Laurel Avenue, between Middle Road and Route 35) and Middletown.

Holmdel Resident Re-Appointed

• The Board of Chosen Freeholders reappointed Alan Bateman, of Holmdel, to a five-year term on the Monmouth County Bayshore Outfall Authority ending February 2016.

Manasquan's Glimmer Glass Bridge

•The freeholders heard a presentation on the Glimmer Glass Bridge in Manasquan by Fran Drew during its regular meeting held at Neptune City Hall. County engineers are currently exploring options for repairing the 122-year-old bridge.

Drew, a member of the Committee to Save the Glimmer Glass Bridge, urged the governing body to adopt a plan that would preserve the historical integrity of the bridge, which is in the National Historic Registry.

“It is a national treasure which is in our own backyard,” Drew said.

However, Manasquan Planning Board member Joan Harriman encouraged the freeholders to consider a design that would be a compromise between functionality and historical design.

“Many Manasquan residents living in the beach area are awaiting a public hearing to state our concerns and emphasize the need for a new bridge that is safe and made wider to accommodate cars, bicycles and pedestrians,” Harriman said. “We use it as our entrance and exit on a daily basis.”

Five County Employee Unions Receive Salary Increases

•The Board of Chosen Freeholders approved contracts with five county employee unions.

According to County Administrator Terri O’Connor, the terms contract terms included the following salary increases:

The Monmouth County Prosecutor Supervisors Association received a three percent increase in 2010 and 1.25 percent for 2011 and 2012.

The Assistant Prosecutors Unit received no increase in 2009 and a net two percent increase for 2010, 2011, and 2012.

The Monmouth County Clerk’s Office clerical employees received a three percent increase for 2010 and 1.25 percent for 2011 and 2012.

Supervisory Division of Social Services supervisory employees received 1.25 percent increases for 2011 and 2012.

Division of Social Services clerical and professional employees received 1.25 percent increases for 2011 and 2012 with entry level salaries frozen at 2010 levels.

O’Connor noted that the five groups agreed to language changes to adopt the county’s workman’s compensation and prescription co-pay programs for a savings to the county.

“These are probably, in terms of benefit to the county, the best contracts that have been negotiated in many years,” Freeholder Directory Robert Clifton.

However, Manalapan resident Ray Kalainikas criticized the salary increases included in the contracts.

“We’re at a point in our society where everybody is concerned about increase in taxation, increase in their property taxes. There’s this constant increase all over the place,” Kalainikas said. “There has to be a wage freeze—no increase in salary for anyone in government.”


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