FIVE - O!

FIVE - O!

That's what the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders will be come January when Freeholder-elect Gary Rich takes his seat. He will replace the last Democrat Freeholder, Amy Mallet, who along with running mate Bill Shea was soundly defeated. Surrogate Rosemarie Peters was reelected by about a 22,000 vote margin.
The 2012 Board will initially consist of Robert Clifton, Lillian Burry (just reelected), John Curley, Thomas Arnone and Gary Rich. Rob Clifton will then leave the Freeholder Board to take his seat in the State Assembly, as Amy Handlin did in 2006.
By State Law, the Monmouth County Republican Committee must convene and select a replacement freeholder.
Our teams swept all the Monmouth Legislative districts, too.

11th District:
Senator Jen Beck - WON
Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande - WON
Assemblywoman mart Pat Angelini - WON

12th District:
Senator Elect Sam Thompson - WON
Assemblyman Ronald dancer - WON
Assemblyman Elect Rob Clifton - WON

13th District:
Senator Joe Kyrillos - WON
Assemblywoman Amy Handlin - WON
Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon - WON

30th District:
Senator Bob Singer - WON
Assemblyman Elect Sean Kean - WON
Assemblyman dave Rible - WON

PETERS IS IN THE RACE

This announcement was e-mailed to Monmouth County Republicans:

Dear Monmouth County Republican,
Today I issued the following statement to announce my candidacy for Monmouth County Surrogate. I wanted to share it with you and ask for your support. If you are interested in helping my campaign in anyway, please email me at rdp@rosemariepeters.com. I hope to see you soon.
Sincerely yours,
Rosemarie

MIDDLETOWN COMMITTEEWOMAN ROSEMARIE PETERS ANNOUNCES RUN FOR MONMOUTH COUNTY SURROGATE

Middletown, NJ – Committeewoman and former Mayor Rosemarie D. Peters, the longest-serving member of the governing body in Monmouth County’s most populous municipality, today announced that she will be seeking the Republican nomination for Monmouth County Surrogate.
“Given my legal background and many years of public service, I believe I can best serve the residents of Monmouth County as Surrogate,” said Peters. “If elected, I intend to focus all of my attention on the tasks of the office. I will be a full-time Surrogate, which I believe the residents of Monmouth County deserve.”First elected in 1988 and re-elected five times since, Peters is completing her 18th year on the Middletown governing body. She has served four years as Mayor, three as Deputy Mayor, and has been a member of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment. She is currently chair of the Township’s Open Space Preservation Committee, which she initiated, and is president of the Middletown Township Cultural and Arts Council, which she founded.Peters has been a member of the executive board and the Legislative Review Committee of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities. She was formerly a member of the Monmouth County Environmental Council, a board member of the Monmouth County Mental Health Association, and former president of the Middletown Township League of Women Voters. Peters has a Juris Doctor degree from the Rutgers School of Law-Newark, a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Thomas A. Edison State College, and an Associates in Art degree from Brookdale Community College. She has been married for over 40 years to Thomas Peters, and has two grown children and two grandchildren.

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PAID FOR BY ROSEMARIE PETERS FOR SURROGATE, JOAN A. SMITH, TREAS., PO BOX 725, LINCROFT, NJ 07738.

IS SHE IS OR IS SHE AIN'T A CANDIDATE?

Recently Monmouth County Republican Committee members received a telephone message supporting the candidacy of Middletown Deputy Mayor Rosemarie D. Peters for the vacancy to occur on the Board of Freeholders as a result of the election of Amy Handlin to the State Assembly. OK, all well and good. When a vacancy occurs people want to fill it. Mrs. Peters has as much a right as anybody else to throw her name in there.
Only she hasn't thrown her name in.
Yesterday (11/15) committee members received a call from Mrs. Peters herself saying that she hadn't authorized the calls, that she was flattered that the calls were made, and that she would make a decision soon as to just whether or not she's running.
OK...
So, what would prompt someone to make calls on behalf of an alleged candidate without first checking with that person first? It all seems very strange.
When a vacancy due to a resignation or death occurs on the Board of Chosen Freeholders, the County Executive Committee of the resigned or deceased member's party is convened by its chairman for the purpose of electing an interim replacement. This most recently happened in December 2004 with the resignation of the late Harry W. Larrison, Jr.; Freeholder William C. Barham bested the now-indicted Keyport Mayor John Merla for the spot at that time. Freeholder Handlin has indicated that she would resign from the Board if elected to the Assembly.
A Middletown candidate would seem a logical replacement as Freeholder Handlin is a Middletown resident, but it's more complicated than that. Although Middletown has recently been a reliable GOP stronghold and is the largest municipality in Monmouth County, it no longer comprises as large a percentage of the county, due to growth in other townships, particularly in Western Monmouth County. Howell, in particular has seen quite a lot of growth, as has Marlboro. And being from a huge town is not everything, as Bill Barham is from Monmouth Beach, a smaller borough on the shore. Further, some Republicans may want to blunt the countywide power of former Middletown Mayor Peter Carton, who is the longtime GOP chairman in that township.
At this point I am not aware of any other people declaring themselves candidates for Amy's seat, but it's still early. There will be more. And as I learn their names, I will update.