COUNTY JOB OPENING!

At last week's freeholders' meeting, County Commissioner John D'Amico (a/k/a Flippy) announced that the county was taking applications for the position of In-House County Counsel. The job announcement is on the county's website. This three-year appointment would replace the current outside curmudgeonly county counsel, Malcolm V. Carton.
John P. Curley, our GOP standardbearer in this fall's freeholder race, addressed the board and expressed concern that creating a full-time legal department would potentially evolve into a new layer of bureaucracy. He added that creating new county government jobs would be inappropriate in light of the recent layoff of many county employees.
Here's the announcement from the county website.

Job Details

Title: In-House County Counsel
Hours/Week:
Title Code:

• Starting Salary: DOQ - up to $150,000 Annually
  
  Job Description and Requirements:
  •In-House County Counsel
  The County Counsel serves as the chief legal advisor to the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders on a broad range of subject matters. The ideal candidate will be a trusted legal advisor with a professional demeanor who will be proactive in bringing issues to the Board’s attention, be creative and have good judgment, and be able to multi-task and function effectively in a large government environment with shifting priorities.
  
  This position is in the unclassified service under the NJ Statutes Annotated [40A:9-43] for a three year term.
  
  Salary DOQ – up to $150,000.
  
  Essential job functions may include any of the following but are not limited to:
  
  ◦meets with and advises the Board of Freeholders with respect to both legal advise and representations at all Freeholder workshop, executive and public meetings;
  ◦provides timely and comprehensive responses and recommendations regarding requests from the Board , individual Board members or the County Administrator;
  ◦adheres to the highest ethical standards in the discharge of all responsibilities;
  ◦monitors and supervises support legal staff’;
  ◦researches, interprets and applies laws, court decisions, statutes, ordinances and other legal authorities for use in the preparation of legal opinions and briefs;
  ◦assists the Board of Freeholders in the development and implementation of Board policies, regulations and operating programs as needed;
  ◦may represent the County in civil litigation, including preparation and trial of cases before courts and administrative agencies;
  ◦performs other related duties as assigned.
• Education & Experience:
  Juris Doctorate Degree with a minimum of 10 years of experience in the practice of law including substantial responsible experience as Counsel for a public jurisdiction.
  
  A Certificate of Good Standing from the New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners
  
  Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
  
  ◦Knowledge of applicable County and State statutes, codes and procedures.
  ◦Knowledge of methods and procedures required to provide legal services to governing body of a public entity.
  ◦Knowledge of managing a legal department of a city, county, or state department or federal agency, or a law firm or corporate law office involved in civil litigation.
  ◦Ability to conduct legal research and draft legal documents.
  ◦Ability to conduct effective presentations.
  ◦Ability to resolve problems and make decisions.
  ◦Ability to use and communicate by means of computer network systems necessary.
  Candidates must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities required in managing a legal department, the management of litigation in a cost-effective manner, and the technical and administrative direction of 2 in-house attorneys and outside special counsels.
  
  Forward resume application in confidence to:
  
  Mr. Robert M. Czech
  Hall of Records
  1 East Main St.
  Freehold, NJ 07728
  
  How to apply:•Individuals will only be considered if they possess the minimum requirements listed above.
  •All applicants: In order to be considered for a job opening, an Application for Employment must be completed for each position. Resumes may be attached but are not considered as substitution for a fully completed job application form. E-mailed or faxed applications are not accepted.
  •Mail: Completed applications referencing the job title code on the application to: County of Monmouth, Personnel Department, 1 East Main Street, Freehold, NJ 07728
  •Phone: To request a Job Application be mailed to you, call 732-431-7300
  •In Person: Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

THOSE PRESS ENDORSEMENTS II

"We believe voters would be better served by retaining the 3-2 Republican majority..."
...Asbury Park Press Editorial


We knew they could do it. Today, the Asbury Park Press endorsed Director Lillian Burry and John Curley for freeholders over Democrats Amy Mallet (Who is like a shark) and Very Silent Glenn Mason for county commissioners. This marks the first time in many years that they have endorsed Republicans for the Board.

In the opening paragraph, the Press finally admits that the corruption of the Bid Rig era is a thing of the past, but they seem to believe that having two Democrats on the Board is the reason for the reforms of the past three years. We beg to differ on that. Between the 2004 and 2006 election cycle there was a 100% turnover of Board members. While Republicans largely replaced Republicans during that time, we saw a much more reform-minded calibre of freeholder take office.

Many reforms were spearheaded by Freeholder Anna Little, a conservative Republican. Indeed, a case could be made that it was a return to basic Republican principles that brought the Board of Chosen Freeholders back on track.

Simply having Democrats on the Board is not in itself a recipe for reform. The Press mentions curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm Carton as a vestige of the "good ol' boys network" that formerly dominated the Board. We will remind the reader that it was County Commissioner John "Flippy" D'Amico who sponsored the resolution appointing Carton back in 1988. It was D'Amico's hedging on the issue of reappointing Carton during the 2007 campaign that earned him the sobriquet "Flippy". And McMorrow's claim to fame seems to have been to follow Little's lead.

We are very pleased that the Press has finally seen fit to endorse Republicans for the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Indeed, to have endorsed the Democrats would have been to play right into the hands of the Norcross political family they spoke of in their endorsement of Mayor Myers for Congress over Sen. Adler.

HOLLYWOOD AL NOT RUNNING

The Asbury Park Press reports that retired Superior Court Judge "Hollywood Al" Lehrer will not be a Democratic candidate for freeholder this year. Lehrer, a former county prosecutor, was most recently noted for lobbying the Board of Chosen Freeholders to reappoint curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm Carton.

FLIPPY AND SILENT STEVE

Today's Asbury Park Press editorial endorsing Democratic candidates John "Flippy" D'Amico and Silent Steve Schueler for Freeholders is true to form. Blast the Republican candidates for the past actions of the late Harry Larrison and his cronies, and praise the Democrats as reformers. Don't forget to throw curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm Carton into the mix.
A look at the Democrats' ELEC reports shows, as in past years, a bevy of attorneys and labor unions as contributors. And remember, like Alice in Wonderland, the Democratic Party is a place where wheeling is not wheeling.
They have even "beLittled" Jeff Cantor with, "Cantor, who has the least experience and seems to have the weakest grasp of the issues among the candidates, doesn't appear ready to step up to the freeholder board yet." Come on. That's just like their "we're dubious" comment about Freeholder Anna Little last year. Cantor has basically followed Little's lead on reform issues.
Their bringing up Carton in particular falls flat. Rob Clifton alreday has voted no on Carton's appointment, and Cantor has vehemently said that he should go. On the other hand, Flippy has hedged on Carton, and Silent Steve has been, well, silent. This blog has reported that D'Amico back in 1988 not only voted for Carton's appointment, he sponsored the resolution. You read it here first. And we have it on good authority that D'Amico and Carton maintain contact to this day, with Flippy even a visitor to the curmudgeonly counsel's palustrine palace.
Flippy is the epitomé of Club Monmouth.
Although the Press' endorsements of Republican legislators was widely praised among G. O. P. activists, their freeholder endorsement falls flat. To read it, one would deduce that they had first made the decision to back Flippy and Silent Steve, then come up with reasons for it later.
The Press is in the business of selling newspapers. If they don't do that, they're out of business. Fair enough. But at least if you're going to make an endorsement, use facts and make it convincing.

UPDATE

Today's Press (Oct. 29th) endorses the Democrats for Sheriff and County Clerk, namely Jack Hill and Amod Choudhary, respectively. This makes for a complete Democratic endorsement on the county level.
The Press continues to dwell on a supposed Republican connection to a dead man, Harry Larrison, Jr., while ignoring documented Democratic connections to live people like George Norcross III of Camden County, Raymond Lesniak of Union County and others, as well as all the labor bucks rolling in.

FORMER FREEHOLDER FLIPPY D'FLOPPA

As the county campaign heats up, we find more and more that former Freeholder John D'Amico, Jr., far from being the reformer that he cracks himself up to be, was in thick and heavy with "the boys".

And on top of that, he's proving to be quite a flip-flopper. And this guy was a judge? And in charge of paroling offenders?

We already knew about his support for curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm Carton. You read that here first. Now Freeholder Rob Clifton has released documents showing that D'Amico twice voted for the appointment of Anthony J. Palughi as Director of Central Motor Pool Operations even though Palughi's job application was blank, save for "his name, his phone number, his address and his contact if he got hurt." Clifton points out that D'Amico voted to appoint Palughi twice.

As for Carton, in this year's campaign alone the chamaeleonic D'Amico flip-flopped from, "If we're elected, we're going to review that position and all the open positions that come up", to "It's time for Malcolm to retire. I'm not going to vote for him."

He lamely flip-flopped on the freeholders' dinner meetings of yore, which he gleefully participated in back in the 80's.

"I had dinner. I'm sorry."

Oh. I guess sorry makes it right. You had dinner all right John. On the taxpayers' dime!

It's clear that D'Amico was weak as a minority freeholder back in the 80's. How was he as a majority freeholder? You know, when the Democrats were in control.

Two matters come to mind. The first had to do with the appointment of Robert J. Collins as County Administrator. Collins had served as Administrator during the Democrats' control during the 70's, and the Democrats wanted to bring him back when they retook the majority in the 80's. In the interim Collins had worked in both public and private sector jobs. The Democratic freeholder majority voted to buy back Collins' lost pension time at county expense; normally an employee would have to do this at his or her own expense. That controversial resolution passed on a strictly party line vote, with Republicans Harry Larrison and Tom Powers both voting no.

The second matter that comes to mind is the appointment of John E. Westlake as Clerk of the Board, a position now held by the genial Jim Gray of Manalapan. Westlake would go on to both serve time on the Monmouth County Tax Board and to serve time for tax evasion.

So, D'Amico is no reformer. Not only is he known for cronyism as a freeholder, it would appear that he continued that behavior as State Parole Board Chairman.

Put John D'Amico back on the Board of Chosen Freeholders? You've gotta be kidding!!!

CANTOR NOT FOR CARTON

"Judging from his history, he's been extremely insubordinate and quite frankly I don't know what value he brings to the county."
...Freeholder Candidate Jeff Cantor, speaking of curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm Carton.


In what the Asbury Park Press calls a "schism" among county Republican leaders, Freeholder candidate Jeff Cantor has joined Freeholders Rob Clifton and Anna Little in distancing himself from curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm V. Carton. I don't so much see it as a schism as the new generation of G. O. P. leaders asserting themselves.

Cantor, who is showing himself to be a real stand-up-guy, has previously supported Little's call for term limits and rotation of the Freeholder Directorship.

Democratic candidate and former Freeholder John D'Amico, a longtime supporter of Carton, hedged, "He's got two years to go on his appointment. If we're elected, we're going to review that position and all the open positions that come up."

Of course.

D'Amico sponsored the resolution back in 1988 appointing Carton. You read it here first. Over a year ago. Nice to see that the Press reads the Monmouth County Republican Blog.


Interestingly, it appears that an April prediction on this blog is coming true. Malcolm is an issue in this year's campaign, but not in the conventional sense. That being that the belligerant barrister presents a conundrum as an issue, in that he would appear to have more support from D'Amico and the Democrats than from the Republicans. That support may work both ways.


Although Carton has, as D'Amico said, two years to go on his appointment, as I've said before, he should leave. Now.


Read more at More Monmouth Musings and Monmouth Bull Moose.

THE DEMOCRATS, THE CLUB (Monmouth, that is!), AND REFORM

As expected, the Monmouth County Democrats are falling all over themselves trying to package themselves as reformers in Monmouth County. They are hoping that voters, weary of the excesses of Bid Rig, will punish the current freeholders and candidates for the sins of their predecessors (One of whom, Harry Larrison, Jr., has been dead for nearly three years!). Our County Republican Party has countered that Democratic candidate and former Freeholder John D'Amico is not only not a reformer, he's a founding member of Club Monmouth!

The County G. O. P. correctly points out that D'Amico frequently took advantage of a perk extended by the Monmouth County Park System granting current and former freeholders advance tee times at the county golf courses, a policy since abolished. I have reported that D'Amico not only provided a needed vote back in the 80s for the appointment of curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm Carton, he was the prime sponsor of the resolution! It was also during D'Amico's tenure that John E. Westlake, now a convicted felon, was appointed as Clerk of the Board.

What else have the Dems done?

Well, we all remember County Dem Boss Victor Scudiery's assertion that those arrested in Bid Rig were "entrapped". The Democrats do have a way of circling the wagons, don't they. And when G. O. P. County Chairman Adam Puharic introduced An Ethical Roadmap for Monmouth County Republicans, Democratic leaders poo-pooed it before finally caving in a month later and passing their own watered-down copy. And most recently we had Scudiery again, this time writing a letter to the court begging for leniency in the sentencing of convicted felon and former Western Monmouth Utilities Authority Executive Director Frank G. Abate, in which Scudiery describes Abate as "honorable and dedicated"!

You can't make this stuff up, campers.

Vote Democratic for integrity? Are you kidding?! These guys just don't get it. Look at how they run things in Trenton. Or look at the Monmouth Dems' mentors and benefactors and how they run Union County and ask yourself:

Do we want this in Freehold? Well, do we?

CATCH 22?

NOTE: I was fully prepared to go through the campaign without criticizing the County Chairman. The priority right now should be to elect our great G. O. P. Team. However, things have gotten pretty weird lately and it needs to be addressed.

Chairman Adam Puharic's recent e-mail initiative on pay-to-play reform has been criticized by many Republicans. Adam brings up some very valid points, but he has been criticized for the amateurish timing of his proposal, which has made our Freeholders look foolish and has handed unnecessary ammunition to the Asbury Park Press as well as to the Democrats.
An interesting by-product of this has been the attack on Freeholder Rob Clifton by an obscure blog known for its slavish devotion to the Puharic company line. Monmouth RastaMan writes,

"Out (sic) take is this: Cifton might as well just resign and hand over the freeholder job to D'Amico. From the looks of it, one must wonder if he is going to make it til' (sic) the end of the summer. ...Maybe it's (sic) simple. He is just looking for an excuse not to win."

Monmouth RastaMan has been a Puharic ally from the beginning; he/she/they first appeared on Current Times, Brett Palat's blog, over a year ago supporting Puharic's election as County Chairman, and since then has continued to support Adam and his policies. By attacking Clifton, RastaMan ironically now joins Courier publisher Jim Purcell, who has consistently opposed Clifton on other issues; Purcell has also been on the receiving end of some of RastaMan's more vicious diatribes.
It's almost as if RastaMan would attack Clifton no matter what stand he took on this issue, which would be consistent with theories during the candidate selection process that Clifton was targeted just as Freeholder Anna Little was.
Why, in a year with control of the Freeholder Board on the line, would two incumbent freeholders be targeted by their own party leadership?
That's a good question. A number of theories came out during the process as to why Adam was after Anna; one of those had to do with her "NO" vote on the reappointment of curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm V. Carton. Rob also voted against the sarcastic solicitor, and would thus be vulnerable to being similarly targeted.
But why would he be targeted during a general election? A Democrat could get in.
Exactly. With Clifton's running mate Jeff Cantor an unknown quantity and Rob himself a NO vote, factions loyal to the bombastic barrister may actually feel more comfortable with Democrat John D'Amico, a known Carton supporter, who when on the Board, moved Carton's nomination as counsel. D'Amico actually sponsored the resolution.
Other theories exist that, for various alleged reasons, deals were made to throw the election to the Democrats. Or the whole gooey mess could be just very amateurish politics.
Make no mistake, if the Democrats get in this year, it's control of the County, and it'll be very hard for the G. O. P. to get back in the driver's seat, if at all. Can you say Bergen County with beaches?
Regardless of what our party leadership may or may not do, whether you like Adam or not, it is imperative to get behind our candidates like never before. This is expected to be a tough election, and the candidates will need our help. With a county chairman bumbling from crisis, or worse, actively working for defeat, our candidates may not be able to depend upon the leadership for help. It then is important for the rank and file to step up to the plate, to "cowboy up" as it were, and work to ensure that the Democrats don't get in this fall.

CURMUDGEONLY COUNTY COUNSEL CARTON: A CONUNDRUM

UPDATE!
Carton will keep his job.


The question has been raised as to whether Malcolm Carton, the curmudgeonly County Counsel will become an issue in this year's campaign.
He already is an issue, and has been for quite some time. One commenter on this blog characterized him last year as, "someone of questionable legal ability, who is a political liability and has the personality of a cranky nasty old man."
Will the Democrats use him as an issue, though? It's more complicated than that. You see, Freeholder Robert Clifton, the only Republican incumbent board member running this year, voted against Carton's appointment last August. Republican Freeholder Anna Little, who would have been Clifton's running mate this year but for the machinations of County GOP Chairman Adam Puharic, also voted no. Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas, an unsuccessful GOP freeholder candidate last year, had stated that he too would have voted no, had he been on the Board at the time. County Clerk Claire French has had problems dealing with Carton. Marlboro Township Committeeman Jeff Cantor, Clifton's running mate for freeholder, remains an unknown quantity on this issue, as does Monmouth Beach Commissioner Kim Guadagno, our candidate for sheriff (Who will face a primary opponent.). As the County Counsel is a freeholders' appointment, the County Clerk and Sheriff have no vote in the matter.
Presumably, the Democrats would stand poised to make Carton an issue nonetheless, but herein lies the conundrum: John D'Amico, who will lead the Dems' freeholder ticket this year, not only voted for Carton's appointment back in 1988 when D'Amico was a freeholder, he actually sponsored the resolution! Freeholder John "Well Done" Villapiano, now the Democratic candidate for State Senate in the 11th District, provided the second.
Now, it would be one thing if the appointment was a slam-dunk, with all three Republicans voting for Carton, but the only Republican voting for him was Director Harry Larrison; Freeholder Tom Powers voted no and Freeholder Ted Narozanick abstained. Many Republicans were outraged at the time, and it cast quite a pall over the reception after the reorganization meeting.
So will Malcolm be an issue this year? A lot will depend upon what happens at Thursday's (April 12th) Freeholder's meeting, where Freeholder Little's complaint will be taken up for further action.

CARTON (CONTINUED)

Controversial and curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm Carton received more criticism today, this time from 13th District Assemblywoman Amy H. Handlin, a former freeholder. Apparently Carton treated then - Freeholder Handlin in a similar manner to her successor, Freeholder Anna Little.

Former Assistant County Counsel Robert J. Hrebek has also weighed in with his experiences with Carton.

Since our last post on Carton, the tips have been pouring in; it seems Carton has courted controversy since at least the 80's.

Carton has had a habit of giving poorly researched legal advice. In the early 80's, then - Freeholder Frank Self resigned. Carton advised him to direct his resignation to Director Harry Larrison, Jr. As a result, Long Branch Mayor Philip Huhn was appointed to Self's seat. Freeholder Huhn's vote was needed to provide a 2/3 majority for a bond issue. It was then revealed that freeholder resignations are to be addressed to the Secretary of State, rendering both Huhn's appointment and the bond issue invalid, as Self's resignation was defective there was no vacancy.

Carton's advice may also be at the root of recent controversy about Director Bill Barham's relationship with Hall of Records contractor Benjamin R. Harvey III, and may be the reason Barham directed Carton to seek an opinion from the State Attorney General's office; in effect a second opinion. It is not known whether Carton became uppity with Barham.

Also in the early 80's, Carton was considered a front - runner to succeed Democrat County Prosecutor (Now Superior Court Judge) Alexander "Hollywood Al" Lehrer to the point that some people called Carton "Mr. Prosecutor". County Chairman Frederick Kniesler had a different idea, and nominated John A. Kaye, who would go on to serve over 20 years in the post. Harry Larrison, who supported Carton, publicly objected in the press, and promised a "bloodbath", presumably meaning that he would work to oust Kniesler. The "bloodbath" never happened.

The Board of Chosen Freeholders will meet tomorrow night (March 22). Freeholder Little's complaints about the belligerent barrister will be on the Executive Session agenda. The freeholders are busy people; they have no time to play. Carton can do the Board, the Republican Party and the taxpayers a big, solid favor by submitting his resignation.

CURMUDGEONLY COUNTY COUNSEL CARTON SHOULD QUIT

UPDATE!!!!

Today, March 13th, the Asbury Park Press, in an editorial, calls for the Board of Chosen Freeholders to issue Carton a letter of reprimand. We believe that that is not enough. He is obsolete, has become a liability to the entire Board, and should be replaced.

UPDATE!!!

The irony of it all is that today, March 11th, begins Sunshine Week, dedicated to open public records.

********************************

County Counsel Malcolm V. Carton has "jumped the shark." The Asbury Park Press reports that he has responded to Freeholder Anna C. Little's request for information on his billing records in a very snide and sarcastic manner. Read Will Seward's account here.
It doesn't matter whether you support Freeholder Little or not, the operative word here is "freeholder." Carton was insubordinate and inappropriate. His response demeans the entire board, particlarly where he has the audacity to hint that he would bill for the act of providing his billing records!
It also doesn't matter whether his cost overruns are legitimate or not. Let's assume that they are. Since his billing and fees were raised as an issue, the County has imposed guidelines as to what his costs should be. If he does go over his guidelines, he owes it to the Board (His client) to have the information readily available.
Carton was reappointed by a controversial 3 - 2 vote last summer, with Freeholders Robert D. Clifton and Little dissenting. Knowing that the Asbury Park Press just flat dislikes the guy and would look for any opportunity to blast Carton as well as the Board of Freeholders, one would think that Carton would owe the Board the courtesy of being on his P's & Q's and not go out of his way to generate negative press. After all it's not his name on the ballot. The Press has been known to attack in a frivolous manner; it makes no sense to hand them (Or the Democrats!) legitimate ammunition.
It's time for Carton to be replaced. There are plenty of competent attorneys already doing legal work for the county that can step up to the job.

MALCOLM CARTON REAPPOINTED

Veteran County Counsel Malcolm Carton was reappointed to his position last night by a 3 - 2 vote of the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Freeholders Robert Clifton and Anna C. Little provided the dissenting votes.

According to the Asbury Park Press, Clifton and Little said they both voted against Carton's appointment because they supported change for the county counsel position."There is a new freeholder board and I felt it would have been a great time to bring change,'' Clifton said.

This recalls another 3 - 2 vote in 1988 where Carton was reappointed on the votes of Freeholder Director Harry Larrison, Jr. and Democratic Freeholders John D'Amico and John Villapiano, with Republican Freeholders Tom Powers and Ted Narozanick dissenting.

Other attorney appointments went to Rick DeNoia of Little Silver, the Hanlon & Niemann Law Firm and Democratic Red Bank Mayor Ed McKenna's firm. Little and Narozanick both voted no on Niemann's firm, and Little also voted no on McKenna.