By Allison Perrine
MONMOUTH COUNTY – The Monmouth County Freeholders unanimously approved a $452.8 million budget for 2020 at the Tuesday, April 7 meeting.
During the livestreamed meeting, before the budget’s approval, Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone recommended it be amended to roll back the freeholders’ proposed salary increase to the 2008 rate. As introduced, each freeholder was set to make $35,769 in 2020. Now, each freeholder will receive about $30,200. However, it is still an increase compared to the 2019 figures, when each freeholder made about $27,380.
Arnone cited anticipated revenue decreases as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown as the reason for the rollback, knowing that without golf courses and recreation programs, income will fall short of that of recent years.
Details of the budget – $36.5 million from surplus, $104.8 million from total miscellaneous revenues and $311.5 million to be raised by taxation – had been introduced at the March 12 meeting. The budget covers the cost of maintaining 1,000 lane miles of roads, according to the county, and over 900 bridges, 16,000 acres of county parks, emergency management services, 911 emergency communications, law enforcement through the prosecutor’s and sheriff’s offices, elections, deed recording and passport services in the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.
“The board continues to take a conservative approach to budgeting in order to ensure that all county departments and divisions are being fiscally responsible year-round,” said Arnone. “It is important to note that Monmouth County continues to maintain the AAA Bond Rating, the highest possible rating assigned by credit agencies, and is dedicated to long-term financial planning to ensure future financial stability.”
The budget appropriates about $175.8 million for operating expenses, like salaries and wages, and $171.7 million for other expenses; as well as $3.5 million for capital improvements; $61.3 million for debt service; and $40.3 million for deferred charges and other appropriations. There are currently 2,840 county employees in 2020, compared to 2,858 in 2019.
It also outlines the 2020 dedicated reclamation center utility bill, which the county partnered with Middletown Township to present. It anticipates $34.7 million in total revenues and appropriations.
“I want to commend and congratulate and thank the township of Middletown for their partnership with us and working together,” said Arnone. “We’re looking at probably one of the more difficult towns to have to shared services with because of the size of it. It’s one of the largest municipalities in the state of New Jersey.”
According to the county, this year’s spending plan shows operational savings of about $4.5 million in health care costs, workers compensation, shared service agreements for youth detention centers and lower pension costs. Additionally, over the last decade, the county’s budget has decreased by $40.6 million from $493.4 million in 2010 to $452.8 million in 2020.
For several years, the freeholders have declined health benefits and mileage reimbursements in order to save money for county residents.
“At the end of the day, it’s the right thing to do,” Arnone said during the meeting about the raise decrease.
“Save our employees’ jobs – that’s going to be our ulti- mate goal,” he added.
According to Freeholder Deputy Director Sue Kiley, the money being taken away from the salaries is “pretty insignificant” in comparison to the total budget. “I think it’s the right thing to do and it shows that the freeholders are willing to do whatever it takes to contribute,” she said.
Freeholder Lillian Burry said while she was “not happy” with the proposal to amend the salary item, she would vote to approve it as the majority of other members of the board were in favor of it.
This article originally appeared in the April 16th, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
