FREEHOLD – The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders has appointed a number of people to key positions within county government and restructured several county departments for an overall cost savings of more than $225,000 in salaries.
These positions were advertised on the County Web site and in the Star-Ledger and Asbury Park Press newspapers. Candidates submitted resumes and qualifications were carefully reviewed.
“For several weeks we have been examining ways in which the county can be administered more effectively and efficiently and still be able to deliver the excellent services Monmouth County residents have come to expect,” Freeholder Director Barbara J. McMorrow said. “We determined that by promoting largely from within we can rein in our high-level salaries and save $228,735 this year.”
The appointments follow the retirements of Finance Director Mark E. Acker and Human Service Director Lynn Miller.
The Board promoted longtime county employees Craig Marshall and Charles Brown III to the positions of Finance director and Human Services director, respectively. Marshall, a certified public accountant and currently a senior administrative analyst, will be paid $128,000; Brown, who was the county’s director of mental health and addiction services, will be paid $120,000.
Assuming the duties as director of Mental Health and Addiction Services will be Barry Johnson, who was assistant Human Services director to Ms. Miller. The assistant director’s position has been abolished for a savings of $106,527. Johnson will earn $99,000 a year in his new position.
The Board reappointed longtime county employee Patricia Watson as Consumer Affairs Director at her current salary of $77,973. Watson has worked at the Department of Consumer Affairs since 1983. Also reappointed is John G. McCormack as director of the Monmouth County Police Academy at his current salary of $86,113. McCormack has been director of the academy since 2003.
“As I said the day I became director of the Board, many of the best people already work for the county,” McMorrow said. “I congratulate them on their promotions and I look forward to working with them as we continue the county tradition of excellent delivery of services. The restructuring has also allowed us to reduce the number of high-level salaries for an even greater savings to taxpayers.”
Taking over as director of the Office on Aging, Disabilities and Veterans’ Interment is Thomas Pivinski of Asbury Park, a retired Roman Catholic priest who is currently working with hospice for Meridian Health Care. Pivinski maintains a small private psychotherapy practice in Asbury Park. His annual salary is $75,000.
The Board also hired former Hazlet police detective Glen Mason to serve as Office of Emergency Management Coordinator at an annual salary of $75,000. The position had been vacant.
Mason, a 26-year police veteran, had served as Office of Emergency Coordinator in Hazlet for three years and, prior to that appointment, had been in charge of the police auxiliary, which is part of the Hazlet OEM. He is currently a member of the U.S. Coast Guard auxiliary and serves as the group’s liaison for emergency response. He sits on the county’s Local Emergency Planning Committee.
Mason has elected not to receive health benefits from the county or be enrolled in the state’s Public Employee Retirement System.
“No new positions were created and all of the appointees are Monmouth County residents,” McMorrow said. “I welcome each of them into county service and wish them all the best of luck.”
All of the appointments become effect after April 1.
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