Letter: Rescind Mental Health Appointment

To the Editor,

As a former mental health counselor and school psychologist with a doctorate in rehabilitation counseling, I am dismayed and aghast that Freeholder Burry has appointed William Bucco, her former campaign manager, as the acting assistant director of Monmouth County's Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

Reportedly, Mr. Bucco has only an undergraduate degree in business and zero mental health experience. Mrs. Burry commented that he saved money in the last county job she gave him. Such bean -counting does not provide the much -needed empathic support to the clients of these county services.

The current county crisis of heroin addiction, homelessness and post-Sandy stress requires experienced, competent professionals to lead this critical division.

The appointment of Mr. Bucco needs to be rescinded.

Carolyn Schwebel, Director, Equalizers,
Advocates for People with Disabilities
Leonardo NJ

APP LETTER: Ex-Burry aide unqualified for post

The following letter was posted online over at the Asbury Park Press website earlier today. It hits the nail right on the head and points out exactly what's wrong with the Queen Bee of Monmouth County politics, Freeholder Lillian Burry and her lack of judgment towards the people she appoints to county postitions. It's political patronage at its worst.

 From the APP:

William Bucco of Aberdeen, a 28-year-old campaign treasurer for Freeholder Lillian Burry’s 2011 re-election campaign, should not have been appointed as acting assistant director of the Monmouth County Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

Monmouth County is facing a heroin epidemic and we need competent experts, not political socialites to assist residents battling addiction. Bucco lacks the background necessary to help implement the complex solutions we need to reduce harm and save lives.

Has everyone forgotten that Bucco’s predecessor as Burry’s campaign treasurer was attorney John Cantalupo of Colts Neck? Cantalupo resigned after he came under scrutiny in relation to the corruption that took place at Brookdale Community College while he was employed as attorney for the college board of trustees.

Burry pushed the corrupt Lucas farm deal that resulted in her political ally, former Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas, being given $1.2 million in county farmland preservation funds. Lucas has since been arrested by the FBI and is under federal criminal indictment on financial fraud charges relating to the deal.

Burry and the Republican Party have broken the taxpayer trust. We need new leaders and a federal criminal investigation to put a stop to these incidents that have made our local government look like a “Sopranos” episode.

Justin Cooke
Middletown and Colorado