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 Bucco needs to be rescinded.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

Freeholders Announce Top-Level Appointments; Hiring, Promotions and Restructuring of Some Departments Yields Savings of $228,735

The following is a press release issued a short time ago by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders. It should be of interest to some due to the fact that there is some controversy over appointments to key positions within the county. Quite frankly I don't see what all the fuss is about :

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.