Arnone Report: Tourism, locally grown food, graduates, roads and other great stuff

By Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Happy summer! I hope everyone has been enjoying the warmer weather and all the County has to offer! There are so many events and activities throughout the County that there is sure to be something for everyone.

With that being said, as the liaison to the County’s Department of Public Information and Tourism, I held a press conference in Keyport, along with my fellow Freeholders, to celebrate the start of summer in the Bayshore and to showcase all that they have to offer visitors this summer! I am proud to say that Tourism is nearly a $2.6 billion industry in Monmouth County and it was no surprise to hear that the county saw an increase in visitors last year!

As always, it is a pleasure to work with local tourism officials to ensure Monmouth County not only remains one of the best places to live, but also one of the best places to visit. Remember, it’s “The Place You Want to Be!”

In keeping with the topic of making summer plans, don’t forget to check out our Grown in Monmouth website, which can be viewed by visiting www.growninmonmouth.com. Not only can visitors search for restaurants that use products grown in Monmouth County, they can also find pick-your-own destinations and farmers markets, among other events.

Speaking of Grown in Monmouth, I would like to remind all restaurants throughout Monmouth County to sign up to participate in the first-ever Grown in Monmouth Restaurant Week, which will run from Sunday, July 28 through Sunday, August 4. As the liaison to the County’s Division of Economic Development, I am proud that we have created an event that will promote both our local businesses and our local farmers at no cost to them.

Those interested in participating in the first-ever Grown in Monmouth Restaurant Week can sign-up by contacting the Monmouth County Division of Economic Development by phone at 732-431-7470 or by email at [email protected].

On a separate note, I would like to congratulate all of our high school graduates. I had the honor of attending several graduation ceremonies, including Communications High School, Academy of Allied Health and Sciences High School and High Technology High School. It’s always nice to hear about their achievements before they even graduate. I wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

Speaking of graduations, I also attended the Monmouth County Fire Academy Class 123 and 124 graduations with my fellow Freeholders. It was an honor to attend and speak to the graduates. I am very proud of these young men and women and wish them the best of luck, as well as, thank them for their service to our community!

Another event I attended last week was the Eatontown Industrial Park Association’s Business Luncheon with Sheriff Shaun Golden. During this event Sheriff Shaun Golden and I gave presentations about County government and how we support our business industry. I was able to touch upon important initiatives the County offers to help our business industry succeed such as, Grown in Monmouth and Made in Monmouth.

Serving as liaison to the County’s Division of Economic Development, I take great pride in hosting events like Made in Monmouth. When I created this program shortly after I joined the Board of Chosen Freeholders, my goal was to focus my attention on small consumer product manufacturers located within Monmouth County to help them grow their businesses.

I encourage all small businesses in Monmouth County to take advantage of these great programs that we offer!

Additionally, those traveling throughout Monmouth County may have noticed an increase in the amount of road work being completed. With warmer weather, this is the time of year when our County department of public works and engineering can complete numerous projects. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we have the best employees who are truly passionate about and take great pride in their work.

Updating our infrastructure is one of our main initiatives and this includes numerous construction and reconstruction projects around the County

One project I would like to mention is the construction improvements to Palmer Avenue (County Route 7) and the reconstruction of County Culvert H-5A in the Townships of Holmdel and Middletown. As you may recall, Palmer Avenue (County Route 7) runs along the municipal boundary of Holmdel and Middletown Townships, and the County worked closely with both towns on advancing this important project.

This project is the result of a close collaboration between elected officials and professionals of both municipalities and the County to address flooding along Palmer Avenue during intense rain events which necessitates closing the roadway. The scope of the project will include, but is not limited to, the rising of Palmer Avenue between 2 and 3 feet, the installation of a drainage system and the replacement of the existing culvert H-5A. The sidewalk on the Middletown side of the roadway will also be replaced to meet ADA standards and a new ADA compliant sidewalk will be installed on the Holmdel side of Palmer Avenue to improve access for pedestrians. .

This is just one of the many projects we’re proud of around the entire County. It is always a good day when we can announce a construction project that benefits our communities.

Lastly, I want to wish the residents of Monmouth County a safe and happy summer season!

As always, it’s a privilege to serve as your Monmouth County Freeholder.