Celebrated

annual Fourth of July Car show that fi lled a field at the Lakehurst Elementary School and a portion of the street on Union Avenue.

GOP Leaders Endorse Democrat Prosecutor

By Stephanie Faughnan

TOMS RIVER – Breaking the mold of traditional partisan politics, the Ocean County Commissioners have asked Governor Phil Murphy to reappoint Bradley D. Billhimer to a second five-year term as the county’s prosecutor.

All five members of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners are promi- nent Republicans; Billhimer is a Democrat.

During a recent meeting, the Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution requesting Murphy to consider Billhimer’s reappointment. The resolution highlighted Billhimer’s commitment to justice and his efforts to address the evolving needs of Ocean County. It praised his es- tablishment of various community outreach programs, including Ocean County Cares and the Escape the Vape Taskforce, as well as his initiatives to combat the opioid epidemic.

Billhimer’s work in strengthening relationships between law enforcement and the faith-based community was also commended.

By Stephanie Faughnan

and

Bob Vosseller

TOMS RIVER – A beaming Manchester resident was all smiles as she was presented with a special proclamation from the Ocean County Board of Commissioners to commemorate her

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Fun:

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Vehicles of all ages, styles and models brought back memories of those who passed through the free show. There were vendors along the road as well and organizations like the Lakehurst Historical Society who were promoting museum visits to their Center Street facility.

LHS member Bill Schmidt was there seeking out members to the organization. Members of Girl Scout Troop 60009 were cooking up and selling burgers and hot dogs while providing cold beverages for what was a rather warm morning.

The car show began at 9 a.m. and set up started pretty early around the school

Senior:

Continued From Page 1 crowning as Ms. Senior New Jersey 2023.

“I have a confession to make,” shared Ferlie Almonte. “I am in love with Ocean County. Of the 41 years I have been here in America, this is the fi rst time I have ever felt so soulfully connected with the community.” grounds and street. The parade came later and featured just about every vehicle in the borough ranging from police cars with Police Chief Matthew Kline leading off the parade, to a fleet of fi re trucks, fi rst aid squad vehicles, a public works truck and more. There were also numerous bike riders with decorated bicycles draped in red, white and blue that headed down the parade route.

Almonte, who lives in Leisure Village West, said she could not be more thrilled and honored to represent not only Ocean County but New Jersey at the national level of the pageant. She referred to the commissioners as fearless leaders and a gorgeous and beautiful-looking group.

A few of the cars seemed to have drivers that were way too young. These toddlers were in miniature Cadillacs and other cars being pulled by parents.

Members of the Girl Scout Troop 60009 looked pretty patriotic as well as they marched down the parade path. Parade spectators, most of whom were also in varying shades of red, white and blue were

“It is a great pleasure for us and the entire board to congratulate you,” said Commissioner Director Joseph Vicari to Almonte.

“We wish you the best.”

During the Ocean County Commissioner’s meeting, several other contestants from the Ms. Senior New Jersey pageant joined Almonte for the special presentation in her honor. As the state contest winner, Almonte is now gearing up to compete for the national title in October.

The goal of the Ms. Senior America pageant is to recognize women who exemplify dignity, maturity and the inner beauty of senior Americans. The pageant’s philosophy revolves around the belief that seniors are America’s foundation and most valuable cheering those in the parade and later made their way back to the car show.

Lakehurst’s very own Poppy Princess, Madison Jones from VFW Post 1061, also had a nice ride down the street complete with her sash and tiara. Both events drew a lot of families who were looking for some patriotic fun. The car show also featured a gift auction, food, raffles, contests and a prize for the most patriotic decorated car. Sadly, the July 3 fi reworks display had to be canceled due to inclement weather. The mayor and council will be discussing a date treasure. Their knowledge, experience, and resources shape society’s future, allowing younger generations to build a better tomorrow.

As New Jersey’s reigning queen, Almonte will spend the next year promoting positive aspects of aging across the Garden State.

Her duties include appearing on radio and television shows, participating in parades and conventions, and showcasing her talents as a performer in New Jersey Cameo Club events. She will also entertain audiences at 55-plus communities, veteran hospitals, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes.

Almonte, originally from the Philippines, has a compelling professional background for the fi reworks during the July 20 council meeting. Currently, they are looking at the August 1, National Night Out or sometime in the fall for the opportunity to light up the sky with some pyrotechnics. as a motivational speaker and author. Her biography highlights her ability to inspire others, emphasizing the transformative power of overcoming adversity and personal hardships, leading to resilience and reinvention.

Almonte said she uses music and stories to lift people’s spirits through her One-Woman Inspirational EDUtainment Show, “Make Your Mess Your Message,” where she performs original songs she wrote lyrics to. The newly crowned pageant winner is also involved with various non-profit organizations such as American Cancer Society, Caregiver Volunteers of Central NJ, Fil-Am Cultural Development Center of Ocean County, Show me your Heart Foundation.

Equipment

: Continued From Page 1 previously met with Mayor Arace, Council President Roxy Conniff and Councilman Joseph Hankins. The combined budget for all three fi re companies was around $228,000.

Engel said Whiting Fire Company has a rescue and tanker. The company needs 24 tires which would cost approximately $500 each. “That’s pretty expensive. They are not in bad shape if you look at them but they need to be replaced.”

Chief Engel said his fi re company used to have 50 to 60 members and “I’m lucky we have 29 active fi remen, seven are active fi re police. Since I took over, we got nine more guys and we have five more applications in process. We just want to be treated the same as the paid department as we are absolutely doing the same job.”

Councilman Joseph Hankins responded to Donner’s comments during the council’s second meeting in June saying he felt it necessary to correct some exaggerations and misstatements made. He also mentioned the meeting with Conniff, Arace, himself and members of the Whiting Fire Department and Ridgeway Fire Department.

“We met on multiple occasions and asked them what their number one concern they had for resident safety. The paging system was addressed as an essential problem. Poor radios used to communicate for dispatching as the number one concern,” Hankins said. Hankins said this was prior to last year’s election and after that these issues were brought up to Police Chief (Robert) Dolan “who felt there was room for improvement but not to the level that public safety was in danger.”

Hankins noted that the Council was asked to approve a $2 million bond which was approved during that night’s meeting and would address necessary repairs and funding for equipment. He expressed that Donner’s comments were meant “to publicly shame the council for not doing enough to fi nance the operations of the fi re department.”

The councilman said as a past chief of all three township volunteer fi re companies, “I remember when the department would actually take out a loan to fi nance fi re trucks. When the township began purchasing fi re trucks and when bonds were passed for their purchase there was an understanding that they would be maintained by the department that received the truck.”

He commended former “Mayor Robert Hudak and the council members who supported placing a line item in the budget for fi re equipment. It was the fi rst time that had been done since I was fi rst fi re chief in 1993 and tried to do that. Fast forward to 2023, 30 years. The speed of government frightens me.”

“Mayor Arace looked at last year’s budget of $180,000 that was budgeted for mandatory maintenance. He increased that budget to $230,000 so he went above and beyond what was done the year before believing the additional $50,000 was sufficient to recap $230,000 in taxpayer money that was being used to earmark for improved fi refighting emergency services,” Hankins said.

The councilman added that he had looked into funding for the Whiting Fire Department and “much to my surprise they are sitting on $1,400,000 of donations that have gone into that fire company. I won’t say they want us to pay for everything but they have to realize this is a working relationship for both organizations and the council and the fi re company have to work together to accomplish its goals.”

Regarding the issue of the aged fi re truck tires and the NJ Department of Transportation’s recommendation of replacement “New Jersey is not a state that recognizes the NFPA and does not follow it,” Hankins added.

The Councilman said, “the issue that some folks have - and I’ll give you a prime example of it - is that the NFPA gave a 10year timeline on all turnout gear so if the township was to buy a spare coat and kept it wrapped in plastic and put it on a shelf away from ultra violet light, and let it sit for five years, when it was pulled out it would have only five years left on its shelf life.”

“The large tire manufacturers were involved in the writing of these guidelines and it comes as no surprise that they want you to buy more tires. The (New Jersey) Department of Transportation standard he cited (of 10 years) I couldn’t fi nd anywhere so I had Manchester Traffic Safety look into it and they could fi nd nothing age specific of an age requirement on a tire.”

Hankins said the DOT stressed the tire having to have ample thread and no signs of dry rot.

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Prosecutor: Continued From Page 1

Additionally, the prosecutor’s focus on bias prevention and his collaboration with numerous organizations for public safety and education in Ocean County were recognized.

The resolution passed by the Ocean County Commissioners includes references to Billhimer’s commitment to school-aged children. He and his team have conducted over 145 presentations in more than 70 schools during the 2022-2023 academic year alone. Through these meetings, they have reached over 20,000 students, educating them about topics such as internet safety, social media, and bullying.

As the county’s top law enforcement officer, Billhimer has taken his role beyond prosecuting crimes. In a remarkable initiative, he organized a symposium for local police officials to engage in a candid and accelerated discussion about perceived biases in law enforcement interactions. This proactive approach distinguished Billhimer as the sole county prosecutor to undertake such an endeavor.

“I know Brad has the support of local legislators, and we want to get the Governor to fast-track this,” said Commissioner Gary Quinn. “We don’t want to drag out his life or ours.”

Quinn acknowledged Billhimer’s presence in the rear of the meeting room, while offering further commentary on what he called the “phenomenal job” the prosecutor has done since his appointment in 2018.

Commissioner Jack Kelly said that he’d received a number of calls asking why a Republican board would support a Democrat appointment.

“What I’ve told every one of them, I’ll say here publicly,” Kelly shared. “Because Brad Billhimer has been a nonpartisan – not a bipartisan, but nonpartisan prosecutor who has done an outstanding job for the people of Ocean County. I support anybody who supports the people of Ocean County.”

The other three commissioners echoed similar sentiments regarding Billhimer’s service to the county.

Billhimer’s ties to the community run deep as an Ocean County native who graduated from the Toms River school system. His commitment to the local area continued throughout his educational journey, as he pursued his undergraduate studies fi rst at Ocean County College before transferring to Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

In 1994, he was selected to work in Washington, D.C. as an intern for former United States Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ).

After earning his JD from Widener University, Billhimer returned to his hometown to establish his legal career. He began by serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Barbara Ann Villano, J.S.C., in Ocean County, gaining valuable insights into the judicial system. He then went on to work in the private sector, ultimately establishing his own criminal defense law practice.

In addition to his law career, Billhimer has actively contributed to the bar activities and community organizations. He has served as an adjunct professor, sharing his pro- fessional expertise with students. In 2018, Governor Murphy appointed Billhimer as the Ocean County Prosecutor, a position he assumed after being sworn in by the Honorable Marlene Lynch Ford, A.J.S.C.

New Jersey’s State Constitution intentionally designates a five-year term for county prosecutors, who are selected by the governor and approved by the state senate. This deliberate provision ensures that their tenure is not synchronized with the term of the governor who appointed them. By setting a fi xed term, the Constitution aims to provide continuity and independence to county prosecutors, allowing them to carry out their duties without undue influence from political changes or shifts in gubernatorial administrations.

Only a handful of Ocean County prosecutors have remained in the position for more than five years.

Marlene Lynch Ford, held the position from 2007 to 2013. After her tenure, she received a judicial appointment to the Superior Court and recently retired as the Ocean County Assignment Judge.

Several years prior to Ford, Edward Turnbach served as the Ocean County Prosecutor from 1976 to 1987, making him the second most recent prosecutor to hold the position for more than one term. He was appointed as a Superior Court Judge in 1987, serving until his retirement from the bench in 2006.