Freeholder Candidate Spars With County Boards

Democratic freeholder candidate Michelle Rosen was accused last week of using public county meetings as campaign stops, as she continued criticisms of the Board of Health while also imploring the GOP-controlled freeholder board to take a stand against a Republican proposal that would affect seniors.

Freeholder John C. Bartlett Jr. took exception to Rosen's appearance after a conversation about Medicare resulted in Rosen challenging her opponent in the fall race, freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari, to a series of debates around the county. 

“I’m offended,’’ Bartlett said, as he accused Rosen of “trying to make this a campaign meeting.’’ He said he had never experienced that before in the 32 years he has been a freeholder.

County Stand on Benefits Proposal?

Rosen, of Waretown, challenged Vicari and the other GOP freeholders to adopt a resolution opposing Rep. Paul Ryan’s Medicare makeover plan, and send a letter to Republican Gov.Chris Christie urging him to fully fund the state’s senior property tax freeze program.

Ryan’s plan to replace Medicare’s fixed benefits with health insurance vouchers for enrollees still at least a decade from those benefits would gut the program that is crucial to senior citizens living here and elsewhere, she said.

Christie’s decision not to fully fund the senior property tax freeze and keep more seniors from enrolling amounts to a “tax increase for senior citizens,’’ Rosen charged.

Vicari did not rise to the bait, replying that he and the all-Republican board have “a strong position on Social Security and Medicare.’’

He said former Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine “did not keep his word,’’ on state stabilization aid for senior citizens in Berkeley and Manchester townships.

Rosen challenged Vicari to debate her around the county “over and over, every two weeks… anywhere where people want to hear the two
sides.’’

Vicari never got a chance to decline, as Bartlett issued his criticism of the conversation.

Abolish Board of Health?

Rosen also floated the idea of abolishing the autonomous Board of Health and making it a part of county government, overseen by the freeholders, during the board's Wednesday meeting.

Board member Robert Singer of Lakewood defended the board, saying its operations are cited by the state as a model for delivering health services. Singer, who is a state senator, said Ocean County has the largest public health agency in the state other than the state Department of Health and Human Services.

“Local boards of health really don’t do things,’’ he said, pointing out that the county Health Department makes inspections for most communities.

Rosen claimed that committees of the board are making decisions without public discussion, and their decisions are ratified without debate in consent agendas approved by the nine-member board. Members serve without pay after being appointed by the freeholders. 

“That closes government. There is no transparency,’’ she said.

Rosen also claimed there was little oversight by the state of the board in administering grants such as the swine flu program.

Public Health Coordinator Daniel Regenye disputed that, saying the “state is very involved in the H1N1 grants. A site visit is planned by the state next week at the Health Department, he said.

“There are several monitoring levels,’’ Singer said.