Monmouth County Commissioners Again Choose Arnone As Director

FREEHOLD, NJ — Monmouth County Commissioner Thomas A. Arnone and Commissioner Nick DiRocco were appointed as the board's director and deputy director, respectively, at its 2023 organization meeting Jan. 5.

“It is truly an honor to be given the opportunity to serve as a Monmouth County Commissioner for my fifth term and to be elected by my colleagues to continue in my role as director,” said Arnone.

Arnone, of Neptune City where he also was mayor, has served as director of the Board of County Commissioners for many years, most lately in consecutive years since 2018.

“I am grateful my colleagues have appointed me to continue serving in this role. However, this is a team position and I look forward to serving alongside a great hardworking group of individuals to continue to provide a high quality of living to the residents of Monmouth County,” Arnone said in a county news release about the ceremony.

Deputy Director DiRocco said "It is an honor and a privilege to begin my second term as a member of the Monmouth County Board of Commissioners and I would like to thank the residents of our great county for the opportunity to serve."

DiRocco, of Wall, has had many positions in government and is a former Wall mayor.

The ceremony took place at Biotechnology High School in Freehold Township.

Arnone is always a booster for the county and said in the release that he considers Monmouth "truly the best place to live, work and visit."

Before the selection of the board leadership, Arnone and Golden were sworn into office by the Hon. Joseph Oxley, judge of the Superior Court. Deputy Director DiRocco was sworn in by the Hon. Gregory L. Acquaviva, judge of the Superior Court.

Arnone was sworn into his fifth three-year term as commissioner and DiRocco was sworn into his second three-year term.

Golden, who is also the head of the Republican party in the county, was sworn into his fifth three-year term as sheriff.

“Together with the Board of County Commissioners, we will continue to work on combating crime and strengthen our shared services and safety initiatives so that Monmouth County remains one of the top counties in the State of New Jersey,” Golden said in the news release.

Other members of the Board of County Commissioners also spoke about their roles within the county.

“Our community college, Brookdale Community College, has ranked in the top 3 percent of community colleges and one person I would like to recognize is Dr. David Stout,” Commissioner Lillian G. Burry said. “He was recently named to the top 25 most influential college presidents, and we are very fortunate to have him.”

Commissioner Susan M. Kiley praised the people who make Monmouth County work.

“We have passionate employees and volunteers. We continue to find new ways to reach those residents who need our help. As a forward-thinking organization, Monmouth County will charge into 2023 with resolve," she said in the news release.

And Ross F. Licitra, serving his first term, expressed his feelings about the role.

It has truly been an honor for me to serve in a capacity of public service,” said Commissioner Licitra. “I’m delighted to be entering my third year as commissioner. There’s much to accomplish, and I promise to continue to serve the residents to the best of my ability.”

The commissioners made a number of citizen-member appointments to various county boards and commissions that included:

• Regular members to the Monmouth County ACTS Advisory Council for a three-year term: Michele O’Shaughnessy, Kathy Collins, Derek DeLuca, Timothy Hearne and Colleen Nelson. Ex-officio: Judith Green for one year; Christopher Merkel for a three-year term.
• Regular members to the Board of Addiction Services for a three-year term: Diane Aifer, Alysa Fornarotto-Regenye, Marcy McMullen and Selina Mishkin.
• Regular members to the Advisory Council to the Monmouth County Office on Aging for a three-year term: Jean Hering, Cathy Rogers, Sharon Stark, Colleen Verist and Judy Lufner. Term to be determined: Michele O’Shaughnessy.
• Regular members to the Monmouth County Agriculture Development Board for a three-year term: David. J Holmes, Michael Matthews and Peter Volpe. Planning Board Representative to the Agriculture Development Board: Commissioner Lillian G. Burry. Alternate Member for one- year term: Marcus Pettyjohn.
• Regular member to the Monmouth County Brookdale Community College Trustee Search Committee for a term expiring on July 1, 2025: Tim Farrell.
• Alternate Member (Plumbing) to the Monmouth County Construction Board of Appeals for a four-year term: Salvatore Farruggia.
• Commissioner member to the Monmouth County Board of Health for a one-year term: Commissioner Susan M. Kiley. Alternate Commissioner Member: Commissioner Ross F. Licitra.
• Regular members to the Monmouth County Environmental Council for a three-year term: Ellen Smith, Paul Johnson and David Kostka.
• Regular member to the Monmouth County Fair Housing Board for a five-year term: William Bradshaw. Unexpired term: Michele O’Shaugnessy.
• Appointment as Monmouth County Fire Marshal for a term expiring on Jan. 14, 2026 at midnight: Fred Migliaccio.
• Appointment as Assistant Fire Marshal for a two-year term: Charles Shirley and Craig Flannigan Sr.
• Regular members to the Monmouth County Historical Commission for a three-year term: Randall Gabriellan, Gerry Scharfenberger and Peter Van Nortwick.
• Regular Member to the Monmouth County Improvement Authority for a term expiring Feb. 1, 2028: William C. Barham.
• Regular Member to the Monmouth County Library Commission for a five-year term: Frank Wells.
• Regular members of the Monmouth County Mental Health Board for three-year terms: Susan Tellone, William Kvalheim and Gary Pollack.
• Regular members to the Monmouth County Bayshore Outfall Authority with a term expiring on Dec. 31, 2027: Michael Sachs, Timothy Sodon and Paul Buccelato.
• Regular Member to the Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners for a five-year term: Brian Foster.
• Regular member to the Monmouth County Shade tree Commission for a five-year term: Marty Pfleger.
• Regular members to the Monmouth County Transportation Council for a three-year term: Elizabeth Barrett, Anthony Garaguso, Eric Nelson, Jeffrey Vernick and Allison Gregory. Alternate member for a one-year term: Peter Van Nortwick.
• Regular members to the Monmouth County Youth Services Commission for a three-year term: John “Doc” Amato, Hon. Ellen Torregrossa-O’Connor, Laurie Gerhardt, County Sheriff Shaun Golden, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago, Judith Green, Dr. Charles Ford, Lynn Seaward, Kaitlyn Silagyi and Geoffrey Perselay.
• Monmouth County Representative to the Ocean County Utilities Authority for a five-year term: James Daly.

For more information about Monmouth County and the Board of County Commissioners, go to www.visitmonmouth.com.