WLB PBA: Ask voters what they think of merger

Originally published Aug. 11, 2011

By Vincent Todaro
West Long Branch — If the borough asked residents what they thought of merging the local library with the Monmouth County library, why not ask residents if they want to merge police departments?
PBA representative and West Long Branch Police Officer Jason Moore asked the question during last week’s Borough Council meeting, which was attended by several officers as a show of unity. Chief Arthur Cosentino, who regularly attends meetings, was not there, but Captain Larry Mihlon was. Officials have not stated why they always have at least one uniformed officer at peaceful council meetings.
As reported in The Link, the towns have been discussing a plan to disband their respective departments and create a new unified one, in order to save money. Sources have said it could be implemented within the next few months.
Borough Attorney Gregory Baxter responded to Moore’s question by saying there will not be a referendum regarding the possible merger.

Moore then asked why the town went to referendum on the library question but not for this or the shared police dispatch plan — also with Oceanport — which recently went into effect.
Baxter said there was no case law or statute to determine which route the borough needed to take with regard to the library question. He said the borough went along with the opinion of the state attorney general and decided a referendum was the best way to proceed.
Councilman Thomas DeBruin said the referendum was non-binding, meaning the governing body did not have to use the outcome to determine whether to proceed with the library change. Residents did vote in favor of the change.
He said the referendum was held to get “a feel from folks” as to whether they wanted the local library to be turned into a branch of the Monmouth County Library.
Moore asked who designed the disbandment and remerger plan, to which Baxter gave a vague response, saying there is information going back and forth between the towns.
“People have all sorts of questions. We’re in the talking stage,” he said.
“Aren’t we meeting?” DeBruin asked Moore, seeming somewhat upset that the questions were being asked in public.
Moore said the meeting is on an unrelated issue.
DeBruin then said the borough’s police committee will not recommend “anything” without having the local PBA 141 involved in the decision-making process.