By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — Mayor Cecilia Birge, Democratic candidate for freeholder, and her running mate are taking issue with plans by Somerset County officials to purchase thousands of promotional items like glow-in-the-dark necklaces, goldfish key chains, beach balls and mood pencils.
The items — some of which are imprinted with the names and office information of elected officials — are to be distributed at the annual Somerset County 4-H fair in mid-August, according to county officials.
”The line clearly is blurred,” said Mayor Birge, of the use of public funds for customized promotional items. “To spend four times more money to do all the customization is ridiculous.”
Campaign staff working for freeholder candidates Mayor Birge and Doug Singleterry — a North Plainfield councilman — estimated the items would cost the county around $50,000.
An added cost results from the customized features of many of the items, which are imprinted with the names of several county officials, according to campaign officials who compiled the information.
Last week the all-Republican Somerset County Board of Freeholders put off any decision to move forward with purchasing any of the items, which were announced weeks ago when the county released a request for bids.
Both Mayor Birge and Mr. Singleterry appeared at last week’s freeholder meeting to publicly criticize the appropriation.
One listing in the request was an order of 1,500 pencils imprinted with “Frank Bruno, Surrogate.”
The so-called “mood” pencils change color with different hand temperatures, according to the county quote- solicitation documents.
Also included was a request for 9,000 beach balls, imprinted with “Somerset County Freeholders,” which would cost somewhere around $10,000, according to a report provided by the Birge and Singleterry campaigns.
For Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest, the freeholders seek 2,500 six-inch rulers imprinted with the county law enforcement official’s name and office, although the request documents misspelled his name.
The request also seeks to elicit bids for 600 10-inch kites for the scandal-embroiled Somerset County Park Commission, imprinted with the organization’s name and the slogan “Get out and Play.”
The park commission has come under fire for providing employees with such perks as the free use of large estates owned by the commission, cars and gasoline for personal use, and free transportation to Atlantic City, and other social events, according to a private report commissioned by the county.
The actual request for the giveaway items can be found online at http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/notice.html, under “06/26/2008 Request fro (sic) Quotes for Promotional Give-Aways.” The county plan is to give away many of the items at the popular summer event at North Branch Park in Bridgewater.
Somerset County Freeholder Director Peter Palmer said the freeholders have not reached a decision on the expenditure and will be examining the issue at an upcoming meeting. He defended the fair as the largest free fairs east of the Mississippi and an important opportunity for residents to become familiar with county programs.
