Ocean County Freeholder Gerry P. Little will be the director of the Board of Freeholders during 2012. County officials made that announcement in a press release issued during the final week of December.
“I am looking forward to being director of the board in 2012,” Little said. “I am sure it will be a challenging new year, but as a board we work in concert, always putting the citizens of the county first.”
Little was expected to be appointed to the director’s post during the board’s 2012 organization meeting on Jan. 4. Freeholder John C. Bartlett Jr. was expected to be named deputy director for 2012.
“Our main concern for 2012 will be developing a county budget that continues to allow our residents the ability to afford to live here,” Little said. “We want to continue to deliver core and vital services, but it must be cost effective. Every year, this freeholder board pledges there will be no surprises in the county budget, and the new year will be no different.”
Little said that with the sound fiscal policies the board has in place, the county will enter 2012 with a AAA bond rating — the highest possible.
“With the diligence of Freeholder Bartlett, who serves as liaison to the county’s Department of Finance, we have been able to maintain this bond rating while we have seen state and federal ratings begin to drop,” Little said. “This rating helps us secure the best interest rates possible so we can save money for the taxpayer and can advance important projects that affect the quality of life here in Ocean County.”
Little, who has been on the board since 2003, works closely with key county government departments that provide a host of programs ranging from services for veterans to the Ocean County Planning Department, according to the press release.
“In the new year, the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau will expand into the southern part of the county, providing services from the Ocean County Southern Service Center in Manahawkin,” Little said. “Our veterans deserve the best services possible, and access to our programs is key to providing them with the assistance they deserve.”
Little noted that the board also recently renewed its contract with Vetwork, a Lacey Township-based nonprofit group that assists local veterans.
“For 25 years Vetwork has been there for veterans in need,” Little said. “We are very pleased to continue this collaboration on behalf of Ocean County’s 68,000 veterans.” Little said that as liaison to the Ocean County Board of Social Services, the Ocean County Department of Human Services, and the Ocean County Board of Health, he will continue to make every effort to help the most vulnerable and needy individuals in Ocean County.
“These are difficult economic times, and we certainly are understanding of that,” he said. “These agencies and their dedicated staffs make every effort to provide for those citizens who are in need.”
Little said he will work closely with his colleagues on the board to make certain environmental issues and concerns continue to be addressed.
He said Ocean County’s open space program, administered by the Planning Department, will continue into the new year preserving environmentally sensitive lands, which also helps to protect the waterways and overall environment in the county.
Little said he looks forward to working closely with Freeholder Joseph Vicari in providing services and programs for the county’s seniors.
“With more than 160,000 seniors calling Ocean County home, we have pledged to make certain that home-delivered meals will continue, nutrition sites will remain open, and our services will continue to provide our seniors with a quality of life second to none,” he said.