For Immediate Release:
MANALAPAN - The Monmouth County Freeholder Board has backtracked in their recent unanimous vote to exclude elected officials from New Jersey’s farmland preservation programs.
Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and her board have been harshly criticized for releasing $1.2 million in taxpayer money to Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas [R], under the semblance of an Open Space land grant. Mr. Lucas is now under an 11-count indictment because of the $1.2 million deal.
In October of 2011, Lucas hosted a fundraiser for Freeholder Lillian Burry on the very property that was awaiting funding by her and the Republican Freeholders. Freeholder Burry has since been criticized by fellow Freeholders for supporting the release of the funds, which passed on a 3-2 vote. Republican Freeholders Gary Rich and Serena DiMaso voted to release the money to Lucas, while John Curley and Thomas Arnone voted against.
Joe Grillo, candidate for Monmouth County Freeholder, stated “Freeholders Burry and Rich are doing a typical political flip-flop. Eight months ago, they voted for something that was clearly unethical. Now that our money is already gone, they admit what they did should be illegal.”
Candidate for Monmouth County Freeholder Larry Luttrell stated, “By passing this resolution, Freeholder Burry admitted that she was wrong to funnel $1.2 million in taxpayer money to Lucas. We cannot let a career politician like Lillian Burry get away with this.”
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