Buontempo, who seems to think his disastrous tenure – marked by the highest spending and debt increases in Holmdel history, a callous disregard for supporting our kids, and an instinct for unbridled over-development – is worth repeating.

 

He acknowledged efforts like the FAST team helped restore fire ratings, even though the southern Holmdel Fire house was closed under his tenure on the Township Committee. A common theme of creating problems and then swooping in to “fix” them.

The headline takeaway wasn’t subtle: Buontempo wants HIS power back. Emma and Celauro are HIS ticket.

 

While Buontempo focused on claims to regain “power” the current Township Committee has been committed to providing services and benefits to seniors. In towns with weaker ratables or less commercial support, seniors often get squeezed by rising taxes and fewer resources. In Holmdel, strong property values, a stable tax base, and access to healthcare and local services create something far more important than “cheap”—predictability and security.

 

That’s why Gary Vanderham and TJ Mann will work hard to provide seniors with additional amenities while keeping the municipal tax rate low and stable—protecting both quality of life and long-term affordability for the residents who built this community.

 

Then former Committeeman Prakash Santana claimed the floor to speak, he accused the current Township Committee of ignoring residents on everything from school bussing to environmental risks. Santana, a Democrat who switched to a self-proclaimed Republican, changed party affiliation 7 times, from Democrat and Independent, lost his bid for re-election when running with Buontempo. He made sensational misrepresentations of truth. Santana made claims that sewage, not treated water, could enter local streams tied to the Vonage redevelopment. Complaints were made to the Township Committee but not to the NJ State DEP who approves the facility plan.

 

Kristin Celauro; who read from a carefully curated script, as she’s not ready to read off script yet, framed the Township Committee as a “disaster,” arguing taxpayer dollars are being misused. Zero facts or factual evidence was provided, just rhetoric. Her pitch was simple: Elect leaders who will “listen.” Acting just as Democrats do across the country, Celauro offers no ideas, she just wants you to believe everything is bad. Her lack of service to our town begets her ignorance.

 

Celauro, who claims to be a staunch advocate of Holmdel Taxpayers, lives on a farm assessed property that pays just $290 on 23 acres. That farm assessed property also houses a non farm approved use of a private airstrip. Does South Holmdel really need a private airstrip landing loud, environmentally toxic planes? What pesticides are used on this farm which abuts Hop Brook wetlands boundaries and watershed? Has this soil been tested? What kind of junk trucks, boats and sea box storage units are being housed on this “farm”? Surely there must be code violations as a junk yard/storage facility are not farm approved uses. Sounds like rules for thee, not for me.

 

Then Ron Emma took things even further, making outrageous claims about the 23 Main Street development – ignoring the fact that all concerns – from environmental to high-density development – have been resolved by Mayor Impreveduto and Deputy Mayor Foster. Once again, the candidates’ Democrat DNA shines as they try to blame the people that solved the problem, not the ones, like Greg Buontempo, who did nothing about it.

 

Emma also took aim at shared services, claiming police dispatch moves and EMS changes will lead to higher insurance costs and resident billing. Fact is, with Medstar supplementing Holmdel EMS – at no cost to taxpayers – Holmdel’s response times have improved and no calls having been missed.

 

He also complained about Township dispatch being centralized under Monmouth County. His uninformed diatribe doesn’t consider the fact that this move will lead to faster response times from Holmdel Police, better coordination with neighboring towns, better technology, and significant cost savings to taxpayers.

 

To Ron Emma, improving public safety is bad if it means working more closely with the best county in New Jersey . . . Monmouth County.