Mayor's Controversial Remarks At Point Beach Council Meeting Not Well Received

by Amanda Jane McConnon

Point Pleasant Beach has two new police officers, but their appointments at the Borough Council meeting came after Mayor Vincent Barrella noted the borough’s ”long and disturbing history of not hiring women officers.”

Barrella said he was also concerned about the a borough ordinance that fails to discern between forced and voluntary abandonment of residency.

Township Council members appointed Joseph Gippetti to the position of police officer and permanently appointed Police Officer Gary Siculietano. Both officers began working for the department in 2008 and were first responders to the July fire at Mariner’s Cove motel.

The residency ordinance in Point Pleasant Beach gives residents of Point Pleasant Beach preference for to police officer positions over nonresidents. Barrella’s comments were fueled by the police department’s decision not to appoint Officer Valerie Blauvelt, who was forced to abandon her home due to damage from Superstorm Sandy.

Councilman Thomas Vogel said Barrella’s accusations were uncalled for.

“The process was very thorough,” Vogel said. ”All the candidates were interviewed. Everyone was given a chance.”

Police Chief Kevin O’Hara apologized to the new appointees and their families, who he said may have been discouraged by the mayor’s remarks.

Barrella said he did not disapprove of the two candidates appointed, but believed that there was room for additional appointments. He also said police department overtime requests were a sign of understaffing and noted the number of police officers who recently left the force or retired.

Detective Patrick Petruzziello, was one of the officers who retired. He was honored at Tuesday night’s meeting. Petruzziello began working for the police department in 1996. when he had a foot post on the boardwalk. He is leaving for a job at the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s office.

The council also said goodbye to longtime Municipal Clerk Maryann Ellsworth, served the borough for decades in roles ranging from little league coach to Girl Scout leader.