Tourism Vital For Monmouth Co. COVID Relief: Commissioner

FREEHOLD, NJ — Commissioner Director Tom Arnone addressed all Monmouth residents during the "State of The County" address on Thursday morning.

Arnone laid out the plans for the upcoming year as the county emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and prepares for an expected busy summer with tourism on the rise.

“We had a pandemic,” said Arnone. “We had to help people during the pandemic. The only way we are going to get to be back to a vibrant community, a vibrant workforce, is to keep taking that area and saying the best thing you can do is go back to work.”

Throughout the address, Armone heavily stressed the importance of tourism for Monmouth County. As summer approaches, he expects growing crowds to fill not only the beaches on the Jersey Shore but also other tourist destinations in the western part of the county.

Armone also touched on the current $60 million, that the County Government is planning on dispersing to various organizations in Monmouth County within the next month.

"After helping the municipalities, the businesses and the non-profits, what were going to do is create some sort of program that they can fill out with what their needs are and how we can success them," said Armone.

Veteran services, special needs, food banks, animal welfare and the arts were all named as potential organizations that would benefit from the proposed program.

A percentage of the dispersal will also go toward tourism marketing "we are going to make sure and put that money out on the streets and into the business climate,” says Arnone. “Were going to share it with brochures we are going to create here in Monmouth County that's going to highlight every one of our municipalities.”