Recreation Committee Protests Financial Ethics Form In Point Beach

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — Point Pleasant Beach officials are seeking clarification from the state after members of the borough's Recreation Committee blasted them over a requirement to fill out a state ethics financial disclosure form.

Recreation Committee members expressed their frustration and anger for three hours Tuesday night, demanding answers on why they were named on a list submitted to the state, and why they were not notified by the town before hearing from the state Division of Local Government Services with the request.

Mayor Paul Kanitra said that despite claims made on social media, the issue was not political and was not an attack on the Recreation Committee. Kanitra said he would be contacting state officials Wednesday seeking answers on whether the borough's committee needed to fill out the forms, which are designated for "local government officials."

Borough attorney Kevin Riordan said the list of committee members was sent to the New Jersey Division of Local Government Services because state law requires the borough clerk to submit lists of people who determine the rules for recreation facility usage in a town.

None of the members were notified about the list submission, borough clerk Eileen Farrell said, because she was told by state officials she could not notify the members to expect to receive the forms.

The form, titled the Local Government Ethics Law Financial Disclosure Statement, requests the name and address of each source of income in excess of $2,000 received by the person or their immediate family. It also requests the sources of speaking fees of more than $250, the names of businesses the person has a financial interest in, and the sources of gifts they received in excess of $400

It does not require people to say how much income or the value of the gifts or fees they received from any of the sources.

Some recreation committee members said being listed as a "local government officer" put them in precarious positions with their jobs, because they are required to notify their employers ahead of time and get approval to serve as a "local government officer".

It also appears that an approval in December of a $100 waiver per member of recreation fees as a thank you for their many hours of service to the town may have triggered the request, because it meets the definition of compensation.

"The state is trying to ferret out conflicts" where people stand to benefit in a substantial way from decisions they make for the town, Riordan said. "They have gone too far, in my opinion."

See the meeting here.