MONMOUTH COUNTY PARK SYSTEM
2018 ANNUAL REPORT
EVERY DAY, RAIN or SHINE
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2018 Quick FactsLAND New Acres Acquired in 2018* 138
Total Acres of County Parkland** 17,284
Forest FieldWaterWetlandDeveloped (impervious)Other (unclassified)
57%26% 6% 3% 6% 3%
Number of Parks & Golf Courses 43
TRAILS (MILES) 141Paved: Easy: Moderate: Challenging:
312676 8
RECREATION FACILITIES 173Athletic Fields (Rentable)Ball CourtsBoat Rental SitesCampsites & CabinsHistoric Sites & Bldgs. Picnic Shelters/Buildings/TentsPlaygrounds PoolsVisitor/Activity Centers
1320
3 74
61616
421
VISITATIONTotal County Park Visits 2018 6,426,576
Visits to Park System Website 995,781
Major Event Attendance 95,469
Monmouth County Fair (5 day): Thompson Park Day: Creative Arts & Music Festival: Harvest Home Festival : Wind & Sea Festival:
71,50013,1092,5006,3602,000
RECREATION PROGRAMS‡
Number of Programs Offered 6,230
Program Attendance 110,541
GOLF
Number of Golf Sites 6
Number Golf Facilities(includes 2 FootGolf courses)
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Total Rounds Played 189,551
PERSONNELFull-time Staff 345
Hourly/Part-time Staff (Seasonal) 338
Program Staff/Instructors 298
2018 PARK VISITATIONBayshore Waterfront
Bel Aire Golf Course
Charleston Springs Golf Course
Clayton Park
Deep Cut Gardens
Dorbrook Recreation Area
East Freehold Showgrounds
Fisherman’s Cove
Hartshorne Woods
Henry Hudson Trail
Historic Longstreet
Historic Walnford
Holmdel Park
Hominy Hill Golf Course
Howell Park Golf Course
Huber Woods
Manasquan ReservoirMonmouth Cove Marina
Mt. Mitchill Scenic Overlook
Perrineville Lake Park
Pine Brook Golf Course
Seven Presidents Park
Shark River Golf Course
Shark River Park
Tatum Park
Thompson Park
Turkey Swamp Park
Union Transportation Trail
Wolf Hill Recreation Area
226,584
30,608
47,755
23,288
78,983
659,080
97,446
68,106
321,793
233,648
90,867
11,993
830,643
33,789
28,428
98,993
1,178,49022,874
163,456
13,688
17,967
625,918
31,004
114,203
118,974
717,652
159,549
19,264
361,533
TOTAL 6,426,576* Excluding easements.
** Represents approx. 6% of Monmouth County’s total acreage 301,804.
‡ Includes Visitor Services, Golf and Historic Sites, plus school group programs and birthday parties, etc.
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2018 – The Year in Review
W hen your business is serving the public outdoors, a certain kind of resilience is needed—especially concerning the
weather. This capability was put to the test in 2018 as the Park System maintained its usual operations while facing
some truly unusual cold and rain.
The year started with a polar vortex and bomb cyclone in January that brought painfully cold temperatures for days on end along
with a destructive nor’easter-style snowstorm. After a brief thaw--in February of all months-- there were four back to back snow
storms in March. Spring was late, summer was wet, and fall will be remembered for its never-ending rainstorms that included
multiple deluges where rainfall topped four inches in a single day. In fact, 2018 was New Jersey’s wettest year on record, with 64.3 average inches of precipitation (the normal average is 46 inches). Monmouth County in particular had the largest increase in
precipitation above the average of all 21 counties.
All this precipitation slowed construction projects, tested the capacity of park drainage systems and gutters, soaked our trails
and fields, and prevented people from enjoying the beaches and golf courses. Yet through it all, the parks remained open
and programs and special events continued. Some outdoor classes were rescheduled of course, or brought inside, but race
participants competed in the rain, park visitors got wet, and golf staff took extraordinary efforts to dry out and restore the
greens. Ultimately, the wet weather did have an effect on year-end outcomes like attendance and revenue-- down 6% and 8%,
respectively. Conversely, it was a banner year for park accomplishments. Dozens of improvement projects were completed and
new facilities opened in 2018. These are highlighted on the pages that follow, along with the annual review.
We hope you will make time in the coming year to visit and see what’s new in your county parks, rain or shine.
— Cover Photo: Deep Cut Gardens
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2018 Accomplishments
New Facilities & Features • Battery Lewis restoration with inside exhibits in the newly designated Navesink Military Reservation
at Hartshorne Woods Park
• Benches at Fisherman’s Cove Conservation Area
• Bird blind to view wildlife at the Claypit Pit Creek section of Hartshorne Woods Park
• Bike repair stations at Dorbrook Recreation Area, Manasquan Reservoir,
Thompson Park (pictured), and the Rocky Point Section of Hartshorne Woods Park
• Cross-country trail (seasonal) at Big Brook Park (pictured)
• Dock repairs at Big Brook Park
• Holmes Hendrickson House transferred to Holmdel Park from Monmouth Historical Association
• Kayak rack at Manasquan Reservoir Visitor Center
• Parking lot expansion (39 to 62 spots) and ADA walkways at Deep Cut Gardens
• Pool renovations at Big Brook Park
• Restroom building, plaza, and parking lot expansion (48 to 97 spots) at Hartshorne Woods Park (pictured)
• Wayside site information panels at Tatum Park Holland Activity Center and Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park
Maintenance & Improvement Projects• Barn roof wood shingles replaced at Longstreet Farm
• Carpenter shop improvements at Thompson Park
• Cart path repairs at Charleston Springs Golf Course (10 miles)
• Demolition of old buildings on park land
• Exterior painting of Thompson Park Visitor Center
• Sensory Trail improvements at Sunnyside Equestrian Center
• Storage shed at Big Brook Park
Although it’s not a pretty plant, our staff maintain
patches of milkweed throughout the parks and
golf courses to help the local monarch butterfly population.
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2018 Accomplishments (cont.)
Environmental Projects • Culverts/drainage pipes repaired at Holmdel Park
• Living snow fence at Dorbrook Recreation Area
• Annual tree, shrub and herbaceous plantings around the parks (pictured Dorbrook Recreation Area)
• Stream bank restabilized at Thompson Park’s Marlu Lake
• Treatment of Southern Pine Beetle infestation at Turkey Swamp Park; involved removing three acres,
or 400-500 affected pitch pine trees (pictured)
Outside Projects Affecting the Parks• As part of the Port Monmouth Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction Project, the US Army Corp of Engineers is
working on two high-profile flood protection projects near the county parks: a half-mile (2,661 linear ft.) floodwall with a
road closure gate between Bayshore Waterfront Park and the Monmouth Cove Marina; and a new levee, tide gate and
pump station along Pew’s Creek behind the marina.
• Monmouth County rebuilt the bridge on Schoolhouse Rd. overlooking the water near the entrance to Shark River Park.
Park System Accolades 2018 • The Battery Lewis Restoration at the newly designated Navesink Military Reservation Historic District (NMR, formerly
Rocky Point) at Hartshorne Woods Park received a 2018 Historic Preservation Award from the NJ Department of
Environmental Protection. (pictured)
• Sunnyside Equestrian Center staff and volunteers were recognized by the TODAY Show for National Volunteer Week.
The show aired interviews with volunteers, riders and staff and gifted the site with 10 rider scholarships, some new
equipment including much-needed “petite” saddles, and a new feature for the Sensory Trail.
• The Monmouth County Park System and 4-H, Fair co-sponsors, were recognized by a legislative bill from members of
the NJ State Assembly 11th district for a meritorious record of service in producing the Monmouth County Fair.
• Therapeutic Recreation staff were honored by the NJ Recreation and Park Association (NJRPA) with the Jackie Stanley
Excellence in Recreation Programming Award for their 2018 “Night Out” Programs, providing social opportunities for
adults with special needs (received, February 2019).
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2018 Land Acquisition
NEW PARK ACRES
Crosswicks Creek Park 32 Turkey Swamp Park 10
Fort Monmouth Recreation Area 1 Swimming River Park & Greenway 2
Freneau Woods Park 14
Shark River Park 3LAND ADDITIONSEASEMENTSTOTAL
138470608
Holmdel Park 52
Metedeconk River Greenway 13
Perrineville Lake Park 6
Another 470 acres of open space were protected as easements, which reached a total of 3,249 acres in 2018 (NOT shown on map).
TOTAL PARK ACRES
Bayshore Waterfront Park 229 Perrineville Lake Park 1,247
Bel-Aire Golf Course 114 Pine Brook Golf Course 61
Big Brook Park 432 Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park 38
Charleston Springs Golf Course 789 Shark River Golf Course 176
Clayton Park 450 Shark River Park 991
Crosswicks Creek Park 2,346 Sunnyside Recreation Area 135
Deep Cut Gardens 54 Swimming River Park & Greenway 18
Dorbrook Recreation Area 535 Tatum Park 366
Durand Tract (leased to Freehold Twp.) 94 Thompson Park 667
East Freehold Showgrounds 81 Turkey Swamp Park 2,281
Fisherman’s Cove Conservation Area 55 Union Transportation Trail (UTT)† 110
Fort Monmouth Recreation Area 9 Weltz Park 169
Freneau Woods Park 210 Wickatunk Recreation Area 98
Hartshorne Woods Park 794 Wolf Hill Recreation Area 92
Henry Hudson Trail (HHT)* 215 Miscellaneous Trail Corridors (2) 4
Historic Longstreet Farm 9
Historic Walnford 36 UNDEVELOPED SITESHolmdel Park 618 Baysholm Tract 71
Hominy Hill Golf Course 262 DeBois Creek Recreation Area 165
Howell Park Golf Course 348 Metedeconk River Greenway 457
Huber Woods Park 381 Yellow Brook Tract 369
Manasquan Reservoir** 1,208
Manasquan River Greenway 478TOTAL ACRES OWNED AND/ORMANAGED BY THE PARK SYSTEM
17,284Monmouth Cove Marina 10
Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook 12
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A total of 138 additional acres were added
to nine park properties in 2018. Highlights
include a large new parcel at the Ramanessin
section of Holmdel Park (pictured, right) and continued
growth at two of our newest parks, Freneau Woods and
Swimming River. The Park System now owns/manages
17,284 acres at 43 parks and golf courses across
Monmouth County.
83 acres of the HHT are owned by the county and leased to the Park System; another 103 acres are under 20 year lease from NJ Transit.
1,052 acres at the Manasquan Reservoir are owned by the NJ Water Supply Authority and leased to the Park System for perpetual use.
64 acres of UTT are under permanent easement from JCP&L as a right-of-way.
***†
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2018 Park Partners
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Special People United to Ride (SPUR) is a non-profit organization that supports therapeutic
horseback riding and equestrian programs at Sunnyside Equestrian Center. In 2018, participation continued to grow with 68 new SPUR students and 66 new volunteers. The Equine Facilitated Learning and Horses for Heroes programs enjoy continued success, and in April, Sunnyside staff and volunteers received national recognition when they were featured on the NBC Today Show for National Volunteer Week.
www.spuronline.org
Founded in 1991, this
non-profit, provides
funding for special park
projects. In 2018, this
included research and application fees for the Park System’s
seventh site to be listed on the National Register of Historic
Places, Brookdale Farm in Thompson Park, as well as
equipment; historic attire and notions for historic sites; and
disc golf course improvements at Wolf Hill Recreation Area.
Support continued in 2018 for professional education of Park
System staff, scholarships for urban youth to attend park
camps, and special activities for volunteers and young adults
with disabilities.
www.friendsofmonmouthcountyparks.com
Monmouth Conservation Foundation (MCF), now celebrating its 42nd year, is dedicated to saving open space, creating
parks, preserving farmland, protecting wildlife, teaching environmental sustainability and safeguarding waterways throughout Monmouth County. MCF has directly preserved more than 6,500 acres of open space and farmland and is one of nearly 420 accredited land trusts out of 1,700 nationwide. Jointly, MCF and Monmouth County are working to restore the future home of Swimming River Park (formerly Chris’ Marina and Deli) in Middletown and transform it into a beautiful park with riverfront access for all to enjoy.
www.monmouthconservation.org
In 2018, 1,266 dedicated volunteers of all
ages contributed 25,425 hours of service
in 1,970 positions across the parks. In
addition to the extensive time spent
maintaining park trails and gardens and
leaning our beaches, park volunteers spend thousands of
ours staffing programs, camps and special events each year.
ere are the groups who worked with us in 2018, along with
he individuals who gave >40+ hours and >100+ hours (bold)
n 2018. ww.monmouthcountyparks.com
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Volunteers>40+ Hours (names in bold >100+ Hours)
CORPORATE GROUPSJohnson & JohnsonL’OrealMorgan StanleyNovartisPSAVStantecVonage
STUDENT GROUPSBiotechnology Community HSBrookdale CollegeCollier Youth ServicesColts Neck HS ROTCHolmdel HSMarlboro HS Key ClubMarlboro HS LEO ClubMASTRaritan HS Interact ClubRaritan HS Key ClubRed Bank Catholic HSRutgers UniversitySt. John Vianney Key Club
NON-PROFITSBoy Scouts of AmericaGirl Scouts of AmericaMonmouth Reform TemplePrimetime EatontownYMCA Camp Zhender
OUR VOLUNTEERSWerner AehlichArbob AhmadJodee AndersonAndrew AntoniolliJoshua AuyeungPaula BelemMitchell L. BermanPatricia BernsteinKatya BevinovaPaige BiebelElizabeth BirdDenise BixbyJanice BlakeLinda BradleyChristine BremsethSandy BurnJulieann CaggianoMonica CantorBarbara CarrollSusan CartmellAnne Caruso
Mary ChristopherJames ChurchElizabeth ClarkeShayna CohenMarie CostaAshley CreanEvelyn DainoDenise DayLouise DelColloDaniel DiPietroPaul DrewBarbara DugganPatricia DuplakDeborah ElsingerNancy EndresenHarvey EvansRobert FinnHarden FowlerKathleen FreemanMichael GalantiJames GaultLoma GaultBernadette GilbrideCarolyn GiovannielloEllys M. GorodischBeth S GoughMary C GreenCheryl GreenfieldSusan HalleJudy HandsKathleen HarbortEllen HarroldCiara HayesJames HenryHope HershmanJulianne HinesAmanda HintelmannIda HosseiniCarol HuberParinita JainMarisha JainKalpana JhaveriDawn JohnsonKaren KacaniChristina KadenKatie KalfayanDenise KalfayanElizabeth KaneNadide KaracayJulie KellyAnne KellyRoberta KilduffHunter KniceMolly Kocsik
Arthur LacknerDouglas LaheyLinda LawtonKaitlyn LeePatricia LeoSusan LevantinoElizabeth LillestonSusan LindgrenDaniel LingelbachJeanette LingelbachGerry LingnerKirsten LittlefieldAlvin LiuChelsea LivingstoneLauren LoshiavoIriane LundeLois LyonsMaura MagnierPaulo MakalinaoLinda MaklaryRalph MarateaDanielle MartinezPeter MastropaoloSamantha MastropaoloMaureen McCaheryAlexandra McCarthyElaine McColganEmily McNeillPatricia MehlemRichard MerkerCatherine MerkerMichael MillerZachary MillerNicholas MillerRichard MoscaEileen MurphyNeill NapolitanoLaurie NassDavid NassLes NeimanFrank NofiMadelyn OliveiraAlex OsnatoDeborah PalumboJames PeggMary PennellaAva PrestigiacomoThomas PuskarApril QinBetty RandallRachel RauBrenda ReamyEileen Reed Patricia Richter
Linda RovderLorraine RoyKelly RuggieroMaryAnn RussoDiana-Lee SalernoWalter SalzmannElizabeth ScharmannMarlis Schlegel-SteadmanFritz SchwagerAmy SechianoMadeline ShanleyRegina SiebenRita SmithJill SochaFran StefanelliBenjamin StillmanLynn StoneMargaret SwanEleanor SwansonKylie SwansonPriya ThamburajMargo ThorntonPatricia ThulOlivia TownsendRosemary TunnicliffeDaniel TutlerJean VailKelli ValentiniDonald Van BurenBarbara VenanziniHoang-Nam VuJeanne WadleElaine WeiglJohn WheelockLewis WhitakerJasper WilsonSandra WolfeLouise WyhopenChristine YovnelloCaleb ZettellAnna Zimmer
LIFETIME MILESTONES1,000 hoursAndrew AntoniolliElaine Weigl
2,000 hoursLes NeimanEleanor Swanson
4,000 hoursWerner AehlichEileen Murphy
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2018 Financial Statement(unaudited)
TOTALS GENERAL TRUST CASH DONATIONS
BEGINNING FUND BALANCE $12,176,592 $0 $12,041,486 $135,106
INCOME
County Appropriation
Salaries/Wages 18,703,848 18,703,848
Other Expense Approp. 1,918,410 1,918,410
Revenue
Donations 4,773 4,773
Golf Courses 9,039,015 5,421,140 3,617,875
Parks 2,770,919 1,278,650 1,492,269
Monmouth Cove Marina 1,083,595 1,083,595
Visitor Services 3,053,648 3,053,648
Open Space Tax 7,650,000
TOTAL INCOME $44,224,208 $27,322,048 $9,247,387 $4,773
EXPENDITURES
Personnel 20,920,912 18,843,873 2,077,040
Operations 8,689,795 1,685,748 6,997,725 6,322
General Revenue Returned to County Treasurer
Golf Courses 5,421,140 5,421,140
Parks 1,278,650 1,278,650
Open Space Tax (a) 7,650,000
TOTAL EXPENDITURES $43,960,497 $27,229,411 $9,074,764 $6,322
Excess (Deficit) in Revenues 265,259 92,637 172,622
ENDING FUND BALANCE $12,440,301 $92,637 $12,214,108 $133,556
Capital Cash & Open Space Expenditures: (b)
Site Improvements $13,425,597
Land Acquisition 5,269,353
Line Item Capital - Equipment (additiional & replacement) 1,175,685
TOTAL $19,870,635
NOTE:(a) Open Space Preservation Tax offsets maintenance personnel and other expense appropriation(b) Not included in above statement of expenditures
Capital items listed are not amortized. Appropriation does not include salary adjustments, fringe benefits, insurance, and legal services.
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Income & Expenditures
2018 INCOME$44,224,208
County Appropriation$20,622,258 47%
Golf Courses$9,039,015 20%
Open Space Preservation Tax$7,650,000 17%
Visitor Services$3,053,648 7%
Parks$2,770,919 6%
Monmouth Cove Marina$1,083,595 3%
Donations$4,773 <1%
2018 EXPENDITURES $43,960,497
Personnel$20,920,212 48%
Operations(suplies, utliities, services, contracts, etc.)$9,039,015 20%
Open Space Preservation Tax$7,650,000 17%
General Revenue Returned to Treasurer$6,699,790 15%
47%20%
20%
48%
17%
15%
3%
7%
17%
6% <1%<1%
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2018 Value of In-Kind Donations, Contributions & Grants(unaudited)
DONATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONSFriends of the Park
Battery Lewis $12,500.00
Benches for Various Parks 11,644.00
Deep Cut Gardens 1,175.00
Employee Training 5,749.00
Hartshorne Woods Park 7,209.00
Historic Longstreet Farm 713.00
Historic Walnford Park 401.00
Holmdel Park 5,300.00
Hospitality 242.00
Therapeutic Recreation Assistance 871.00
Thompson Park 1,020.00
Timolat Farm 22,435.00
Urban Recreation Assistance 18,210.00
Volunteer Services 2,681.00
Wolf Hill Recreation Area 4,189.00
$94,339.00
Land $1,145,012.00
Miscellaneous Donated Items $423.00
Monmouth Conservation Foundation (MCF)Acquisition 0.00
Support Services 20,000.00
$20,000.00
Monmouth University Urban Rec. Camps $16,930.00
Special People United to Ride (SPUR)Scholarships 50,813.94
In-Kind Donations/Equipment & Misc. Items 10,500.00
Instructor Training 250.00
$61,563.94
Sponsorships - Monmouth County Fair $600.00
GRANTSNJ Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund – Freneau Woods Property $99,605.00
PROJECT COST-SHAREMonmouth Conservation Foundation/DeFilippo $25,000.00
VOLUNTEER HOURS(a)
1,266 volunteers for a total of 25,425 hrs. @ $28.32/hr $720,036.00
TOTAL $2,183,508.94(a) Based on Independent Sector value for NJ, 2018
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2018 Monmouth County Park System Administration
2018 Monmouth County Park System Administration
(left to right)
Superintendent of Recreation Patti ConroyDirector of Development Maria Wojciechowski
Purchasing Agent Jen KaczalaPublic Information Officer Karen Livingstone
Assistant Director Andrew J. SpearsSecretary-Director James J. Truncer
County Park Superintendent Thomas FobesChief of Land Acquisition and Design Gail Hunton
Director of Personnel Kevin DunnOffice Services Manager Barbara Berry
County Park Superintendent Michael Janoski
2018 Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners
(Standing, left to right)
Park System Secretary-Director James TruncerCommissioner Thomas E. Hennessey Jr.Commissioner Mark E. ZelinaCommissioner David W. Horsnalland Commissioner Michael G. Harmon
(Seated, left to right)
Commissioner Violeta PetersChairman Fred J. RummelFreeholder Liaison to the Park System Lillian G. BurryVice Chairman Kevin MandevilleCommissioner Patricia M. ButchCommissioner Thomas W. Adcock
2018 Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders
(Standing, left to right)Gerry P. Scharfenberger, Ph.D.
Patrick Impreveduto
(Seated, left to right)Deputy Director Lillian G. Burry
Director Thomas A. ArnoneJohn P. Curley
Headquarters: 805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ 07738732-842-4000www.MonmouthCountyParks.com
The Nation’s First Accredited Park and Recreation Agency
Printed on recycled paperPrinted with environmentally-friendly ink G19180/May 2019