For
Immediate Release:
October 22, 2020
Monmouth
County officials announce “The Show must go on in Monmouth;” provide COVID-19
and Elections updates
FREEHOLD,
NJ – Monmouth County officials announced “The Show must go on in Monmouth,” a
new initiative created to support the arts, and provided COVID-19 and Elections
updates at a press conference held today.
“Throughout this pandemic, the County has done
everything in our power to support our small businesses, including advocating
for them to the State and created the Monmouth County CARES Economic Assistance
Grant Program,” said Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone. “Now, we want to do
everything we can for our performing arts venues in Monmouth County.”
Through “The Show must go on in Monmouth” initiative,
the performing arts venues in Monmouth County are going to be able to submit
for reimbursement related to expenses they have, or will incur, in order to
safely open their doors again to patrons.
Some examples of expenses eligible for reimbursement
include:
- Masks;
- Plexiglass;
- Gloves;
- Sanitizer;
- Touchless ticket scanners;
- Temperature screening
devices;
- Signage;
- Contactless credit card
machines and time clocks;
- Air purifiers;
- Disinfecting foggers; or
- Any other measure necessary
to make their establishment CDC compliant.
“The County will be reaching out directly to every
one of the performing arts venues to coordinate their submissions,” said
Freeholder Director Arnone. “The only thing I would ask these venues to do is
to make a list, if they haven’t already, of everything that they anticipate
they will need—or have already bought—in order to ensure that they can safely
reopen their doors and put on the show once again!”
Freeholder
Director Arnone also gave an update about the Monmouth County CARES Economic
Assistance Grant Program.
“We have now approved more than 2,000
applications and dispersed more than $17 million,” said Freeholder Director Arnone.
“We still have nearly $3 million available, so we are urging small business
owners to submit an application. The application is relatively simple and all
you need is your tax return to get started.”
Small business owners can go to www.MonmouthCountyCares.com or call
732-375-2196, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Freeholder Deputy Director Susan M. Kiley offered
updates about the Monmouth County COVID-19 Testing Program at locations in
Asbury Park, Freehold Borough, Keansburg, Long Branch, Neptune and Red Bank.
“The County has administered 3,375 tests with 70 positive results,” said Freeholder Deputy
Director Susan M. Kiley. “The testing site locations, dates and hours of
operation are posted on the County’s website at www.visitmonmouth.com.”
Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon updated
Monmouth County voters about the State-mandated General Election process and
encouraged voters who have not yet received their mail-in ballot to contact the
County Clerk’s Election Office as soon as possible.
“Time is running out for the County Clerk’s Office to send
voters a reissued ballot by mail,” said Clerk Hanlon. “The deadline for voters
to request a reissued mail-in ballot be mailed to them is Tuesday, Oct. 27 at
4:30 p.m. Voters must email ClerkOfElections@co.monmouth.nj.us
with their name, address and date of birth.”
Voters are also welcome to obtain a reissued ballot
in-person prior to 8 p.m. on Election Day by visiting the County Clerk’s Election
Office at 300 Halls Mill Road in Freehold, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. In addition, the County Clerk’s Election Office will have extended hours
on Friday, Oct.30 from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 9
a.m. to 1 p.m. to assist voters in obtaining a mail-in ballot in-person.
“The County Clerk’s Office is working hard to ensure that
every voter who is entitled to receive a mail-in ballot for this election
ultimately receives their mail-in ballot,” said Clerk Hanlon.
Clerk Hanlon also announced that her office, in partnership
with the Monmouth County Board of Elections and Superintendent of Elections,
has launched a supplemental ballot tracking software to help Monmouth County
voters know when their ballots have been received by the County Board of
Elections for counting.
“Monmouth County voters can log onto monmouthcounty.ballottrax.net
to track their mail-in ballot and to enable status notifications via call, email
or text message,” said Clerk Hanlon. “We hope that the BallotTrax software
provides clarity and transparency with the mail-in voting process and that its
notification features make the process easier for voters.”
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