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FRIDAY 02.13.15

Local celeb marriages withstand the

test of time. JERSEY ALIVE!

Monmouth
pays $20G
in lawsuit
over firing

COMMENTARY

Woman: I had to help with

campaign on county time
SUSANNE CERVENKA @SCERVENKA

MAKEOVER
IDEAS FOR
CHRISTIE

A former Monmouth County worker fired in 2011 after she complained she had to do campaign work on
county time has settled her wrongful termination lawsuit for $20,000.
Jean Meroni, 58, of Howell, a former Division of
Transportation operations manager, also had her termination changed to a resignation, according to the settlement.
But there was no acknowledgment of any wrongdoing by the county and Meronis essential claim that
she was compelled to do political work on the publics
time remained unsubstantiated.
Mrs. Meroni received a general resignation from
her position with Monmouth County effective Aug. 22,
2011. Monmouth County does not comment beyond that
on personnel matters, county spokeswoman Laura
Kirkpatrick said in an emailed statement. Meroni could
not be reached for comment.
In a prior proceeding, an appeal of Meronis termination, Monmouth County officials found no evidence
backing up Meronis claims that her boss forced her
to use county copiers to make fliers for a 2011 Republican freeholder candidate.
According to the county, Meroni was fired for another reason because she knew in advance about a plan
for bus drivers to call out sick to attend a union rally and

1. Be like LBJ
2. Fix the tie
3. Stop worrying
about Iowa
4. Play politics like its
a boardwalk game
5. No more gifts

See PAID, Page A7

Is your electric bill

going up or down?
BOB JORDAN @BOBJORDANAPP

DAVID P. WILLIS @DPWILLIS732

he sagging poll numbers say its time. So does the

INSIDE

hoarding of campaign donors by Jeb Bush and the

Christies support in New

Jersey continues to erode,
new poll shows.
STORY, A4

The price of electricity at the Jersey Shore wont

change much this summer.
The state Board of Public Utilities on Thursday approved the results of the states annual electricity auction. It sets the wholesale electricity prices that the
states electric utilities will pay and pass through to all
New Jersey residential customers. It does not increase
or decrease a utilitys profits.
Customers of Jersey Central Power & Light will see
their bill rise less than a dime as of June 1. Bills for Atlantic City Electric customers will go down 2.97 percent, while Public Service Electric and Gas will rise
more than $6 a month. Rockland Electric, which services the far northern portion of the state, will see a 3.2
percent decrease.
Average JCP&L ratepayers using 650 kilowatts a
month will see their monthly bills increase to $93.10, up
from $93.01, essentially flat. Atlantic City Electric customers will see their average rates drop $3.60, or 2.97
percent, to $117.61; and PSE&G customers will see their
average rates increase $6.24, or 5.1 percent, to $127.48.

an image makeover. Christie-watchers say for starters the bull-

See BILL, Page A7

See CHRISTIE, Page A4

bad headlines produced from Gov. Chris Christies

trip to London last week: President Christie isnt going to happen unless the New Jersey governor gets

in-a-china-shop routine is so 2010 and needs an update. He needs a

national agenda. A Silicon Beach grooming guru goes so far as to

SOUND OFF!
How can the governor improve his image? Visit
APP.com/Christieimage to
take our poll and tell us what
you think.

suggest Christie needs to stop making his necktie knot so tight.

For a presidential look, I do think he needs to step things up a bit,
scolds Diane Gardner, whose first salon was in Marlboro. Ouch. I

FIVE THINGS UKRAINIAN CEASE-FIRE NEEDS TO SUCCEED PAGE 1B

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

LEADING
BY EXAMPLE
Former Rumson-FH standout Kevin
Alter earns prestigious award. C1

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JERSEY ALIVE!
A14
D1
JERSEY ALIVE!
A3

LOTTERIES
OBITUARIES
OPINION
SPORTS
WEATHER

A2
A15
A8
C1
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VOLUME 136
NUMBER 38

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