Jobs Need to Be Created In Ft Monmouth Not Shifted Says Oceanport Councilman

The location of where Fort Monmouth formerly stood is already planning for its first tenant; however the neighboring town of Oceanport isn’t happy with the proposed move.

The Fort Monmouth Revitalization Authority approved changing the classification of 55 acres of land in Tinton Falls from residential to commercial in order to accommodate database management company CommVault. However, of the three towns that are part of what was Fort Monmouth –Eatontown, Tinton Falls, and Oceanport-- Oceaport has been vocal against the decision.

There’s reasoning? CommVault is already located in borough.

Councilman Joseph Irace doesn’t understand how FMERA’s decision to move the company three miles to Tinton Falls helps with “job creation”.

“What the state and the EDA and FMERA is effectively doing is taking CommVault, which is already located in the borough of Oceanport which is one of the affected communities and moving them three miles into Tinton Falls, and somehow holding this up as a model for job creation and how they should be doing business.” Says Irace.

Oceanport Mayor Michael Mahon, who is one of the members on the board of FMERA says the technology company was searching for a larger location and was considering several options including looking outside of the county and a different location within Oceanport, decided on the territory in Tinton Falls partially because of the easy access to the Garden State Parkway.

However, Irace believes the company’s decision to move to that specific location is predicated on the incentives and benefits they could be receive from FMERA and the state.

“Why are we throwing tax payer dollars or grants or tax credits or incentives or pilot programs to after them to move three miles away.”

Noting that he isn’t sure why anyone would be so up and quick to move if the state isn’t subsidizing it in some shape or form.

One of the issues Irace believes is that towns don’t have enough say in the development of Fort Monmouth, and the state’s policies have been shown to be ineffective.  He notes that while Tinton Falls will have the benefit of the growing business, Oceanport will be stuck with an empty building.

“Is FMERA and the state going to help to get someone else in there with the same kind of tax breaks? Or is that not part of their purvey because it’s not in the fort redevelopment zone.”

Noting this ultimately won’t be helping to add jobs to the area.

“That’s not really what’s going on. This is plain and simple job shifting. “