Long Branch City hears CFO Martin on state best-practices questionnaire; city reports 41 positive answers

The Long Branch City Council heard from Chief Financial Officer Martin about the city'wide results of the state'issued best-practices questionnaire.

Martin told the council the municipality "scored a very favorable score of 41 positive questions" and explained that the questionnaire mixes recurring survey items with scored questions. "The penalty for not getting a favorable score is they take a percentage of your state aid of the final payment," Martin said, noting the city has not faced such a penalty this year.

Council members asked whether the state had added new questions this cycle and whether recent federal actions have affected municipal grants. A council member asked, "Has the federal government rescinded or suspended 1 or more municipal grants until beginning of the year?" and several members said they have seen grants for some health and social service programs put on hold or canceled in other jurisdictions.

Martin said the municipality receives written answers in October and that while many questions repeat year to year, the state occasionally inserts new items. Council members noted coordination with a Monmouth County consortium of social service agencies (referred to in the meeting as "Monmouth Axe") to monitor and respond when grants change.

The presentation consisted mainly of an informational briefing with no formal vote; the council moved on to other agenda items after a period of questions and comments. The next procedural step was a motion to close the public portion and enter executive session later in the meeting.