Carol Rizzo works the crowd in Ocean Grove last July 4. She was running for Freeholder at the time. Paul Goldfinger photo ©  Click to enlarge

By Paul Goldfinger, editor @Blogfinger

Carol Rizzo, who was unsuccessful last November in a bid to become a County Freeholder, was appointed by the Neptune Township Committee who chose her from a list of three candidates supplied by the Neptune Democrats to fill the unexpired term of Committeeman Eric Houghtaling who has moved to the State Assembly for the 11th district.

Committeewoman Rizzo was sworn in Monday, January 25. She is a retired business consultant with extensive expertise in healthcare. In November she will have to run for election to a full three year term.

She becomes the only woman and the only Ocean Grover on the Committee. All 5 members are Democrats. Randy Bishop’s seat will also be filled using the same process as noted above.

Blogfinger will seek to subsequently interview Carol Rizzo to find out how she feels about issues pertaining to Ocean Grove. She probably needs some time to acquaint herself with various topics in town including those that we in Ocean Grove  have been concerned about.

According to the system of government in Neptune Township, she does not represent Ocean Grove per se, so in her interview with the Coaster, she made no reference to her living in the Grove. She said that she was going to focus on economic prosperity and jobs for Neptune Township.

This appointment is good news for the Township and for Ocean Grove. Committeewoman Rizzo is an accomplished person with great abilities, ideas, and creative ways to solve problems.  We wish her all the best. She will have many challenges, but she is totally capable of handling them.

RANDY NEWMAN  from James and the Giant Peach singing his composition “Good News.”