Monmouth Beach To Share Eatontown Municipal Court

Eatontown is on the verge of finalizing a contract that will allow Monmouth Beach to use the borough's municipal court.

Eatontown Administrator George Jackson said the matter had been discussed in executive session for the last few meetings, but that the two boroughs have now worked out a deal.

Monmouth Beach would pay Eatontown $50,000 per year to host its municipal court sessions and would transfer its administrative functions there as well, according to Jackson.

"It's as good a fit as we can make it and it will bring in some good revenue," Jackson said during Wednesday night's Eatontown Council Workshop.

The council asked Jackson if hosting Monmouth Beach's court would overburden the staff.

Jackson said the staff would be able to handle the increased number of court sessions.

He said Monmouth Beach's municipal court meets on the first and third Thursdays of every month, and that Eatontown's municipal court meets every Thursday. Monmouth Beach's court sessions would be held after Eatontown's are completed.

Monmouth Beach also has fewer court appearances than Eatontown. Eatontown has had over 300 municipal court appearances this year and Monmouth Beach has had three. That number is expected to increase in the summer when traffic in the shore town increases and more tickets are issued.

Jackson said any Monmouth Beach prisoner who is found guilty while being tried in Eatontown's municipal court will be held there until they are transferred to Monmouth County Correctional Institute (MCCI) in Freehold. He said Monmouth Beach would pay for the transfer of it own prisoners to MCCI.

Jackson said he expect to have a resolution ready for the next Eatontown Council meeting on March 14 that will make the agreement official.