Fort reuse authority adds staff
BY LINDA DeNICOLA
Staff Writer

The Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority (FMERPA) has finally hired an accountant.

Beverlee M. Akerblom, of Shrewsbury, was hired at the FMERPA monthly meeting on Feb. 21, at a salary of $67,000.

Akerblom, a certified public accountant, will begin her position in mid-March. She will report directly to FMERPA Director Frank Cosentino.

Cosentino said it took a while to hire an accountant because the job had to be re-advertised since the job description had changed slightly.

He said they had received seven or eight responses, and with the assistance of the personnel selection committee, the field was narrowed down to four people who were brought in for interviews.

Cosentino explained that Akerblom, a lifelong resident of Monmouth County, has an MBA from Monmouth University and has worked as a financial director or controller in a number of companies. They include Reedy International Corp. in Keyport, McLoughlin & Co. in Shrewsbury, and most recently for Unified Industries LLC in West Long Branch.

According to the job description, Akerblom will be responsible for preparing the budget and short-term forecasts; overseeing account analysis, bank reconciliation and insurance requirements; analyzing and preparing financial data and reports for the executive director; and developing response to independent and government auditors as may be required.

In addition, she will be responsible for cash management, checking account balances, deposits and petty cash; reviewing the monthly bank statements; preparing quarterly reports on grants and other sourcing; and preparing a monthly finance report for review by the executive director and submitting it to the authority board.

FMERPA hired an administrative assistant at the Jan. 17 meeting. Kimberly Welsh, a Tinton Falls resident, was hired as a full-time employee. With the hiring of Akerblom, there are now five staff members. Besides Cosentino and Welsh, staff includes Rick Harrison, deputy director, and Kathryn Verrochi, executive assistant.

In addition to having an accountant in place, Cosentino said the Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking a company that can work on the master plan has been approved and should appear in various publications across the country this week.

Nothing is going to happen until that is in place, he said last month, adding that the RFP will jump-start the creation of the plan.