BASEMENT WATERPROOFING IN Asbury Park

Since he announced his retirement plans 10 months ago, Barry Ostrowsky, chief executive officer of RWJBarnabas Health, has spent his days trying to prepare the board of directors, the new executive team and the rank-and-file employees for the change that's about to come.

Ostrowsky said he is confident the incoming team is up to the task. But after leading New Jersey's biggest health care system for the past decade, he has learned a simple truth.

"You don't know the job until you're sitting in the job," he said.

Ostrowsky will retire at the end of the year, ending an 11-year tenure that coincided with a historic time for the health care industry.

He oversaw a health care network with: 12 acute-care hospitals, including Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston and Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch; 38,000 employees; and $6.6 billion in annual revenue.

And he steered the company through new demands brought by the Affordable Care Act; mergers and consolidation; and the deadliest pandemic to hit the U.S. in 100 years.

Colleagues say Ostrowsky's legacy is a vision of a health care system that could do more than treat patients in doctor's offices and hospitals. It also could help with social services like food insecurity or affordable housing — public health issues traditionally left to others, or ignored.

The vision itself "might have been the easy part," said Mark Manigan, 50, who was tapped last March to succeed Ostrowsky. "The harder part is being the kind of leader and kind of person who, over a sustained period of time, brings together disparate organizations and different cultures and different boards. All of that through one-on-one relationship building to develop the trust that you need to pull something like this together."

Ostrowsky, 72, lives in South Orange with his wife, Bobbi. They have two children, David and Allison, and three grandchildren. Before leaving, Ostrowsky spoke to the USA TODAY Network New Jersey.

Q: What are some of the changes of the past decade that stand out for you?

Ostrowsky: "In New Jersey and across the country (we're) building health care systems as opposed to simply relying on standalone hospitals and technology that the hospitals have had to include in order to ensure state-of-the-art health care service. In New Jersey, it wasn't that many years ago we didn't have a medical school. And now we've got a number of medical schools, and we're training terrific future generations of clinicians about whom I have no trepidation. They're young. They're articulate. And they're caring. And they're not becoming doctors for the money because, frankly, those days are over. … It's not that you'll starve necessarily; you're going to make a decent income. But it's not Wall Street and things of that nature. And so when I meet with the medical students in the Rutgers Medical School, with which we are affiliated, I'm meeting people driven to be physicians or nurses or technicians by motivation that's other than financial return. It's really nice to see."

Q: How well prepared was RWJBarnabas for the pandemic?

Ostrowsky: "One of the facets of this was to be living through an evolving education with a real live virus. This was not some benign happening that you could study as it was happening. We kept changing some of our positions scientifically as we learned more. And that was frustrating to everybody. …

"There was a special committee appointed by the governor to look at various policies dealing with COVID. One of the policies was about the removal of a ventilator from a patient in favor of connecting another patient because there were not enough ventilators. How do you decide to remove a ventilator from patient A and make it available to patient B, knowing the patient is going to die when you take him or her off the ventilator? And we spent many a long night trying to come up with this policy. And it just was incredible to me that we're talking about the United States, that we're going to have to make that life-or-death decision because there aren't enough ventilators. And, I mean this sincerely, we came within a couple of days of having to make those decisions."

Q: If a pandemic happens again, is the industry better prepared?

Ostrowsky: "I don't think anyone can predict how we'll react until it actually happens. I don't tend to quote Mike Tyson very much, but I think he said everybody has a plan until you get punched in the face. That's true. We've got lots of plans. And then it turns out that the thing we're trying to battle didn't read those plans, and we're going to have to revise those plans. But I guess the point of your question is, yes, we've learned, yes, we're better prepared. But I wouldn't want anyone thinking that we'll flick a switch and be in operational mode to the optimal outcome. The next time something like this happens, we'll be better, but not perfect."

'It was us against the virus':What did hospital workers learn from two years of COVID?

Q: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission recently blocked a proposed merger between RWJBarnabas and Saint Peter's Healthcare System in New Brunswick. Are hospitals getting too big?

Ostrowsky: "I think there's advantage to consolidation. I think there's advantage to these mergers, all of which needs to be proven, because nothing that we do is being done for anything other than trying to be more effective and helping the community. I spoke to each of the FTC commissioners and that was my point. This is why we're doing it, not because we needed to. It wasn't about getting bigger, adding revenue numbers to our balance sheet and all that.

"We thought, and I still am convinced, that if these mergers and consolidations are planned correctly, and executed appropriately and have as their simple goal the better servicing of the communities that rely on the participants in the transaction, if you put that package together, these mergers and consolidations make sense. If they're driven out of ego just to get bigger or say that you have more institutions than the person and the system down the street, then they may not nearly make as much sense."

Q: Let's say I give you a magic wand and say, fix health care once and for all so that it provides affordable, quality care. Where do you start?

Ostrowsky: "If I really wanted to change health care, I would create a public utility out of it. It's got nothing to do with government ownership. I would recapitalize all of it in a private-public way, I would ensure that a perfectly appropriate regulatory body oversees how you rationalize all these assets, I would require that this now-utility take on not only health care but social service.

"Now, this is an undertaking that is probably fantastical. But the truth is, it's very difficult to have competitive health care systems ensure the greatest level of coverage access and all that, while they're still competing with one another. There's a practical aspect to that that you can't change. So that would be to me something that would change radically and improve, undoubtedly, the health care industry as I see it. …

"Something that is both doable and more practical than what I just said, (beyond) this move to ambulatory care, digitally based care, is the fact that we have a Medicare program that won't pay for (making homes safer for seniors to) live in, but would still be willing to pay for pelvic fractures because people fall in an 'unseniorized' living environment. (That) just doesn't make any sense. Plus, it is very expensive. So I think there needs to be policy made as to what and how we fund things that are in health care."

How safe is your hospital?Monmouth, Ocean County grades are out

Q: We've come through a pandemic that shined a light on the public's growing distrust of institutions. What impact does that have on health systems?

Ostrowsky: "You remember when the pandemic was in its earliest stages, people staged almost spontaneous acts of respect for all the clinicians. They sent in food, they had parades, and these clinicians became heroes. And then in some real twist of fate, the same clinicians who were being lauded for their heroic acts, all of a sudden were complained about for a variety of reasons. The policies that institutions had to adopt the limit visitation and a series of other things brought on public response. So I think it was a time of mixed emotions, depending on what period you look at, during the worst of the pandemic.

"But I think the word 'trust' is the key. You cannot help the community unless you have the community's trust. You can't help a person unless the person trusts you. And I think … one of the challenges of institutional health care in particular is to gain and maintain the trust of the people they're serving. Without trust, there's no progress. And without trust, there isn't the ability to really have the optimal impact for good."

Q: What do you think makes a good leader? What do you look for when you are hiring leaders?

Ostrowsky: "I don't think you can learn leadership on Zoom. I don't think that's how you develop leadership skill. I think leadership skill is about taking a real interest, and making a real investment in the lives of the people that you're going to lead. … You have to build trust. You have to advocate for the folks you're wanting to lead. You have to know what's important to them both in and outside the office. You don't have to be intrusive or nosy, but you have to do more than just simply consider them one of the people who you manage."

Q: How do you feel about retirement? Are you going to miss the job?

Ostrowsky: "Well, people are complaining about this permanent smile. I'm gonna miss the people at every level of the organization. And that's what I'll miss the most. But I think I'm very excited about this opportunity of retirement. I have no plans to do anything else. I'll retain my position on a number of boards of directors, which will keep me intellectually stimulated for sure. But right now, I look forward to getting up in the morning and knowing I don't have anything on my schedule. And I don't have to make a speech at lunchtime. So that's that sounds good to me."

Michael L. DIamond is a business reporter who has been writing about the New Jersey economy and health care industry for more than 20 years. He can be reached at [email protected].

It's a special “Greetings” from the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University.

A day-long symposium titled “The 50th Anniversary: Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.,” marking the 50th anniversary of the release of Springsteen's debut album, will take place Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at the university. The event will include appearances by original E Street Band members Garry Tallent, David Sancious and Vini Lopez, along with former Springsteen manager Mike Appel.

“This event kicks off a series of 50th anniversary events that will bring attention to Springsteen’s earliest accomplishments in the recording studio and contextualize the historical importance of each,” said Eileen Chapman, director of the Springsteen Archives, in a statement. “This symposium is the first of many coming down the road.”

The day will include panel discussions on Springsteen’s early '70s songwriting style; the Jersey Shore music scene in 1972, the year “Greetings” was recorded; recollections of the E Street Band members who played on the album and more. There will also music performances.

The symposium will take place in the Great Hall Auditorium, beginning at 9 a.m. Registration, $50, is required. Lunch is included. Visit springsteenarchives.org for more information.

The “Greetings” symposium will also include a book signing by photographer Nicki Germaine, who will release “Springsteen: Liberty Hall,” featuring rare photos from a Springsteen and the E Street Band 1974 concert in Houston.

The collection is a rare visual look at the E Street Band with short-term drummer Ernest “Boom” Carter in the fold. Springsteen wrote the preface, Bob Santelli the introduction. Tallent contributed as well.

A website, springsteenlibertyhall.com, is expected to be live shortly.

The Springsteen Archives is hosting a 50th anniversary Tuesday Night Record Club discussion, moderated by Professor Ken Womack, on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Visit www.eventbrite.com for tickets or more information on the virtual event. The "Greetings" album was released Jan 5, 1973.

The Archives will also host “An Evening with David Sancious,” on Friday, Jan. 6, at the Vogel theater inside the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank. Living Colour drummer and multi-Grammy winner Will Calhoun will join Sancious on stage. Tickets start at $49. Visit thebasie.org for more information.

The book “Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska” by musician and author Warren Zanes, examines the making of Springsteen's 1982 stripped down classic, “Nebraska,” and how it heralded the advent of lo-fi indie rock creativity.

The book includes interviews with Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, Rosanne Cash and more, according to its Amazon description. It will be published in May from Crown.

From noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, in Belmar, Danny White, Pat Roddy, Tommy LaBella, Tommy B and the Deep Blue Sea and more will perform at the Taylor Pavilion to raise funds for the construction of a weatherproof outdoor piano called the Cadenza, part of the “Piano 4 Pyanoe Plaza” initiative.

The spot will honor Sancious and his mom, Stelma, who lived on E Street in Belmar. Visit www.belmararts.org for more information.

Finally, Springsteen, who just released an album of soul covers called “Only the Strong Survive,” will appear on the upcoming Rolling Stones live album “GRRR Live!” His performance with the Stones on “Tumbling Dice” was recorded Dec. 15, 2012, at the Prudential Center in Newark.

Lady Gaga, the Black Keys, Gary Clark and John Mayer, and Mick Taylor also performed that night, which was a pay-per-view event.

“GRRR Live!” will be released Feb. 10, 2023, on vinyl, CD, DVD, digital and Blu-ray.

Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; [email protected]m.

OCEANPORT - Lights, camera, Netflix!

Netflix, which kept the Shore on pins and needles for 18 months over its plans, is buying Fort Monmouth’s Mega Parcel for $55 million to build a state-of-art production facility.

Two months ago, Netflix jumped protocol when it announced it was the chosen bid in a pool of several developers vying for the fort's Mega Parcel, a sprawling 300-arce parcel in parts of Eatontown and Oceanport.

On Wednesday, however, that was finally confirmed as the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority voted to enter into a sales contract with the streaming giant to buy the Mega Parcel, what FMERA calls a Purchase and Sale & Redevelopment Agreement.

In doing so, Netflix said it will invest upwards of $850 million to create one of the largest production facilities in the world, one with 12 sound stages, ancillary production spaces and back lots, similar in size and scope to its New Mexico studios. It will use the studios to produce high quality TV series and films, including originals. Production will also occasionally go on location at scenic backdrops around the state.

On top of that, Netflix estimates it will generate between $7.4 billion and $8.9 billion in output over the next 20 years for production and construction. The value added to New Jersey’s economy as a direct result of that activity during that same period would be between $3.8 billion and $4.6 billion, it estimates.

"This will be a key focal point for us and it will be our East Coast production hub," said Rajiv Dalal, Netflix's director of content & studio affairs.

Eatontown Mayor Anthony Talerico was very appreciative of the effort that went into putting the Mega Parcel together and selling it. "I look forward to the road ahead to bring this project to fruition," he said.

"This transformative investment will serve as a cornerstone in our efforts to create a thriving industry from whole cloth," said Gov. Phil Murphy in a news release issued after the approval. "As a result of nearly a billion dollars in film production spending, New Jersey will further solidify its status as an emerging national leader in the television and film industries.

"Additionally, Netflix’s substantial direct investment will stimulate job creation and spark an entirely new ecosystem of housing, hotels, and ancillary businesses and services, bringing with it countless additional jobs and boosting the regional economy," Murphy said.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority Wednesday said the annual report by the state’s Film and Television Commission found that film and television production in New Jersey shattered all previous records in 2021, with the industry spending more than a half of a billion dollars in the state and creating more than 5,500 jobs. The industry bested its previous spending record by nearly $80 million.

In total, New Jersey was home to 725 productions in 2021, including 68 feature films and 132 television series.

In April 2021, Murphy wrote a letter to major Hollywood studios like Disney, Warner Bros., and Netflix in an attempt to lure them away from Georgia after a fight over changes in voter registration laws there.

Murphy offered the companies competitive tax breaks as part of a $14.5 billion economic incentive package that "makes the Garden State just as competitive as Georgia to attract film and television production businesses," Murphy wrote in the letter.

Murphy touted the New Jersey Film and Digital Media Tax Credit program, which he signed into law in 2018 to encourage film and television studios and productions to choose New Jersey.

While Netflix's ears were certainly piqued by the tax incentives Murphy dangled before it, in the end, one of the biggest selling points, was the land. Dalal said its not easy to find a "large swath of land" near a major metropolitan location such as New York City. Dalal said the company's studios in Georgia, Toronto and Brooklyn will stay open even after the Fort Monmouth facility is built.

"We're thrilled to continue and expand our significant investment in New Jersey and North America," said Ted Sarandos, Netflix Co-CEO and chief content officer in a prepared statement. "We believe a Netflix studio can boost the local and state economy with thousands of new jobs and billions in economic output, while sparking a vibrant production ecosystem in New Jersey. We look forward to working with Governor Murphy, his administration and local leaders to finalize this deal in the months ahead. We thank the FMERA Board and their staff for selecting Netflix as the winning bid and for supporting our mission to create a state-of-the-art production facility at Fort Monmouth."

That and Dalal said Netflix was attracted to New Jersey's workforce, which he says has top-notch crews and talent, and a vibrant creative sector that the company intends to tap into and further enrich.

During peak construction, Netflix spokespeople said they estimate the project will contribute as many as 3,500 jobs. Once the studio is fully operational, they conservatively estimate that Netflix production could contribute between 1,400 and 2,200 jobs annually.

In addition, Netflix expects there to be a considerable ripple effect as the production hub could spark private sector capital investment into adjacent industry infrastructure and businesses, including post-production and other digital facilities and services. The hub will spur larger industry investment in equipment, facilities and services, which should generate well-paying jobs.

Netflix at Fort Monmouth:What bringing film production back to NJ means for us

There's still a long road ahead before the streaming giant physically builds studios at the old fort. Netflix has a 36-month window to complete its due diligence on the site and acquire local approvals before closing on the property.

FMERA is the state agency in charge of redeveloping Fort Monmouth, which was shuttered by the U.S. Army in 2011, It has seen developers walk away from various properties at the fort during the due diligence period. Twice developers proposed plans for residential and commercial developments in the 80-acre Parcel B at the fort's Route 35 entrance, but failed to close on the site.

Parcel B was then wrapped into Mega Parcel in 2021 — a move that appeared to be in anticipation of landing Netflix, which made headlines shortly thereafter in the summer of 2021 when it announced its intent to make an offer on the parcel.

The Mega Parcel was put put to public bid in June of this year.

The site is enormous and comes with many challenges, not the least of which is derelict buildings that will have to be knocked down. The Mega Parcel, though, is the largest FMERA has offered for sale since it began the process redeveloping the fort over a decade ago.

What might have been:Here is what rival developers proposed if Netflix deal fell through

The property consists of several redevelopment districts and was appraised at $55.4 million.

FMERA pitched the Mega Parcel as regional hub for one or more high-wage, high-growth sectors, including film and digital media, life sciences, information and high tech, clean energy and food and beverage as well as residential homes.

Dalal said Netflix will dedicate the entire site to the production facility. There are areas in the parcel, such as the parade grounds, that must remain open spaces, as was laid out in the fort's re-use plan, which was drafted just prior to the fort's closing. Dalal said their final site design will most likely go through several drafts before they settle on the final vision.

"We're not 100% sure where everything is going to sit. But probably as you drive by you will be able to grab a glimpse of the letter 'N' on our sound stages" Dalal said, referring to Netflix's logo and placement of the studios.

"We're going to do the best we can to preserve monuments, flag grounds, parade grounds. There's going to be some walking trails. It's a really unique site," he said.

When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; [email protected].

"My family has always been able to take care of ourselves, but after falling on hard times, The Mercy Center has been a saving grace."

ASBURY PARK, NJ — As 2022 winds to a close, Patch launched an initiative to help recognize local heroes making a difference in their communities.

This December, Mary Agnes Coles nominated The Mercy Center of Asbury Park, which is a food pantry. Coles said that without the volunteers from the food pantry, she and her husband would not have enough to eat.

Here is their story:

Local hero’s home stateNJ

Local hero’s PatchAsbury Park

"I go to the food pantry there every week," said Coles. "I'm not sure if it's their full-time job or voluntary, but they help those in need. With no judgment, only kindness."

Why do you believe the local hero should be recognized or honored?

Myself and my family have always been able to take care of ourselves, but after falling on hard times, The Mercy Center has been a saving grace for my family. Their food pantry has hours Monday through Friday to fit everyone's schedule. They are the kindest people I have met since needing help with food. Led by Tracy, the food pantry manager, these ladies are warm, caring and compassionate. You're always greeted with a smile. And in a time where people are so quick to have judgment on each other, there is no judgment here. Only a hand to reach out to you asking how they can help, and what you need.

I have been on disability since 2011, after working my entire life. I was diagnosed with an anomaly of my kidney and kidney disease. The anomaly creates large amounts of kidney stones, infections and very large kidney stones. My doctors then proceeded to tell me they could not let me go back to work because of the damage already done to my kidney. That's a whole other story in itself but because of that, that's how I ended up on disability. My husband had been working at a job for a while and we had just signed a lease on an apartment after being homeless for 10 months.

The ink wasn't even dry on the lease when my husband was told that his company was downsizing and he was no longer needed. Thus began the search to find him a job so we could pay our rent and our bills. He is now working at QuickChek but unfortunately it's only been part-time hours and it's at minimum wage. So with that said, food became a luxury. And that should not have to be, but it was in our case. It just goes to show that especially in today's day and age with inflation and the economy, you can be one paycheck away from needing help or being homeless. We're still struggling.

So I literally searched Google for a food pantry near me. At first I went to a different one that I will not name, and it was not a pleasant experience. The staff was nice, but the other people waiting discouraged me from going back again.

So I went to Google, and found The Mercy Center. They're a wonderful group of people and I look forward to going and seeing them once a week. And it is a wide variety of foods. Their kindness and compassion really kind of refuels the soul, like their generosity and food feeds our bellies. They do have a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, which is a rarity I have come to learn in food pantries. These ladies truly care, and get to know you on a first-name basis. Like an extension of family, if you will.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the local hero?

I just want them to be acknowledged for all they do for the needy. It's really difficult to ask for help, but with the Mercy Center, you're put at ease. We are currently still struggling as I am disabled, and my husband can only find part-time work to pay our rent. And knowing the Mercy Center is there to help us with food has definitely taken some weight off my shoulders. So in closing I'll just say this: If anyone out there is struggling for food, know that there are people who do care. And they're at The Mercy Center in Asbury Park on Main Street. And will greet you with a smile, kind words, and no judgment.

Thank you for all you do, Mercy Center!

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Susan M. Kiley, Deputy Director of Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners, tells Patch about opportunities and resources available.

This Patch article is sponsored by Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners

Local businesses are the heart of our communities. Patch had a chance to talk with Susan M. Kiley, Deputy Director of Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners.

Patch: Could you please tell us a bit about your role as Commissioner and your connection to the Monmouth County Division of Workforce Development?

Susan M. Kiley: I am the liaison to the Monmouth County Department of Health and Department of Human Services. Each of the five Commissioners acts as a liaison between the various departments and the board. This is a very effective way of communicating with the departments and understanding their needs – both financial and programmatic. We can bring that insight back to the entire commissioner group for discussion. We also present and highlight some of the key happenings in each department for the public in our Commissioner Meetings.

Patch: What is the Monmouth County Division of Workforce Development and to whom is it helpful?

Kiley: The Monmouth County Division of Workforce Development seeks to provide residents access to professional employment services and supports which lead to sustainable employment, and to meet the current and future workforce needs of employers. The funding received helps to remove barriers to long-term employment.

Our diverse menu of services is designed to connect Monmouth County residents in need with assistance with job searching and resume writing, upgrading job skills for career advancement and/or referrals to partnering agencies and community resources throughout Monmouth County.

Patch: Why are career-building, transportation and employment services so important for SNAP and TANF recipients?

Kiley: This program offers a wide range of opportunities and training at little and sometimes at no cost. There are a variety of options on different career tracks available to Monmouth County residents receiving SNAP and/or TANF. You can brush up on skills in your current area of interest, or pursue training and upskilling to strengthen the workforce. We have employers engaged as well to help residents find job placement opportunities. We also offer on-the-job opportunities to help residents obtain employment.

Patch: How can people access these services?

Kiley: For more information on the program, there are several ways to contact us. For more information on the Division of Workforce Development, you can call 732-683-8850 ext. 4111 or email [email protected]. You can also go to www.workinmonmouth.com/workfirst-new-jersey. The Division of Workforce Development is located at 60 North Taylor Avenue, Neptune, NJ 07753.

Patch: Is there anything else you want Monmouth County SNAP and TANF recipients to know?

Kiley: You can achieve long term success by exploring all of the benefits available to you through Monmouth County programs. There is no wrong door into the system. Also, the Monmouth ACTS initiative can provide assistance and guidance in various areas like child care, behavioral health services and so much more. We are here to help – call 732-683-2102, or visit www.monmouthacts.org.