Freeholder silent on his MUA qualifications BY DANIELLE MEDINA Correspondent BRICK TOWNSHIP - Although Republican Freeholder James F. Lacey is interested in the top job at the Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority, he declined to discuss his qualifications for the position. "It would be absolutely inappropriate for me to comment," Lacey said on Monday. "It's a private matter." Lacey, who is currently employed as the township business administrator in Beachwood, said that he submitted an application for the executive director job at the Brick MUA, but hasn't heard anything yet. "They'll make their choice," he said. "If I'm chosen, I'll give you everything you need to know." Authority Chairman Patrick L. Bottazzi last week confirmed rumors that Lacey was one of the candidates the BTMUA is considering for the job. Bottazzi on Monday declined to name any of the other applicants the Authority is considering. "I'd have to check with our attorneys as to whether I could release those names," Bottazzi said. "I wouldn't want to violate someone's privacy." The Brick MUA has been without a permanent executive director since April, when Kevin Donald resigned. Stephen T. Specht, theAuthority's director of engineering and operations, has been serving as its acting executive director for the past nine months, but declined to apply for the job. Bottazzi has said that the MUA would appoint a permanent executive director in January or February. Lacey has been administrator in Beachwood since February 2005. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of all departments, according to the borough's Web site. Beachwood Municipal Clerk Elizabeth A. Mastropasqua said that Lacey has "this year and one more year" left on his contract with the township. Lacey was appointed administrator when Republican Harold R. Morris was in office. Morris lost his bid for another term as mayor to Democrat Ronald Jones in November. Lacey has served as a freeholder liaison to solid waste management, transportation and Ocean County College. He also oversees the Office of Information Technology and the Advisory Commission on the Status ofWomen, according to his official biography on the Ocean County government Web site. The Brick MUA's next scheduled public meeting is Jan. 28 at 7p.m. The Authority will hold its 2008 reorganization meeting on Feb. 1 at 9:30 a.m. Both meetings will be held at the BTMUA's administrative building, Route 88 west.