Borough of Point Pleasant Beach MINUTES
The Mayor and Council of the Borough of Point Pleasant Beach met at 6:33 P.M. with Mayor Vogel and Councilmen Mercun, Loughran, Corbally, DiCicco, Dixon, and DiCorcia present. The Municipal Clerk read the notice indicating compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act.
Department Head Memos and correspondence were discussed with many items moved to the agenda for action; action on site triangle held for input from Sgt. Otto and documentation from County of Ocean.
Motion by Councilman Corbally to enter closed session to discuss (1) personnel matter, was seconded by Councilman Mercun, and carried by the following roll call vote:
VOTE: Councilmen Mercun, Loughran, Corbally, DiCicco, Dixon, DiCorcia…YEA
Closed session began at 6:45 P.M. and ended at 6:50 P.M.
Mayor Vogel called the regular meeting to order at 7:30 P.M. Present were Council Members Mercun, Loughran, Corbally, DiCicco, Dixon, and DiCorcia. The Municipal Clerk again read the notice indicating compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act.
Motion by Councilman DiCicco, to approve the minutes of the October 23, 2007 and November 20, 2007 Council meetings, was seconded by Councilman Mercun, and carried by the following roll call vote:
VOTE: Councilmen Loughran, Corbally, DiCicco, DiCorcia (October 23rd
minutes).…YEA
Councilmen Mercun, Dixon…Abstain (Both sets of minutes)
Councilman DiCorcia…Abstain (November 20th minutes)
Ordinance 2007-23 (Boardwalk Construction) was considered on second reading. Public hearing was opened, held, and closed with no member of the public wishing to be heard.
Motion by Councilman Corbally, seconded by Councilman Mercun, and carried by the following roll call vote, Ordinance 2007-23 was adopted on second reading.
VOTE: Councilmen Mercun, Loughran, Corbally, DiCicco, Dixon, DiCorcia…YEA
Ordinance 2007-26 (Land Acquisition Bond) was considered on second reading. Mayor Vogel explained that this ordinance will provide funding, in conjunction with the Open Space Tax, to acquire property identified by the Open Space Committee for acquisition – bond funds will be offset by tax revenue from the Open Space Tax.
Candace Donoghue, 1304 Baltimore Avenue: land is currently assessed for $425,000 – asked why Council would want to spend $ 1,000,000 – at this point in time, there is a lot of Open Space in town that is not being taken care of – purchasing this land is not a prudent thing to do at the present time.
James Bickle: asked for elaboration on spending $1,000,000 for a 30 X 80 foot piece of property (a prime location on Manasquan River Inlet – gives town a chance to make Borough properties contiguous – will give residents unobstructed view of Inlet, Manasquan River, and Ocean and also expands open space, which enables Borough to get matching Green Acres funding of up to half the purchase cost – two separate independent appraisals were performed – that is the market value of the real estate)- asked how much of a bond has to be floated (up to $1,000,000 – the purchase price is $950,000) asked how much would be covered by land-use funds and how much was in the land-use fund (being purchased through the Borough’s Open Space tax – in the November election, voters State-wide approved money for Green Acres funding – now we can go back and apply for Green Acres funds because this property was on the list of desired sites within the Borough) – asked if there are assurances from the State that there will be some matching funds (no assurance, but we are eligible for it) – concur with other resident that this purchase is not a prudent decision.
George Loder, 712 Atlantic Avenue: opposed to purchase of this property – asked Council to postpone vote until the new administration takes over in January – increased town’s bonding by $3,000,000 so far – don’t think adding another $1,000,000 in bonds is fiscally prudent – are currently making settlements on properties which are under their current valuation – asked why we are paying more money for this property than the current appraised value – the State is $3,000,000,000 in debt, so I don’t think we will be getting any money from them to offset the cost – a lot of residents don’t understand the money generated by the Open Space tax – at one point in time, the Open Space Tax was generating $62,000 a year, now it’s $350,000 a year – you want to take 25% of this tax and use it to offset the cost of this over thirty years – while it’s true that taxpayers won’t suffer any loss right away, you are shifting money from one budget to another, which is not the right thing to do – should take the long term financial picture of the town into consideration .
Tom Highton, 314 Parkway: thanked Open Space Committee for doing a wonderful job – if really worried about future of Point Pleasant Beach, need to address the issue of Open Space – people tend to want to build in every space available – this space has been an eyesore for years – agree that $950,000 seems very high, but the property is right on the water – it’s my understanding that the money is coming from the Open Space Fund – if we appointed the Open Space Committee to perform this study, we should have confidence that they made a wise decision – future of Point Pleasant Beach means Open Space, the access to, viewing, participating, and enjoying the river, lakes, and the Ocean – we are going to be spending a lot of money on the revitalization of Broadway – this is an important component of that revitalization – make the purchase and provide Open Space for future generations.
Max Gagnon, 304 Parkway: as a member of the Open Space Committee, we worked long and hard – Sal Pepe and I inventoried every piece of property in this town – Open Space Committee decided that it wanted to try to acquire oceanfront and waterfront properties – feel this piece would be a real asset to the town, now and into the future – a long time ago, Governing Body should have gone into the Open Space business, but they neglected to do it – we got a revaluation that the Council should have done years ago – that revaluation has raised the assessment of these properties – years ago we could have purchased waterfront properties much cheaper than we can today, but we didn’t do it – lets not make the same mistake – let’s move to purchase this property before it’s long gone.
Marilyn Burke, 118 Central Avenue: this Council has done an excellent job – there has been so much effort and thought put into this – this will increase the quality of life for the residents of this Community – no one in their right mind should say no – this price is not outrageous for waterfront property – look at the value of your properties – this could be your legacy as a Council member – buy this property on recommendation of the Open Space Committee.
Barbara Dervan, 320 Broadway: in favor of this purchase – being a realtor, I can state this is not overvalued – last two condos by Skokos went for over $800,000 each – this is one of the most beautiful spots in Point Pleasant Beach and would be a wonderful asset to the town.
Joe Lemma, 203 St. Louis Avenue: few years ago, had a referendum on Open Space and the people spoke out – 1,000 yes, 500 no – the people voted for Open Space, not these individuals that have some kind of scheme going on – that guy is a builder and doesn’t even live in town – a thousand people voted yes for Open Space, be for the people and not for the people up here for their own interests.
Anne Lightburn, 307 New Jersey Avenue: member of Open Space Committee – feel very strongly about this piece of property – if this building wasn’t there, no one would advocate putting one there – a lot of people use that area – once this building comes down there will be a terrific view – agree with others about the price, but we do have the Open Space Tax which is dedicated to Open Space – yes, the Council has to look at the financial stability of this community and it’s stewardship – this is a once in a lifetime opportunity – if the Borough doesn’t take it someone else will – it will become a private residence with a store on the lower level – urged all to vote yes.
Ed Conklin, Carter Avenue: if we spend $1,000,000 on this piece of property, we would not be able to build any structure on it – taxpayers would be better off if you put that $1,000,000 of debt towards the cost of dredging Lake of the Lillies.
Dave Cavagnaro, 118 Parkway: in favor of purchase – bungalows between Ocean Avenue and Boardwalk average anywhere from $450,000 and up, with the average plot of land being 45 by 45 square – don’t think Open Space is a political issue, but rather the domain of the people – voters were told the Open Space tax would go towards acquiring open space and no one has petitioned for lowering the Open Space tax – over 1,000 people said yes to taking on an extra tax to acquire Open Space – Council authorized Committee to try to get this parcel of land – many people had ample opportunity to offer their opinions and none have (when voters voted for the Open Space tax, they were under the impression that the State would match funds – at the time 1 penny on tax rate was about $66,000/$20 per household – today that is $250,000/$80 per household – average person doesn’t know that the State has no money to help us with this purchase – what we see today in 2007 is not what was voted on in 2005) – the Committee put out a list of what they wanted to acquire – the price is not even remotely high – the building that is there now can be turned into a $3,000,000 home that will be there for many generations – we should think of future generations seeing the water instead of the inside of someone’s home.
Frank Carey, 806 Briarcliff Avenue: asked for clarification that the Open Space tax can only be used for Open Space (only for Open Space acquisition – down payment came out of the Open Space fund and bond will be paid through the same) – foolish not to buy now – property is not going to get any cheaper.
George Loder, 712 Atlantic Avenue: based on Master Plan Review cannot put up new house (can be mixed use – home and store).
Sal Pepe, 312 Central Avenue: member of the Open Space Committee- we went through a lot of work to prioritize what Open Space we wanted – it was decided we would not obtain anything by eminent domain – this is the only property that has gone up for sale – appraisal is correct and parcel is worth the $950,000 – buying this for all people – anybody in the State can come and use – in favor of purchase and hope you all vote for it.
Candace Donoghue: feel this should go out for vote and let the people decide.
Mark Palzo, owner of “Alex’s Bait and Tackle”: although not a resident, I work on the Inlet everyday – feel it’s a good idea to take the building down, but don’t feel it’s worth $950,000.
Ed Conklin: to put in proper context, this property is not much bigger than this Court room.
Motion by Councilman DiCicco, seconded by Councilman Corbally and carried by the following roll call vote, Ordinance 2007-26 was adopted on second reading.
VOTE: Councilmen Mercun*, Corbally***, DiCicco****, Dixon*****, DiCorcia******….YEA
Councilman Loughran**…..NAY
*Councilman Mercun: not on Council in 2004 – when the Open Space trust fund came on the ballot I knowingly voted for it – you have to be a Pollyanna to ever believe that when the State uses the word eligible, it’s guaranteeing anything – happy to pay Open Space tax – don’t have any kids in school, but pay the school tax – I am happy, as a resident of this town, to pay four times as much as I was paying before for the Open Space tax – other projects discussed, like dredging the lakes, can be addressed – right now we have an issue and people say wait I have a better way to spend the money – this is not what was talked about the two years before I was elected – this is not what was talked about when the Open Space Committee was formed – this is a vehicle to get Open Space back – does that mean that it’s Christmastime, you have the money to buy anything, no it doesn’t mean that – you do your research, you have a commitment to the people of the town – the fact that I happen to be a Democratic Councilman means nothing – I am not going to skirt my responsibility up here and wait until next year – I am not a Democrat, Republican nor Independent, I am a citizen of Point Pleasant Beach – as such, I will try to do my best to represent everyone in this town, but ultimately the burden rests on my shoulders – $950,000 is a lot of money – do I wish it was $750,000, yes – if we wait two years down the road when it’s a million-five, we will all be saying why didn’t we buy when it was $950,000 – we often hear about the loss of the Beacon Manor – the time for us to act is now – we put together an Open Space Committee and entrusted the residents of this town to give up their own time – where were all those that criticize what they have done when these meetings were going on? – where were they when the Open Space meetings were being held? – I appreciate everyone’s difference of opinion – everyone has a right, it’s the democratic system – I read the report prepared by the Open Space Committee and am extremely confident of the work they did – I received a lot of phone calls from residents telling me of their support – it was only tonight that I heard opposition from some people in different political circles – I listened to them all and have made my decision.
**Councilman Loughran: want to repeat that I have supported the Open Space tax since it’s inception and I appreciate the work the Committee’s done – would love to have that property down there, there is no question about that, but to me the price of a million dollars for a piece of land accessed at $425,000 is absolutely unacceptable – I love going down to the Inlet and looking to the West – I have been looking at that building for the last fifty years – if there is an operational business in that building, I have no problem, maybe because I have looked at it for so long – but I don’t like to see it empty, that is not a pleasant sight – that building was sold two years ago for $775,000 when the real estate market was better than it is right now – it is assessed at $795,000 and we are buying it for $1,000,000 – I don’t get it – there is another competitive buyer and that is the reason for the urgency here – I understand that, but that still doesn’t convince me it’s the right thing to do – Mr. Barrella, Mr. Cervino and Ms. Tooker, who will be in office in four weeks, have asked me to express their views on this – they do not favor this acquisition – there are other properties on the inventory that we are interested in – next Monday night, Risden’s Beach is coming before the Planning Board for a subdivision of five houses – that is the fish I would like to go after – I know the money we have is not nearly enough to purchase that, but that Beach and those concessions and the other parking lot will be going up for sale within the next 6-8 years – at that point, we may have enough money to competitively bid on that property.
***Councilman Corbally: would like to disagree with Mr. Loughran on waiting 6 or 7 years – other Councils have waited 25-30 years (Councilman Loughran: my point was that Risden’s may be for sale in 6-7 years) – the people voted on a referendum a couple years ago, and it was a 2-1 vote – that by itself says a lot – the Open Space Committee was formed by Council – they made their list of properties back in June – this Council, I think, passed a resolution to start the negotiations on this specific piece of property – the competitive bid, I understand, is higher than what we’re offering – I’ve personally looked at the Harbor Lights Condos – they have nice views – I’ve looked at the river views, on what has charm and cache on the Channel Drive property – this view, unobstructed at the Inlet, is going to be the nicest view in all of Point Pleasant Beach – you’ll be able to see down the river and out to the ocean – something that, if we don’t get this now, is not going to happen – future generations, when we’re dead and gone, are going to sit down at that Inlet and look both ways and to me, it’s a no-brainer – whether we’re spending an extra $100,000 over 30 years, it’s nothing compared to what we’re going to leave for future generations.
****Councilman DiCicco: this will be one of the last votes I cast as a Councilman – I don’t think there will be a more important vote, quite frankly – I view it as a historic moment in Point Pleasant Beach – I think Mr. Carey eloquently stated that we’ve let many opportunities pass in Point Pleasant Beach and we’ve lamented those over the years – we lost Beacon Beach and Paradise Beach – we can talk about the sale of Jenkinson’s back when we needed money as a bankrupt town – we have a chance in Point Pleasant Beach to do something, finally, that’s historical – something that stops the development and the sale of our most precious assets on the water – rarely do we get to cast votes of this nature – we deal with the repaving of streets, budgets and with things that affect us and our lives very temporally, over the course of a couple of years – we have an opportunity here, at least for the first time in my voting since being on the Council, to affect generations of people who live in Point Pleasant Beach – we talk about the future all the time – we talk about how we want to leave Point Pleasant Beach a better place than we found it – yet when faced with an opportunity to do that, many people won’t step to the plate and accept the responsibility to maybe spend an extra $100,000 – I submit that that will be pennies 50 years from now – Judge Serpentelli, one of the best jurors in the state of New Jersey, often tells a story, about what he did while an attorney for Brick Township – he was confronted with a piece of property that many people wanted to buy, but many said “it’s way too expensive, we can’t afford this piece of property. Where are we going to find this money from ?” – Judge Serpentelli prevailed upon his Council to buy that piece of property – that property is Windward Beach – it could have been developed, it could have been sold, but that Council had the foresight to affect future generations by acquiring a magnificent piece of property that is the showcase, really, of Brick Township – I’d like to think that we’re going to begin to acquire pieces of property that will be the showcases of Point Pleasant Beach for years to come – I proudly vote “yes” and thank the Open Space Committee for all their work.
*****Councilman Dixon: the members of the Open Space Committee spent hours and hours looking this over – these are some of the brightest people we have in this town – this is well thought-out – this building has been here, I guess 30-40 years – the space, I believe, has been probably empty more that it’s been filled – it serves absolutely no purpose down there except to be a burden on anyone who wants to get a perfect view of the Inlet and the river – it makes absolutely no sense when people say that the assessed value is only seven hundred and some thousand dollars – it’s the same thing as your house, your assessed value is always less than what you can sell it for – we have an appraisal statement showing the value as $925,000 to $950,000 – there is a buyer waiting to purchase it, if we don’t – if he gets it, we’ll never get it – as far as saving the money for Risden’s Beach, we’re going to have to save a lot more than 7 or 8 years to get the $14 million dollars they want for Risden’s Beach – after 7-8 years, we’ll have maybe $2 million (Councilman Loughran asked how much is currently in the Open Space fund) two hundred and something thousand, I believe (Councilman Loughran: and we’re spending a million; Councilman DiCicco: we can bond against it) the point is, this is well thought-out – I think it will be an asset for the town – like Mr. Lemma said, people wanted this, they voted for it – it’s our obligation to do what the people want, so that’s what we’re doing.
******Councilman DiCorcia: first of all, to answer Mr. Conklin, we already have a commitment to dredge Lake of the Lillies – we’re waiting for permits and government approval – those things take time – to answer Mr. Loder, early in the 1930’s the governing body said the same thing you did – it wasn’t prudent, it wasn’t at all in the best interest or financial picture of the town to take over our beaches – what a terrible, terrible mistake that was – we would have owned that beach from the Inlet to Beacon Beach – that Council made a terrible mistake – other Councils had opportunities to buy other pieces of property, which Councilman DiCicco already pointed out, and let them slip away, such as Beacon Beach and other parcels – it’s been in the newspaper three times that we’re going to purchase Risden’s Beach, and, of course, you heard from Councilman Loughran that in another 10 years that might happen, or 6 or 7 – I believe it was you, Councilman Loughran, who said there was no price too high to purchase Risden’s Beach and I remember that quote in “The Ocean Star” (Councilman Loughran: sometimes you have to look at properties and what kind of a financial return you can get on them, in that regard, when I said that there was no price too high to purchase Risden’s Beach, I wasn’t necessarily talking financially – I was talking about from the perspective of the town’s character and what the people of the town would like to see up there – the view from Ocean Avenue, 30, 40, or 50 years from now – that’s what I was applying to) – I bought a house at 808 Trenton Avenue and paid more than 25% more than the assessed value and that was $60,000 – my house has now been priced at, quoted at, by bondsmen, etc… to over $650,000 – what a steal I have now compared to what I overpaid then – we heard from a real estate expert that this price is not too high – 29 Inlet Drive gives us the opportunity to stop overdevelopment cold in its tracks and give us a view of the west end of the Inlet forever and for future generations – the same view that was taken away from us, at the east end of the Inlet, when Trent Homes put all those condominiums up – this gives a chance to get a little piece of pie with a little bit of pristine, a little bit of Mother Nature, back for all generations to come.
Mayor Vogel: I do not get to vote, and often time I remain quiet – it’s a Council meeting and it’s up to the Council members to vote – but as things go, I feel strongly about this acquisition, the Open Space Committee and the whole process – sometimes we’re accused of a lot of things up here and it’s only a few people making decisions – but, as was pointed out, this was passed by the voters – you talk about transparency in government and open government – this process on the Open Space Committee was not driven by anyone sitting up in these seats now or several years ago – it was driven by the people – this is what the people have said – they worked together – they put in time and effort and energy – they went around town and had great debate amongst themselves – it was the people that created this plan, not the politicians – maybe that’s why it’s a good plan – but I think, as former Councilman Carey said, it’s opportunity – yes, there’s a dollar amount on the price of the property, but what is the dollar amount on the opportunity lost – I know many people lament, some people twice now, about property that could have been purchased on Trenton Avenue that was not – will we ever get those opportunities again? I don’t know, but I do know that 5, 10, 20 years from now, when we go down there and see what the next governing body is going to do with this property, let it be something that we all can be proud of – people are drawn to the waterfront and often times, when I travel, I see what can be done in different small towns and big cities, what can be done along the waterfront – yes it’s not a huge piece of property but, baby steps, it’s something – what can we do with it? what can this community do with it? you have a lot of people that have interest – there’s a plan that was put forward – but I think the Open Space Committee, and hopefully the next governing body, will look to it and say people have ideas – let’s come forward, let’s make what’s best for our community – this is not if we do this, we can’t do something else – we can do a lot of different things – the process for dredging lakes and doing other improvements we know is a long one, and it’s not mutually exclusive – 15 to 20 years from now, when I’m thinking back of my time on the governing body, this will be something I’m proud of and I’m proud of this Governing Body for the action that they’re taking tonight.
Ordinance 2007-27 (Authorization for Land Acquisition) was introduced on first reading.
Motion by Councilman Mercun, seconded by Councilman DiCorcia and carried by the following roll call vote, Ordinance 2007-27 was approved on first reading. The public hearing will be held on December 18, 2007.
VOTE: Councilmen Mercun, Corbally, DiCicco, Dixon, DiCorcia….YEA
Councilman Loughran….NAY
Ordinance 2007-28 (Establish 15 Minute Parking Zone) was introduced on first reading with inclusion of a time restriction from 6 AM to 12 Noon.
Motion by Councilman DiCicco, seconded by Councilman Mercun and carried by the following roll call vote, Ordinance 2007-27 was approved on first reading. The public hearing will be held on December 18, 2007.
VOTE: Councilmen Mercun, Loughran, Corbally, DiCicco, Dixon, DiCorcia….YEA
Clerk Ellsworth made several additions and correction to consent resolutions listed below; George Loder, 712 Atlantic Avenue: asked about cost of I & I due to leaks in sanitary sewer system (Administrator Riehl will provide figures); Ben Dispoto, 311 Parkway: asked about easement for Bay Point Condo Association (row of trees would have to be cut down to put up fence – giving them ability to erect fence without cutting down trees – not giving them the land).
Upon motion by Councilman DiCicco, with second by Councilman DiCorcia, resolutions covering the items listed below were carried by the following roll call vote:
CONSENT RESOLUTION 1:
a) Payment to Brick Utilities for October water usage ($82,608.40)
b) Refund dumpster bond ($250)
c) P O to Keystone Mid-Atlantic for LED light bar for fire vehicle ($1748.58)
d) P O to H C Sauer Electrical for work in police desk area ($3,296.75)
e) Appointment of Gerald Grayce as temp replacement for Construction Code Official
f) Approval of 2007/2008 Recreation Basketball Program Salaries
g) P O to Robert Molner for work in police desk area ($3875)
h) Payments to Schoor Depalma from escrow accounts ($3815.12)
i) Transfer of Lobster Shanty ABC License from Kev, Inc to Chefs International
j) Refund dewatering bond to Castle Pools ($100)
k) Payment to CDW-G for computers for police desk ($8990.78)
l) Payment to ESI for fire company equipment ($2253)
m) Authorization for Mayor & Clerk to execute deed of easement with Bay Pt Condo Association
n) Award contract to Cooper Power Systems for fire company standby generators($37,994)
o) P O to Long Branch for K9 dog ($4000)
p) P O to Point Pleasant Bicycle for police bikes ($3701.53)
q) P O to J Marcel Enterprises for winter bike uniforms ($3019)
r) P O to Columbia Weather Systems for weather station ($4550)
s) Refund balances of Bd of Adjustment escrow accts ($2558.70)
t) Approval of computer generated vouchers ($188,824.68)
u) Payment to Mumford-Bjorkman for water spheroid rehab inspection ($6700)
v) Renewal of Amusement Games Licenses (13)
CONSENT RESOLUTION 2:
a) Authorize Mayor to execute contract for purchase of 29 Inlet Drive
b) Award of contract for sanitary sewer improvements to Ace Manzo ($682,330.80)
c) Establish 2008 Borough Holiday Schedule
d) Establish 2008 Bulk Pick-Up Schedule
e) Payment to Motorola for radios for fire truck ($5731.20)
f) Refund Bd of Adjustment escrow acct balance ($1705.50)
g) Progress Payment #4 to F&P Contractors for Downtown Revitalization Phase III ($114,265.62)
h) Renewal of Amusement Games Licenses for Boardwalk & Central Assoc (3)
i) Renewal of Amusement Games Licenses for Jenkinson’s South (19)
j) Payment to JCP&L Co for electric use ($19,306.51)
k) Progress Payment #2 to U S Tank Painting for water tank rehabilitation ($146,412)
l) Approval of payroll #25 ($234,928.97)
m) Payment to Ahern Copy Center from Planning Board escrow acct ($129.60)
n) P O to Motorola for mobile VHF radios for fire company ($5859.20)
o) Appointment of seasonal Class II Special Police Officers (13)
p) Authorization to cancel outstanding escrow checks
q) Performance Bond Release Point Beach Café
r) Payment to Avaya for telephone system maintenance ($844.62)
s) P O to ESI Equipment for fire company equipment ($5412)
t) Payment to Spectrotel for telephone charges ($1977.62)
u) Authorization for CME Assoc to proceed with roadway improvements to Water St & Delaware Ave
v) Authorization for CME Assoc to proceed with roadway improvements to Sanborn Ave
w) Authorization for CME Assoc to proceed with asbestos abatement design for Boro Hall
x) Authorization to prepare fence easement agreement at 305 Lincoln Ave
y) Authorization for Shade Tree Committee to apply for 2008 Green Communities Grant
VOTE: Councilmen Mercun, Loughran, Corbally, DiCicco, Dixon, DiCorcia….YEA
Mayor Vogel: thanked Chief DePolo and Detective Petruzziello for informative program, last Monday night, regarding police response to gang activity and threat that gangs have.
Ben Dispoto asked about Lobster Shanty license transfer (change in ownership of license).
Mayor Vogel: thanked the Chamber of Commerce for the Christmas Tree Lighting – great community event; appointed Sharon Cadalzo to serve on the Shade Tree Committee; Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute is conducting a study on lakes and waterways along Jersey shore in Monmouth and Ocean counties – not just a Point Pleasant Beach issue, it’s a regional issue – asked Administrator Riehl to complete the Institute’s survey on the three lakes.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Councilman Mercun: planning to meet with new Mayor and incoming Council Members to get them up to speed on issues with departments I liaise with.
Councilman Loughran: final revenue report for 2007 – court revenue is down $190,000 as opposed to this time last year, parking is up $178,000 and hotel/motel tax is up $42,789 – net gain of approximately $31,000 in revenue over 2006; on Forman Avenue, along the park by St. Peters, the sidewalk is almost impassable due to hedge and shrub growth – asked Administrator Riehl to have Public Works cut; asked that residents move their cars off the street to allow sweepers to remove leaves.
Councilman Corbally: happy to see that River Avenue was repaved by County all the way to Cedar Avenue; happy to see Sea Coast Oil being cleaned up and Public Works project started.
Councilman DiCicco: authorized improvements to sanitary sewer system – reason project was delayed is that we applied and received an EIT loan at low interest of 1.5% – got $500,000 at lower interest rate that we could bond for; had one meeting with Mayor-Elect to go over projects I’ve been working on in order to provide a smooth transition.
Councilman Dixon: glad to see construction code for boardwalk work enacted; welcomed new police dog – Axel will retire – Long Branch had dog that was fully trained – did not cost any additional money – came out of police budget and forfeiture funds; Construction Official Gardner has been ill and is supposed to return to work in mid-December.
Councilman DiCorcia: reported on safety issue – one gentleman, on boat that came up on beach in September, had broken arm and refused treatment because he thought our First Aid charged (Councilman Mercun: first thing First Aid members mention is that we do not charge a fee); thanked Sharon Cadalzo for applying for grants for betterment of community; VFW will have Pearl Harbor Day ceremony on Saturday at 2:00 pm.
Administrator Riehl: painting of water tower almost nearly complete; drainage improvements to Boston Avenue underway as well as DPW site improvements; Neighborhood Preservation Program had their public meeting and plan was sent to the DCA – that information is available on town web-site; thanked Beautification Committee for holiday decorations.
Public Participation Period was opened at 8:46 PM with no member of the public wishing to speak.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:47 PM.
