Take note: Mayor Dunbar's Office Hours are on Fridays, from ten o'clock to one. Residents are encouraged to meet with him.

Peter Johner, a representative from JCP&L, spoke to Council about replacing all incandescent street lights with high-pressure sodium bulbs.They will give out four times the light and will negate constant replacement. This program is statewide and should be installed this year or early in 2007.

Jim Anderson, the Borough tax assessor, spoke about a problem with reassessment. The Borough is divided into three sections for assessment purposes: the ocean, the bay/lagoons and the non-waterfront streets. With only one property sold in the ocean section, the County Board has granted Mantoloking a one-year postponement. Reassessment will be done in 2007 for 2008.

Peter Flihan wonders why there is such a gross odor coming from the catch basins on the southern part of Barnegat Lane. Even in the winter it is very unpleasant. The Borough has asked the state to clean the drains more often, but decaying vegetation causes the problem. Most of this comes from the bay.

Mayor Dunbar opened the meeting at 8:40 pm. All Council members were present. After the Pledge of Allegiance, a moment of silence was held for Ross Pilling who died January 27th. A Memorial Resolution was read which enumerated all Ross had done for Mantoloking. He was a Council member from 1977 through 1994; developed dune management and was rewarded by the State Floodplain Managers in 1999; was a long active member of the Mantoloking Fire Company and edited this publication from August 1979 to December 1994. He was a vital and giving member of the Town of Mantoloking.

Mayor Dunbar is hoping the new bridge will open early in March. The tower windows are now ready for 100 mph winds, but the east bascule opening had a balance problem.

A resolution to appoint Jennifer Buck to the Historical Committee was passed, as was a resolution to reschedule the March Council meeting from March 20th to March 27th. This is beacuse a public hearing on the budget cannot be held less than 28 days after its introduction (State law.)

Resolutions to support legislation to exempt municipal clerks from penalties for 'Open Public Records Act Violations under Certain Circumstances' and to proclaim February, 2006 as American Heart Month were passed.

Police Chief Ortley reported 164 incidents were acted upon during January and 64 of these were traffic tickets. The police have a new breath analysis machine, replacing the 25-year old one. They have been attending and completing courses in all areas of police disciplines.

Fire Chief Doug Popaca reported the Fire Company responded to seven fire calls in January, only one in Mantoloking the rest in Brick and Bay Head. The Company held three training drills and had one regular meeting.

Five new and four building permit updates were issued during January for plumbing, furnaces and air conditioning, new bathrooms, a foundation, new shingles and helical pilings.

The Land Use Officer reported eleven applications were processed during January of which nine were approved.

A resolution to accept the report of the Municipal Finance Officer, Michelle Swisher, on the status of the 2005 municipal budget as of December 31, 2005, was passed. A resolution to adopt a temporary capital budget was passed.

After a public hearing (no one spoke,) Council passed Ordinances #502-508 which deal with storm water management: stormwater control, pet solid waste disposal, littering, handling of yard waste, disposal of materials other than storm water in the Municipal separate storm water system, prohibiting the feeding of unconfined wildlife in any public park, and prohibiting illicit connections to the separate storm water system.

Ordinance #509, providing for private traffic duty by members of the police department and establishing compensation and administrative fees for such activity, was passed.

Ordinance #510, to exceed the 2006 Municipal Budget Appropriation Limits and to establish a Cap Bank was passed. Michelle Swisher explained the State allows munici- palities to increase budgets based on an arbitraty number of two and a half percent. The Cap Bank can take it to three and a half percent but must pass an ordinance to do it.

The following Capital Bond Ordinances, #511-519 werre passed by title only:

#511-Storm drainage and roadway improvements to Runyon Lane;
#512-Phase four drainage improvements, resurfacing for Barnegat Lane;
#513-Providing for GIS system and supplementing 2004 Capital Ordinance #477;
#514-Providing for purchase of Masonry Dump Truck for the Public Works Department;
#515-Providing for improvements to handicap accessible public walkways;
#516-Providing for modification of existing storm sewer inlets to comply with NJDEP regulations;
#517-Providing for improvements to the heating system in the western end of the Municipal Building;
#518-Providing for the implementation of Back Bay Flap Valve Program; and,
#519-Providing for the acquisition of police equipment.

Ordinance #520, amending ordinances #171 and #500 the Borough Salary Ordinance, revising salary for the Planning Board Recorder, was passed by title only.

Ordinance #521, amending ordiance #465, "The Land Use Ordinance of the Borough of Mantoloking" is to be revised to permit the construction of gambrel roofs.

"SECTION ONE: Ordinance 465, Section 2.2, Definitions, shall be amended by the addition of the following: "GAMBREL ROOF-A curb roof of the same section in all parts with a lower steeper slope and an upper flatter one.

"SECTION TWO; Ordinance 465, Section 6.12(D), Building Height and Roofs, shall be deleted and replaced with the following: "The roof structure shall consist of rafters with a uniform slope and which bear directly on the ceiling joists of the story below the roof, with the exception of gambrel roofs, which shall be permitted. The pitch of the principal structure's roof shall be not less that 6 on 12.

"SECTION THREE: This Ordinance shall become effective upon its final passage and publication as required by law."

Finance Committee Chairman Nebel moved the following resolutions:

Payment of $1,495,365.62 of bills for the month of February, 2006. Payments to Ocean County and the municipal payroll accounted for the lion's share of these bills.

To authorize a self-examination of the 2006 Budget.

To introduce the 2006 Municipal Budget. It appears that about $227,000 more than in 2005 will have to be raised in 2006 to balance the budget. Fire and police, health, energy and accumulated leave costs account for 47% over last year. Thus, taxes will rise about 5%.

More resolutions were passed:

Authorizing the award of contracts for professional services to John J. DeVincens as Planning Board Attorney;

Other professional service and maintenance contracts; Special Counsel, John J. DeVincens, Esq.; Conflicts Prosecutor, Joseph D. Coronato, Esq.

Miscellaneous Service and Maintenance contracts:

Computer Software Maintenance, Medical Physical/Drug Testing, Work Related Injury Treatment;

Ocean County construction inspection department All Code Agreement;

Approval of employee Dental Plan Policy Endorsement;

Providing for health benefit waivers for full-time Borough employees.

Councilman Strohn moved the following resolution to exercise the option to extend the solid waste and recyclable contract for one year to M & S Waste Services, Inc. at a cost of $146,000 commencing March 1, 2006.

Councilman Popaca praised Public Works for the great job done during the recent snow storm.

And he moved resolutions for storm sewer improvements for Barnegat Lane, Lyman to Herbert (add another inlet); storm drainage improvements for Barnegat Lane, Lyman to Herbert; and, sewage pump station replacement of emergency generator wiring work-application for payment. All were passed.

Councilman Popaca told Council that because of the TV and repair programs the Borough does on its sewers, the cost of sewage has been reduced 30% in the last ten years.

He is still working with adjacent communities and the County to put all records on disk and/or microfiche, and hopes the County will help in this endeavor.

Councilman Husted is waiting for the WRDA bill to come up. Our lobbyist convinced 81 senators to sign on for the need of the bill. Councilmen Jones and Strohm will attend the convention in Washington.

The bulldozed sand was washed away, but it did protect the dunes. It will be done again when there is sand. Look on the web site for information. www.mantoloking.org

NEXT MEETING: MARCH 27, 2006 at 8:00 pm.

The Reporter is compiled and edited by Christine Wilder.