Public Comments: There were none; no public! Mayor Dunbar opened the meeting promptly at 8 pm with four Councilmen, the Borough lawyer, clerk and deputy clerk, CFO Pribush, two police and two fire reps, the scribe from the Ocean Star and yours truly in attendance. Councilmen Jones and Laymon had been excused.

The Police had a bunch of alarms going off during February, along with finding some open doors and windows, some animal complaints and suspicious persons. They managed the snow conditions with their usual adroitness.

Superintendent Heckman worked on snow removal in February; on the 7th, and from the 16th through the 21st plowing and spreading sand and salt on the snowy and icy roads. He also closed a second walkway at 1071 Ocean Avenue.

Fire Chief Laird reported 16 incidents, four training drills and a scheduled meeting for the Fire Department during February. The incidents included six alarm activations, fires in a dryer, a chimney and a cooking stove, five wire-related calls, a broken water pipe and a water leak. Chief Laird also related there have been twice as many fire calls this year than last.

Just two building permits were issued last month, one new and one update.

CFO Pribush said the Borough Budget is scheduled for final adoption March 24th after a public hearing. The County tax rate is still a mystery. He also reported only a few taxpayers are delinquent on their tax and sewer bills from last year and he expects to collect to avoid a tax sale. Sewer bills, due August 1st, will go out in the next few weeks.

In old business, Ordinance #452, the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance was passed after a public hearing. The Ordinance in its entirety will be available soon on the web page, mantoloking.org. Ordinance #453, designating the installation of a ŒSTOP‚ sign at the southernmost end of East Avenue at Lyman Street, was passed. And Ordinance #454, amending the salary ordinance for the deputy fire official and police recruit trainees, was passed.

In new business, Ordinance #456 was passed by title only. This ordinance provides for a sum not to exceed $360,000 to purchase a pumper truck, appropriating $18,000 from the capital improvement fund and authorizing the issuance of bonds and notes of the Borough. Fire Chief Laird told Council the Fire Company's pumper in use now has many good years left, but with the costs of new pumpers escalating $45,000 to $60,000 a year, by the time this pumper is no longer useful, a new one would cost $700,000. The sale value of this pumper now is over $100,000 which would defray the cost of a new one. A new pumper has modern technology, is much easier to drive and would serve the Borough and surrounding communities for years to come. The Fire Company would pay for half the remaining cost with the Borough paying the remainder.

Ordinance #457 for the upgrade of Barnegat Lane from Bergen Avenue to Lyman Street was passed by title only. (The upgrading of Barnegat Lane from the Bay Head line to Bergen Avenue will start in the fall-Ordinance #443, passed last year).

Ordinances #458, #459, #460, #461 and #462 were introduced and passed by title only. They are to consider capital ordinances for renovations to the Municipal-Building garage, to add a fire sprinkler system in the new Borough garage, to construct curbs at the intersection of Runyon Lane and Albertson Street, to construct curbs, a walk and an apron at the new garage and approve additional expenditures on the Downer Avenue upgrade project.

The following Resolutions were passed:

1. Approve an agreement for an employee dental plan, 2. Grant permission to the County to apply pesticides from aircraft to control mosquitoes over portions of Mantoloking, (only if deemed necessary), 3. Approve the return of the $1,000 surety bond for the demolition of a house, 4. Approve the donation of the used police patrol boat to the Brick Police Department, 5. Approve granting unpaid “Family Leave” time to an employee, and 6. Approve the proposed settlement for a resident in a tax appeal matter.

Councilman Gillingham has put on “an all-court press” to monitor speeding on Barnegat Lane. There will be those blinking signs to show how fast one is going, crosswalks will be painted with related warning signs on the road and signs for pedestrians too.

Councilman Husted reported for the absent John Jones that the beaches were clobbered by the storm and the dunes were heavily damaged. Bulldozing cannot be done from April through August in fear of disturbing the piping plover. The DEP is really tough when it comes to the piping plover. They insist any construction crew must have a piping plover observer‚ on board during beach work. There isn’t enough sand to bulldoze anyway, and we do not have sufficient sand, at this time, to protect the beach.

Councilmen Husted and Jones recently went to Washington to confer with our senators and congressmen about beach renourishment. They were greeted cordially and found all very supportive of the project. Their concern is why the renourishment program has not been signed by the commanding general of the Corps of Engineers. Monies for the preliminary design and engineering program have been approved but cannot be delivered unless the program is signed. Councilman Husted believes it will be signed.

Councilman Popaca elicited admiration for Bill Heckman who was able to come up with a diesel nozzle to attach to a pump at the Pt Pleasant Beach fuel station. One was not available there, and without it, vehicle refueling was impossible. Yea, Bill, it pays to save stuff!

Doug reported that since the snow storm was declared an emergency by the State, Mantoloking will be reimbursed for its costs for snow removal, etc. . . .The dune at Downer Avenue will not be taken out for the summer, so arrangements are being mulled to figure out how to manage handicap ramp requirements.

Street lighting on the southern end of Barnegat Lane is very spotty, and Councilman Popaca would like some input from residents to repair this situation. Experts say 50 watt bulbs would be adequate to add to every other pole, or just add lights on four poles in the southern section.

The garbage committee met with Waste Management and resolved the problems. They hope.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 pm.

Next meeting: Monday, April 21, 2003 at 8:00 pm