First, a reminder: The Directory will be published in May. If you have any additions or changes please contact ccwilder@comcast.net or 732 899-2386 before May 7th.

Walter Bray commended Council for its efforts in keeping the DOT from making changes to Route 35.

Mr. Peter Johner from Jersey Central Power and Light spoke to Council about the project south of Mantoloking. The pole upgrades are necessary because so many more people are building new houses which require higher voltage which, in turn, requires higher poles.

Council would like residents to answer the "Household Natural Hazards Preparedness" questionnaire which can be accessed on the mantoloking.org website, or by picking one up at Borough Hall.

Mayor Dunbar opened this meeting at 8:20pm. All members except Councilmen Husted and Jones were present.

Councilman Nebel moved a resolution to reset the public hearing on the municipal budget from March 22nd to March 29th because of excused absences of some members of Council, a quorum would not be available.

The Mantoloking Police reported 153 incidents for the month of February. There were lots of alarms going off for one thing or another, noise violations, suspicious cars, water leaks, an electric explosion, vehicle damage and a couple of animal complaints. Needless to say, our police are busy during the winter.

The Fire Company responded to twelve fire calls, had three drills and one monthly meeting. There were nine calls in Mantoloking, two in Bay Head and one in Brick. The calls in Mantoloking were for alarms, gas smells, a broken pipe, power surges, smoke smells and a brush fire. Unattended cooking required a fire call in Bay Head. The other two incidents were alarms.

Superintendent Heckman began construction on the Borough Hall renovation, and among other things, he cleaned oil out of the Mantoloking Yacht Club parking lot.

Mr. Wardell, the borough's construction official, reported ten new permits and six permit updates were issued during February. Most were for alterations of existing structures, renovations, roofing and siding.

Council accepted the Report of the Municipal Finance Officer for January 31, 2004; it resolved to adopt a 2004 temporary capital budget and approved a schedule for the following projects: Barnegat-Lyman road improvement, Runyon Lane storm sewer, Downer Avenue bulkhead replacement; GPS/GIS system, garage EMS improvements, fire signal replacement and computers, all of which will cost about $580,000.

A public hearing was held on Ordinance #473 amending Ordinance #266 which regulates car parking in the Borough and prohibits parking on public streets during snow storms and emergency conditions. The ordinance was passed.

Ordinances numbered 474 through 481 were passed by title only. They are all bond ordinances of the Borough to accomplish the schedule for the projects stated above.

Ordinance #482 was passed by title only. It amends Ordinance #271 entitled "An ordinance to promote and preserve the public peace, safety and general welfare within the Borough of Mantoloking; and to repeal Ordinance #115" and providing for limitations or prohibition of commercial construction activity. Ordinance #482 will regulate commercial construction to prohibit construction on any holiday or any Sunday. And from June 15th to September 15th no construction activity of any nature whatsoever shall be permitted after 12 noon on Saturday.

The following resolutions were passed: Transfer budget appropriation reserves #3; pay bills for March 2004; set interest rates to be charged for delinquent taxes or assessments, and this reads: The Tax Collector is authorized and directed to charge and collect interest at the rate of 8% per annum upon the first $1,500 of taxes which remain unpaid as of ten days following the quarterly due date, at the rate of 18% on all amounts over $1,500 which remain unpaid as of ten days following the quarterly due date. Any sum over $10,000 which remains unpaid as of the end of the fiscal year shall incur a penalty of an additional 6%.

A resolution to support NJ Senate Bill #S-128 and A-939 to outlaw punitive damages was passed. This bill would eliminate penalizing taxpayers for the alleged violating of a claimant's rights by acts or omissions of public entities. "When punitive damages are levied against a public sector employer, the taxpayrs, who are innocent of any wrong doing, are the ones who are held accountable.Taxpayers do not authorize their governmental officers and employees to violate anyone's rights."

A resolution to proclaim April 1, 2004 as "Choose to be tobacco free-day." One of five deaths is tobacco-related, smoking kills, costs billions in health-related economic losses, secondhand smoke is responsible for lower respiratory infections, is a Group-A carcinogen, contains 4,000 chemicals including 401 poisons. This act may be cited as the "Clean Indoor Air Act" and would prohibit smoking in the common areas of indoor public places throughout the State.

A resolution to pay for the final roadway and storm drainage improvements was passed. And a resolution to release one contractor who has not responded to the submission of the contract for the installation of a fire sprinkler system in the Public Works Garage and to award the contract to the second responsible bidder was passed.

The resolution to order beachfront property owners to replenish their dunes in the spring of 2004 was passed, and all beachfront-property owners will be notified of this order in writing. The dune system has been damaged by several winter storms, and to protect the dunes from breaches due to further wave action, the dunes must be replenished.

Recycling will only accept bottles and cans, as before, but magazines and cardboard will not be collected. Only bagged or tied newspapers will be picked up by the recycling truck.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 pm. The next Council meeting will be April 19th at 8:00 pm.