The 28th Annual Fourth of July Parade needs YOU to march and/or cheer. The Parade will honor the Emergency Services of Mantoloking, the Fire, Police and Rescue Squad, and all Veterans of all wars. There will be games for the children, face painting, hoops rolling and canoe racing. The Fire Company will cook hot dogs and hamburgers beginning at noon. The festivities start at 12:30 pm with the flag raising ceremony; the Mantoloking Mile at 1:00 pm and the Parade at 2:00 pm. Children‚s games start at 2:30 and the canoe race at 3:30. The “Duck” will be awarded to the best category.

Categories are baby carriages, bicycles, individual walkers, clowns, groups, veterans, floats, antique cars and motorcycles, and whatever you may think up. Please call the Browns at 732 295-0641 or the McGeowns at 732 899-6171 to let them know you will be marching.

Jim Clarke, U.S. Marine writes: “We encourage all available veterans to join us in this march. Here’s why:

It’s a way to celebrate the liberties Americans should cherish and not take for granted. Let‚s remember, those liberties demanded sacrifices. Nearly 1.2 million Americans in uniform since 1775 paid with their lives for the liberties we today enjoy. And many continue to do so.

It’s also a way to honor those brace men and to support those now fighting to protect us-we are at war!”

A wise old sage named D.E.O’Bien put it this way:

“It’s the soldier,not the reporter who has given us freedom of the press. It‚s the soldier, not the poet who has given us freedom of speech. It‚s the soldier, not the campus organizer who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It‚s the soldier, not the lawyer who has given us the right to a fair trial. It‚s the soldier who salutes the flag, serves under the flag and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who gives the protester the right to burn the flag.”

Honor yourself for your sacrifices and join in the veterans group and march July 4th. We’ll meet at the flag raising ceremony at 12:30 pm at the Mantoloking Yacht club, no uniforms required (unless they still fit; mine does not)! If you have a uniform, hat or military cap, wear it.

Contact Jim at 732 899-1762, fax, 732 899-0232 or e-mail Mantofox@aol.com.

Freeholder John C. Bartlett appeared before Council and answered its request to create a park at the Trader’s Cove site. He said the County cannot purchase the site, and anyway, the County has met its parks obligations in this area. He then attempted to answer Councilman Nebel’s questions about the 35% rise in Mantoloking’s County tax rate......Ray Ryan also questioned the tax, but really is terribly concerned about speeding cars on Barnegat Lane. Has anything been done about a 4-way stop at Lyman? The police have studied speeders at that location and find most of them live on Barnegat Lane.

June 20th, 27th and July 11th, the Planning Board will have meetings detailing the Land Use Ordinance. They will be in Borough Hall at 7:30 pm.

Mayor Dunbar opened this meeting at 8:45 pm. All Councilmen were present. Joe Intile reported that the Mayor and Council will march in the July 4th parade.

The Mayor reported that he and representatives of other towns in our area met with Meridan Hospital personnel and learned that the new Emergency Care Center will be a state-of-the-art facility located between the OB Diner and Blockbuster and should be ready in 18 months, well before the PP Hospital is due to close.

The Police responded to 160 incidents in May. They are awaiting delivery of the new police boat. . .The Fire Company answered nine emergency calls, had four training exercises and one regularly sheduled business meeting. . .The Construction Official issued 13 new permits and three updates during May for alterations, one demolition, a new house and an inground pool.

The Mantoloking Fire Company was very visible and active at the recent forest fire in western Ocean County. They were there pretty much first and right in the midst of the fire, where they protected three houses, and said it was very hot, very noisy and very scary. And they should be commended for a job well done.

In new business, a resolution authorizing the sale of Municipal Public Property. ie, one 1995 Chevrolet Caprice used as the Fire Company Chief’s car, was passed.

Resolutions to cancel sewer charges for three demolished homes and to return surety bonds for two demolished homes were passed.

A resolution was passed to award Twin, Inc. of Toms River a contract to install the roof on the new Borough garage for the sum of $2385.00.

A resolution to approve the request of Bruce C. Garon who will retire as Chief of the Police Department on February 1, 2003 for periodic payments of accrued sick leave benefits was passed.

A resolution to accept the resignation of Chief Financial Office, William B. Crelin, effective July 8, 2002 was passed with regret and sincere appreciation and commendation for his excellent service to the Borough of Mantoloking.

A resolution to consider submission of Local Aid (Grant) Application to the NJDOT on paving of Barnegat Lane from Bergen Avenue to Lyman Street was passed. This will be repaved in 2003.

And lastly, a resolution to consider the request of L. Gebauer who is seeking the Borough’s consent to a riparian license was passed.

The beach is staffed for the summer, the dunes are in great shape but the beach was diminished by the nor’easter last week. It’ll repair itself by swim time.

Again, Councilman Husted is urgently requesting residents to write their representatives about beach renourishment to commit to legislative action. Three key people in the Corps of Engineers have been transferred, so three new people have to be educated to the beaches‚ needs. And three key members of the DEP are retiring and their replacements also need to be schooled about renourishment. On July 24th there will be a public meeting on Beach Renourishment at the firehouse.

Council went into closed session to discuss the comprehensive revision of the Land Use Ordinance. The proposed documents will be posted on the Borough website and copies will be available in the Clerk’s office. Before the ordinance is adopted it will be necessary for the Planning Board to amend the Master Plan which will be the subject of a public meeting.

Council went into closed session to discuss conractual matters, pending litigation and to receive advice from counsel.

Next meeting: Monday, July 15, 2002 at 8:00 pm.