All over Mantoloking are sidewalks that are unpassable because of overgrowth of bushes, trees and uncut weeds, ie, poison ivy! In some cases, signs are obliterated, so if you have such conditions on your property, please fix them, or the borough will.

Walter Bray suggests the borough install a camera at the lights on Downer and Herbert to Œcatch‚ those cars that run the red light. It would be a lucrative endeavor for Mantoloking, maybe enough to lower our taxes! Marianne Buck proposes painting white lines on the other two lanes at the corner of Lyman and Barnegat, and also, have the DOT install a left-turn lane at the base of the bridge for those vehicles heading north. Mary Lester questioned the necessity of having a public hearing about the bridge if the plans for the bridge are already “written in stone.” The public hearing will be August 14th from 4 to 7 pm. Fredericka Berger asked about the disruption that will take place during the construction of the bridge. The Mayor answered that it will be minimal initially since the bridge construction will start on the Brick side, and not affect Mantoloking until the later stages of its creation.

Mayor Dunbar asked those few residents in attendance at this meeting to notice the new trophy case donated by Anne Benedict to house some historical mementos of the Borough, and to view Betsy Colie‚s amazing historic find which was showcased on PBS last Monday.

Mayor Dunbar called the meeting to order about 8:10. All Councilmen were present including Councilman Laymon who is recovering from a recent hit-and-run accident. A car knocked him off his bicycle in Pt. Pleasant Beach and broke his left shoulder. The culprit is still at large.

The Police were busy during June, with 219 total incidents which included thefts, disorderly conduct charges, lots of boating stops, a boat fire, suspicious vehicles and persons, loose dogs, alarms and medical first aid. The Police ticket automobiles for speeding and careless driving, as well as for parking infractions, such as parking facing the wrong way (lots of those during June), overtime parking and for failure to wear seatbelts, among other violations. CALL THE POLICE WHEN YOU NEED THEM!!!

Fire Chief Larry Gilmann reported the Fire Company responded to 24 fire calls, held three drills and one monthly meeting during June. These were mostly alarms, but there were four fires, an oil leak and an electrical hazard. THE Fire Company thanks Frank Nichols of Lagoon Lane for his donation of a smoke machine. It is used for drills in houses about to be razed to train fire fighters under very realistic conditions. The Chief also commended one of our fire fighters, Stacy Ferris, for her rescue of persons ejected from an exploding boat and keeping them stable until retrieved by medics.

Thirteen new and two construction permits were issued during June, for lawn sprinklers, an outside shower, roofing, a deck platform, siding, and a new single family house.

Bills totaling $260,333.04 were presented for payment. Council agreed to pay all except Waste Management‚s, which it will defer per Councilman Nebel‚s suggestion.

In old business, Ordinance No. 465, the Land Use Ordinance, was deferred at this time.

In new business, the following resolutions were passed:

a. Amend the 2003 salary resolution for hiring personnel and designation of salaries for 2003 Acting Chief Financial Officer and Beach Badge Checker Personnel;

b. Re-appoint James Anderson, Tax Assessor with his term to expire June 30, 2007;

c. Allow Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Ryan to close the west end of Lyman Street September 19-21;

d. Make the final payment for the Lyman Street replacement bulkhead;

f. Waive the ban on street openings for the Ocean County Road Department;

g. Proclaim support of and endorsement of The Decade of 2002-2011 as “Bone and Joint Decade.” A rare genetic condition, FOP (Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progression), the body makes additional bone where bone should not form affects persons worldwide, is misdiagnosed frequently and is now being researched by the University of Pennsylvania;

h. Allow the Mantoloking Yacht Club to relax parking restrictions on August 26th and 27th while it is hosting the New Jersey State Optimist Regatta.

Ordinance No. 466, requiring smoke-sensitive alarm devices and carbon monoxide detectors in structures located in Mantoloking and rescinding ordinances Nos. 307 and 317, was passed by title only.

The speed monitor and signs are effective on Barnegat Lane; no dune grass is available at this time, and residents should place fencing on the top of their dunes; beach replenishment is still up in the air; Council is as frustrated with the garbage situation as you are; they are working on it. Council went into closed session.