Mayor Dunbar presented certificates of recognition to the following persons for their service to the Borough: To the Schmierer Family for their exceptional contributions to the Mantoloking Fire Company, their culinary expertise during the July 4th weekend, and to John and Patrick who have donated their knowedge and time in New Orleans and Miss- issippi to help with repairing the destruction caused by Katrina; to Stacy Ferris, Special Police Officer, summer boat operator, police car duty, Emergency Management committee member who also spent time in New Orleans to help with the after effects of the hurricane; to Thomas S. Guldin, the Borough Engineer and flood mitigation planner, and to Robert C. Mainberger, Assistant Borough Engineer for his dune planning and for reducing our flood insurance rate; to Laurence H. Gilman, for his outstanding job as Mantoloking's Fire Chief; and to John D. Barcus, Police Detective, for his prominent assistance, surveilence and detective work; and lastly, to Alan C. Laymon for his seven years as a Councilman, taking care of garbage, beautification and the drug and block grant programs in the Borough of Mantoloking. Mary Ann Buck asked Council if a place could be found for a library for used books; Joe Daly wants to be on record asking if a sewer pipe connection will be in place at his property. He was assured it would be. Peter Flihan wonders why the water pressure is low with so few houses occupied. Mayor Dunbar called the meeting to order at 8:10 pm and announced the next meeting will be the organization meeting on Monday, January 2, 2006. The next regular Council meeting will be Tuesday, January 17th. All Council members were present.

The regular meetings for 2006 will be held the third Monday of each month except for February which will be on Tuesday, the 21st.

Police Chief Ortley reported a quiet November with 169 total incidents. He was awarded certificates for successfully completing courses on Hazardous Materials Awareness and The Incident Command System. Stacy Ferris successfully completed the Basic Marine Law Enforcement Training Course. Fire Chief Gilman reported the Fire Company responded to 175 fire calls so far this year, twenty of which were in November. He asks residents to PLEASE turn off their water during the cold months to lessen water leaks after frozen pipes thaw. Nine new construction permits were issued last month as well as two construction updates. The permits were for plumbing, furnaces, shingles, sheds and for an irrigation system.

The Land Use Officer received fifteen applications in November of which fourteen were approved. Through November 29th, 219 zoning permit applications have been received.

Councilman Nebel moved a resolution to accept the report of Michelle Swisher, the Municipal Finance Officer. It was passed. Councilman and Finance Chairman Nebel moved the following resolutions: To pay bills of $363,038; to refund the overpayment of property taxes to two residents; and to transfer certain current year appropriations within the Municipal Budget during the last two months of the fiscal year.

A resolution to authorize sale of some Municipal Personal Property was passed. These items are a 1990 Federal Signal 10 hp Fire Siren, a Metal Fab Inc. boat trailer, an Onan Gasoline 60 kw generator and a Waterous Pump 11hp Briggs Straton Gasoline Engine. These items are surplus and no longer needed for public purposes. The resolution was passed.

Councilman Gillingham moved resolutions for terms and salaries for Michelle Sargent as Court Violations Clerk and Richard Ortley as Chief of Police; to provide for ratification of employment of police recruits, and to approve the application for membership in the Mantoloking Fire Company to Paul Hulse. All resolutions were passed.

Councilman Laymon thanked Mayor Dun- bar and the Council for his time serving the Borough. He said the garbage and recycling is going well, the town is beautiful and the drug and block grant activities are on target. He is retiring without regret.

Councilman Popaca moved the following resolutions: To make payment #3 for storm drainage imporvements on Barnegat Lane from Lyman Street to Herbert Street; and to authorize entrance into a cooperative pricing agreement with the Township of Stafford which will reduce the costs to the to the Borough of such items as rock salt, diesel fuel, heating oil, janitorial supplies, etc.

Councilman Popaca also announced that the sewage sent to Ocean County has been much less as we have been able to eliminate ground water. The costs to the Borough are much less now than in 1993.

Council is contemplating shared services with Lavallette for imaging Borough documents.

Councilman Husted reported nothing much has been going on in Long Range Planning and there is nothing new on beach monies. Congress is hung up on hurricane legislation and members are planning year-end activity and vacations. Congress can accomplish very little until they reconvene in January.

The DEP and the Corps of Engineers are planning meetings on beach renourishment in January, separately, with each town starting with Point Pleasant Beach, then Bay Head, Mantoloking, Brick and on down the strip until all towns have been informed about renourishment issues.

The new Mantoloking Bridge will be dedicated the latter part of January. The west lane of the new bridge will open early in January and the old west lane will be closed. This will facilitate work on the eastbound lane and the building of the guard rails. Truck traffic will not begin until mid-February to be sure all the kinks are worked out. There will be no weight restrictions for trucks on the new bridge.

The Borough has purchased a new rescue boat for $6,000.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 pm and Council went into closed session in compliance wtih the Open Public Meetings Act.

Mayor Dunbar and Council wished all a very Merry Christmas and a successful and Happy New Year.

The next meeting will be the Organization Meeting on Monday, January 2, 2006, followed by the Regular Meeting on Tuesday, January 17, 2006.

The Reporter is compiled and edited by Christine Wilder.