Mayor Dunbar was unable to attend this Council meeting because of a family emergency. Council President Husted presided and presented Awards of Appreciation to the following:

Jack Bittel of the Mantoloking Fire Company, Chief Bruce Garon, Patrolman Mark Wright and Sargent Michael Dreher of the Mantoloking Police Department.

Walter Bray is concerned for residents safety as cars speed by on Ocean Avenue. He would suggest the speed limit be reduced to 35 mph, and have orange cones placed at the pedestrian crosswalks with "yield to pedestrian" signs. He also suggested having the traffic light at Route 35 and Herbert Street, as part of its cycle, stop all traffic so pedestrians could cross.

All Councilmen were in attendance at this first meeting of 1999.

Police activity for all of 1998 , except traffic-related, was about the same as 1997. Mobile Data Terminals (MDT) were installed in all police vehicles during the summer which substantially increased the amount of offenses detected.

The Fire Company responded to four calls in Brick Township, two in Bay Head and one in Mantoloking. Of these, two were fire alarms, three were gas smells, one, a television fire and one, a kitchen fire on Christmas Day!

The Superintendent‚s report stated future projects include the repaving and curbing on Mathis, Carrigan, Chaffey, Williams, Newman and Stephens Place(s)? And the bulkheads at Old Bridge Street and Bergen Avenue are in the hands of the Borough Engineer for rebid.

CFO Crelin and the Finance Committee have one more meeting to finalize the 1999 Budget and have it ready to be introduced at the February Council meeting. He also said that the Borough is okay re the Y2K problems, that Summit Bank is too, and the utility companies are working on it.

A Resolution to sell the used police 1997 Ford to the highest bidder, Winners Motor Corp. for $6,333 was passed. Seven bids were received and the cover was $6,199.99.

The Resolution for payment due to the contractor, Bianchini Construction Co. for handicap-curb construction was passed.

An ordinance to consider a mutual aid agreement with other towns was discussed and tabled at this time.

The Council discussed the proposed CAFRA rulings. The State, CAFRA and the DEP want more control of towns, especially the coastal areas. There are wide disagreements as how to proceed. The restrictive building or re-building on the coast only applies to multi-family units. The new proposal exempts single family properties.

An Ordinance amending Salary Ordinance # 385 and providing for revision of the salary range for the office of tax assessor was passed by title only. This will be published as Ordinance # 397 upon adoption.

Resolutions to consider salary compensation for Mr. Heckman for overtime hours worked, to consider the resignation of the Deputy Court Administrator, Joanne K. Pandolpho, to consider the applications for fire company membership for Laurence Gilman and William Crelin, and to consider a contract for Coastal Advocate, Inc. (lobbying for coastal issues) were passed.

Resolutions to consider contract approval for Borough Auditor Services, Borough Attorney Services, Borough Prosecutor, Borough Public Defender and Borough Engineer Services were passed.

Council discussed contracting standby emergency bulldozing and sand replenishment services in the event these services are needed immediately after a storm. To have a contract in place allows the Borough to be repaired as soon as possible. Council favored this proposal.

Public safety-so far this winter all is quiet. Council will begin, early, to review the beach access policy, particularly pertaining to
dogs.

The Political Action Committee continues to be concerned about renourishment of our beaches. The study is completed and the
feasibility study by the COE is about half done, but the monies are still $100,000 short. Representatives from other communities along the coast from Manasquan to Barnegat are assured these monies will come.



The American Coastal Coalition is pushing Congress to vote for this project. All the communities along the beach from Manasquan to Barnegat are in favor of it. Mantoloking has set aside an emergency fund to pay
for its share since the feds will only pay for 65%, and the state and county, 35%. Mantoloking's share will be about $600,000. However, the formula will eventually change to fifty-fifty, ie, the feds will supply only 50%, the state 35% and the county 15%. The total cost of the renourishment project will be $41,000,000.

The Borough has filed a complaint on technical grounds re the Flood Insurance Rate Map.

As stated, the Finance Committee is working on the 1999 Budget so it will be finalized in March.

The next Council Meeting will be Tuesday, February 16th at 8:00 pm.

This meeting was adjourned at 9:05 pm.

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Dog licenses are due in January. Did you know many communities fine
dog owners if the licenses are not acquired the month they are due?

Write, call 732 899-2386 or e-mail cwilder@idt.net if you have
corrections or additions to the 1999 Directory.

The Mantoloking Reporter is compiled and written by Christine Wilder.

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Copyright 1999 Borough of Mantoloking