MantolokingJune 15, 2009 No. 418

Three announcements: The Seaweeders Garden Club is presenting its Garden Tour on Wednesday, June 17th. Tickets are $45 and include tours of gardens in Mantoloking, four each on Lagoon Lane South and Barnegat Lane and two in Bay Head as well as a luncheon at the Mantoloking Yacht Club. Tickets can be purchased at Andi’s and Applegate’s. Proceeds enable The Seaweeders to continue to beautify our towns.

ELECTRONICS BULK WASTE PICK-UP DAY MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2009 Electronics bulk waste such as computers, computer mice, monitors, telephones, cameras, radios, scanners, game players, copy & fax machines, cell phones, answering machines, tape recorders, toasters, microwaves, and other small appliances are to be placed on the curb for pick-up by the Borough Public Works Department for recycling. Place items at curbside the night before pick-up day. Items put out after the crew completes pick-up will not be collected. If you miss the pick-up, you can take computer equipment, only, to the Ocean County Northern Recycling Center. No fee required. Call 732-899-6600 for more information.

Bank of America recently notified its business banking customers of a new monthly checking-account fee, effective the end of June. This new fee, calculated based on the end-of-the-month balance, impacted The Mantoloking Reporter's account. Because of the uncertainty of the amount of the monthly charge and the fact that The Mantoloking Reporter account is small, the decision was made to transfer the account to Manasquan Savings Bank where there are no fees. The Bank of America account has been closed and a Manasquan Savings Bank account has been opened with the transferred funds.

Mayor Nebel opened the Council meeting promptly at 4:30 p.m. All members were present. After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance the Mayor asked for comments from the floor. There were none at this time. Minutes of the May 18th meeting were passed.

Councilman Witkowski moved two resolutions: to accept the report of Municipal Finance Officer Swisher as of April 30th and to pay bills for June totalling $334,771. Both were passed.

Councilman Gillingham, chair of the Safety Committee introduced Police Chief Wright who reported there were 236 incidents during the period. There were nine animal complaints, twelve boat stops, seven car crashes with one personal injury, one domestic violence, a malicious mischief, noise, parking complaints, etc. Chief Wright and Mayor Nebel discussed the positive results of having the police boat near the bridge and obvious to all boaters. It definitely slows boat traffic, particularly since the “Slow barrels” have not been placed as yet. The Mayor is looking for another boat to police the bay, has suggested other towns get a boat to police their area.

Councilman Gillingham moved two resolutions: To award the sale of a used 2004 Ford Crown Victoria to Grace Quality Used Cars, Inc. of Morrisville, PA for $2,868.00, to award the sale of a 1999 Load Rite boat trailer to Liberty Motors, Inc. of Jersey City for $355.99. The resolutions were passed.

Fire Chief Gilman wrote The Mantoloking Fire Company responded to five fire calls in May, held three drills and had one business meeting. there were four alarms and one gas leak.

The construction official issued six new permits and eleven updates. The permits were for electrics, alarm devices, communication points and speakers, an outdoor grill and fire pit, a space heater for radiant heat, air conditioning, decking, siding and a removable dune pathway and platform.

Land Use Officer Marinaccio reported twenty applications were received in May; nineteen were approved

Councilwoman Nelson, chair of the Public Works Committee, moved three resolutions: Miscellaneous supply, service and maintenance contract for 2009 (Ocean County schedule ‘C’ program) for the road department and vehicle services; Approving the grant application with the NJDOT for the Bergen Avenue and Lagoon Lane improvements project; and, petitioning the NJDOT for accelerated construction of NJDOT roadway improvements of Route 35.

A meeting with the DOT, Bay Head and Mantoloking elicited information that the Route 35 project would begin as soon as money is in hand, maybe by the fall of 2011. There will be no widening of Ocean Avenue, slopes will be engineered for drainage, pipes will be replaced, cement will be removed except where necessary to maintain a foundation for the new roadway. It will be a ‘quiet’ road. Mantoloking’s five miles will be the first part to be constructed. The Borough will continue to address all local concerns of this project.

A public hearing on Ordinance #571, the Bay Avenue Lot Remediation was held, no one commented. The ordinance was passed.

Councilman Strohm met with Mark Mauriello, New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner, to discuss the beach nourishment project and to try to limit the onerous parts to signing easements by beach front homeowners. He also met with Vito Gagliardi, the lawyer helping Mantoloking fight against the state school- redistricting program which would remove sending districts such as Mantoloking. We do not know where we stand but it looks favorable at this time. In all likelihood we will remain the same, sending our few youngsters to Point Pleasant Beach schools. We just have to watch and wait.

Councilman Brown, chair of the Municipal Services Committee, said they are experiencing progress with the new website.

Comments from the floor: Jean Weissenborn wishes the fire siren would be turned down, the high decibels are annoying. Mayor Nebel said it was not as high as last year, that Council can not turn the siren off as it does notify traffic to be aware of impending action. Bob McIntyre, a volunteer for the Fire Company, said the siren helps volunteers maneuver to the fire station. . . . . Mrs. Weissenborn noted the military vehicle is unsightly and is there some other place to put it? The mayor said with the boat on the water, maybe it could be stored in the Bay Avenue lot in the summer. Alice Stroehle agreed with her on both counts and there was applause from the attending residents.

Walter Bray handed photographs to council which showed parking on Ocean Avenue, Contractors working on new houses have no place to park but on the street. Chief Wright said that after this week there will be no parking on the highway. One problem is the borough eliminated the temporary CO for building which means that a CO cannot be issued unless all landscaping is completed. Parking while building pools, planting, etc. cannot be on the lot while doing this work so they are on the street. It was suggested this CO situation be sent to the Planning Board. Councilman Strohm suggested property owners ask their neighbors for temporary use of their property for parking.

This meeting was adjourned at 5:15 p.m. Council went into closed session in compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. The next meeting will be July 20, 2009 at 4:30 p.m.

July 5th, Sunday morning from 8 am to noon, the Fire Company will host its Family Pancake Breakfast, not just pancakes but all kinds of goodies. The price is Adults-$10.00; Children-$6.00. Tickets can be bought ahead at the Parade and at the door. Remember, the Parade on July 4th. Everyone, families and guests are invited to participate and come to watch.

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The Reporter is written and edited by Christine Wilder.