Organization Meeting, January 7, 2002

Councilmen George C Nebel and Douglas J Popaca read their oaths of office for terms expiring December 31, 2004. Mayor Dunbar officiated this first meeting of 2002 and John H Jones was named Council President.

Appointments of officials, committees and boards for 2002 were made. Official depositories, professional services, official newspapers, 2002 emergency management council, tax appeal agents and the procedure on delinquent tax collections were designated. The adoption of the 2002 temporary budget, the cash management plan and the schedule of 2002 Council meetings was defined.

2002 dog licenses are due now. And speaking of dogs, is it such a chore to clean up after your dog? East Avenue, Lagoon and Channel Lanes, Barnegat Laneóitís unsightly, messy and a health hazard. Please pick up; we know who you are!!!

The Mantoloking Directory will go to press mid-May. Please write, call 732 899-2386 or e-mail ccwilder@home.com, (ccwilder@comcast.net after February 28th) with additions, corrections or subtractions. The Reporter is on the Mantoloking.Org web page, and it can be sent to you via e-mail. The USPS will be raising the price of its first class stamp by $.03 to 37 cents, probably in June, so the more residents using e-mail, the fewer stamps we need.

Regular Council Meeting, January 22, 2002

Standing water is a constant problem in front of Bruce Belmontís house on Barnegat Lane. This is one of several drainage projects currently under engineering review and will be addressed in the near future. . . Walter Bray stated the sidewalks in front of Borough Hall are disgraceful. They will be replaced after the new Borough garage is constructed, but probably not this year.

Mayor Dunbar opened the meeting with the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. All council members were present. The Mayor appointed Councilman Alan Laymon to accompany him to a meeting on February 7th at 7:00 pm at the Municipal Building in Point Pleasant Borough to discuss the closing of the Urgent Care Center which will take place in 26 months.

The Police and Fire Departments were very quiet during December. Rich Laird, the new fire chief, was introduced.

Construction Official John Wardell issued seven new permits and one update, for siding, roofing, a porch enclosure, an inground pool and a single family dwelling

CFO Crelin reported there are still 46 accounts for unpaid 2001 taxes, as well as ten unpaid sewer accounts.

In old business, Ordinance #437, to establish a local fire code enforcement agency for the Borough of Mantoloking, was passed. Ordinance #438, providing for a revised fee schedule for the building department of the Borough was passed.

In new business, Ordinance #439, fixing salary and compensation of certain officers, positions and employees in the Borough to be known as the ìMantoloking Borough Salary Ordinanceî was passed at first reading.

The following resolutions were passed: To provide for salaries and compensation of Borough officials and employees for 2002; to pay for the unused vacation/comp time for employees; to approve the application of Stanley F Witkowski to become a member of the Mantoloking Fire Company; to award a contract to Winner Ford of Cherry Hill for purchase of a 2002 police vehicle; to proclaim the month of January as School Board Recognition Month in New Jersey; and to consider a temporary suspension of the moratorium on road openings for Bay Avenue.

The following ordinances were passed for first reading: Ordinance #440, providing for the appropriation of $50,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund to acquire a public works tractor; Ordinance #441 to appropriate $30,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund to acquire Borough Hall furnishings; and Ordinance #441, to appropriate $75,000 from the Capital Improvement Fund to upgrade the main sewer pumps.

Resolutions to consider awarding contracts for professional services, animal control, computer hardware maintenance, Ocean County Road Department street maintenance, calibration of police car speedometers, web page consulting services, drug and alcohol testing services, elevator maintenance and beach lobbying services were passed.

Also, a resolution was passed to provide for amending the provisions of the Police Manual concerning hiring members of the police department to perform functions for private activities within or outside of the Borough. And a resolution to consider bereavement leave for Irene Ryan was passed.

Council passed a resolution to consider supporting accelerated efforts to facilitate and implement the construction of a replacement Mantoloking Bridge, with Councilman Laymon opposing. He would like to see a major effort to repair the existing bridge, as constructing a new bridge will bring undue hardships to Mantoloking.

Councilman Husted attended a meeting at Bay Head with the Corps of Engineers administrator and Bernie Moore, head of the State of New Jersey DEP who explained the beach renourishment program. If all communities do not agree to renourish their beaches the cost will be ten times greater. The feasibility study must be approved by the Corps to send it to Congress; otherwise if this reach does not get approval for money now, it wonÇt be done until 2005 or 2006. (Mantoloking is the only community along the reach with monies in place to pay for renourishment of the beach).

Councilman Popaca reported the Public Works Department is ready for snow and ice, and plans for the Borough Garage are in progress. He said that all street lights in the Borough have been fixed. And Comcast will be at the February Council meeting to be bombarded by your questions and comments.

Councilman Laymon said the garbage and recycling men are doing a good job, that plans to beautify the new garage are in place, and Municipal Alliance project for after the high school prom and graduation are progressing.

Finance Chairman Nebel told Council the budget for 2002 has increased only 1.8% over last year. The reassessment came in almost double of what it had been. The municipal tax rate will be .1933 per $100 , down from .3640 per $100 last year, a decrease of .1707. However, if McGovernor reduces or eliminates state aid, it may effect our rate. State aid to Mantoloking is currently $149,642.

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

The next meeting of Council will be on Tuesday, February 19th at 8:00 pm.

The meeting was adjourned a little before 9:00 pm.