Surf City awaits replenishment until completion of North Beach, which has outstanding easements

Photo by Ryan Morrill
An aerial view of Surf City highlights the location
where the completed beachfill starts and stops.

During Surf City Council’s regular meeting Wednesday, Dec. 9, Councilman Peter Hartney expressed concern over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ latest announcement regarding suspension of beach replenishment on Long Beach Island until springtime, pushing the town’s remaining beachfill even farther down the line.

After recently being told Surf City would not receive replenishment until the completion of North Beach, which still has outstanding easements, the councilman said he felt the town was being penalized “for doing the right thing.”

“As they laid out the project, we got all our easements without going to court, by maintaining good relationships with the property owners. Now they’re saying, ‘It really doesn’t matter because we’re going to do what we want to do,’” said Hartney, who noted that, until a few weeks ago, he had received assurance from the Army Corps that Surf City would not be affected by the acquisition of real estate in another municipality.

“We’re an after-thought, even though we were all ready to go prior to when they started this part of the project in the spring. They could have possibly come up here in May, set their pipe, pumped their sand, got our beach done and then left North Beach on its own. But they chose to begin in Ship Bottom.”

Steve Rochette, Army Corps public affairs officer, told The SandPaper the expectation is to receive the real estate in time for the contractor, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co., to proceed with remaining work.

Surf City’s beaches were partially replenished during the original project in 2006. The blocks between 12th and 22nd streets were also repaired after the nor’easter in 2009. After Superstorm Sandy, the whole portion was restored. The town is currently waiting for the remaining area, from 22nd to 25th streets, to be completed.

Although Hartney said he understands it is not fiscally sound for the contractor to prioritize such a small area in Surf City, he noted the town’s beaches north of 17th Street that were replenished after Sandy already have significant weather damage.

“Hopefully we can convince whomever to allow some of the Sandy monies that were allocated to the beach to repair those beaches as they continue north into the part of the beach that still needs to be done,” he said.

Hartney noted he had successfully reached out to Congressman Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), Congressman Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.), Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.). All agreed to push for Great Lakes to continue the work in New Jersey, he said, rather than Georgia, where the company was awarded three contracts, one of which is environmentally sensitive with U.S. Homeland Security concerns. However, he was told they had “no real stick to hit them with” because there are only a couple of companies that do dredge work.

“The one thing we have going for us is that Congressman LoBiondo chairs the committee that controls the money for the Army Corps of Engineers,” Hartney stated.

In other meeting news, the council appropriated $50,000 for the removal of an underground storage tank, replacement of the fuel system and continued ground monitoring and related expenses.

The council also approved the installation of two sewer laterals on South First Street by Lafayette Utility Construction of Egg Harbor Township for approximately $12,860.

To be able to communicate with a number of the Island’s police departments that are changing their radios to a digitally encrypted frequency, the council approved the appropriation of about $5,000 for upgraded radio gear as well as approximately $10,000 for upgraded computer equipment.

Councilman William Hodgson also suggested the town look into purchasing a police car in the new year.

Hartney noted construction to raise one of the fire company’s doors 7 inches will begin shortly, to make way for a new truck, which is due to arrive in the beginning of the year.

The council’s first regular meeting of the year will be held Wednesday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.