Beach Haven Council gearing up for various projects around town

Two bond ordinances totaling over $1.6 million for various acquisitions as well as improvements to infrastructure and services in and for Beach Haven were adopted on first reading during a monthly town council meeting Monday, July 14.

The first ordinance would appropriate $1,212,500 for various capital improvements and acquisitions. Of the total cost, $821,000 would be issued in bonds or notes. If adopted on final reading, $400,000 would go toward a road improvement project on a portion of Coral Street, of which $250,000 would be funded through a grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Photo via Facebook
The town council is continuing to improve
the area after damage from Superstorm Sandy.

Following completion of bulkhead repairs, $55,000 would be used to pave the parking lot at the Emergency Operations Center. An estimated $150,000 would be used to pave a portion of the ends of ocean-side streets that were damaged in restoration projects due to Superstorm Sandy. Some $50,000 would go toward improving drainage, including related paving and other road improvements, and $75,000 would be used to fund the demolition of the existing vehicle fueling station at the Public Works yard on Amber Street as well as the construction of a new station across the street.

Various park improvements, including the installation and repair of fencing at Walsh Field and Nelson Avenue Park, would use $35,000; $150,000 would go toward the reconstruction of the Taylor Avenue park to convert the existing baseball diamond to a passive recreation area, of which about $100,000 of funds received from the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce for use of the field during previous Chowderfests would be used to offset the cost.

Other costs are: $40,000 to purchase an aerial lift for use by the Public Works Department; $25,000 for the acquisition and installation of police communications and radios; another $50,000 for the acquisition and installation of license plate readers systems for police cars; $7,500 for the purchase of an enclosed trailer for police use at a police practice range; and $175,000 to help the Beach Haven Fire Co. purchase a new fire pump truck to replace the old truck that was destroyed during Sandy.

The second ordinance would appropriate $420,000 for various water system improvements. If adopted on final reading, $250,000 would go toward the replacement of the water main under a portion of Coral Street and $170,000 would be used to replace filters in the filtration building, located on Engleside Avenue, for the water system.

An ordinance amending an ordinance that regulates the parking of construction vehicles and/or equipment in the borough prior to and after working hours was adopted on final reading. Unless a vehicle is parked adjacent to the registered owner’s property, the ordinance prohibits construction vehicles with a gross vehicle weight in excess of 10,000 pounds, construction trailers (open or closed), or construction equipment from being parked on any public street within the town prior to 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m., as well as any time on Sunday. Fines increase with subsequent violations.

An ordinance amending an ordinance to allow the governing body to, by resolution, fix the charge to be levied for parts supplied by the Beach Haven Water Department and to charge for the testing of meters was also adopted on first reading. If adopted on final reading, the ordinance would also provide for the charges to be levied by the borough for the installation of meter pits, curb boxes and meters and for maintenance.

In regards to construction of a new borough hall, Borough Manager Richard Crane said he received word an hour prior to the meeting that if the town is accepted to receive Stronger NJ Neighborhood and Community Revitalization Program grant funding for the project, it would acquire 25 percent, or $875,000, of the $3.5 million officials applied for, due to building funding criteria. The remaining 75 percent would be funded via a low-interest loan, around 1 percent, stretched over 20 years.

“It’s not etched in stone. However, it’s looking very good that we can get that money,” said Crane. “I think it would be huge to have a brand-new building sitting there on the corner of Engleside and the Boulevard. It would really dress up our downtown great. We’re just keeping our fingers crossed that they keep going along and the funding gods look positively upon us.”

Although members of the public expressed interest in converting the former bank building on the corner of Sixth Street and the Boulevard into a municipal building, Crane said the former bank building suffered “a great deal of water damage” from the storm and that it would take “a tremendous amount of money, particularly since there’s a vault in there, to really rehab” it.

Councilwoman Nancy Taggart-Davis said the council has had discussions about using the former bank building as a municipal building but that the purchase price “is rather high.” It also sits below base-flood elevation, she said.

Crane also informed meeting participants that Jessie Jenkins, the town’s court administrator, will also be working with Harvey Cedars for about 300 hours a year. Jenkins’ salary and benefits will be shared equally by both towns, he said.

It was also noted during the meeting that the total sale for beach badges as of July 14 was $360,160, which is an increase of over $75,000 during the same time last year. It is also an increase of nearly $44,000 from 2012. Crane attributed the increase to the many more people who are back in their homes, as well as good weather and extra badge checkers.

The lifeguards have also been very busy, Crane said. So far they have made 65 water rescues, executed 35 preventive measures and also responded to 41 first aid and 11 EMS calls.

In response to a public complaint about people with open containers of alcohol on the beach, the council encouraged residents to contact the police if they see it happening because it is prohibited.

Mayor Robert Keeler announced a new social media campaign to help promote Beach Haven has recently launched with the help of Gauss Digital Marketing of Manahawkin. Online users can go to facebook.com/visitbeachhaven for more information about town news and events.

Within the next couple of weeks, the official town website at beachhaven-nj.gov is also expected to be updated with more specific information about town ordinances, businesses and other pertinent information, he said.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.