Amended Beach Haven 2015 budget remains at $11.1 million

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The Beach Haven Council has adopted the town’s 2015 budget with a few amendments to the initial plan introduced last month. The changes came about after review by the state Division of Local Government Services in conjunction with Shari Boehler, the borough’s finance officer, both of which oversee the town’s finances. Despite the changes, the budget remains $11,149, 618, which is the same amount introduced in March.

The amount to be raised by taxes, including for the local library which stands alone in the budget, is $7,549,295, an increase of $490,360 over last year’s budget. This is a 3-cent increase to the local tax rate.

The surplus the town will utilize to balance the budget increased by $8,712 for a total of $1,835,090. The amount anticipated for construction fees also increased by $1,956, bringing the total to $112,260.

However, the local municipal property tax has decreased by $10,678 for a total of $6,887,532, which is right at the levy cap.

“We have in fact, as I’ve been cautioning council in recent years, finally reached that point where the levy cap really is tight,” Borough Manager Richard Crane told the audience at the public budget hearing Monday, April 13.

The separate water utility budget for 2015 also had a few changes. The total appropriations are $1,795,750, which is an increase of $20,000 from the initial introduction. The reason behind the increase is due to a water valve project along Long Beach Boulevard, which encountered issues in the winter. To make up for it, surplus was increased to $320,000.

In other meeting news, Crane said the reconstruction of the town’s water pump facility, which is being partly financed by the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust Fund, has qualified for $200,000 of loan forgiveness through the fund’s Nano Infrastructure Loan Program. This is in addition to the $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“We are very hopeful that this will probably pay for almost the entire project, give or take a few little things. We’re very happy to have that happen,” Crane said.

The project is on schedule, and the controls and pumps are expected to be up and running within the next 30 days. Officials are currently waiting for roof trusses to arrive, but the project should be completed in time for the summer season.

Other meeting business included the adoption of an ordinance to exceed the 2015 municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap bank, as well as the adoption of a bond ordinance appropriating $5 million and issuing $1,425,000 for reconstruction of the municipal building.

The council also adopted the borough workers’ salary as well as an ordinance amendment to permit private garages as an accessory use, with certain requirements, for all residential properties.

A proclamation for Municipal Clerk’s Week, read aloud by Councilman James White, honored the borough’s own municipal clerk employees, including Sherry Mason, Lauren Liquori and Darcy Kolodziej.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.