T.F. council adopts 5-min. rule for public comment
Measure aims to cut length of council session
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — Borough Council members took a step toward shortening their meetings by adopting an ordinance that will limit public comment to five minutes per individual during all public hearings.
Residents previously had 10 minutes of speaking time.
Borough Attorney Brian Nelson said at the Dec. 1 meeting that the move is in compliance with the open meetings act.
"The OPMA requires there be an opportunity for the public to discuss any matter," Nelson said. "The time limit set for that discussion is really at the discretion of the municipality."
Nelson said that as long as the public has an opportunity, the municipality might set the rules of the public forum.
"As long as there is a reasonable opportunity to address the council that is all the law requires," he said.
One resident questioned whether the time limit would stifle residents from coming up a second time to correct misinformation.
"What I'm concerned about is the recognition of a speaker that has spoken before," said Leo Christofili, resident and regular council meeting speaker. "There may be a mistake or misinformation, and a person who has already spoken may want the opportunity to suggest there is an error and offer a contrary fact."
Christofili went on to say that it may be appropriate for a resident to come up two, three or four times during a meeting.
Nelson said in response that the discretion in that scenario would be placed on council President Duane Morrill.
"If there was something particularly cogent, then it would really be at the discretion of the council president," he said. "There is nothing in the law that would require the council president to allow a second bite of the apple even if there were something you'd like to address a second time."
Nelson added that the focus of the meetings is not to have a conversation between the council and the public.
"It is a public comment, it is not designed to be back and forth between members of the public," he said. "It is to provide the public an opportunity to address the council and the administration on various subjects."
One resident agreed that cutting the time limit would allow everyone a better chance to speak.
"Actually I like the idea of limiting the time," resident Jerry Spumberg said. "If you have a fixed time, it does give people more of an opportunity."
The measure passed by a vote of 4 to 1 with Councilwoman NancyAnn Fama voting against adoption. Fama had previously explained her opposition to adopting the five-minute time limit, stating that the council needs to do a better job of handling the public comments.
"I felt we need to do a better job of controlling public commentary that is superfluous," she said in an interview last month. "We have to keep the public commentary focused and on the issues.
"We need to do a better job as a council in trying to understand what the public's concern is," she added. "I think 10 minutes is a reasonable amount of time."
Fama said the council should exercise more control over what happens during the public portion of meetings.
"For the people that get up there and just make commentary and really don't have questions … we need to do a better job of keeping them in the time frame," Fama said. "I felt we really just need to stick to the 10 minutes, which really wasn't being adhered to."
Saturday, February 27, 2010
City officials say benefits have been curtailed
City officials say benefits have been curtailed
Salary ordinance carried to Dec. 29 meeting
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
Long Branch officials last week defended weeks of bad press over large payouts for employees' accrued sick and vacation days with a presentation outlining the efforts the city has made to limit spending.
Long Branch labor counsel Jamie Plosia gave a history lesson on labor agreements with the city at the Dec. 8 workshop meeting.
Plosia, of Apruzzese, McDermott, Mastro & Murphy, of Liberty Corner, broke down the city units under contract, as well as those employees who do not collectively bargain.
"You have all but seven of your employees in collective bargaining agreements," he said. "You have the blue-collar unit, the white-collar unit, the supervisors' unit, the FMBA [Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Association] unit, its superiors, the PBA [Policemen's Benevolent Association] unit and its superiors."
It was later revealed that the seven employees not included in collective bargaining include the business administrator, the municipal clerk, their staff, one person in personnel, and three special police officers.
Plosia said a lot of what the city does with contracts, including compensation and vacation pay, is a result of a federal mandate.
"In terms of collective bargaining, you refer to the contracts," he said. "We are a civil service community, and we actually have code provisions that apply to all civil service employees."
Plosia said that where the city is able to control spending is with the accrual of sick days.
"There is a minimum number of sick days provided," he said. "The statutes don't talk about reimbursement for sick days."
Plosia described the measures the city has taken to limit payouts, starting with the blue-collar units.
"For employees hired prior to August 2006, they can get a maximum of $15,000 reimbursed for accumulated sick time," he said. "Employees hired after that date are not eligible for that benefit.
"We were able to succeed as a city to negotiate that benefit out," he added.
Plosia went on to describe the city's history with contracts for white-collar employees.
"The white-collar employees have the same provision, but that's for employees hired prior to 2003," he said. "Anybody hired after 2003 was not eligible for accumulated sick time."
Plosia then discussed the supervisors' unit.
"The supervisors union has a sliding scale based on number of years of service," he said. "The most that they can get after 25 years of service is 50 percent of their accumulated sick time to a maximum of $25,000.
"There is no grandfather provision in there, but that is something we are certainly looking to do," he added. "We'd like to have the same max there, too."
Plosia said that police and firemen formerly received very large sick time payouts.
"If they were hired before 1996 [PBA] or 1997 [FMBA], they would get a maximum of 260 days paid of accumulated sick time," he said. "That's a lot of time.
"So they can get a year's pay, but we have been able to negotiate that out for people hired after 1996," he added.
Plosia went on to say that the city tried to eliminate accrued time for all employees, but was unsuccessful.
"We certainly would like to eliminate that for all employees, and we did propose that repeatedly, and it didn't work," he said.
Plosia said that it is harder to negotiate with public safety units because of the required arbitrator.
"Understand that all the public safety units have arbitration," he said. "When you do a side-by-side and compare benefits, the public safety employees are going to have better benefits. Not just in Long Branch, but in the state."
The contracts for the PBA will be up for renegotiation in 2012, and the contracts for the FMBA are due in 2013.
Councilman Brian Unger asked Plosia about a large payout for three retired police officers, and Plosia broke down what could be controlled with the payouts.
"Some of it may have been accumulated compensatory time and some of it may have been accumulated vacation time," he said. "That is pay, and both [are protected] by federal law.
"What is left is reimbursement for accumulated sick time, and that would be the contractual limit you'd like to put in," he added.
Plosia said that a retirement actually benefits the city for a few reasons.
"When someone leaves, particularly a public safety employee, there is a considerable breakage when they leave," he said. "As in they were making $100,000 and the person coming in would be making $40,000.
"The person coming in might not start for a couple of months, so you'd be saving about $10,000 a month," he added. "They are less likely to have family health insurance when they come in because they are more likely to be single.
"From a breakage point of view, we'd all be thrilled with a spate of retirees," he continued.
Plosia went on to say that the city must compensate for sick pay because employees are more likely to use sick days if they do not receive compensation for them.
"Particularly with the sick leave, you have people where shifts have to be filled," he said. "The argument is more people would use more sick time if they are not going to be paid.
"If you think of what that means for the city, the people who are being paid the most are police and fire and those [positions] have to be filled," he added. "Certainly we can have a conversation about whether the compensation is too much, but certainly if they are not compensated at all, you'll see a rise in sick time."
Another issue that has been discussed recently and was addressed by Finance Director Ronald Mehlhorn Sr. was Long Branch's $10.4 million in liability for sick and vacation time due for employees.
Mehlhorn defended the practice by saying that the total payout is theoretical.
"Being conservative means going to an extreme in that liability," he said. "There is no way that you would ever accrue that."
The liability mentioned is the total amount the city owes in sick and vacation time, but would only be paid out in full in the unlikely event that the city shuts down.
The regular council meeting followed, and an ordinance setting minimum and maximum salaries for some city employees was on the agenda.
Mayor Adam Schneider explained the ordinance "encompasses every employee for the past year and includes contracts, some of which were approved three years ago. We didn't just approve raises."
The vote on the ordinance had to be delayed because the council fell short of the four votes necessary for adoption.
Councilman Anthony Giordano was absent for the vote, and Councilman Brian Unger voted against the ordinance. The ordinance vote was carried to the next meeting.
Unger explained his vote against the ordinance at the end of the meeting.
He said he voted no on the salary ordinance because he has objections to Ron's [Mehlhorn] contract."
"I like Ron personally, he's a gentleman, he's a fine professional and this is in no way personal or even political. This is about governance.
"I think we need to reopen the contract and take out some of the lavish provisions that were approved again in July 2006," he added. "I think it's unconscionable."
Unger explained his view further in an interview last week.
"It is simply stunning that the really egregious parts of his contract were renewed and limits weren't put on his accruals," he said. "I'm not going to vote yes to adopt a salary ordinance unless the mayor makes a commitment to change Mehlhorn's contract."
Unger wasn't the only one critical of the contracts. A local group, Long Branch Citizens for Good Government, criticized the contracts as well.
"How are other towns able to curb the outrageous accumulated sick and vacation time?" member Lynn Petrovich asked the council.
"I wonder how often, if ever, this mayor and this City Council has spent the time to define common good," Diana Multare, a group member, said. "I would love to know what your definition of common good is."
Multare then presented the council with a copy of a report by the state that studied public employee contracts.
"The commission did find some municipalities in New Jersey put the brakes on runaway employee benefits," she said.
Multare cited towns including Teaneck and Point Pleasant as municipalities that were more responsible in terms of employee compensation, according to the report.
The mayor and council members responded by defending their efforts.
"We scaled it back a tremendous amount," Schneider explained. "Mr. [Howard] Woolley [administrator] operates without a contract, and Ron [Mehlhorn] operates with a contract where many of the features predate us.
"We left features in there and haven't given them to anyone else," he said.
Council President Michael DeStefano backed the mayor up.
"We have, over the years, put caps and worked very diligently with the unions for a lot of sick-time buyouts," he said. "We have been doing that."
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
Salary ordinance carried to Dec. 29 meeting
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
Long Branch officials last week defended weeks of bad press over large payouts for employees' accrued sick and vacation days with a presentation outlining the efforts the city has made to limit spending.
Long Branch labor counsel Jamie Plosia gave a history lesson on labor agreements with the city at the Dec. 8 workshop meeting.
Plosia, of Apruzzese, McDermott, Mastro & Murphy, of Liberty Corner, broke down the city units under contract, as well as those employees who do not collectively bargain.
"You have all but seven of your employees in collective bargaining agreements," he said. "You have the blue-collar unit, the white-collar unit, the supervisors' unit, the FMBA [Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Association] unit, its superiors, the PBA [Policemen's Benevolent Association] unit and its superiors."
It was later revealed that the seven employees not included in collective bargaining include the business administrator, the municipal clerk, their staff, one person in personnel, and three special police officers.
Plosia said a lot of what the city does with contracts, including compensation and vacation pay, is a result of a federal mandate.
"In terms of collective bargaining, you refer to the contracts," he said. "We are a civil service community, and we actually have code provisions that apply to all civil service employees."
Plosia said that where the city is able to control spending is with the accrual of sick days.
"There is a minimum number of sick days provided," he said. "The statutes don't talk about reimbursement for sick days."
Plosia described the measures the city has taken to limit payouts, starting with the blue-collar units.
"For employees hired prior to August 2006, they can get a maximum of $15,000 reimbursed for accumulated sick time," he said. "Employees hired after that date are not eligible for that benefit.
"We were able to succeed as a city to negotiate that benefit out," he added.
Plosia went on to describe the city's history with contracts for white-collar employees.
"The white-collar employees have the same provision, but that's for employees hired prior to 2003," he said. "Anybody hired after 2003 was not eligible for accumulated sick time."
Plosia then discussed the supervisors' unit.
"The supervisors union has a sliding scale based on number of years of service," he said. "The most that they can get after 25 years of service is 50 percent of their accumulated sick time to a maximum of $25,000.
"There is no grandfather provision in there, but that is something we are certainly looking to do," he added. "We'd like to have the same max there, too."
Plosia said that police and firemen formerly received very large sick time payouts.
"If they were hired before 1996 [PBA] or 1997 [FMBA], they would get a maximum of 260 days paid of accumulated sick time," he said. "That's a lot of time.
"So they can get a year's pay, but we have been able to negotiate that out for people hired after 1996," he added.
Plosia went on to say that the city tried to eliminate accrued time for all employees, but was unsuccessful.
"We certainly would like to eliminate that for all employees, and we did propose that repeatedly, and it didn't work," he said.
Plosia said that it is harder to negotiate with public safety units because of the required arbitrator.
"Understand that all the public safety units have arbitration," he said. "When you do a side-by-side and compare benefits, the public safety employees are going to have better benefits. Not just in Long Branch, but in the state."
The contracts for the PBA will be up for renegotiation in 2012, and the contracts for the FMBA are due in 2013.
Councilman Brian Unger asked Plosia about a large payout for three retired police officers, and Plosia broke down what could be controlled with the payouts.
"Some of it may have been accumulated compensatory time and some of it may have been accumulated vacation time," he said. "That is pay, and both [are protected] by federal law.
"What is left is reimbursement for accumulated sick time, and that would be the contractual limit you'd like to put in," he added.
Plosia said that a retirement actually benefits the city for a few reasons.
"When someone leaves, particularly a public safety employee, there is a considerable breakage when they leave," he said. "As in they were making $100,000 and the person coming in would be making $40,000.
"The person coming in might not start for a couple of months, so you'd be saving about $10,000 a month," he added. "They are less likely to have family health insurance when they come in because they are more likely to be single.
"From a breakage point of view, we'd all be thrilled with a spate of retirees," he continued.
Plosia went on to say that the city must compensate for sick pay because employees are more likely to use sick days if they do not receive compensation for them.
"Particularly with the sick leave, you have people where shifts have to be filled," he said. "The argument is more people would use more sick time if they are not going to be paid.
"If you think of what that means for the city, the people who are being paid the most are police and fire and those [positions] have to be filled," he added. "Certainly we can have a conversation about whether the compensation is too much, but certainly if they are not compensated at all, you'll see a rise in sick time."
Another issue that has been discussed recently and was addressed by Finance Director Ronald Mehlhorn Sr. was Long Branch's $10.4 million in liability for sick and vacation time due for employees.
Mehlhorn defended the practice by saying that the total payout is theoretical.
"Being conservative means going to an extreme in that liability," he said. "There is no way that you would ever accrue that."
The liability mentioned is the total amount the city owes in sick and vacation time, but would only be paid out in full in the unlikely event that the city shuts down.
The regular council meeting followed, and an ordinance setting minimum and maximum salaries for some city employees was on the agenda.
Mayor Adam Schneider explained the ordinance "encompasses every employee for the past year and includes contracts, some of which were approved three years ago. We didn't just approve raises."
The vote on the ordinance had to be delayed because the council fell short of the four votes necessary for adoption.
Councilman Anthony Giordano was absent for the vote, and Councilman Brian Unger voted against the ordinance. The ordinance vote was carried to the next meeting.
Unger explained his vote against the ordinance at the end of the meeting.
He said he voted no on the salary ordinance because he has objections to Ron's [Mehlhorn] contract."
"I like Ron personally, he's a gentleman, he's a fine professional and this is in no way personal or even political. This is about governance.
"I think we need to reopen the contract and take out some of the lavish provisions that were approved again in July 2006," he added. "I think it's unconscionable."
Unger explained his view further in an interview last week.
"It is simply stunning that the really egregious parts of his contract were renewed and limits weren't put on his accruals," he said. "I'm not going to vote yes to adopt a salary ordinance unless the mayor makes a commitment to change Mehlhorn's contract."
Unger wasn't the only one critical of the contracts. A local group, Long Branch Citizens for Good Government, criticized the contracts as well.
"How are other towns able to curb the outrageous accumulated sick and vacation time?" member Lynn Petrovich asked the council.
"I wonder how often, if ever, this mayor and this City Council has spent the time to define common good," Diana Multare, a group member, said. "I would love to know what your definition of common good is."
Multare then presented the council with a copy of a report by the state that studied public employee contracts.
"The commission did find some municipalities in New Jersey put the brakes on runaway employee benefits," she said.
Multare cited towns including Teaneck and Point Pleasant as municipalities that were more responsible in terms of employee compensation, according to the report.
The mayor and council members responded by defending their efforts.
"We scaled it back a tremendous amount," Schneider explained. "Mr. [Howard] Woolley [administrator] operates without a contract, and Ron [Mehlhorn] operates with a contract where many of the features predate us.
"We left features in there and haven't given them to anyone else," he said.
Council President Michael DeStefano backed the mayor up.
"We have, over the years, put caps and worked very diligently with the unions for a lot of sick-time buyouts," he said. "We have been doing that."
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
City moves forward on MTOTSA settlement
City moves forward on MTOTSA settlement
Right of way will be vacated
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — A city-owned right of way in the MTOTSA neighborhood will be divided among three parcels to create larger, buildable lots.
The Long Branch City Council voted 4- 0 on Dec. 8 to introduce an ordinance that would authorize the city to vacate and apportion the right of way among three properties. Councilman Anthony Giordano was absent for the vote.
The proposed ordinance is in keeping with the city's settlement with property owners in the Marine Terrace, Ocean Terrace and Seaview Avenue neighborhood reached after years of contention and legal action.
City Attorney James Aaron explained the right of way at the workshop meeting before the council voted.
"On Seaview Avenue the city has a right of way that goes nowhere," he explained. "As part of the settlement agreement, the city agreed to vacate the right of way."
Aaron said the land would be divided among two lots owned by developer MMBeachfront North LLC and one held by a private owner.
He said the right of way would be used to increase the size of the three properties.
This action will create larger lots that will allow bigger homes to be constructed on those properties, he told the workshop meeting.
The settlement between the city and the MTOTSAAlliance was reached in court on Sept. 15.
The agreement, signed by all but six property owners in MTOTSA, required that the property owners waive their right to sue the city for compensatory damages.
In return the city agreed not to use its power of eminent domain to take properties in MTOTSA, which is in the Beachfront North Phase II redevelopment zone.
According to Aaron, vacating and dividing up the right of way will involve no cost to the city.
"All that engineering was done, and the city did not incur any costs for all this surveying and engineering," he said. "It was all paid for by the developer."
He added that notification would take place shortly, allowing the developer to move forward as quickly as possible.
"We will notify all department heads and all properties within 200 feet of the right of way, so this would be handled like any other vacating of a
city street," he said. "It will be handled appropriately and completed in enough time so
that the developers can go in front of the Planning Board with this already done, so they can start seeking site plan approval as early as January."
As part of the 14-point settlement with the MTOTSA property owners, the city also agreed to pay $435,000 in legal fees the alliance accrued and to have the developer demolish several vacant, boarded-up houses in the neighborhood. In addition, the city agreed to pave the roads and fix lighting conditions in the area within two years, and the property owners are eligible for fiveyear tax abatements if they improve their properties.
The City Council will vote on adopting the ordinance, and the public can comment on the measure, at the Dec. 29 meeting.
Right of way will be vacated
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — A city-owned right of way in the MTOTSA neighborhood will be divided among three parcels to create larger, buildable lots.
The Long Branch City Council voted 4- 0 on Dec. 8 to introduce an ordinance that would authorize the city to vacate and apportion the right of way among three properties. Councilman Anthony Giordano was absent for the vote.
The proposed ordinance is in keeping with the city's settlement with property owners in the Marine Terrace, Ocean Terrace and Seaview Avenue neighborhood reached after years of contention and legal action.
City Attorney James Aaron explained the right of way at the workshop meeting before the council voted.
"On Seaview Avenue the city has a right of way that goes nowhere," he explained. "As part of the settlement agreement, the city agreed to vacate the right of way."
Aaron said the land would be divided among two lots owned by developer MMBeachfront North LLC and one held by a private owner.
He said the right of way would be used to increase the size of the three properties.
This action will create larger lots that will allow bigger homes to be constructed on those properties, he told the workshop meeting.
The settlement between the city and the MTOTSAAlliance was reached in court on Sept. 15.
The agreement, signed by all but six property owners in MTOTSA, required that the property owners waive their right to sue the city for compensatory damages.
In return the city agreed not to use its power of eminent domain to take properties in MTOTSA, which is in the Beachfront North Phase II redevelopment zone.
According to Aaron, vacating and dividing up the right of way will involve no cost to the city.
"All that engineering was done, and the city did not incur any costs for all this surveying and engineering," he said. "It was all paid for by the developer."
He added that notification would take place shortly, allowing the developer to move forward as quickly as possible.
"We will notify all department heads and all properties within 200 feet of the right of way, so this would be handled like any other vacating of a
city street," he said. "It will be handled appropriately and completed in enough time so
that the developers can go in front of the Planning Board with this already done, so they can start seeking site plan approval as early as January."
As part of the 14-point settlement with the MTOTSA property owners, the city also agreed to pay $435,000 in legal fees the alliance accrued and to have the developer demolish several vacant, boarded-up houses in the neighborhood. In addition, the city agreed to pave the roads and fix lighting conditions in the area within two years, and the property owners are eligible for fiveyear tax abatements if they improve their properties.
The City Council will vote on adopting the ordinance, and the public can comment on the measure, at the Dec. 29 meeting.
City hall move, transit village in L.B. master plan draft
City hall move, transit village in L.B. master plan draft
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — With the revised master plan on schedule to be adopted by March, city officials are pondering a move of City Hall down Broadway.
The subject was brought up at the presentation of the first draft of the master plan Dec. 10.
David Maski, an engineer with CMX, along with Zoning Officer Michele Bernich and Assistant Planning Director Carl Turner presented the council and city officials with the first draft of the plan that indicates the need for a new city hall.
"For the most part your public buildings are in pretty good shape with the exception of the one we are sitting in now," Maski said.
Maski said the Broadway redevelopment plan suggests a move downtown.
"As far as City Hall goes, your Broadway plan already talks about a new civic complex," he said. "One recommendation has it move down Broadway a bit.
"The most efficient use of a property like this would be more downtown," he added. "The Broadway redevelopment plan and the Paramount district plan do make recommendations highlighting a civic center that people would go to."
Councilman David Brown suggested that the current City Hall property could be utilized in another way.
"It would be a nice place for a transit center," he said.
The other building discussed as being in poor shape was the Oceanic Engine Fire Company No. 1 on Norwood Ave.
Maski also described what the master plan is.
"It kind of coalesces what you've been doing since the last comprehensive plan, which was 1988," he said. "The mapping is now all up to date.
"The master plan is a living document, it's not done, it's never done," he said. "It will lay out things that can be done."
One council member requested a comparison between the updated version of the master plan and the existing plan.
"This is an incredible amount of work," council President Michael DeStefano said. "Without comparing it to what was, it's hard to know [what changed]."
Maski responded by saying it is hard to compare the two.
"I think it would be difficult to hold one up to another," he said.
"The whole oceanfront concept wasn't really there yet," he added. "The economics of the city were very different."
The master plan suggests the city's zoning requirements, including mixed-use zones and a possible zone allowing bed and breakfasts, which are largely regulated by a state statute.
One additional zone may be a transit village in the area surrounding the train station.
"At this point it is not necessarily a specific zone, Maski said.
"As further work gets done on the transit village itself, that idea might become an actually boundary," he added. "There is obviously a lot of work to be done."
Also discussed was the development of the 25-acre riverfront section in North Long Branch.
"It can be a mix of commercial and residential," Maski said. "It should take advantage of the waterfront with outside dinning."
Other ideas in the master plan include the coastal evacuation plan, the city's parking situation and a shuttle service. The master plan also approves of the city's adoption of a historical preservation ordinance and the recycling program.
Maski added that the master plan is supporting the city's efforts to utilize shared services with other towns.
Another recommendation in the master plan is for Long Branch to become more environmentally friendly and to locate more art in public places.
"This master plan states at the very least all the city's buildings should be green buildings," Maski said. "Having works of art in strategic places, like the train station or city hall, encourages the city to go more into that."
The master plan also recommends improvements to city parks.
"There are some park improvements we mention here that are already taking place," he said. "We have to have a strategic plan for each park."
Maski suggests that the city make more of an effort to work with school recreation facilities.
"[There should be] better coordination with the school recreation departments," he said. "Some of the best indoor recreation facilities are in the schools, especially with the new schools you have."
Councilman Anthony Giordano suggested that the plan take an in-depth look at creating and maintaining long-term job opportunities.
"Jobs at all levels, professional, blue-collar, white collar," he said. "I just think that would be important to make it one of the goals."
Maski closed by saying an advisory committee will meet in the coming month and the plan will be presented to the Planning Board in January.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — With the revised master plan on schedule to be adopted by March, city officials are pondering a move of City Hall down Broadway.
The subject was brought up at the presentation of the first draft of the master plan Dec. 10.
David Maski, an engineer with CMX, along with Zoning Officer Michele Bernich and Assistant Planning Director Carl Turner presented the council and city officials with the first draft of the plan that indicates the need for a new city hall.
"For the most part your public buildings are in pretty good shape with the exception of the one we are sitting in now," Maski said.
Maski said the Broadway redevelopment plan suggests a move downtown.
"As far as City Hall goes, your Broadway plan already talks about a new civic complex," he said. "One recommendation has it move down Broadway a bit.
"The most efficient use of a property like this would be more downtown," he added. "The Broadway redevelopment plan and the Paramount district plan do make recommendations highlighting a civic center that people would go to."
Councilman David Brown suggested that the current City Hall property could be utilized in another way.
"It would be a nice place for a transit center," he said.
The other building discussed as being in poor shape was the Oceanic Engine Fire Company No. 1 on Norwood Ave.
Maski also described what the master plan is.
"It kind of coalesces what you've been doing since the last comprehensive plan, which was 1988," he said. "The mapping is now all up to date.
"The master plan is a living document, it's not done, it's never done," he said. "It will lay out things that can be done."
One council member requested a comparison between the updated version of the master plan and the existing plan.
"This is an incredible amount of work," council President Michael DeStefano said. "Without comparing it to what was, it's hard to know [what changed]."
Maski responded by saying it is hard to compare the two.
"I think it would be difficult to hold one up to another," he said.
"The whole oceanfront concept wasn't really there yet," he added. "The economics of the city were very different."
The master plan suggests the city's zoning requirements, including mixed-use zones and a possible zone allowing bed and breakfasts, which are largely regulated by a state statute.
One additional zone may be a transit village in the area surrounding the train station.
"At this point it is not necessarily a specific zone, Maski said.
"As further work gets done on the transit village itself, that idea might become an actually boundary," he added. "There is obviously a lot of work to be done."
Also discussed was the development of the 25-acre riverfront section in North Long Branch.
"It can be a mix of commercial and residential," Maski said. "It should take advantage of the waterfront with outside dinning."
Other ideas in the master plan include the coastal evacuation plan, the city's parking situation and a shuttle service. The master plan also approves of the city's adoption of a historical preservation ordinance and the recycling program.
Maski added that the master plan is supporting the city's efforts to utilize shared services with other towns.
Another recommendation in the master plan is for Long Branch to become more environmentally friendly and to locate more art in public places.
"This master plan states at the very least all the city's buildings should be green buildings," Maski said. "Having works of art in strategic places, like the train station or city hall, encourages the city to go more into that."
The master plan also recommends improvements to city parks.
"There are some park improvements we mention here that are already taking place," he said. "We have to have a strategic plan for each park."
Maski suggests that the city make more of an effort to work with school recreation facilities.
"[There should be] better coordination with the school recreation departments," he said. "Some of the best indoor recreation facilities are in the schools, especially with the new schools you have."
Councilman Anthony Giordano suggested that the plan take an in-depth look at creating and maintaining long-term job opportunities.
"Jobs at all levels, professional, blue-collar, white collar," he said. "I just think that would be important to make it one of the goals."
Maski closed by saying an advisory committee will meet in the coming month and the plan will be presented to the Planning Board in January.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Council agrees to bond $1M for DPW equipment
Council agrees to bond $1M for DPW equipment
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — The City Council voted 4-1 last week to adopt an ordinance appropriating $1,095,000 for equipment and upgrades within the Public Works Department.
The council discussed the necessity of the bond ordinance, with Councilwoman NancyAnn Fama casting the lone dissenting vote.
Fama suggested that the $1 million-plus bill be reduced somewhat.
"I understand you want the whole ball of wax, but maybe there is some middle ground," she said at the Dec. 1 meeting. "This is not paying for itself.
"I look at this and I'm sure you need it, I'm not suggesting you don't," she added. "I'm in the private sector right now and there are plenty of improvements we need for my business that we can't get.
"I'm suggesting that instead of $1 million, perhaps this be a lesser amount," she continued.
Councilman Gary Baldwin disagreed.
"Not every vehicle bought for public works pays for itself," Baldwin said. "Equipment like this is bought to work and doesn't pay for itself."
The vote was the result of a lengthy public hearing that saw various members of the public criticize the list of equipment, particularly the addition of two rear-loading garbage trucks.
"You are going to spend close to $200,000 for a truck that there is no use for," resident Charles Lomangino said. "This rear-loading truck does the brush collection. That should be in the back of a dump truck anyway.
"Do it with an older truck. You're talking about a handful of containers," he added. "There is a bunch of things on here that we need, I know there are things on here that we don't need."
A public works representative defended the purchase of the two trucks, claiming the department is underequipped with trucks, and some of the trucks now in use "can fail at any time."
Uses for the rear-loading truck include brush, cardboard, newspaper collection, recycling and bulk collection. The borough is expected to move to a single-stream system early next year, which Lomangino said argues against purchasing the rear-loading trucks.
"We bought front-load trucks to do away with the trucks that we are buying this year," Lomangino said. "We are going single-stream, we are going the other way."
Council President Duane Morrill disagreed that the single-stream system means the borough shouldn't purchase the two trucks.
"I got a totally different message from what he was saying," Morrill said in response to Lomangino. "What I got was for a town this size that is a very service-based town, you can't just provide one type of service.
"Unless we are going to start cutting off services to the townspeople, we are going to need to purchase these kinds of equipment," he added.
One resident questioned whether or not the council had an alternative to the ordinance.
"A million dollars is a lot of money," resident Denise Catalano said. "If the council votes this down what is the alternative? What's plan B?"
Tinton Falls Business Administrator Bryan Dempsey said that there isn't a viable backup.
"Plan B is just go along with what we have now," he said. "There is no back-up plan.
"These are trucks we need, equipment we need," he added. "When something does happen, then it's either we are borrowing from another town or we push back service."
Baldwin cited the risk in not passing the ordinance.
"We can do without a lot of things, but we can't keep brush and leaves built up on the side of our roads," he said. "We can't not collect garbage, we can't keep borrowing equipment from other towns."
Some residents questioned whether or not the department is getting the most out of its vehicles in a tough economic climate.
"I just wonder [if] someone deems it's time for a new garbage truck, that it's looked at twice and three times and four times in difficult times," resident Leo Lomangino said.
Morrill said the equipment is in use for longer than anticipated.
"We go way beyond the average life span of our vehicles," he said. "They get every drop of blood out of these vehicles before they replace them."
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — The City Council voted 4-1 last week to adopt an ordinance appropriating $1,095,000 for equipment and upgrades within the Public Works Department.
The council discussed the necessity of the bond ordinance, with Councilwoman NancyAnn Fama casting the lone dissenting vote.
Fama suggested that the $1 million-plus bill be reduced somewhat.
"I understand you want the whole ball of wax, but maybe there is some middle ground," she said at the Dec. 1 meeting. "This is not paying for itself.
"I look at this and I'm sure you need it, I'm not suggesting you don't," she added. "I'm in the private sector right now and there are plenty of improvements we need for my business that we can't get.
"I'm suggesting that instead of $1 million, perhaps this be a lesser amount," she continued.
Councilman Gary Baldwin disagreed.
"Not every vehicle bought for public works pays for itself," Baldwin said. "Equipment like this is bought to work and doesn't pay for itself."
The vote was the result of a lengthy public hearing that saw various members of the public criticize the list of equipment, particularly the addition of two rear-loading garbage trucks.
"You are going to spend close to $200,000 for a truck that there is no use for," resident Charles Lomangino said. "This rear-loading truck does the brush collection. That should be in the back of a dump truck anyway.
"Do it with an older truck. You're talking about a handful of containers," he added. "There is a bunch of things on here that we need, I know there are things on here that we don't need."
A public works representative defended the purchase of the two trucks, claiming the department is underequipped with trucks, and some of the trucks now in use "can fail at any time."
Uses for the rear-loading truck include brush, cardboard, newspaper collection, recycling and bulk collection. The borough is expected to move to a single-stream system early next year, which Lomangino said argues against purchasing the rear-loading trucks.
"We bought front-load trucks to do away with the trucks that we are buying this year," Lomangino said. "We are going single-stream, we are going the other way."
Council President Duane Morrill disagreed that the single-stream system means the borough shouldn't purchase the two trucks.
"I got a totally different message from what he was saying," Morrill said in response to Lomangino. "What I got was for a town this size that is a very service-based town, you can't just provide one type of service.
"Unless we are going to start cutting off services to the townspeople, we are going to need to purchase these kinds of equipment," he added.
One resident questioned whether or not the council had an alternative to the ordinance.
"A million dollars is a lot of money," resident Denise Catalano said. "If the council votes this down what is the alternative? What's plan B?"
Tinton Falls Business Administrator Bryan Dempsey said that there isn't a viable backup.
"Plan B is just go along with what we have now," he said. "There is no back-up plan.
"These are trucks we need, equipment we need," he added. "When something does happen, then it's either we are borrowing from another town or we push back service."
Baldwin cited the risk in not passing the ordinance.
"We can do without a lot of things, but we can't keep brush and leaves built up on the side of our roads," he said. "We can't not collect garbage, we can't keep borrowing equipment from other towns."
Some residents questioned whether or not the department is getting the most out of its vehicles in a tough economic climate.
"I just wonder [if] someone deems it's time for a new garbage truck, that it's looked at twice and three times and four times in difficult times," resident Leo Lomangino said.
Morrill said the equipment is in use for longer than anticipated.
"We go way beyond the average life span of our vehicles," he said. "They get every drop of blood out of these vehicles before they replace them."
Tinton Falls will seek new administrator
Tinton Falls will seek new administrator
Mayor: Interim admin. may be necessary
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — Borough officials said last week they would begin the search for a new business administrator after current Administrator Bryan Dempsey announced he would be leaving.
Dempsey, who has served as borough administrator for four years, will move to the position of borough administrator in Spring Lake at the end of the year.
Dempsey's position will be open as of Jan. 1. Mayor Michael Skudera said the search for a replacement will begin immediately but a new administrator may not be in place by Jan. 1. "I'm going to begin search," Skudera said at the Dec. 1 Borough Council meeting. "Jan. 1 is coming up and we may need to have a temporary appointment for administrator."
Borough Clerk Karen Mount-Taylor said last week the borough would advertise the open position, adding that the mayor needs the advice and consent of council to name a replacement.
"It is a mayoral appointment with the consent of council," she said.
Mount-Taylor explained that Tinton Falls has previously had to fill the administrator's position with a temporary replacement.
"The mayor has the ability to appoint an interim or an acting administrator for 90 days," she said. "When Mayor [Peter] Maclearie came on board in 2005, the administrator had retired and he appointed John Bucciero [director of public works] the interim administrator."
She said the interim could be someone who is already part of the borough administration.
Dempsey took time at the meeting to thank some people he has had contact with over his four years in Tinton Falls, singling out members of the Lomangino family.
"I want to thank everyone for the opportunity to be the administrator the past four years," he said. "I've enjoyed my time here."
"I will miss everyone and everything that goes with the position here, especially the Lomanginos."
An added advantage for the borough during Dempsey's tenure was that he is also a registered municipal clerk, meaning that when Mount-Taylor was on vacation he filled in.
"I used to have the luxury of a registered municipal clerk's license when I went out of the country," Mount-Taylor explained in an interview that her assistants are in the process of obtaining the license and having Dempsey registered was a benefit for the borough.
"He did that on his own," she said.
"It was a luxury that he could act legally in my absence," she added. "Since I don't have a deputy, that is why Bryan was taking my place.
"The administrator does not have to have a municipal clerk's license; that was just an extra perk," she continued.
Dempsey played along with some good-natured teasing.
"I miss two meetings a year," Mount-Taylor said. "They might have to reschedule because there is no one else in the borough, unless he wants to come back and do those two meetings."
"I would come back," Dempsey responded. "If I don't have a conflict in Spring Lake, I would definitely come back."
With just one council meeting left before Dempsey leaves, Skudera thanked him and reminded him of some lengthy meetings he sat through.
"Mr. Dempsey has worked very well in Tinton Falls," he said. "I'm sad to see him go. Perhaps for memory's sake we should have some special meetings until midnight."
Dempsey assumed the position of borough administrator in Tinton Falls on Oct. 18, 2005. He had previously been township administrator in Barnegat Township for two years.
Dempsey began his career in Wall Township, where he worked his way up through various positions. He started as a field representative to the tax assessor, and after one year he was promoted to code enforcement officer. While working in that position, he got his master's degree in public administration, and assistant administrator was added to his job description. Then recreation director was added to his titles. He held all three positions until leaving in 2003 for the position of township administrator in Barnegat Township in Ocean County, where he served for two years before being named borough administrator in Tinton Falls.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
Mayor: Interim admin. may be necessary
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — Borough officials said last week they would begin the search for a new business administrator after current Administrator Bryan Dempsey announced he would be leaving.
Dempsey, who has served as borough administrator for four years, will move to the position of borough administrator in Spring Lake at the end of the year.
Dempsey's position will be open as of Jan. 1. Mayor Michael Skudera said the search for a replacement will begin immediately but a new administrator may not be in place by Jan. 1. "I'm going to begin search," Skudera said at the Dec. 1 Borough Council meeting. "Jan. 1 is coming up and we may need to have a temporary appointment for administrator."
Borough Clerk Karen Mount-Taylor said last week the borough would advertise the open position, adding that the mayor needs the advice and consent of council to name a replacement.
"It is a mayoral appointment with the consent of council," she said.
Mount-Taylor explained that Tinton Falls has previously had to fill the administrator's position with a temporary replacement.
"The mayor has the ability to appoint an interim or an acting administrator for 90 days," she said. "When Mayor [Peter] Maclearie came on board in 2005, the administrator had retired and he appointed John Bucciero [director of public works] the interim administrator."
She said the interim could be someone who is already part of the borough administration.
Dempsey took time at the meeting to thank some people he has had contact with over his four years in Tinton Falls, singling out members of the Lomangino family.
"I want to thank everyone for the opportunity to be the administrator the past four years," he said. "I've enjoyed my time here."
"I will miss everyone and everything that goes with the position here, especially the Lomanginos."
An added advantage for the borough during Dempsey's tenure was that he is also a registered municipal clerk, meaning that when Mount-Taylor was on vacation he filled in.
"I used to have the luxury of a registered municipal clerk's license when I went out of the country," Mount-Taylor explained in an interview that her assistants are in the process of obtaining the license and having Dempsey registered was a benefit for the borough.
"He did that on his own," she said.
"It was a luxury that he could act legally in my absence," she added. "Since I don't have a deputy, that is why Bryan was taking my place.
"The administrator does not have to have a municipal clerk's license; that was just an extra perk," she continued.
Dempsey played along with some good-natured teasing.
"I miss two meetings a year," Mount-Taylor said. "They might have to reschedule because there is no one else in the borough, unless he wants to come back and do those two meetings."
"I would come back," Dempsey responded. "If I don't have a conflict in Spring Lake, I would definitely come back."
With just one council meeting left before Dempsey leaves, Skudera thanked him and reminded him of some lengthy meetings he sat through.
"Mr. Dempsey has worked very well in Tinton Falls," he said. "I'm sad to see him go. Perhaps for memory's sake we should have some special meetings until midnight."
Dempsey assumed the position of borough administrator in Tinton Falls on Oct. 18, 2005. He had previously been township administrator in Barnegat Township for two years.
Dempsey began his career in Wall Township, where he worked his way up through various positions. He started as a field representative to the tax assessor, and after one year he was promoted to code enforcement officer. While working in that position, he got his master's degree in public administration, and assistant administrator was added to his job description. Then recreation director was added to his titles. He held all three positions until leaving in 2003 for the position of township administrator in Barnegat Township in Ocean County, where he served for two years before being named borough administrator in Tinton Falls.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
L.B. council approves self-assessment report
L.B. council approves self-assessment report
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — The city moved a step closer to achieving urban center designation from the state last week by approving a self-assessment report required to qualify the city to move up a level in the state planning process.
After hearing a presentation by zoning officer Michelle Bernich, the council approved the self-assessment report, an inventory of demographics and resources like public transportation, by a 4-0 vote at the Nov. 24 meeting. Councilman Brian Unger was absent for the vote.
Bernich summarized the self-assessment report for the public and council.
"We put together a municipal self-assessment report with the help of CMX [engineering firm] to address the state plans and goals and see if the city is consistent with them," she said. "The report is a snapshot of where the city is today in many different categories."
Bernich said that the city, which is currently designated as a regional center, will petition the state to move up a level to become an urban center.
"It will see if the city can re-establish itself as a regional center and also to petition as an urban center, moving up another level in the planning process," she said. "The city will be asking the Office of Smart Growth for urban center designation."
Bernich explained the benefits of urban center designation compared to remaining as a regional center.
"The regional center, there is many of them in the state, what that does is allow many of them to apply for different types of funding and grants," she said. "The city has done that in the past.
"There are fewer urban centers, there are currently nine," she added. "Long Branch would be the 10th and that actually elevates the city another level to the top of the state's planning process. It would benefit the city in getting different and more grants," she continued.
A summary on the website of the New Jersey State Planning Commission defines what urban center designation means.
"Urban centers offer the most diverse mix of industry, commerce, residences and cultural facilities of any central place," the summary states. "They are repositories of large infrastructure systems, industrial jobs, corporate headquarters, medical and research services, universities, government offices, convention centers, museums and other assets.
"They are also home to a large pool of skilled and presently unskilled labor that will, with appropriate investment, become among the state's most valuable human resource assets," it continues.
The summary also describes what a regional designation means.
"They often serve as major employment centers and offer regional services, such as higher education, health and arts/entertainment," the summary states. "In rural areas, they may be population centers and county seats, with small business districts serving residents."
The public was given the opportunity to speak at a public hearing on the report at the Nov. 24 meeting, but no one made a motion toward the microphone. However, during the public portion one local business owner addressed it.
"I think it is a positive move on behalf of the city," said Interlaken resident Robert Napoli. "I think it is a great idea to plan for the future."
The 100-plus-page selfassessment is a detailed look at the city, including the city's history of development as well as the city's current demographics.
A large portion of the assessment is an analysis comparing Long Branch to the rest of Monmouth County.
Long Branch had a population of just over 31,000 in 2000 and is projected to have grown to over 40,000 in 2009.
The assessment also shows that the city is more diverse than both the county and the state, with a higher level of blacks, Latinos and other populations. The average city resident is also younger than both the county and state average. The report can be viewed in its entirety on the city's website, www.visitlongbranch.com.
Contact Kenny Walter at
Kwalter@gmnews.com.
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — The city moved a step closer to achieving urban center designation from the state last week by approving a self-assessment report required to qualify the city to move up a level in the state planning process.
After hearing a presentation by zoning officer Michelle Bernich, the council approved the self-assessment report, an inventory of demographics and resources like public transportation, by a 4-0 vote at the Nov. 24 meeting. Councilman Brian Unger was absent for the vote.
Bernich summarized the self-assessment report for the public and council.
"We put together a municipal self-assessment report with the help of CMX [engineering firm] to address the state plans and goals and see if the city is consistent with them," she said. "The report is a snapshot of where the city is today in many different categories."
Bernich said that the city, which is currently designated as a regional center, will petition the state to move up a level to become an urban center.
"It will see if the city can re-establish itself as a regional center and also to petition as an urban center, moving up another level in the planning process," she said. "The city will be asking the Office of Smart Growth for urban center designation."
Bernich explained the benefits of urban center designation compared to remaining as a regional center.
"The regional center, there is many of them in the state, what that does is allow many of them to apply for different types of funding and grants," she said. "The city has done that in the past.
"There are fewer urban centers, there are currently nine," she added. "Long Branch would be the 10th and that actually elevates the city another level to the top of the state's planning process. It would benefit the city in getting different and more grants," she continued.
A summary on the website of the New Jersey State Planning Commission defines what urban center designation means.
"Urban centers offer the most diverse mix of industry, commerce, residences and cultural facilities of any central place," the summary states. "They are repositories of large infrastructure systems, industrial jobs, corporate headquarters, medical and research services, universities, government offices, convention centers, museums and other assets.
"They are also home to a large pool of skilled and presently unskilled labor that will, with appropriate investment, become among the state's most valuable human resource assets," it continues.
The summary also describes what a regional designation means.
"They often serve as major employment centers and offer regional services, such as higher education, health and arts/entertainment," the summary states. "In rural areas, they may be population centers and county seats, with small business districts serving residents."
The public was given the opportunity to speak at a public hearing on the report at the Nov. 24 meeting, but no one made a motion toward the microphone. However, during the public portion one local business owner addressed it.
"I think it is a positive move on behalf of the city," said Interlaken resident Robert Napoli. "I think it is a great idea to plan for the future."
The 100-plus-page selfassessment is a detailed look at the city, including the city's history of development as well as the city's current demographics.
A large portion of the assessment is an analysis comparing Long Branch to the rest of Monmouth County.
Long Branch had a population of just over 31,000 in 2000 and is projected to have grown to over 40,000 in 2009.
The assessment also shows that the city is more diverse than both the county and the state, with a higher level of blacks, Latinos and other populations. The average city resident is also younger than both the county and state average. The report can be viewed in its entirety on the city's website, www.visitlongbranch.com.
Contact Kenny Walter at
Kwalter@gmnews.com.
Local church opens doors to those in need at Christmas
Local church opens doors to those in need at Christmas
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — A city church will once again be helping to ease the burdens of those who are struggling and in need this holiday season.
St. James Church, 300 Broadway, is hosting its seventh annual Christmas Dinner from 4-7 p.m. on Christmas Day.
"The dinner is open to everyone, but will likely be of most benefit to those whose resources are limited and for whom the holiday season provides as much burden as a blessing," a press release from the church states.
"In order to share this time of celebrating peace and joy we are opening the doors of our church and hopefully our hearts to those who come to us."
Parish Administrator Terry Ann Ryan said last week that because of the economy the church is expecting a crowd for dinner.
"Last year we fed over 300 people," Ryan said. "We try to prepare for that every year.
"This year we might even have more considering the state of the economy."
Ryan said the poor economy has resulted in an increase in visitors to the church's food pantry.
"We've seen a very large increase in our food pantry," she said. "We are feeding over 2,000 people a month from our food pantry.
"That's up considerably so we figure we'll probably have more people for the dinner," she added.
Ryan described the holiday menu, which will include turkey and ham as main dishes.
"Everything is prepared fresh," she said. "We have a professional chef that comes in and prepares everything from scratch.
"It's all fresh produce, fresh meat, fresh bread, cake, pies," she added. "Everything is made fresh. The parish members donate and the community."
According to Ryan the meal is prepared on Christmas Eve and is funded by monetary donations to the church.
Church coordinator Theresa Nowell said last week that the church reaches out to the community to get the word out about the dinner,
"We reach out by sending letters to the chamber of commerce, to businesses in town and to other churches so they know we are having this event."
Ryan said that through the years the number of people involved in the dinner has steadily increased.
"It's really been extremely successful," she said.
"Every year we have more and more people volunteer," she added. "Every year we have more and more people make donations."
Ryan said that the dinner requires about 50 volunteers throughout the entire process.
"Usually it takes about 50 or so people total," she said. "Between all the prep work and everything, it's not all done in one day but it takes about 50 people to put it all together."
She said that the planning process starts in September and takes more than 100 hours to plan and prepare.
"There are regular committee meetings to prepare that start in September," she said. "They meet regularly to go over all the details of the dinner.
"I would say man hours put in preparing for the day is probably in excess of 100, 150 hours," she added.
Another part of the dinner that the church has taken up is the addition of delivery service to those who can't get out.
"We also serve the homebound by delivering meals to the senior housing in Long Branch," Ryan said. "We do take orders from the people that are there, a lot of them are shut-ins and can't get out to come here and have dinner with us.
"We have dinners all prepared and we have a staff of volunteers that will deliver the dinners on Christmas Day," she added.
Ryan said that donations are still being accepted and should be sent to St. James Church.
The church can be reached at the website at http://stjames-longbranch.org or at 732-222-1411.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — A city church will once again be helping to ease the burdens of those who are struggling and in need this holiday season.
St. James Church, 300 Broadway, is hosting its seventh annual Christmas Dinner from 4-7 p.m. on Christmas Day.
"The dinner is open to everyone, but will likely be of most benefit to those whose resources are limited and for whom the holiday season provides as much burden as a blessing," a press release from the church states.
"In order to share this time of celebrating peace and joy we are opening the doors of our church and hopefully our hearts to those who come to us."
Parish Administrator Terry Ann Ryan said last week that because of the economy the church is expecting a crowd for dinner.
"Last year we fed over 300 people," Ryan said. "We try to prepare for that every year.
"This year we might even have more considering the state of the economy."
Ryan said the poor economy has resulted in an increase in visitors to the church's food pantry.
"We've seen a very large increase in our food pantry," she said. "We are feeding over 2,000 people a month from our food pantry.
"That's up considerably so we figure we'll probably have more people for the dinner," she added.
Ryan described the holiday menu, which will include turkey and ham as main dishes.
"Everything is prepared fresh," she said. "We have a professional chef that comes in and prepares everything from scratch.
"It's all fresh produce, fresh meat, fresh bread, cake, pies," she added. "Everything is made fresh. The parish members donate and the community."
According to Ryan the meal is prepared on Christmas Eve and is funded by monetary donations to the church.
Church coordinator Theresa Nowell said last week that the church reaches out to the community to get the word out about the dinner,
"We reach out by sending letters to the chamber of commerce, to businesses in town and to other churches so they know we are having this event."
Ryan said that through the years the number of people involved in the dinner has steadily increased.
"It's really been extremely successful," she said.
"Every year we have more and more people volunteer," she added. "Every year we have more and more people make donations."
Ryan said that the dinner requires about 50 volunteers throughout the entire process.
"Usually it takes about 50 or so people total," she said. "Between all the prep work and everything, it's not all done in one day but it takes about 50 people to put it all together."
She said that the planning process starts in September and takes more than 100 hours to plan and prepare.
"There are regular committee meetings to prepare that start in September," she said. "They meet regularly to go over all the details of the dinner.
"I would say man hours put in preparing for the day is probably in excess of 100, 150 hours," she added.
Another part of the dinner that the church has taken up is the addition of delivery service to those who can't get out.
"We also serve the homebound by delivering meals to the senior housing in Long Branch," Ryan said. "We do take orders from the people that are there, a lot of them are shut-ins and can't get out to come here and have dinner with us.
"We have dinners all prepared and we have a staff of volunteers that will deliver the dinners on Christmas Day," she added.
Ryan said that donations are still being accepted and should be sent to St. James Church.
The church can be reached at the website at http://stjames-longbranch.org or at 732-222-1411.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
Court rules blight challenge is too late
Court rules blight challenge is too late
Fuschia Triangle attny. and clients weigh appeal
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
Astate Superior Court judge ruled last week that time has run out for a legal challenge to Long Branch's designation of a property as blighted, or in need of redevelopment.
After a month and a half of deliberation, Judge Lawrence M. Lawson, sitting in Freehold, denied a motion to allow a legal challenge to the city's blight designation of the lower Broadway property known as the Fuschia Triangle 13 years after it was slated for redevelopment.
"It appears that plaintiffs, after over a decade of owning property in the city, have changed their position on the city's redevelopment plan. Such a change of heart does not justify this court's review of a designation of property over 13 years old," Lawson wrote.
"As early as January 1996 and at the latest May 1996, plaintiffs knew that the Triangle had been deemed 'an area in need of redevelopment,' " Lawson's Nov. 30 decision states. "The court cannot agree with plaintiffs that the circumstances of this case warrant the enlargement of time for the plaintiffs to bring an action in lieu of prerogative writs."
The decision came after an Oct. 14 hearing where attorney William Potter, of Potter & Dickson, Princeton, argued on behalf of plaintiffs Kevin and Adele Fister, principals in Fuschia Triangle Corp. and Coach Corp.
Potter said in an email that he was disappointed by the decision.
"Naturally, we are very disappointed by the court's ruling, which rejected our motion to enlarge the 45-day time to contest the obviously unconstitutional designation of their property as 'in need of redevelopment,' a euphemism for 'blighted area,' " he said.
As expected, Long Branch City Attorney James Aaron said he is pleased with the decision.
"The city's position was affirmed by the court," he said.
"I was cautiously optimistic that would be the outcome," he said. "I thought with the history of the activity that the Fuschia Triangle principals went through that the court would be able to substantiate not giving them a break after 13 years."
The Broadway-Gateway redevelopment zone is composed of commercial properties, with the Fuschia Triangle made up of five contiguous lots bounded by North and South Broadway, Long Branch Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. The city designated the site blighted and "in area in need of redevelopment" in 1996.
The time frame for challenging the city's blight designation was 45 days, and Potter sought to expand that window, arguing that his clients were made aware of the designation but not informed about the ramifications.
In his July 26 motion for enlargement, Potter cited criteria the courts have used to grant enlargements, including substantial and novel constitutional questions and an important public, rather than a private, interest that requires adjudication or clarification as exceptions the courts have used for granting enlargement.
Lawson ruled that the plaintiffs' challenge comes too long after the designation of their property.
"The plaintiffs have sat on their rights for far too long," the decision continues. "They were well aware of the ongoing redevelopment process in the city, as evidenced by their initial willingness to work in conjunction with the city to redevelop the Triangle. In the early phases of the redevelopment process the city announced its desire to work with property owners to better utilize under developed properties rather than resort to condemnation.
"There is no evidence in the record to suggest that the city intends to initiate condemnation proceedings to acquire the triangle.
"Even after plaintiffs became concerned that the city would not accept any development plans they submitted, plaintiffs did not attempt to challenge the blight designation," the decision continues.
Potter said that Lawson's decision has far-reaching consequences for other properties in the city as well.
"Other property owners within Long Branch should also be concerned," he said. "If not reversed, the court's decision means that no property owner within an area that was unconstitutionally designated as blighted will have his or her day in court, if the city doesn't commence eminent domain.
"Since Long Branch has said it will not use eminent domain, all such properties could remain trapped within the city's 'land bank' for as long as the city wants them there," he added. "In my view what we have here is the 'freezing' of a property within a blighted area without compensation or judicial review."
Potter said he and the plaintiffs are weighing whether to challenge Lawson's ruling.
"We are examining options for appeal and soliciting the interest of the Public Advocate's Office, which was helpful for the MTOTSA residents and in similar cases," he said. MTOTSA refers to the beachfront neighborhood of Marine and Ocean terraces and Seaview Avenue, which battled the city over the taking of their property through eminent domain.
In the lawsuit filed against the city on April 8, Potter argued that the Fisters have exhaustively pursued alternative courses of action and failed to gain the city's approval of any plans to develop the Fuschia Triangle, one of the city's six redevelopment zones.
The lawsuit sought to overturn the blight designation of the Fuschia Triangle and asked the court for compensatory and punitive damages for the de facto taking of the Fuschia Triangle resulting from the city's blight designation and its failure to condemn and take the property.
Potter said, "We look forward to the next part of this case, which seeks damages from the city for the 'inverse condemnation' that has occurred and continues to occur."
Lawson set a Jan. 12 date for a conference on the remaining counts of the complaint.
In the motion for enlargement, Potter cited several precedent-setting cases, which he successfully argued, including Harrison Redevelopment v. DeRose (2008), which Lawson rejected as backing up the motion.
"The Appellate Division's decision in Harrison allows a second bite at the apple to defendants in a condemnation action who were not provided constitutionally adequate notice of the initial blight designation," the decision states. "It does not wholly abandon the 45-day time limitations … .
"The instant matter must be distinguished from Harrison because there has been neither the initiation of condemnation proceedings to acquire the Triangle nor does the record reflect any suggestion that the threat is looming."
Aaron said that the decision does not change the city's intent to reach an equitable resolution with the property owners.
"Despite the decision, the city, through the mayor, has communicated to the plaintiffs that the city really wants to work with them," he said. "If they are serious about wanting to put together a project, the city will continue to work with them to get that approved as a developer, even today."
Fuschia Triangle attny. and clients weigh appeal
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
Astate Superior Court judge ruled last week that time has run out for a legal challenge to Long Branch's designation of a property as blighted, or in need of redevelopment.
After a month and a half of deliberation, Judge Lawrence M. Lawson, sitting in Freehold, denied a motion to allow a legal challenge to the city's blight designation of the lower Broadway property known as the Fuschia Triangle 13 years after it was slated for redevelopment.
"It appears that plaintiffs, after over a decade of owning property in the city, have changed their position on the city's redevelopment plan. Such a change of heart does not justify this court's review of a designation of property over 13 years old," Lawson wrote.
"As early as January 1996 and at the latest May 1996, plaintiffs knew that the Triangle had been deemed 'an area in need of redevelopment,' " Lawson's Nov. 30 decision states. "The court cannot agree with plaintiffs that the circumstances of this case warrant the enlargement of time for the plaintiffs to bring an action in lieu of prerogative writs."
The decision came after an Oct. 14 hearing where attorney William Potter, of Potter & Dickson, Princeton, argued on behalf of plaintiffs Kevin and Adele Fister, principals in Fuschia Triangle Corp. and Coach Corp.
Potter said in an email that he was disappointed by the decision.
"Naturally, we are very disappointed by the court's ruling, which rejected our motion to enlarge the 45-day time to contest the obviously unconstitutional designation of their property as 'in need of redevelopment,' a euphemism for 'blighted area,' " he said.
As expected, Long Branch City Attorney James Aaron said he is pleased with the decision.
"The city's position was affirmed by the court," he said.
"I was cautiously optimistic that would be the outcome," he said. "I thought with the history of the activity that the Fuschia Triangle principals went through that the court would be able to substantiate not giving them a break after 13 years."
The Broadway-Gateway redevelopment zone is composed of commercial properties, with the Fuschia Triangle made up of five contiguous lots bounded by North and South Broadway, Long Branch Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. The city designated the site blighted and "in area in need of redevelopment" in 1996.
The time frame for challenging the city's blight designation was 45 days, and Potter sought to expand that window, arguing that his clients were made aware of the designation but not informed about the ramifications.
In his July 26 motion for enlargement, Potter cited criteria the courts have used to grant enlargements, including substantial and novel constitutional questions and an important public, rather than a private, interest that requires adjudication or clarification as exceptions the courts have used for granting enlargement.
Lawson ruled that the plaintiffs' challenge comes too long after the designation of their property.
"The plaintiffs have sat on their rights for far too long," the decision continues. "They were well aware of the ongoing redevelopment process in the city, as evidenced by their initial willingness to work in conjunction with the city to redevelop the Triangle. In the early phases of the redevelopment process the city announced its desire to work with property owners to better utilize under developed properties rather than resort to condemnation.
"There is no evidence in the record to suggest that the city intends to initiate condemnation proceedings to acquire the triangle.
"Even after plaintiffs became concerned that the city would not accept any development plans they submitted, plaintiffs did not attempt to challenge the blight designation," the decision continues.
Potter said that Lawson's decision has far-reaching consequences for other properties in the city as well.
"Other property owners within Long Branch should also be concerned," he said. "If not reversed, the court's decision means that no property owner within an area that was unconstitutionally designated as blighted will have his or her day in court, if the city doesn't commence eminent domain.
"Since Long Branch has said it will not use eminent domain, all such properties could remain trapped within the city's 'land bank' for as long as the city wants them there," he added. "In my view what we have here is the 'freezing' of a property within a blighted area without compensation or judicial review."
Potter said he and the plaintiffs are weighing whether to challenge Lawson's ruling.
"We are examining options for appeal and soliciting the interest of the Public Advocate's Office, which was helpful for the MTOTSA residents and in similar cases," he said. MTOTSA refers to the beachfront neighborhood of Marine and Ocean terraces and Seaview Avenue, which battled the city over the taking of their property through eminent domain.
In the lawsuit filed against the city on April 8, Potter argued that the Fisters have exhaustively pursued alternative courses of action and failed to gain the city's approval of any plans to develop the Fuschia Triangle, one of the city's six redevelopment zones.
The lawsuit sought to overturn the blight designation of the Fuschia Triangle and asked the court for compensatory and punitive damages for the de facto taking of the Fuschia Triangle resulting from the city's blight designation and its failure to condemn and take the property.
Potter said, "We look forward to the next part of this case, which seeks damages from the city for the 'inverse condemnation' that has occurred and continues to occur."
Lawson set a Jan. 12 date for a conference on the remaining counts of the complaint.
In the motion for enlargement, Potter cited several precedent-setting cases, which he successfully argued, including Harrison Redevelopment v. DeRose (2008), which Lawson rejected as backing up the motion.
"The Appellate Division's decision in Harrison allows a second bite at the apple to defendants in a condemnation action who were not provided constitutionally adequate notice of the initial blight designation," the decision states. "It does not wholly abandon the 45-day time limitations … .
"The instant matter must be distinguished from Harrison because there has been neither the initiation of condemnation proceedings to acquire the Triangle nor does the record reflect any suggestion that the threat is looming."
Aaron said that the decision does not change the city's intent to reach an equitable resolution with the property owners.
"Despite the decision, the city, through the mayor, has communicated to the plaintiffs that the city really wants to work with them," he said. "If they are serious about wanting to put together a project, the city will continue to work with them to get that approved as a developer, even today."
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Long Branch awards contract for pier design
Long Branch awards contract for pier design
Design team will look at feasibility, economic viability
BY KENNY WALKER Staff Writer
The design process for the proposed Long Branch pier and ferry terminal kicked off last week when a New York-based engineering firm was awarded the $1.7 million design bid.
This 2005 rendering of a proposed design for the Long Branch pier includes an amphitheater and ferry dock. This 2005 rendering of a proposed design for the Long Branch pier includes an amphitheater and ferry dock. The City Council unanimously approved the resolution awarding McLaren Engineering Group, West Nyack, N.Y., on Nov. 24. Councilman Brian Unger was absent for the vote.
McLaren will be the lead firm for the design work, which will also involve a handful of other architectural and engineering firms.
The team, led by McLaren president Mal McLaren, pitched their ideas to the council during the workshop meeting preceding the vote.
"We have designed most of the ferry terminals that have been part of the resurrection in ferry service in the Greater New York area," McLaren said. "We've been working with this form of transportation for over 20 years."
Some of the ferry terminals McLaren designed by the firm include the Battery Park Ferry Terminal in New York City and Port Imperial Ferry Terminal in Weehawken.
Of the $1.7 million award, the city is on the hook for 20 percent, or $340,000. Funding for the remaining 80 percent will come from the Federal Transit Authority.
McLaren said that one of the features that drew the firm to the Long Branch project is the entertainment feature.
"There is an entertainment component to this pier, which is an appealing part of this project," he said.
McLaren described some of the important components that make a ferry terminal viable.
"There are three important components: safety, reliability and accessibility," he said. "If we want to make this a viable ferry transportation hub, we have to satisfy all three of these components."
McLaren said one of the major challenges, a reason the terminal may never be built, is that the Long Branch terminal would be on the ocean.
"Most of the work we've done is with the harbor," he said. "Here we have to deal with the ocean.
"The ocean presents its own set of challenges," he added. "It's going to take a lot of good engineering to make this happen.
"We think it can happen," he continued. "We are going to need to make sure we accommodate the prevailing winds, current, waves — we've got a lot of activity out there."
McLaren said the idea that would make the proposed terminal work is to build an artificial harbor at the pier.
"What we are thinking is that we need to build a pier and create a harbor," he said. "We can build a pier and put a little leg on it and create a harbor using breakwater."
McLaren then presented a video representation of a ferry rocking in the waves without a harbor being created.
"It doesn't look like I'd really want to go on that boat," he said.
One idea that McLaren shot down was building a jetty.
"The problems are, if we build a solid jetty, besides the permitting issue, you have a place where the sand deposits upstream with the jetty," he said. "You'd wind up with a lot of sand deposited where the harbor we are trying to make is."
McLaren said that the terminal would be built to accommodate many different types of ferries.
"We'd want a side-loading vessel and probably a bow-loading vessel," he said. "What we want to do is build something that attracts a couple of different operators.
"The ferry industry is growing," he added. "The fleet is ever-growing and the destinations are ever-growing."
One specific destination for a Long Branch ferry would be Coney Island in Brooklyn, N.Y., he said, noting that the New York landmark has recently put out requests for design proposals for a ferry terminal.
"The Coney Island to Long Branch run could really be something interesting," McLaren said. "I believe if we do this and do this right, this could be a two-way ferry.
"I think not only can people commute to New York but you can bring people from New York to Long Branch," he added. "I think it would be terrific."
Other destinations mentioned for a Long Branch ferry route are various points in Manhattan, Weehawken, and La Guardia and JFK airports in Queens.
One of the important parts of moving the project forward will be obtaining federal funds and grants.
"We have to understand the funding sources and subsidies," McLaren said. "There is a lot of money earmarked specifically for ferry transportation.
"It's a great solution because it pulls people out of vehicles," he said. "I think there is an opportunity to get some grants."
McLaren also said that the terminal and pier must generate their own revenue.
"We also have to generate revenue," he said. "We need to build something that will attract not just one operator but several."
McLaren described some revenue-generating options, including rental fees and revenue from ticket sales and advertising.
The concept for the pier includes restaurants, bars, offices, an outdoor concert area, shopping, a fishing pier and a winter garden.
"We want this to be a destination not just a ferry terminal," McLaren said.
He acknowledged that the fishing pier component could present problems, but McLaren envisions the pier as being large enough to separate the ferry and the fishing.
"Fishing and ferries don't always get along," he said. "You don't want to be casting lead weights into the propellers of the vessels. I think there is room on this pier to separate them."
McLaren said that the first portion of the design process would be figuring out if the pier and ferry could become a reality.
"The first three or four months we will be focusing on … the design requirements," he said. "Can we build a harbor?"
"We know it will work a certain number of days in the year," he added. "What we want to do is increase the number of days that we can operate to make it economically viable."
One option he discussed is building the pier without the ferry terminal, but he said that would make the project ineligible for some federal funding sources and result in rents that would be too high.
"The rents that you'd have to charge to pay for something like that may make it difficult," he said.
McLaren closed his presentation by assuring the council that his firm would be able to design the terminal, but the first order of business would be to study whether the project will make fiscal sense.
"It can be done; the challenge is, can we do it with available funds?" he said. "Whether it will attract enough people to use it is another question.
"If we only attract 500 people a day, then maybe the economics aren't there," he added.
Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider summarized the city's stance on the project.
"We have to take it to a point where it is designed and shown that it will work, so that the funding will come," Schneider said. "The problem always is the cost of the engineering, the cost of the design, the cost of the planning is very expensive.
"We have gotten funding for that; now we have to do that so that we can now go to the next level because we are clearly going to have to get substantial funds, probably from the federal government."
Schneider said that without moving forward with the study, the city would never know if the pier and terminal are possible, adding that the project would be too costly for the city to undertake without outside funding.
"Ultimately when it is time to fund the pier, we are going to have to find sources," he said. "We will never have that money.
"The estimate so far is that this is a $50 million project and the city cannot possibly fund that," he added.
Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-6th District) secured $300,000 in funding over the summer for the design of the pier.
In 1987, a fire destroyed the Long Branch pier, and since that time the city has acquired redevelopment rights and officials have said the intention is to rebuild the pier with amenities.
The pier project is divided into three components:
• The Core Pier will be the main structure and will cost approximately $36.3 million. Plans call for the pier to extend 900 feet from the boardwalk into the Atlantic Ocean.
• The high-speed ferry terminal and docking facility, slated to cost $20.2 million, would provide a direct route from the Long Branch region to lower Manhattan at a travel time of 40 minutes. The pier would contain a docking system, as well as the ticketing and waiting areas required for the ferry operation.
• The amenity uses, estimated to cost $32.5 million, would include retail, restaurants, event space, a public winter garden, outdoor amphitheater, entertainment space, fishing area and a children's play area.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
Design team will look at feasibility, economic viability
BY KENNY WALKER Staff Writer
The design process for the proposed Long Branch pier and ferry terminal kicked off last week when a New York-based engineering firm was awarded the $1.7 million design bid.
This 2005 rendering of a proposed design for the Long Branch pier includes an amphitheater and ferry dock. This 2005 rendering of a proposed design for the Long Branch pier includes an amphitheater and ferry dock. The City Council unanimously approved the resolution awarding McLaren Engineering Group, West Nyack, N.Y., on Nov. 24. Councilman Brian Unger was absent for the vote.
McLaren will be the lead firm for the design work, which will also involve a handful of other architectural and engineering firms.
The team, led by McLaren president Mal McLaren, pitched their ideas to the council during the workshop meeting preceding the vote.
"We have designed most of the ferry terminals that have been part of the resurrection in ferry service in the Greater New York area," McLaren said. "We've been working with this form of transportation for over 20 years."
Some of the ferry terminals McLaren designed by the firm include the Battery Park Ferry Terminal in New York City and Port Imperial Ferry Terminal in Weehawken.
Of the $1.7 million award, the city is on the hook for 20 percent, or $340,000. Funding for the remaining 80 percent will come from the Federal Transit Authority.
McLaren said that one of the features that drew the firm to the Long Branch project is the entertainment feature.
"There is an entertainment component to this pier, which is an appealing part of this project," he said.
McLaren described some of the important components that make a ferry terminal viable.
"There are three important components: safety, reliability and accessibility," he said. "If we want to make this a viable ferry transportation hub, we have to satisfy all three of these components."
McLaren said one of the major challenges, a reason the terminal may never be built, is that the Long Branch terminal would be on the ocean.
"Most of the work we've done is with the harbor," he said. "Here we have to deal with the ocean.
"The ocean presents its own set of challenges," he added. "It's going to take a lot of good engineering to make this happen.
"We think it can happen," he continued. "We are going to need to make sure we accommodate the prevailing winds, current, waves — we've got a lot of activity out there."
McLaren said the idea that would make the proposed terminal work is to build an artificial harbor at the pier.
"What we are thinking is that we need to build a pier and create a harbor," he said. "We can build a pier and put a little leg on it and create a harbor using breakwater."
McLaren then presented a video representation of a ferry rocking in the waves without a harbor being created.
"It doesn't look like I'd really want to go on that boat," he said.
One idea that McLaren shot down was building a jetty.
"The problems are, if we build a solid jetty, besides the permitting issue, you have a place where the sand deposits upstream with the jetty," he said. "You'd wind up with a lot of sand deposited where the harbor we are trying to make is."
McLaren said that the terminal would be built to accommodate many different types of ferries.
"We'd want a side-loading vessel and probably a bow-loading vessel," he said. "What we want to do is build something that attracts a couple of different operators.
"The ferry industry is growing," he added. "The fleet is ever-growing and the destinations are ever-growing."
One specific destination for a Long Branch ferry would be Coney Island in Brooklyn, N.Y., he said, noting that the New York landmark has recently put out requests for design proposals for a ferry terminal.
"The Coney Island to Long Branch run could really be something interesting," McLaren said. "I believe if we do this and do this right, this could be a two-way ferry.
"I think not only can people commute to New York but you can bring people from New York to Long Branch," he added. "I think it would be terrific."
Other destinations mentioned for a Long Branch ferry route are various points in Manhattan, Weehawken, and La Guardia and JFK airports in Queens.
One of the important parts of moving the project forward will be obtaining federal funds and grants.
"We have to understand the funding sources and subsidies," McLaren said. "There is a lot of money earmarked specifically for ferry transportation.
"It's a great solution because it pulls people out of vehicles," he said. "I think there is an opportunity to get some grants."
McLaren also said that the terminal and pier must generate their own revenue.
"We also have to generate revenue," he said. "We need to build something that will attract not just one operator but several."
McLaren described some revenue-generating options, including rental fees and revenue from ticket sales and advertising.
The concept for the pier includes restaurants, bars, offices, an outdoor concert area, shopping, a fishing pier and a winter garden.
"We want this to be a destination not just a ferry terminal," McLaren said.
He acknowledged that the fishing pier component could present problems, but McLaren envisions the pier as being large enough to separate the ferry and the fishing.
"Fishing and ferries don't always get along," he said. "You don't want to be casting lead weights into the propellers of the vessels. I think there is room on this pier to separate them."
McLaren said that the first portion of the design process would be figuring out if the pier and ferry could become a reality.
"The first three or four months we will be focusing on … the design requirements," he said. "Can we build a harbor?"
"We know it will work a certain number of days in the year," he added. "What we want to do is increase the number of days that we can operate to make it economically viable."
One option he discussed is building the pier without the ferry terminal, but he said that would make the project ineligible for some federal funding sources and result in rents that would be too high.
"The rents that you'd have to charge to pay for something like that may make it difficult," he said.
McLaren closed his presentation by assuring the council that his firm would be able to design the terminal, but the first order of business would be to study whether the project will make fiscal sense.
"It can be done; the challenge is, can we do it with available funds?" he said. "Whether it will attract enough people to use it is another question.
"If we only attract 500 people a day, then maybe the economics aren't there," he added.
Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider summarized the city's stance on the project.
"We have to take it to a point where it is designed and shown that it will work, so that the funding will come," Schneider said. "The problem always is the cost of the engineering, the cost of the design, the cost of the planning is very expensive.
"We have gotten funding for that; now we have to do that so that we can now go to the next level because we are clearly going to have to get substantial funds, probably from the federal government."
Schneider said that without moving forward with the study, the city would never know if the pier and terminal are possible, adding that the project would be too costly for the city to undertake without outside funding.
"Ultimately when it is time to fund the pier, we are going to have to find sources," he said. "We will never have that money.
"The estimate so far is that this is a $50 million project and the city cannot possibly fund that," he added.
Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-6th District) secured $300,000 in funding over the summer for the design of the pier.
In 1987, a fire destroyed the Long Branch pier, and since that time the city has acquired redevelopment rights and officials have said the intention is to rebuild the pier with amenities.
The pier project is divided into three components:
• The Core Pier will be the main structure and will cost approximately $36.3 million. Plans call for the pier to extend 900 feet from the boardwalk into the Atlantic Ocean.
• The high-speed ferry terminal and docking facility, slated to cost $20.2 million, would provide a direct route from the Long Branch region to lower Manhattan at a travel time of 40 minutes. The pier would contain a docking system, as well as the ticketing and waiting areas required for the ferry operation.
• The amenity uses, estimated to cost $32.5 million, would include retail, restaurants, event space, a public winter garden, outdoor amphitheater, entertainment space, fishing area and a children's play area.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
Future of Takanassee buildings uncertain
Future of Takanassee buildings uncertain
County: Agreement with developer is stalled
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
The future of two of the Takanassee buildings remains unsecured as the developer of the beach club site explores the possibility of relocating both buildings to the Church of the Presidents on Ocean Avenue in Long Branch.
A fire Sept. 25 damaged the tower of the Boathouse building, one of three structures on the Takanassee property. CHRIS KELLY staff A fire Sept. 25 damaged the tower of the Boathouse building, one of three structures on the Takanassee property. CHRIS KELLY staff Lawrence Jacobs, attorney for Takanassee Developers, said last week the developer is searching for avenues that will keep the circa-1900 Port Huron building and the 1877 Captain's House together for the foreseeable future.
Plans call for one of the three Takanassee structures, the Boathouse, to be preserved on site and become part of the new development and for the two others to be relocated and restored off site. The Captain's House was supposed to go to Monmouth County's Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, and talks have been ongoing about moving the Port Huron house to the Church of the Presidents site on Ocean Avenue.
Jacobs said Church of the Presidents is currently an option being considered for both structures.
"Discussions continue with the representatives," Jacobs said. "If they can't accommodate both, then the county and Seven Presidents Park may represent the best opportunity for the [Captain's House] building."
The county has committed to taking the Captain's House and relocating it to Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park.
Jacobs said that is still an option if a way to keep the houses together can't be found.
"We are still very interested in working with the county," Jacobs said. "We are still interested in other locations that might work for both buildings, if that can be achieved.
"We worked with the county and set the plan where the county would incorporate the building into Seven Presidents Park and open it up and make it available for recreational use, along with some historical context," he said. "The county does not have a use for the Port Huron building.
"I think it would be great if both buildings could be retained together, but if that's not an option, then we will certainly pursue Seven Presidents," Jacobs added.
While the developer is looking at different options for the buildings, if those don't work out, the agreement with the county still stands, Jacobs said.
"We have the basics of the agreement with the county," he said. "Most of the terms have already been negotiated."
However, a county official said last week that she is concerned that an agreement has not been formalized.
"We don't actually have an agreement with the developer in place," Gail Hunton, Monmouth County Park System supervising historical preservation specialist, said. "The project can't move forward until there is an agreement."
Hunton said previously there was reason to be optimistic that an agreement between the county and the developer would be finalized, but talks had slowed to a halt.
"We got so far in the negotiations, then there has been no movement on the developer's side finalizing the agreement," she said.
According to Hunton, the county's offer is still in place.
"Our offer is still on the table," she said. "We really made good progress with an agreement. We need an agreement that we can bring to our board; it's just not finalized yet," she said.
The site of the Takanassee Beach Club on Ocean Avenue was originally U.S. Lifesaving Station No. 5.
Developer Isaac Chera, principal of Takanassee Developers, purchased the property for just under $18 million and was issued a Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) permit by the state Department of Environmental Protection to permit construction of a luxury condominium project on the oceanfront site.
Chera cannot proceed with the project until he complies with the conditions listed in the CAFRA permit, which include preserving the three historic buildings that are on the site.
Hunton said that once an agreement is reached between the county and the developer, more needs to happen for the building to be moved.
"Our board has to approve and the freeholders have to approve the agreement and the acceptance of the building," she said. "There is a whole chain of things that have to happen before we can actually take it."
Hunton said that if an agreement is not reached, the developer must go a different route in moving the building.
"It is the developer's responsibility to find a home for those two lifesaving stations," she said. "If they do not wish to enter an agreement with the county, then they have to find an alternate site."
Hunton said that the county is holding the site for the building, so that will not be a problem.
"We are holding the site open for the possibility," she said, adding, "There is no current activity, unfortunately."
While talks on moving the Captain's House have stalled, a city official said last week talks between the developer and the Church of the President are progressing.
"I'm reasonably optimistic that we will be able to work something out, but until it's done, it's not done," Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider said. "We are reasonably optimistic something good is going to come from it."
A member of the Long Branch Historical Museum Association, which is housed at the Church of the Presidents, said that talks are ongoing, but nothing is finalized.
"Right now there is no update," Jim Foley said. "I know we are still in the negotiating stage."
Schneider has said that the developer's plans call for the boathouse to be preserved on site and to be converted into a community center. Housing units and condominiums are scheduled to be constructed on the remainder of the property.
However, the developer cannot proceed until sites are secured for the two other buildings.
"The developer can't do anything until the issue of the buildings is resolved," he said. "He's got to move them."
Schneider pointed out that he hopes the buildings are preserved, but there is a chance they may not have to be.
"What happens then [if the talks break down]?" he said. "I don't have the answer to that. They are not on the register [of historic places]. They are not protected by state statute.
"I don't have the answer," he continued. "I'd hate to see it come to that, so we'll see."
While Schneider is optimistic about the Port Huron house, he said he has not been particularly involved with the talks with the county.
"I've sat in on meetings but it's probably been 10 months," he said. "We will see what happens."
Schneider said there is a chance that both buildings could be moved to the Church of the Presidents, which may save on relocation costs.
Some of the proposals put forth in recent months, particularly by Long Branch Councilman Brian Unger, have called for turning one of the buildings into a maritime museum.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com. CHRIS KELLY staff
County: Agreement with developer is stalled
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
The future of two of the Takanassee buildings remains unsecured as the developer of the beach club site explores the possibility of relocating both buildings to the Church of the Presidents on Ocean Avenue in Long Branch.
A fire Sept. 25 damaged the tower of the Boathouse building, one of three structures on the Takanassee property. CHRIS KELLY staff A fire Sept. 25 damaged the tower of the Boathouse building, one of three structures on the Takanassee property. CHRIS KELLY staff Lawrence Jacobs, attorney for Takanassee Developers, said last week the developer is searching for avenues that will keep the circa-1900 Port Huron building and the 1877 Captain's House together for the foreseeable future.
Plans call for one of the three Takanassee structures, the Boathouse, to be preserved on site and become part of the new development and for the two others to be relocated and restored off site. The Captain's House was supposed to go to Monmouth County's Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, and talks have been ongoing about moving the Port Huron house to the Church of the Presidents site on Ocean Avenue.
Jacobs said Church of the Presidents is currently an option being considered for both structures.
"Discussions continue with the representatives," Jacobs said. "If they can't accommodate both, then the county and Seven Presidents Park may represent the best opportunity for the [Captain's House] building."
The county has committed to taking the Captain's House and relocating it to Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park.
Jacobs said that is still an option if a way to keep the houses together can't be found.
"We are still very interested in working with the county," Jacobs said. "We are still interested in other locations that might work for both buildings, if that can be achieved.
"We worked with the county and set the plan where the county would incorporate the building into Seven Presidents Park and open it up and make it available for recreational use, along with some historical context," he said. "The county does not have a use for the Port Huron building.
"I think it would be great if both buildings could be retained together, but if that's not an option, then we will certainly pursue Seven Presidents," Jacobs added.
While the developer is looking at different options for the buildings, if those don't work out, the agreement with the county still stands, Jacobs said.
"We have the basics of the agreement with the county," he said. "Most of the terms have already been negotiated."
However, a county official said last week that she is concerned that an agreement has not been formalized.
"We don't actually have an agreement with the developer in place," Gail Hunton, Monmouth County Park System supervising historical preservation specialist, said. "The project can't move forward until there is an agreement."
Hunton said previously there was reason to be optimistic that an agreement between the county and the developer would be finalized, but talks had slowed to a halt.
"We got so far in the negotiations, then there has been no movement on the developer's side finalizing the agreement," she said.
According to Hunton, the county's offer is still in place.
"Our offer is still on the table," she said. "We really made good progress with an agreement. We need an agreement that we can bring to our board; it's just not finalized yet," she said.
The site of the Takanassee Beach Club on Ocean Avenue was originally U.S. Lifesaving Station No. 5.
Developer Isaac Chera, principal of Takanassee Developers, purchased the property for just under $18 million and was issued a Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) permit by the state Department of Environmental Protection to permit construction of a luxury condominium project on the oceanfront site.
Chera cannot proceed with the project until he complies with the conditions listed in the CAFRA permit, which include preserving the three historic buildings that are on the site.
Hunton said that once an agreement is reached between the county and the developer, more needs to happen for the building to be moved.
"Our board has to approve and the freeholders have to approve the agreement and the acceptance of the building," she said. "There is a whole chain of things that have to happen before we can actually take it."
Hunton said that if an agreement is not reached, the developer must go a different route in moving the building.
"It is the developer's responsibility to find a home for those two lifesaving stations," she said. "If they do not wish to enter an agreement with the county, then they have to find an alternate site."
Hunton said that the county is holding the site for the building, so that will not be a problem.
"We are holding the site open for the possibility," she said, adding, "There is no current activity, unfortunately."
While talks on moving the Captain's House have stalled, a city official said last week talks between the developer and the Church of the President are progressing.
"I'm reasonably optimistic that we will be able to work something out, but until it's done, it's not done," Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider said. "We are reasonably optimistic something good is going to come from it."
A member of the Long Branch Historical Museum Association, which is housed at the Church of the Presidents, said that talks are ongoing, but nothing is finalized.
"Right now there is no update," Jim Foley said. "I know we are still in the negotiating stage."
Schneider has said that the developer's plans call for the boathouse to be preserved on site and to be converted into a community center. Housing units and condominiums are scheduled to be constructed on the remainder of the property.
However, the developer cannot proceed until sites are secured for the two other buildings.
"The developer can't do anything until the issue of the buildings is resolved," he said. "He's got to move them."
Schneider pointed out that he hopes the buildings are preserved, but there is a chance they may not have to be.
"What happens then [if the talks break down]?" he said. "I don't have the answer to that. They are not on the register [of historic places]. They are not protected by state statute.
"I don't have the answer," he continued. "I'd hate to see it come to that, so we'll see."
While Schneider is optimistic about the Port Huron house, he said he has not been particularly involved with the talks with the county.
"I've sat in on meetings but it's probably been 10 months," he said. "We will see what happens."
Schneider said there is a chance that both buildings could be moved to the Church of the Presidents, which may save on relocation costs.
Some of the proposals put forth in recent months, particularly by Long Branch Councilman Brian Unger, have called for turning one of the buildings into a maritime museum.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com. CHRIS KELLY staff
Friday, February 19, 2010
Ordinance provides $1M for public works
Ordinance provides $1M for public works
Council introduces funding for capital improvements
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — The Borough Council voted unanimously to introduce an ordinance appropriating $1,095,000 for various public works equipment at the Nov. 10 meeting.
Public Works Director John N. Bucciero said the funds would make it possible to replace some trucks that are no longer serviceable.
"The trucks are replacements for old trucks that are no longer functioning or will not be functioning much longer," he said last week. "One of them we got rid of because of failure, and the second one is no longer usable because of structural failure.
"The third one is showing structural failure and has engine problems," he added.
Bucciero said his original request to the council for funding was amended after a third truck failed.
He said the department would be in a tough situation if the ordinance is not adopted.
"I don't know how we are going to do it without the vehicles," he said. "It's just going to be more breakdowns and more spending money on old equipment to try to keep it functioning.
"At some point, a piece of equipment is not worth keeping up," he added.
Bucciero said that there is a misconception about the relatively low miles on the garbage trucks. According to Bucciero, a garbage truck usually exhibits more wear and tear than the mileage may indicate.
"One of our trucks that I want to replace is a 1994," he said. "It only shows 74,826 miles, but the running hours are 11,626."
Bucciero said that if you do the math, that truck would have 1,453 days of solid running and added that the stop-and-go nature of garbage truck operation really shortens their useful life.
"A truck will pick up around 800 cans in a day going one house to the next to the next to the next," he said." This is one of the things I'm trying to explain, that the mileage on a garbage truck is going to be less important than the hours."
Bucciero noted that the request for funding is higher than usual, but not that much more.
"We usually run around $450,000 a year," he said. "I didn't request anything in 2008, and I had warned them in 2008 that I was going to combine both years.
"Of course, that was a different administration at the time, but I had warned them," he added.
Bucciero said one of the reasons he didn't request anything in 2008 was that the DPW is in the process of changing the way trash is collected.
He also said that within the last year, the department has started trash collection for condominiums and townhouses.
"Part of this capital is for more dumpsters to do that," he said.
At the Oct. 20 council meeting, Bucciero also requested that the council adopt a single stream recycling policy, which he said would put Tinton Falls ahead of the curve.
"We are going to be one of the first to do the single stream in Monmouth County," he said.
Bucciero said that regardless of whether or not the council adopts the recycling policy, the Public Works Department needs capital improvements.
"It is the exact same vehicles that will pick up the exact same cans whether it is single stream or not," he said.
Bucciero said the department might actually need more equipment if they don't change to the single-stream system.
"If we don't go to single stream, I'm going to need another truck and more employees, because then we are going to have to pick everything up by hand," he said. "What I'm trying to do is eliminate the need for more trucks."
He also said that in the single-stream system, all recycling is collected together in one can, as opposed to separating out newspapers and cardboard. The recycling is then sent to a recycling plant in Farmingdale to be separated.
Bucciero said that using this method, residents would be more likely to recycle because it will be more convenient for them.
The council will vote on the capital improvements at the Dec. 1 meeting.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
Council introduces funding for capital improvements
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — The Borough Council voted unanimously to introduce an ordinance appropriating $1,095,000 for various public works equipment at the Nov. 10 meeting.
Public Works Director John N. Bucciero said the funds would make it possible to replace some trucks that are no longer serviceable.
"The trucks are replacements for old trucks that are no longer functioning or will not be functioning much longer," he said last week. "One of them we got rid of because of failure, and the second one is no longer usable because of structural failure.
"The third one is showing structural failure and has engine problems," he added.
Bucciero said his original request to the council for funding was amended after a third truck failed.
He said the department would be in a tough situation if the ordinance is not adopted.
"I don't know how we are going to do it without the vehicles," he said. "It's just going to be more breakdowns and more spending money on old equipment to try to keep it functioning.
"At some point, a piece of equipment is not worth keeping up," he added.
Bucciero said that there is a misconception about the relatively low miles on the garbage trucks. According to Bucciero, a garbage truck usually exhibits more wear and tear than the mileage may indicate.
"One of our trucks that I want to replace is a 1994," he said. "It only shows 74,826 miles, but the running hours are 11,626."
Bucciero said that if you do the math, that truck would have 1,453 days of solid running and added that the stop-and-go nature of garbage truck operation really shortens their useful life.
"A truck will pick up around 800 cans in a day going one house to the next to the next to the next," he said." This is one of the things I'm trying to explain, that the mileage on a garbage truck is going to be less important than the hours."
Bucciero noted that the request for funding is higher than usual, but not that much more.
"We usually run around $450,000 a year," he said. "I didn't request anything in 2008, and I had warned them in 2008 that I was going to combine both years.
"Of course, that was a different administration at the time, but I had warned them," he added.
Bucciero said one of the reasons he didn't request anything in 2008 was that the DPW is in the process of changing the way trash is collected.
He also said that within the last year, the department has started trash collection for condominiums and townhouses.
"Part of this capital is for more dumpsters to do that," he said.
At the Oct. 20 council meeting, Bucciero also requested that the council adopt a single stream recycling policy, which he said would put Tinton Falls ahead of the curve.
"We are going to be one of the first to do the single stream in Monmouth County," he said.
Bucciero said that regardless of whether or not the council adopts the recycling policy, the Public Works Department needs capital improvements.
"It is the exact same vehicles that will pick up the exact same cans whether it is single stream or not," he said.
Bucciero said the department might actually need more equipment if they don't change to the single-stream system.
"If we don't go to single stream, I'm going to need another truck and more employees, because then we are going to have to pick everything up by hand," he said. "What I'm trying to do is eliminate the need for more trucks."
He also said that in the single-stream system, all recycling is collected together in one can, as opposed to separating out newspapers and cardboard. The recycling is then sent to a recycling plant in Farmingdale to be separated.
Bucciero said that using this method, residents would be more likely to recycle because it will be more convenient for them.
The council will vote on the capital improvements at the Dec. 1 meeting.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
Nor'easter erodes beaches, washes out steps in L.B.
Nor'easter erodes beaches, washes out steps in L.B.
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
Long Branch weathered the nor'easter that ripped through the Jersey Shore last week, with damage limited to beach erosion.
According to Stanley Dzuiba, Long Branch Office of Emergency Management coordinator, the storm damage was limited to the beachfront.
"We got hit on our beaches," he said. "It's just major beach erosion, no other event went on," he said. "North Long Branch flooded, but no more than it usually does. It was a relatively quiet storm for us. The only thing we lost as far as property damage was our beach steps."
Dzuiba said the storm did cause major erosion to some beaches.
"Basically we lost about 6 to 8 feet of sand in places," he said. "Seaview Avenue beach, the beach behind the Promenade Beach Club, the Great Lawn beach, the water is now up to the seawall."
Dzuiba described some of the erosion.
"Where you used to walk up to the beach at the Promenade, where the sand was actually level, when you walk [now] is about a 6½-foot, 7-foot drop there."
Dzuiba said that some of the entryways to the beach were damaged by the storm.
"Our steps on Seaview Avenue were washed out," he said. "We had some steps washed out a little bit further down. That's about it."
Gov. Jon Corzine declared a state of emergency on Nov. 15 in six New Jersey counties battered by recent tropical storm Ida.
Municipalities in Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Monmouth and Ocean Counties suffered damage from the nor'easter that could enable them to receive federal funding for repairs.
Monmouth County OEM Coordinator Glen Mason said last week that he anticipated meeting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Nov. 18. However, FEMA had to reschedule, because the severity of the damage in the southern part of the state caused delays.
"We are putting the application in. We got preliminary damage assessment (PDA) numbers from the municipalities," Mason said.
The first step in the application process is the PDA, which is a joint assessment used to determine the magnitude and impact of an event's damage.
"A FEMA or a state team visits local applicants to assess the scope of damage and estimate repair costs. The state then uses the results of the PDA to determine if the situation is beyond the combined capabilities of the state and local resources and to verify the need for supplemental federal assistance," Mason explained.
Mason projects the damage amount for the county to be between $500,000 and $1 million, not including the costs for beach replenishment.
"That's currently where the numbers are today," he said on Nov. 18. "They're still changing and coming in and change constantly, even as we speak.
"Beach erosion is my main concern and the biggest issue. We don't know yet who will take care of the beach replenishment," Mason said.
He said that he is working with municipal police departments, offices of emergency management, departments of public works and municipal coordinators.
Dzuiba said the city will be requesting funding to mitigate the beach erosion from FEMA but does not know how much will be received.
"We have put in for beaches, that's really the only thing we put in for," he said. "They haven't even come out yet to talk to us."
Staff Writer Kimberly Steinberg contributed to this story.
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
Long Branch weathered the nor'easter that ripped through the Jersey Shore last week, with damage limited to beach erosion.
According to Stanley Dzuiba, Long Branch Office of Emergency Management coordinator, the storm damage was limited to the beachfront.
"We got hit on our beaches," he said. "It's just major beach erosion, no other event went on," he said. "North Long Branch flooded, but no more than it usually does. It was a relatively quiet storm for us. The only thing we lost as far as property damage was our beach steps."
Dzuiba said the storm did cause major erosion to some beaches.
"Basically we lost about 6 to 8 feet of sand in places," he said. "Seaview Avenue beach, the beach behind the Promenade Beach Club, the Great Lawn beach, the water is now up to the seawall."
Dzuiba described some of the erosion.
"Where you used to walk up to the beach at the Promenade, where the sand was actually level, when you walk [now] is about a 6½-foot, 7-foot drop there."
Dzuiba said that some of the entryways to the beach were damaged by the storm.
"Our steps on Seaview Avenue were washed out," he said. "We had some steps washed out a little bit further down. That's about it."
Gov. Jon Corzine declared a state of emergency on Nov. 15 in six New Jersey counties battered by recent tropical storm Ida.
Municipalities in Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Monmouth and Ocean Counties suffered damage from the nor'easter that could enable them to receive federal funding for repairs.
Monmouth County OEM Coordinator Glen Mason said last week that he anticipated meeting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Nov. 18. However, FEMA had to reschedule, because the severity of the damage in the southern part of the state caused delays.
"We are putting the application in. We got preliminary damage assessment (PDA) numbers from the municipalities," Mason said.
The first step in the application process is the PDA, which is a joint assessment used to determine the magnitude and impact of an event's damage.
"A FEMA or a state team visits local applicants to assess the scope of damage and estimate repair costs. The state then uses the results of the PDA to determine if the situation is beyond the combined capabilities of the state and local resources and to verify the need for supplemental federal assistance," Mason explained.
Mason projects the damage amount for the county to be between $500,000 and $1 million, not including the costs for beach replenishment.
"That's currently where the numbers are today," he said on Nov. 18. "They're still changing and coming in and change constantly, even as we speak.
"Beach erosion is my main concern and the biggest issue. We don't know yet who will take care of the beach replenishment," Mason said.
He said that he is working with municipal police departments, offices of emergency management, departments of public works and municipal coordinators.
Dzuiba said the city will be requesting funding to mitigate the beach erosion from FEMA but does not know how much will be received.
"We have put in for beaches, that's really the only thing we put in for," he said. "They haven't even come out yet to talk to us."
Staff Writer Kimberly Steinberg contributed to this story.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
T.F. council will heed referendum vote
T.F. council will heed referendum vote
Council must adopt ordinance cutting open space tax rate
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — Borough officials said last week that once the open space referendum vote has been certified by the county, they will prepare an ordinance that reflects a cut in the dedicated open space tax.
"The council still has to adopt an ordinance once the results of the elections have been certified," Borough Attorney Brian Nelson said at the Nov. 10 Borough Council meeting. "Once the result is certified, we will prepare an ordinance. We can have something for introduction in December."
Chief Financial Officer Stephen Pfeffer explained that the first two tax bills that will be sent out will not reflect the change in the tax, but will be adjusted later in the year.
"The ordinance is forwarded to the MonmouthCounty tax administrator," Pfeffer said. "He will adjust the rate on the county tax certification for Tinton Falls.
"February and May bills go out as preliminary bills based on the old rate," he added. "Everything will be adjusted in August and November billings. They will be reduced to reflect the reduction in rate."
According to unofficial results reported on the Monmouth County Board of Elections website, 2,964 residents voted in favor of cutting the open space tax rate while 1,988 voted against the cut.
The referendum on the ballot asked residents if they wanted to lower the open space tax rate from 3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to 2.25 cents.
The council was split on this issue for most of the summer, leading to a 3-2 vote in August to even place the referendum question on the ballot.
Council President Duane Morrill was one of the two council members who opposed cutting the tax.
Morrill joked that, in the vote, the views of the council reflected the views of the residents.
"Congratulations, council, because we do represent the people," he said. "Sixty percent of us want the referendum, 40 percent didn't and that's what the vote came out to."
During the meeting residents commented on the results.
"Clearly the voters of the town said they wanted the reduction," resident Denise Catalano said and pointed out that the council has a mandate from residents.
"I just want to remind the council that you are here to represent the voters not your own personal interests," she said. "The voters have clearly said 'yes, we want a reduction.' It should be a done deal from a council perspective."
Catalano went on to suggest that the council should consider going beyond the vote and lower the tax even further, but Nelson said it wasn't possible.
"The council can only do the ballot question that was eventually selected," he said. "The council had opted not to pose a question setting forth a range."
For resident Joe Fama, husband of Councilwoman NancyAnn Fama, the voters made a statement that was resounding.
"Good job to the council on the open space referendum," he said. "I think the voters made it very clear and I think it was a win-win for everybody.
"We are able to reduce the tax rate while continuing to bring in significant amounts of money to the open space [fund], which we all want to see happen."
The councilman who fought the hardest against lowering the tax was Andrew Mayer, and in an interview last week, Mayer said he was disappointed by the results.
"I'm disappointed the vote went the way it went," he said. "We probably could have done a better job in getting the message out."
Mayer said a problem was the way the question was posed was not clear and a few constituents admitted to him that they were confused.
"I'm not sure the voters understood all the issues with the open space tax," he said. "Some of the people who voted for it didn't understand the question itself.
"Some voted for the opposite of what they thought they were voting for," he added.
Mayer said he had long-term goals with the open space tax that may have to now be adjusted.
"We are going to have to work with about a quarter of a million dollars less per year," he said. "I was hoping we could do more with less bonding so we can save more in the long run. " Mayer said open space is a weapon to halt overdevelopment in the borough.
"Really, open space is the only viable tool in our arsenal against development," he said. "It is the only way we can really limit development."
He went on to say that the prospect of having to build a new school would hurt the taxpayer far more than the open space tax.
"With increased development, we will see impacts on schools, on services that the borough provides," he said. "If we tip the scale enough and have to build another school, that's ultimately going to cost the taxpayers another $30 million."
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
Council must adopt ordinance cutting open space tax rate
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — Borough officials said last week that once the open space referendum vote has been certified by the county, they will prepare an ordinance that reflects a cut in the dedicated open space tax.
"The council still has to adopt an ordinance once the results of the elections have been certified," Borough Attorney Brian Nelson said at the Nov. 10 Borough Council meeting. "Once the result is certified, we will prepare an ordinance. We can have something for introduction in December."
Chief Financial Officer Stephen Pfeffer explained that the first two tax bills that will be sent out will not reflect the change in the tax, but will be adjusted later in the year.
"The ordinance is forwarded to the MonmouthCounty tax administrator," Pfeffer said. "He will adjust the rate on the county tax certification for Tinton Falls.
"February and May bills go out as preliminary bills based on the old rate," he added. "Everything will be adjusted in August and November billings. They will be reduced to reflect the reduction in rate."
According to unofficial results reported on the Monmouth County Board of Elections website, 2,964 residents voted in favor of cutting the open space tax rate while 1,988 voted against the cut.
The referendum on the ballot asked residents if they wanted to lower the open space tax rate from 3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to 2.25 cents.
The council was split on this issue for most of the summer, leading to a 3-2 vote in August to even place the referendum question on the ballot.
Council President Duane Morrill was one of the two council members who opposed cutting the tax.
Morrill joked that, in the vote, the views of the council reflected the views of the residents.
"Congratulations, council, because we do represent the people," he said. "Sixty percent of us want the referendum, 40 percent didn't and that's what the vote came out to."
During the meeting residents commented on the results.
"Clearly the voters of the town said they wanted the reduction," resident Denise Catalano said and pointed out that the council has a mandate from residents.
"I just want to remind the council that you are here to represent the voters not your own personal interests," she said. "The voters have clearly said 'yes, we want a reduction.' It should be a done deal from a council perspective."
Catalano went on to suggest that the council should consider going beyond the vote and lower the tax even further, but Nelson said it wasn't possible.
"The council can only do the ballot question that was eventually selected," he said. "The council had opted not to pose a question setting forth a range."
For resident Joe Fama, husband of Councilwoman NancyAnn Fama, the voters made a statement that was resounding.
"Good job to the council on the open space referendum," he said. "I think the voters made it very clear and I think it was a win-win for everybody.
"We are able to reduce the tax rate while continuing to bring in significant amounts of money to the open space [fund], which we all want to see happen."
The councilman who fought the hardest against lowering the tax was Andrew Mayer, and in an interview last week, Mayer said he was disappointed by the results.
"I'm disappointed the vote went the way it went," he said. "We probably could have done a better job in getting the message out."
Mayer said a problem was the way the question was posed was not clear and a few constituents admitted to him that they were confused.
"I'm not sure the voters understood all the issues with the open space tax," he said. "Some of the people who voted for it didn't understand the question itself.
"Some voted for the opposite of what they thought they were voting for," he added.
Mayer said he had long-term goals with the open space tax that may have to now be adjusted.
"We are going to have to work with about a quarter of a million dollars less per year," he said. "I was hoping we could do more with less bonding so we can save more in the long run. " Mayer said open space is a weapon to halt overdevelopment in the borough.
"Really, open space is the only viable tool in our arsenal against development," he said. "It is the only way we can really limit development."
He went on to say that the prospect of having to build a new school would hurt the taxpayer far more than the open space tax.
"With increased development, we will see impacts on schools, on services that the borough provides," he said. "If we tip the scale enough and have to build another school, that's ultimately going to cost the taxpayers another $30 million."
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
T.F. council mulls cutting time limit on comment
T.F. council mulls cutting time limit on comment
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — The Borough Council approved a resolution and introduced an ordinance aimed at shortening the time limit on public comment at council meetings.
In a move aimed at curtailing lengthy meetings, the council voted four to one to introduce an ordinance that would cut the time allowed for public comment from 10 minutes to five minutes per speaker. Councilwoman NancyAnn Fama voted against the introduction.
Later in the evening the council passed a resolution moving the executive session of the meeting from the end of the meeting to before the meeting. Councilman Gary Baldwin voted against the resolution.
Fama explained her opposition to adopting the five-minute time limit, stating that the council needs to do a better job of handling the public comments.
"I felt we need to do a better job of controlling public commentary that is superfluous," she said in an interview last week. "We have to keep the public commentary focused and on the issues.
"We need to do a better job as a council in trying to understand what the public's concern is," she added. "I think 10 minutes is a reasonable amount of time."
Fama said the council should exercise more control over what happens during the public portion of meetings.
"For the people that get up there and just make commentary and really don't have questions, those are the people I think we need to do a better job of keeping them in the time frame," Fama said.
"I felt we really just need to stick to the 10 minutes, which really wasn't being adhered to," she said.
Baldwin is not in favor of changing the structure of the meeting, but rather of making them run more efficiently.
"When we discussed whether or not we should change the format of the meeting to try to speed up meetings and get done quicker, it was my thought our problem isn't when we have the workshop or when we have executive session, our problem is the public taking advantage of us to some degree by coming up and trying to engage in long conversations," he said.
"Our meetings have been lengthened because we have some people that really enjoy bantering," he added. "We have allowed some of that to happen."
Baldwin said that moving the executive session really doesn't serve any purpose and will ultimately make it harder for some people to get to meetings.
"My real objection is I think that is an unfair imposition to put on people who have jobs and have to come.
"They have to come home, get something to eat, get their clothes changed and get there an hour earlier," he added.
"And what has been done?" he continued. "We haven't done a thing. We haven't shortened the meetings, we just asked people to show up earlier.
"We haven't saved any time. Yes, we can go home an hour earlier, but we came an hour early."
There was some discussion at previous meetings that
the council would dedicate one meeting a month to business and one meeting a month to a workshop session, but Baldwin said he would not support that idea.
"That doesn't serve any purpose," he said. "Our workshops aren't very long anyway, and if you open a public discussion, they are going to get real long.
"We don't have a problem with the workshop, we have a problem with the public discussion. So, I objected to changing the structure."
Baldwin also said his concern is not necessarily shortening the meeting, but rather conducting an efficient meeting.
"My interest is not in having short meetings, my interest is conducting a meeting that sufficiently airs the business of the day," he said. "I don't care how long it takes."
Fama, however, said that moving the executive session would help the council not to make rushed decisions.
"I think it's more effective because when you are walking into executive session at 11 o'clock at night after working all day, and having a three-, four-hour council meeting, we are only human, and people are tired," she said. "These are important issues that I think should be done first so we can all understand them with a clearer head."
Borough Clerk Karen Mount-Taylor has seen the meetings change during previous administrations and is confident that these changes will be for the better.
"I can see it working," she said last week.
The resolution would become effective on Jan. 1, while a public hearing and vote on the ordinance is scheduled for Dec. 1.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — The Borough Council approved a resolution and introduced an ordinance aimed at shortening the time limit on public comment at council meetings.
In a move aimed at curtailing lengthy meetings, the council voted four to one to introduce an ordinance that would cut the time allowed for public comment from 10 minutes to five minutes per speaker. Councilwoman NancyAnn Fama voted against the introduction.
Later in the evening the council passed a resolution moving the executive session of the meeting from the end of the meeting to before the meeting. Councilman Gary Baldwin voted against the resolution.
Fama explained her opposition to adopting the five-minute time limit, stating that the council needs to do a better job of handling the public comments.
"I felt we need to do a better job of controlling public commentary that is superfluous," she said in an interview last week. "We have to keep the public commentary focused and on the issues.
"We need to do a better job as a council in trying to understand what the public's concern is," she added. "I think 10 minutes is a reasonable amount of time."
Fama said the council should exercise more control over what happens during the public portion of meetings.
"For the people that get up there and just make commentary and really don't have questions, those are the people I think we need to do a better job of keeping them in the time frame," Fama said.
"I felt we really just need to stick to the 10 minutes, which really wasn't being adhered to," she said.
Baldwin is not in favor of changing the structure of the meeting, but rather of making them run more efficiently.
"When we discussed whether or not we should change the format of the meeting to try to speed up meetings and get done quicker, it was my thought our problem isn't when we have the workshop or when we have executive session, our problem is the public taking advantage of us to some degree by coming up and trying to engage in long conversations," he said.
"Our meetings have been lengthened because we have some people that really enjoy bantering," he added. "We have allowed some of that to happen."
Baldwin said that moving the executive session really doesn't serve any purpose and will ultimately make it harder for some people to get to meetings.
"My real objection is I think that is an unfair imposition to put on people who have jobs and have to come.
"They have to come home, get something to eat, get their clothes changed and get there an hour earlier," he added.
"And what has been done?" he continued. "We haven't done a thing. We haven't shortened the meetings, we just asked people to show up earlier.
"We haven't saved any time. Yes, we can go home an hour earlier, but we came an hour early."
There was some discussion at previous meetings that
the council would dedicate one meeting a month to business and one meeting a month to a workshop session, but Baldwin said he would not support that idea.
"That doesn't serve any purpose," he said. "Our workshops aren't very long anyway, and if you open a public discussion, they are going to get real long.
"We don't have a problem with the workshop, we have a problem with the public discussion. So, I objected to changing the structure."
Baldwin also said his concern is not necessarily shortening the meeting, but rather conducting an efficient meeting.
"My interest is not in having short meetings, my interest is conducting a meeting that sufficiently airs the business of the day," he said. "I don't care how long it takes."
Fama, however, said that moving the executive session would help the council not to make rushed decisions.
"I think it's more effective because when you are walking into executive session at 11 o'clock at night after working all day, and having a three-, four-hour council meeting, we are only human, and people are tired," she said. "These are important issues that I think should be done first so we can all understand them with a clearer head."
Borough Clerk Karen Mount-Taylor has seen the meetings change during previous administrations and is confident that these changes will be for the better.
"I can see it working," she said last week.
The resolution would become effective on Jan. 1, while a public hearing and vote on the ordinance is scheduled for Dec. 1.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
Grant will fund upgrades to Manahassett Park
Grant will fund upgrades to Manahassett Park
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — City officials announced last week that they have received additional funding from the state for improvements to the city's newest and largest park.
Chief Financial Officer Ronald Mehlhorn Sr. said at the Nov. 10 City Council workshop session that the city will receive about $1 million in Green Acres grant funds to construct a building at Manahassett Creek Park.
"The state had originally given us $1.2 million," he said. "Now they are going to give us $1 million more, and we are going to have to match the $1 million."
Mehlhorn said the state is most likely going to accept previous money spent by the city as its match for the additional funding.
"We actually did a bond ordinance for $2.6 million to complete that project," he said. "They will probably take that as our match.
"In reality, the million dollars that we already spent is fine in terms of our match," he added. "There is a 99.9 percent chance they will accept that."
The 20-plus-acre park was opened Aug. 19 and includes two soccer fields, two softball fields, two tennis courts, two basketball courts, a full baseball field and a football field.
Also included are a fitness trail and a putting green.
Business Administrator Howard H. Woolley explained what the money is going to be used for.
"The Green Acres grant is some additional funding," Woolley said. "The plan is a refreshment stand and bathrooms."
Woolley said the city had planned to put the building in but did not have the funding at the time.
"We planned for a building, but we never got it built," he said. "There will be some storage, some bathrooms in there and a refreshment stand."
Woolley said that if there is any money left over, the city may look to improve some other parks.
"We will use leftover money for whatever else might need to be done, or some improvements we'd like to make at some of the other parks," he said.
Woolley also described some proposed improvements to the park that the city will use existing funds for.
"There are a few things that we didn't quite foresee properly, but I think on a project of this size, that is inevitable," he said. "The contractor and the engineer stepped up and are doing a couple of things right now."
Woolley said the three main changes needed are: widening the pathway, moving the fences at the football field, and improving drainage on one of the roads.
"We looked at the path, and it is too narrow in some areas," he said, "so we can get all our vehicles that we need to work in the park in there.
"We asked the contractor to give us a price to widen it, and that is part of this," he added.
Moving the fencing, Woolley said, is necessary for safety reasons.
"The Pop Warner league came to us and said they were concerned," Woolley said. "Someone could be driven out of bounds; it could be a safety issue.
"Thankfully, we haven't had anybody hurt, and the season's over," he added. "We've been lucky, but we don't want to rely on luck."
Woolley said the plan is to make the fencing movable.
"They are only going to be put out when the games are on," he said.
Woolley also explained the drainage problems.
"We are doing some improvements to a dead-end street [where] water is retained," he said. "We have some runoff from the park. We basically have to build a roadway so it drains out."
Woolley said there are a few more issues with the park that the city plans to address, and that the reception to the park has been positive.
"On the whole, it's been really successful," he said.
He said the Pop Warner program is especially grateful for the park, since the program hasn't had a true home for a few years.
"That program didn't have a home field for four or five years," he said. "It's really great we've given them a place to play."
The city started planning the park in 2002 and broke ground in 2008. Precise Construction was awarded the $3.9 million contract in May 2008 after coming in as the lowest bidder. Plans for the park were designed by D.W. Smith Associates.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — City officials announced last week that they have received additional funding from the state for improvements to the city's newest and largest park.
Chief Financial Officer Ronald Mehlhorn Sr. said at the Nov. 10 City Council workshop session that the city will receive about $1 million in Green Acres grant funds to construct a building at Manahassett Creek Park.
"The state had originally given us $1.2 million," he said. "Now they are going to give us $1 million more, and we are going to have to match the $1 million."
Mehlhorn said the state is most likely going to accept previous money spent by the city as its match for the additional funding.
"We actually did a bond ordinance for $2.6 million to complete that project," he said. "They will probably take that as our match.
"In reality, the million dollars that we already spent is fine in terms of our match," he added. "There is a 99.9 percent chance they will accept that."
The 20-plus-acre park was opened Aug. 19 and includes two soccer fields, two softball fields, two tennis courts, two basketball courts, a full baseball field and a football field.
Also included are a fitness trail and a putting green.
Business Administrator Howard H. Woolley explained what the money is going to be used for.
"The Green Acres grant is some additional funding," Woolley said. "The plan is a refreshment stand and bathrooms."
Woolley said the city had planned to put the building in but did not have the funding at the time.
"We planned for a building, but we never got it built," he said. "There will be some storage, some bathrooms in there and a refreshment stand."
Woolley said that if there is any money left over, the city may look to improve some other parks.
"We will use leftover money for whatever else might need to be done, or some improvements we'd like to make at some of the other parks," he said.
Woolley also described some proposed improvements to the park that the city will use existing funds for.
"There are a few things that we didn't quite foresee properly, but I think on a project of this size, that is inevitable," he said. "The contractor and the engineer stepped up and are doing a couple of things right now."
Woolley said the three main changes needed are: widening the pathway, moving the fences at the football field, and improving drainage on one of the roads.
"We looked at the path, and it is too narrow in some areas," he said, "so we can get all our vehicles that we need to work in the park in there.
"We asked the contractor to give us a price to widen it, and that is part of this," he added.
Moving the fencing, Woolley said, is necessary for safety reasons.
"The Pop Warner league came to us and said they were concerned," Woolley said. "Someone could be driven out of bounds; it could be a safety issue.
"Thankfully, we haven't had anybody hurt, and the season's over," he added. "We've been lucky, but we don't want to rely on luck."
Woolley said the plan is to make the fencing movable.
"They are only going to be put out when the games are on," he said.
Woolley also explained the drainage problems.
"We are doing some improvements to a dead-end street [where] water is retained," he said. "We have some runoff from the park. We basically have to build a roadway so it drains out."
Woolley said there are a few more issues with the park that the city plans to address, and that the reception to the park has been positive.
"On the whole, it's been really successful," he said.
He said the Pop Warner program is especially grateful for the park, since the program hasn't had a true home for a few years.
"That program didn't have a home field for four or five years," he said. "It's really great we've given them a place to play."
The city started planning the park in 2002 and broke ground in 2008. Precise Construction was awarded the $3.9 million contract in May 2008 after coming in as the lowest bidder. Plans for the park were designed by D.W. Smith Associates.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com.
Long Branch seeks urban center status
Long Branch seeks urban center status
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
Long Branch is pursuing designation by the state as an urban center, a classification that would qualify the city for state funds that could be used toward open space, infrastructure improvements and development.
A self-assessment of the city is under way as part of the qualifying process for urban center designation by the state's Office of Smart Growth, Long Branch Zoning Officer Michele Bernich said at the City Council workshop session Nov. 10.
Bernich said the council could pass a resolution approving the self-assessment report Nov. 24 and the report would then be given to the Office of Smart Growth.
Bernich, accompanied by engineer David Maski, of CMX, Manalapan, presented the council with the 100-plus-page report at the workshop meeting.
"It is the first step of several in the process," Maski said. "It is an inventory by the city of existing conditions in terms of demographics and resources.
"It is a snapshot of where the city stands," he added. "It is also a narrative of all the activities and initiatives the city has taken up over the last 10 to 15 years.
"It is a comparison of those initiatives with the state plan and how the city is consistent with those goals and policies of the state plan," he continued.
Maski said he expects Long Branch to receive full plan endorsement from the state toward the end of 2010.
Maski described some of the goals of the assessment, which include moving up to an urban center designation, from the city's current status as a regional center.
"The goal of this process is it does put you into play for some priorities from the state in terms of permitting and funding," he said. "It is the process where you can extend your center designation.
"In the process, the city has requested to move up a level from regional center to urban center," he added.
Bernich, in an interview last week, said that the designations expire in 10-year increments.
"Before you expire, you have to reapply," she said. "This plan endorsement process is us applying to be a center designation again.
"Instead of us asking for a regional designation, we are looking to up it another notch as an urban center," she added. "We feel that is what Long Branch really is, and we will be prioritized to get more funding and permits."
Bernich explained what moving up to an urban center would mean for the city's finances.
"There are different types of funding and grants," she said. "It will enhance us and give us better ability for the grants and projects."
Maski said that if there were two equal applications for funding, then the plan-endorsed application would have a higher priority.
Bernich explained that obtaining grants and programs is more competitive as a regional center than as an urban center because there are more designated regional centers.
An executive summary on the website of the New Jersey State Planning Commission defines what urban center designation means.
"These urban centers offer the most diverse mix of industry, commerce, residences and cultural facilities of any central place," the summary states. "They are repositories of large infrastructure systems, industrial jobs, corporate headquarters, medical and research services, universities, government offices, convention centers, museums and other assets.
"They are also home to a large pool of skilled and presently unskilled labor that will, with appropriate investment, become among the state's most valuable human resource assets," it continues.
The summary also describes what a regional designation means.
"They often serve as major employment centers and offer regional services, such as higher education, health and arts/entertainment," the summary states. "In rural areas, they may be population centers and county seats, with small business districts serving residents."
A spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs explained the advantages of an urban center.
"Urban centers are compact forms of development that when compared to sprawl development, consume less land, deplete fewer natural resources, are usually less expensive in terms of infrastructure investment
and are more efficient with respect to the delivery of public services," Lisa Ryan wrote in an email. "These urban centers offer the most diverse mix of industry, commerce, residences and cultural facilities of any central places in the state."
Ryan went on to say that it is the state's preference to use incentives to promote development in these centers as opposed to allowing sprawl development into open space.
"The state promotes and accommodates growth in centers, rather than open spaces and farmlands and woodlands," she said. "As a result, an area identified as a center can be eligible for economic growth incentives and priority grant placements."
Maski described the process for attaining urban center status after the council adopts the self-assessment.
"The next step after it is adopted, it will move on to the state, and the next major thing they come up with is they will ask to see the master plan and make an assessment of how much more work the city will have to do to gain full plan compliance," he said. "They then give you what is called an action plan, which is an itemized list of things to do."
One of the items the state may ask is for Long Branch to go through a visioning process, for which the city is requesting a waiver.
"One of their comments could be now you have to do a visioning process," Bernich said. "We feel we have already done that."
The self-assessment is a detailed look at the city, including the city's history of development as well as the city's current demographics.
A large portion of the assessment is an analysis comparing Long Branch to the rest of Monmouth County.
Long Branch had a population of just over 31,000 in 2000 and is projected to have grown to over 40,000 in 2009.
The assessment also shows that the city is more diverse than both the county and the state, with a higher level of blacks, Latinos and other populations.
The average city resident is also younger than both the county and state average.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
Long Branch is pursuing designation by the state as an urban center, a classification that would qualify the city for state funds that could be used toward open space, infrastructure improvements and development.
A self-assessment of the city is under way as part of the qualifying process for urban center designation by the state's Office of Smart Growth, Long Branch Zoning Officer Michele Bernich said at the City Council workshop session Nov. 10.
Bernich said the council could pass a resolution approving the self-assessment report Nov. 24 and the report would then be given to the Office of Smart Growth.
Bernich, accompanied by engineer David Maski, of CMX, Manalapan, presented the council with the 100-plus-page report at the workshop meeting.
"It is the first step of several in the process," Maski said. "It is an inventory by the city of existing conditions in terms of demographics and resources.
"It is a snapshot of where the city stands," he added. "It is also a narrative of all the activities and initiatives the city has taken up over the last 10 to 15 years.
"It is a comparison of those initiatives with the state plan and how the city is consistent with those goals and policies of the state plan," he continued.
Maski said he expects Long Branch to receive full plan endorsement from the state toward the end of 2010.
Maski described some of the goals of the assessment, which include moving up to an urban center designation, from the city's current status as a regional center.
"The goal of this process is it does put you into play for some priorities from the state in terms of permitting and funding," he said. "It is the process where you can extend your center designation.
"In the process, the city has requested to move up a level from regional center to urban center," he added.
Bernich, in an interview last week, said that the designations expire in 10-year increments.
"Before you expire, you have to reapply," she said. "This plan endorsement process is us applying to be a center designation again.
"Instead of us asking for a regional designation, we are looking to up it another notch as an urban center," she added. "We feel that is what Long Branch really is, and we will be prioritized to get more funding and permits."
Bernich explained what moving up to an urban center would mean for the city's finances.
"There are different types of funding and grants," she said. "It will enhance us and give us better ability for the grants and projects."
Maski said that if there were two equal applications for funding, then the plan-endorsed application would have a higher priority.
Bernich explained that obtaining grants and programs is more competitive as a regional center than as an urban center because there are more designated regional centers.
An executive summary on the website of the New Jersey State Planning Commission defines what urban center designation means.
"These urban centers offer the most diverse mix of industry, commerce, residences and cultural facilities of any central place," the summary states. "They are repositories of large infrastructure systems, industrial jobs, corporate headquarters, medical and research services, universities, government offices, convention centers, museums and other assets.
"They are also home to a large pool of skilled and presently unskilled labor that will, with appropriate investment, become among the state's most valuable human resource assets," it continues.
The summary also describes what a regional designation means.
"They often serve as major employment centers and offer regional services, such as higher education, health and arts/entertainment," the summary states. "In rural areas, they may be population centers and county seats, with small business districts serving residents."
A spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs explained the advantages of an urban center.
"Urban centers are compact forms of development that when compared to sprawl development, consume less land, deplete fewer natural resources, are usually less expensive in terms of infrastructure investment
and are more efficient with respect to the delivery of public services," Lisa Ryan wrote in an email. "These urban centers offer the most diverse mix of industry, commerce, residences and cultural facilities of any central places in the state."
Ryan went on to say that it is the state's preference to use incentives to promote development in these centers as opposed to allowing sprawl development into open space.
"The state promotes and accommodates growth in centers, rather than open spaces and farmlands and woodlands," she said. "As a result, an area identified as a center can be eligible for economic growth incentives and priority grant placements."
Maski described the process for attaining urban center status after the council adopts the self-assessment.
"The next step after it is adopted, it will move on to the state, and the next major thing they come up with is they will ask to see the master plan and make an assessment of how much more work the city will have to do to gain full plan compliance," he said. "They then give you what is called an action plan, which is an itemized list of things to do."
One of the items the state may ask is for Long Branch to go through a visioning process, for which the city is requesting a waiver.
"One of their comments could be now you have to do a visioning process," Bernich said. "We feel we have already done that."
The self-assessment is a detailed look at the city, including the city's history of development as well as the city's current demographics.
A large portion of the assessment is an analysis comparing Long Branch to the rest of Monmouth County.
Long Branch had a population of just over 31,000 in 2000 and is projected to have grown to over 40,000 in 2009.
The assessment also shows that the city is more diverse than both the county and the state, with a higher level of blacks, Latinos and other populations.
The average city resident is also younger than both the county and state average.
Contact Kenny Walter at
kwalter@gmnews.com
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Two O'port Council seats won by GOP
Two O'port Council seats won by GOP
Incumbent, running mate finish ahead of Dem challenger
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
William Johnson William Johnson OCEANPORT — Voters in Oceanport elected two Republicans on Nov. 3 to fill two seats that were up for election on the Borough Council.
Voters overwhelmingly voted to re-elect incumbentWilliamJohnson to another term and selected his running mate Gerald Bertekap to fill a seat currently held by a Democrat.
Johnson received 1,610 votes while Bertekap received 1,520. Democratic challenger Lester T. Cox, attempting to keep control of the seat for his party, fell short with 736 votes. Cox ran for the seat currently held by Councilman John W. Ibex, who chose not to seek re-election
Johnson said he was honored that the voters elected him for another term.
"I'm honored the residents of Oceanport chose to re-elect me to another three-year term," he said in an email. "I would also like to congratulate my running mate and thank our opponent on a clean iss ues-based campaign.
"I believe my reelection is a testament that the people of Oceanport are happy with the direction the town is going in under the current administration," he added.
Gerald Bertekap Gerald Bertekap Johnson went on to say that residents approve of the direction of the Oceanport council.
"I am sure my re-election represents the community's perception of the current mayor and council," he said. "People realize how hard the local governing body is working on such issues as the reuse of Fort Monmouth, environmental issues as they relate to Monmouth Park, and controlling skyrocketing property taxes."
Johnson said the borough has some heavy issues to deal with.
"We will continue to lobby our state legislators to make sure the borough's voice is heard on the Fort Monmouth implementation authority," he said. "We are currently reaching out to Congressmen [Rush] Holt and [Frank] Pallone [Jr.] to solicit federal funds for the dredging of the polluted Branchport Creek."
Johnson served on council for the past two years and has worked for the New York Stock Exchange for the past 26 years. He is also chairman of the Planning & Development Committee, a member of the Oceanport Planning Board, vice chairman for finance and administration, and a member of the Health and Human ServicesCommittee.
Bertekap also said he is honored to be elected.
"Being elected feels like receiving a new job offer in which the residents of Oceanport are putting their trust in me to make the right decisions regarding the borough," he said in an email.
Bertekap said he believes he won election because of his community involvement.
"I showed that I care through my past volunteer work for the borough," he said.
He also cited his election and Johnson's reelection as validation for the council.
"People are pleased with the current local government," he said.
Bertekap is employed by Meridian Health and Raritan Bay Medical Center. He serves as president of the Oceanport Hook and Ladder Fire Company, sergeant of the First Aid Squad, a member of the Planning Board and a member of the Office of Emergency Management.
He also sits on the Emergency Services Advisory Committee for Fort Monmouth and served as fire chief in 2007.
Republicans are now in the majority on the council, which is made up of one Democrat and five Republicans. Mayor Michael Mahon is a Democrat, who is eligible to cast a vote only in order to break a deadlock..
Incumbent, running mate finish ahead of Dem challenger
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
William Johnson William Johnson OCEANPORT — Voters in Oceanport elected two Republicans on Nov. 3 to fill two seats that were up for election on the Borough Council.
Voters overwhelmingly voted to re-elect incumbentWilliamJohnson to another term and selected his running mate Gerald Bertekap to fill a seat currently held by a Democrat.
Johnson received 1,610 votes while Bertekap received 1,520. Democratic challenger Lester T. Cox, attempting to keep control of the seat for his party, fell short with 736 votes. Cox ran for the seat currently held by Councilman John W. Ibex, who chose not to seek re-election
Johnson said he was honored that the voters elected him for another term.
"I'm honored the residents of Oceanport chose to re-elect me to another three-year term," he said in an email. "I would also like to congratulate my running mate and thank our opponent on a clean iss ues-based campaign.
"I believe my reelection is a testament that the people of Oceanport are happy with the direction the town is going in under the current administration," he added.
Gerald Bertekap Gerald Bertekap Johnson went on to say that residents approve of the direction of the Oceanport council.
"I am sure my re-election represents the community's perception of the current mayor and council," he said. "People realize how hard the local governing body is working on such issues as the reuse of Fort Monmouth, environmental issues as they relate to Monmouth Park, and controlling skyrocketing property taxes."
Johnson said the borough has some heavy issues to deal with.
"We will continue to lobby our state legislators to make sure the borough's voice is heard on the Fort Monmouth implementation authority," he said. "We are currently reaching out to Congressmen [Rush] Holt and [Frank] Pallone [Jr.] to solicit federal funds for the dredging of the polluted Branchport Creek."
Johnson served on council for the past two years and has worked for the New York Stock Exchange for the past 26 years. He is also chairman of the Planning & Development Committee, a member of the Oceanport Planning Board, vice chairman for finance and administration, and a member of the Health and Human ServicesCommittee.
Bertekap also said he is honored to be elected.
"Being elected feels like receiving a new job offer in which the residents of Oceanport are putting their trust in me to make the right decisions regarding the borough," he said in an email.
Bertekap said he believes he won election because of his community involvement.
"I showed that I care through my past volunteer work for the borough," he said.
He also cited his election and Johnson's reelection as validation for the council.
"People are pleased with the current local government," he said.
Bertekap is employed by Meridian Health and Raritan Bay Medical Center. He serves as president of the Oceanport Hook and Ladder Fire Company, sergeant of the First Aid Squad, a member of the Planning Board and a member of the Office of Emergency Management.
He also sits on the Emergency Services Advisory Committee for Fort Monmouth and served as fire chief in 2007.
Republicans are now in the majority on the council, which is made up of one Democrat and five Republicans. Mayor Michael Mahon is a Democrat, who is eligible to cast a vote only in order to break a deadlock..
Voters support cutting open space tax rate
Voters support cutting open space tax rate
Referendum vote backs up three on council
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — By a margin of close to 1,000 votes, Tinton Falls voters on Nov. 3 approved cutting the open space tax rate.
The yes votes carried a referendum on the ballot that asked residents if they wanted to lower the open space tax rate from 3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to 2.25 cents.
According to unofficial results reported on the Monmouth County Board of Elections website, 2,964 residents voted in favor of cutting the tax rate while 1,988 voted against the cut.
The issue became controversial over the summer when the Borough Council spent several meetings debating whether to submit a question on the open space tax rate for a referendum vote.
The council ended up accepting the referendum question with a 3-2 vote at the Aug. 18 council meeting, just nine days before the deadline to submit referendum questions to the state.
Council members Scott Larkin, NancyAnn Fama and Gary Baldwin supported adding the question to the ballot and last week said they are pleased with the outcome.
"I'm very pleased that the referendum passed," Baldwin said.
"From my perspective, I'm just happy that the residents got the opportunity to voice their opinions in the matter," Larkin said. "In terms of how it turned out, I was just happy that the council gave them the opportunity."
While the three council members supported the measure, it does not mean they are against open space.
"There is no question that open space is something that we need to preserve," Baldwin said.
"I think that open space is a good thing," Fama said.
"We have a commitment to open space," Larkin said. "We have a fantastic open space committee. We have some passionate people on our environmental commission. We will be able to proceed."
When the topic of the open space tax first came up, the argument was whether to keep it at 3 cents or lower it to 1.5 cents, until Larkin eventually proposed the compromise of 2.25 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
Larkin said that 2.25 cents really represented a "common-sense compromise."
"It was a really hard issue to deal with," he said.
"Both sides really had compelling arguments," he added. "To me, the 2.25 represented a compromise to that."
Baldwin fought against the 2.25-cent compromise, but ultimately voted for it.
"My opinion is we should have cut it back to a cent and a half," he said. "He [Larkin] wanted to compromise. It's better than nothing."
Baldwin added that a lot of false information was put out about the impact of cutting the tax.
"The opposition to this was trying to make an issue that by voting yes on this referendum, it would put the open space program in jeopardy," he said. "That just isn't true.
"That was nothing more than [an attempt] to try to scare the public into voting this down," he added.
Under the current 3-cent tax, Tinton Falls will collect $901,774 in dedicated open space funding, according to Director of Finance Stephen Pfeffer. With the tax cut approved by voters, more than $676,000 will be collected during the 2010 tax year.
Pfeffer also said that currently there is approximately $1.7 million in the open space trust fund.
Baldwin thinks that amount in the fund is more then enough for the borough to move forward with open space responsibly.
"We have enough money; we are well overfunded in the open space tax receipts," he said. "It is something I think we needed to do.
"It was a windfall profit, and I just don't think it was right for us to take [the money] without them having some say in it," he added.
According to Borough Clerk Karen Mount-Taylor, the borough collected $384,181 through the open space tax in 2007. After the borough's property revaluation in 2008, the amount collected rose to $876,746.
Baldwin cited the rise in collection after the revaluation as the reason why he pushed to drop the tax.
"With the revaluation of the home properties two years ago, we ended up taking from the taxpayer a lot of money, well beyond what the original 3-cent-per-$100- evaluation allowed us to take," he said. "It went from $384,000 to $901,000 simply because of the revaluation.
"The open space tax will still generate $676,331," he added. "The whole thing was just fallacious. We are still taking from the taxpayer far more than they thought we would take."
With the tax cut approved, the average resident will receive a $25.79 tax cut a year.
Last year a resident with a house assessed at the borough average of $343,760 paid about $103 in taxes for open space.
Baldwin and Larkin saw this as a small step in the right direction.
"While some of my colleagues didn't agree, we just felt this is one of the few times that the borough council had the opportunity to give something back without really cutting services or cutting people," Baldwin said.
"These are very difficult times for people," he added. "These are times where our taxes are going up.
"The referendum was very clear: it was a chance to reduce the tax burden, albeit a small amount," he continued. "We have to begin somewhere."
"Taxes have been the most significant issue in New Jersey for some time now," Larkin said. "When given the opportunity for tax reduction, at whatever level it was, the people were going to look to put some money back in their pockets."
Fama said the main thing is that the cuts give the council the opportunity to give back without cutting services.
"We were able to reduce the taxes, not cut services," she said. "We are ecstatic. I think it is vindication for the ones that were supporting cutting the tax.
"We will always look to preserve open space and be responsive to taxpayer concerns," she added.
Fama credited teamwork and hard work as instrumental in cutting the tax, which is why she was not surprised by the result.
"I knew the sentiment of the residents I have spoken to is that they are looking for government to be responsive and to cut in areas that we can," she said. "I think it was a very good example of teamwork and hard work in getting our message out."
Referendum vote backs up three on council
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS — By a margin of close to 1,000 votes, Tinton Falls voters on Nov. 3 approved cutting the open space tax rate.
The yes votes carried a referendum on the ballot that asked residents if they wanted to lower the open space tax rate from 3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to 2.25 cents.
According to unofficial results reported on the Monmouth County Board of Elections website, 2,964 residents voted in favor of cutting the tax rate while 1,988 voted against the cut.
The issue became controversial over the summer when the Borough Council spent several meetings debating whether to submit a question on the open space tax rate for a referendum vote.
The council ended up accepting the referendum question with a 3-2 vote at the Aug. 18 council meeting, just nine days before the deadline to submit referendum questions to the state.
Council members Scott Larkin, NancyAnn Fama and Gary Baldwin supported adding the question to the ballot and last week said they are pleased with the outcome.
"I'm very pleased that the referendum passed," Baldwin said.
"From my perspective, I'm just happy that the residents got the opportunity to voice their opinions in the matter," Larkin said. "In terms of how it turned out, I was just happy that the council gave them the opportunity."
While the three council members supported the measure, it does not mean they are against open space.
"There is no question that open space is something that we need to preserve," Baldwin said.
"I think that open space is a good thing," Fama said.
"We have a commitment to open space," Larkin said. "We have a fantastic open space committee. We have some passionate people on our environmental commission. We will be able to proceed."
When the topic of the open space tax first came up, the argument was whether to keep it at 3 cents or lower it to 1.5 cents, until Larkin eventually proposed the compromise of 2.25 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
Larkin said that 2.25 cents really represented a "common-sense compromise."
"It was a really hard issue to deal with," he said.
"Both sides really had compelling arguments," he added. "To me, the 2.25 represented a compromise to that."
Baldwin fought against the 2.25-cent compromise, but ultimately voted for it.
"My opinion is we should have cut it back to a cent and a half," he said. "He [Larkin] wanted to compromise. It's better than nothing."
Baldwin added that a lot of false information was put out about the impact of cutting the tax.
"The opposition to this was trying to make an issue that by voting yes on this referendum, it would put the open space program in jeopardy," he said. "That just isn't true.
"That was nothing more than [an attempt] to try to scare the public into voting this down," he added.
Under the current 3-cent tax, Tinton Falls will collect $901,774 in dedicated open space funding, according to Director of Finance Stephen Pfeffer. With the tax cut approved by voters, more than $676,000 will be collected during the 2010 tax year.
Pfeffer also said that currently there is approximately $1.7 million in the open space trust fund.
Baldwin thinks that amount in the fund is more then enough for the borough to move forward with open space responsibly.
"We have enough money; we are well overfunded in the open space tax receipts," he said. "It is something I think we needed to do.
"It was a windfall profit, and I just don't think it was right for us to take [the money] without them having some say in it," he added.
According to Borough Clerk Karen Mount-Taylor, the borough collected $384,181 through the open space tax in 2007. After the borough's property revaluation in 2008, the amount collected rose to $876,746.
Baldwin cited the rise in collection after the revaluation as the reason why he pushed to drop the tax.
"With the revaluation of the home properties two years ago, we ended up taking from the taxpayer a lot of money, well beyond what the original 3-cent-per-$100- evaluation allowed us to take," he said. "It went from $384,000 to $901,000 simply because of the revaluation.
"The open space tax will still generate $676,331," he added. "The whole thing was just fallacious. We are still taking from the taxpayer far more than they thought we would take."
With the tax cut approved, the average resident will receive a $25.79 tax cut a year.
Last year a resident with a house assessed at the borough average of $343,760 paid about $103 in taxes for open space.
Baldwin and Larkin saw this as a small step in the right direction.
"While some of my colleagues didn't agree, we just felt this is one of the few times that the borough council had the opportunity to give something back without really cutting services or cutting people," Baldwin said.
"These are very difficult times for people," he added. "These are times where our taxes are going up.
"The referendum was very clear: it was a chance to reduce the tax burden, albeit a small amount," he continued. "We have to begin somewhere."
"Taxes have been the most significant issue in New Jersey for some time now," Larkin said. "When given the opportunity for tax reduction, at whatever level it was, the people were going to look to put some money back in their pockets."
Fama said the main thing is that the cuts give the council the opportunity to give back without cutting services.
"We were able to reduce the taxes, not cut services," she said. "We are ecstatic. I think it is vindication for the ones that were supporting cutting the tax.
"We will always look to preserve open space and be responsive to taxpayer concerns," she added.
Fama credited teamwork and hard work as instrumental in cutting the tax, which is why she was not surprised by the result.
"I knew the sentiment of the residents I have spoken to is that they are looking for government to be responsive and to cut in areas that we can," she said. "I think it was a very good example of teamwork and hard work in getting our message out."
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