City hopes for state $$ for oceanfront upgrades

City hopes for state $$ for oceanfront upgrades
Council approves application for $800K in Green Acres funds
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer
Despite nearly missing the deadline, Long Branch officials are hopeful that their application for a grant will warrantmore than $800,000 in state funds for improvements to the oceanfront.

The Long Branch City Council during its Aug. 10 meeting unanimously approved a resolution authorizing an application for Green Acres funds that will go toward replacing railings on the boardwalk and improving the roadway on Ocean Avenue.

The project would include repaving Ocean Avenue between Bath and Brighton avenues and replacement of the railings on the boardwalk between Morris and Brighton avenues.

“We have some aluminum railing there that is OK, but to match the new railing we need to replace all of it,” said Jacob Jones, director of community and economic development.

Business Administrator Howard Woolley Jr. explained some of the other work that the money would go toward if the grant application is successful.

“Then we would need to shore up the roadway at a couple of spots because there is erosion under the boardwalk,” he said.

Jones explained during the Aug. 11 public hearing that the city nearly missed the deadline on the application.

“I don’t want to burst anybody’s bubble here, but I found out there was an application due July 15,” he said. “The city clerk never got the notice [from the state].

“There is a lot to this application, and you know what happens when you rush,” he added. “We had to rush this in, and fortunately the people of Trenton accepted our application.

“Once you rush an application, you are at a disadvantage. Funds are very competitive in the state these days.”

Jones said that if the application is approved, the state Green Acres program would provide a grant equal to 75 percent of the project cost and a loan for the 25 percent of the cost the city would be responsible for.

He said the project is slated to cost $842,400, which would leave the city on the hook for $210,600.

He also said he inflated the estimate by 20 percent to leave them some wiggle room if there is a cost overrun.

Jones said the current plan is to bond for the money, but it is possible that the city could receive federal grant money, such as a Community Development Block Grant, to pay for some of the costs.

City Attorney James Aaron explained the financial part of the Green Acres project.

“The city will bond for the total amount of the project,” he said, “through bond anticipation notes.

“As soon as the project is completed, Jake [Jones] will submit a series of forms back to Green Acres.

“Green Acres will then throw the bulk of the money back to the city,” he added. “We’ve always been able to get 100 percent of what Green Acres has promised.”

Aaron also said that the city would look toward using beach revenues to fund some of the costs for the project.

“I also will take a look at whether or not you can use beach revenues to fund part of the project for the city’s cost,” he said. “It is certainly directly related to the operation of the beachfront; you can’t get people to the beach unless you can get them across the boardwalk.”

Jones said he expects the process of starting the project to go rather quickly, should the city receive the grant money.

“If we are funded, we already have cost estimates, so it would just be a matter of getting an engineer to write up the complete bid packages, to get the quotes out, and then we can get the award,” he said.

Jones said that he expects to get word on the grant sometime this fall and if the application is rejected, the city will move forward for next year’s grant.

“If we do not get funding, I will have the same application submitted very early next year,” he said. “If we are awarded, I see a groundbreaking by early spring.”

Jones explained that the Green Acres programmight approve the application because of the need for the work.

“It will be a benefit for all of those who have seen the damage that has been done out there,” he said. “We really want to make the boardwalk beautiful.

“If they give it legitimate consideration, the lateness of the documents should not hurt,” he added.

“We are talking about replacing the railings on the boardwalk that are actually dangerous. I think they’ll get the message that this is very urgent.”

Jones said the city has had a winning history in dealing with Green Acres.

“Every application I’ve sent to Green Acres has been funded,” he said. “However, this one was submitted without certain documents and information, and it may hurt the overall evaluation.”

During the public hearing, which included more than 20 residents, Dennis Sherman, a member of the Save Ocean Avenue Committee, which has been pushing for repairs to the boardwalk and other improvements, presented Jones with a petition supporting the application.

Sherman explained the importance of the grant.

“We know during these difficult economic times, this grant is so important because the rails and the roadway are a safety concern,” he said.

“This grant would be the most wonderful funding that Green Acres could do,” he added. “This is a park that people use for free; it is unique, and it’s a jewel.”

Jones said he will submit a summary of the public hearing, as well as photos and petitions supporting the project, to the Green Acres program.

Contact Kenny Walter at

Kwalter@gmnews.com.





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