News
Locker Construction Included In Monmouth Beach Bond Ordinance
By Sherry Conohan
MONMOUTH BEACH - Financing to pay for the unexpected construction of second floor lockers for the Monmouth Beach Bathing Pavilion has been included in a $1,750,000 bonding ordinance intended primarily for road projects.
The ordinance was introduced by the Borough Commission Tuesday night.
Michael Trotta, who heads a citizens' advisory committee on the rehabilitation of the bathing pavilion, said at the meeting that the estimated $450,000 cost of reconstructing the second floor locker area would be paid off by 2013.
That is when the present members of the three-member commission would be completing their current terms and have to stand for re-election.
The Borough Commission started out two years ago on a pay-as-you-go program to upgrade and rehabilitate the aging pavilion, using revenues from the beach fees charged for membership in the pavilion to pay the bills.
This was after a proposal on the ballot to bond to do the total rehabilitation of the pavilion all at once was rejected by the voters at the polls.
A contract was awarded this year for the reconstruction of the first floor lockers, but, Trotta explained, when a pre-construction inspection was made it was found that pilings were rotted below and the second floor locker area was in a deteriorated condition. The second floor locker area was demolished so as to allow the first floor locker area work to proceed. Money for the second floor had not been incorporated into this year's budget so the job went to bonding.
Trotta said the borough was putting together plans and specifications for going out to bid on the second floor job soon with the hope of finishing the work by Memorial Day weekend, in time for the summer season.
"No tax dollars will be used in this at all," Trotta said of the pavilion work.
The bonding ordinance, which also covers 13 road projects costing $1,176,000, calls for issuing $1,665,000 in bonds or notes. A public hearing on the measure is scheduled for a special meeting of the commission at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 23.
The roads to be repaved or otherwise improved next year, in total or in part, are Sunset Lane, Riverview Road, Club Circle, Navesink Drive (Phase II), Shrewsbury Drive, South Road, Center Road, Willow Road, Gullpoint Road, Spaulding Place, Harbor Way, Cottage Road and Cook Street.
In addition to the bonding ordinance, the commission introduced ordinances to increase beach fees next year, increase fees for licenses on dogs and cats and setting fees for liquor licenses. Public hearings on these ordinances will be held at a commission meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17. Mayor Sue Howard said the beach fees were going up "minimally."
As proposed, the cost of a beach badge for pool and beach, which she said was the primary increase, will go up for those aged 12 to 24 by $5 from $135 to $140 for residents and go up "$10 from $360 to $370 for non-residents.
A season badge for the beach only will increase from $70 to $75. The daily badge for the beach will go up $1 from $8 to $9. Guest cards will increase from $90 to $95 for residents and from $140 to $150 for non-residents.
Bathhouses, which include five badges, would go up from $1,000 to $1,100 for residents and from $2,000 to $2,200 for non-residents. Lockers, which carry three badges with them, will cost $550 for residents and $1,200 for non-residents.
The cost of senior citizen badges will remain unchanged.
The cost of licenses for dogs and cats is going up to $15 for each non-neutered/ non-spayed animal and to $12 for each neutered/spayed animal.
The annual fee for the sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages was set at $300 for both a plenary retail consumption license and for a plenary retail distribution license. A club license was set at $120.00.
The ordinance would limit the number of plenary retail consumption licenses to two and the number of plenary retail distribution licenses to one. The number of club licenses also was limited to one.
There are two bars in the borough - Sallee Tee's Grille and Boyle's Tavern. Andy K's, a grocery store and deli, sells bottles of liquor and wine, also beer.
The one club in town is the Channel Club.
The commission also adopted an ordinance creating the position of municipal housing liaison for the purpose of administering the borough's affordable housing program pursuant to the Fair Housing Act and appointed Gerald Chismar, the town's part-time administrator, to the post. He will receive no additional pay for taking on the job.
