Author: Bob Lieber

If you live north of route 72 you know about that traffic light at Barnegat Avenue that is both difficult to see and quick to turn red. Drivers can barely see what color the light is showing until they’re nearly underneath it, and it has finally got the attention of Ship Bottom officials, and they are now working with the State Department of Transportation to improve the intersection. For more on this story check out http://barnegat-manahawkin.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/accidentheavy-lbi-intersection-draws-scrutiny

Surf City will be hosting its second annual 5 kilometer run on May 17th.  This event is a run that shows appreciation for Surf City’s EMS and Fire Department. All the proceeds raise in this run will help benefit these brave men and women that have been protecting Surf City when we needed it most. So come out show your support and run for Surf City! For more information on the “Get LBI Running 5k” event please click on the link below for further details.

http://www.getlbirunning.com/Get_LBI_Running/Get_LBI_Running.html

This May, Surf City will be participating in “Surf Pink” for the Paint the Town Pink Campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the importance of annual mammography for women over 40. If you would like to get more information or would like to get involved with the local campaign please click on the website links listed below or you can email Sarah Collins at pinksc2014@gmail.com .

https://thesandpaper.villagesoup.com/p/surf-city-is-first-lbi-municipality-to-paint-the-town-pink-in-may/1157193

 http://www.paintthetownpink.com/

February’s Borough Council meeting brought resolution to an issue that the Surf City Taxpayers Association (SCTA) had taken up as a public safety priority over the last two years.

As noted in this article in this week’s Sandpaper, a plan is now in place to paint yellow lines on curbs to indicate where that parking is not allowed within 25 feet of an intersection in Surf City. This issue has been a priority for the SCTA, with the organization working with town officials on options and alternatives.

The painting of curbs will not only make it safer for pedestrians to see oncoming traffic before attempting to cross Long Beach Boulevard,  but will also address complaints from business owners, who saw their unknowing patrons ticketed for violating the 25 foot ordinance.

Improving public safety…helping local businesses retain customers…and forging a strong working relationship with local officials…this is what the Surf City Taxpayers Association is all about.

Thanks to all those on the SCTA board and in our borough council (and the Girl Scouts of course) for making this possible.

According to this article released on November 7, 2013 by the Sandpaper, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is proceeding with plans to complete beach replenishment for all of Long Beach Island.

The implication for those in most northern streets in Surf City is that they will finally have rebuilt dunes.  Based on an inquiry to Surf City Councilman Peter Hartney — the point person for beach replenishment in the borough — he confirmed the following:

“As far as Surf City is concerned the last 3 or blocks that need to be completed will become part of the replenishment project when it begins in North Beach. At this time the last easement is in the process of being signed and then reviewed by the DEP so barring any delay Surf City will be positioned so that the replenishment can take place.”

As for the question of easements for the rest of LBI, here is the official statement:

“We will have the easements,” Larry Ragonese, press director for the DEP, said in regard to property access easements from a number of reluctant oceanfront property owners, a sticky issue that for several years has held up beach replenishment on most of LBI.

“When the Army Corps in the spring is ready to bring in their equipment and mobilize their gear, we will have all the easements. And we’re hoping to convince people to do it in a manner that would be something that would be for the public benefit,” Ragonese said. “But the governor has made it clear that we would take whatever steps are needed to obtain easements. So when the Army Corps is ready, we have to be ready for them – and we will.”

According to the Sandpaper: “The Army Corps is not responsible for obtaining the easements, but rather designing and overseeing the project using DEP guidelines. The Corps is preparing to launch a full-scale replenishment of LBI for those areas yet to receive it, said Corps spokesman Stephen Rochette.”

Rochestte is quoted as saying:

“We’re proceeding as if they’re getting the easements, and we’re working to update the design and complete the review as if we’re building the remainder of Long Beach Island – with the exception of Barnegat Light, because it’s not part of the authorized project, and of course, Forsythe (National Wildlife Refuge) and those areas,” he said.

Read the full Sandpaper article here.

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno will mark the one year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy’s landfall in New Jersey with a visit to the Surf City Firehouse at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 29, 2013. This in one of her stops as she visits residents, volunteers, first responders and businesses in impacted communities across the state. All are welcome to attend.

The listing is posted on the Surf City Fire Dept. Facebook page here.

All of us at the Surf City Taxpayers Association want to take this opportunity to express our gratitude and best wishes to all of Surf City’s finest — the Fire Dept., EMS, police, sanitation workers, volunteers and municipal employees and officials — who worked tirelessly and selflessly to help cope with the storm and restore our town in the aftermath.

Our deepest thanks go out to you!

SCTA Board Members Bob Lieber and Susanne Gilbert attended the October 9, 2013 Surf City Borough Council meeting. This is their report.

In attendance from the Council were:

• Mayor Leonard Connors
• Francis Hodgson- President of Council
• Jackie Siciliano
• John Klose
• William Hodgson
• James Russell
• Peter Hartney
• Borough Clerk/Administrator Mary Madonna

Council votes taken and approved for the following ordinances:

• Ordinance 2013-05: Authorizing the acquisition of a trash truck, appropriating $200,000.
• Ordinance 2013-06: Authorizing the acquisition of a beach rake, appropriating $65,000.
• Ordinance 2013-07: Amending and supplementing Borough Code Entitled “Flood Control” to adopt FEMA Preliminary Work Map replacing the Advisory Base Flood Map (ABFE). Peter Hartney, when questioned, said this was to bring Surf City into compliance with the State’s actions.
• Ordinance 2013-08: Amending an ordinance to include “Streets and Sidewalks” in addition to “Building and Housing”.
• Authorized several resolutions regarding tax collections, shared tax assessment services with Ship Bottom, appointing contractors, sending the Mayor’s fall letter, transfer of a liquor license to Anchor Wine and Spirits from EJ Callahan’s, Review of Best Practices furnished by the state, release of escrow and bonds and court settlements.

Additional proceedings:

During committee reports, in response to our question, the beach replenishment work is due for completion between October 15 and 30^th (according to Councilman Hartney, this is when the contract ends).

Correspondence was read from Carole McCann expressing gratitude to two patrolmen and from Home Services advising they will be sending solicitations to Surf City homeowners.

When “comments from the audience” were requested, Bob Lieber announced the presence of the two SCTA board members (himself and Susanne Gilbert), thanked the Mayor and Councilman Hartney for speaking at our town hall meetings and announced the purchase of the new sign for Barnegat Avenue (and thanked Mary Madonna for her assistance and coordination).

Meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:30 p.m.