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Council Meeting Of February 5, 2019

Attorney General:

Maser hired illegally

for Como project

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Won’t allow DEP to reimburse for $600,000 bill

Change orders could add another $300,000

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Code Enforcement’s Frank Cinelli to assume “Director of Special Operations” responsibilities

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Spark Marketing fired

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Harry Harsin named

lifeguard chief

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The discussion of the Maser problem is right at the beginning of the tape.

28 Comments

  1. Anonymous wrote:

    Belmar should sue the state. Now, after the job is done, they decide they’re not paying?

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 7:29 am | Permalink
  2. Once Again!!!! wrote:

    Tom Brennan has the opportunity to apologize but instead he asks if we can appeal to the DEP for the money. He’s told that the letter states “Once Again…” you (Belmar) are being told you’re doing things wrong.

    Yet Tom shakes his head like this is all news to him. Sadly, I think it is.

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 7:47 am | Permalink
  3. ANONYMOUS wrote:

    As more evidence comes out of what a disaster Mayor Doherty was, I want to remind everyone that the two Toms on council supported Mayor Doherty’s re-election. Mayor Doherty’s supporters should not be rewarded with council seats. It’s because of them, we are in this position.

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 7:52 am | Permalink
  4. Anonymous wrote:

    File the Tort claim notice(s) now.qU

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 8:25 am | Permalink
  5. Anonymous wrote:

    So at the meeting was it clarifies is 120,000 payout just for Ray or the trio?
    Can they hire Harisin for chief with a pending lawsuit ?

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 8:34 am | Permalink
  6. Sit down shut up wrote:

    Can someone please tell Tom Brennan to just keep his mouth shut. What he should be doing is standing up on the diocese and saying how everyone was kept in the dark and he was part and parcel to many of the mistakes. While he is seemingly fully supportive of what the new mayor is trying to accomplish do we really need to hear from him on every topic with some blowhard explanation

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 8:36 am | Permalink
  7. Belle wrote:

    Shame on the last administration! After watching this it appears they did absolutely nothing RIGHT. It’s disgusting.

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 9:58 am | Permalink
  8. anonymous wrote:

    #6-so true!! He is so long winded on every topic. As for the boro office being renovated, I was at the police department to pick up a report and they haven’t done anything over there. The lobby is so depressing! They should really start renovating on the other side and not just concentrate where the Mayor and Acting BA have offices

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 10:16 am | Permalink
  9. madame.snark wrote:

    Brennan needs to go to confession. Or sit in the corner wearing a dunce cap. Sister Thomasina, get out your ruler and smack his knuckles.

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 11:14 am | Permalink
  10. anonymous wrote:

    The lawsuit is settled against lifeguards and I think Harry is well deserved. Big congrats to him !!!

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 11:18 am | Permalink
  11. not her wrote:

    Everything is fine. Maggie, can you please clarify? People are getting confused by their thinking.

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 11:37 am | Permalink
  12. Follow my lead wrote:

    It’s all frivolous… everything coming out is all frivolous

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 12:35 pm | Permalink
  13. Relieved wrote:

    I am so happy that the lifeguard lawsuit is settled and that the new Mayor and Council are starting to undo and clean up what the last Administration did to our beautiful beach town.
    Putting Harry back on as Lifeguard Supervisor will certainly be good for the town. Listening to word on the beach last year, people were very upset with the loss of 3 guys with so much experience. It absolutely made no sense. The only thing that I can think of was someone had a agenda.
    So relieved that the Mayor and Council could see this and make things right again.
    Congrats to Harry and I look forward to(as do many)sitting on Belmar beach again.

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 1:00 pm | Permalink
  14. Anonymous wrote:

    How come the lifeguards haven’t been back here to toot the horn of their fearless leader?

    Of course the lifeguards wanted the leadership back that let them run wild.

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 1:22 pm | Permalink
  15. anonymous wrote:

    #14-exactly! So many said Harry was a bully so let’s see if he can behave himself or will Mayor and Council end up regretting this decision. Sure hope under his direction there aren’t any stands down on any beaches

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 1:37 pm | Permalink
  16. anonymous wrote:

    so did the lifeguards each get 120,000 or is it 120,000 divided by 3? I mean they were suing for millions weren’t they?

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 1:37 pm | Permalink
  17. anonymous wrote:

    #16-I believe it’s going to be split between the 3

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 2:35 pm | Permalink
  18. You Jelly? wrote:

    #14 and #15. Having Harry and company back in charge is the best possible outcome. With harry in charge many of the former experienced guards who didn’t work last summer will return to keep the beaches safe. The new rookie guards will be taught how to properly guard the water and keep people safe. No drownings in Belmar on hours ever! Don’t forget that. Stop the jealously already.

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 2:49 pm | Permalink
  19. anonymous wrote:

    #18-jealous hahaha. Not at all! Please tell me how many drownings there were last summer….I’ll wait

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 3:04 pm | Permalink
  20. You Jelly? wrote:

    #19 Low retention numbers, under trained rookies and substandard leadership led to a record number of stands down last summer. Thankfully, poor weather kept patron numbers down and calmer than normal water conditions prevented any major incidents. Heck, maybe even you can try out and make it this year!

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 3:38 pm | Permalink
  21. Beach Bum wrote:

    Anonymous #14
    I believe you must be talking about last summer with lifeguards disappearing and their Supervisor hanging out on their cell phone on the quad by the fishing pier.
    You learn a lot by sitting on the beach. Also there were more stands down than ever.
    Oh and Anonymous 19, thank God for calm water last year or they would have been up the creek without a lifeguard paddle.
    There was a big turnout of the guards when all this happened…I guess you must have missed those meetings. I guess you must have missed the crowd of Harry supporters at last night’s meeting too!
    Finally, there is a difference between being a bully (Anonymous 15)and being a good boss that gets the job done and reprimands when it is needed.
    Have a safe summer…I know I will!

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 4:41 pm | Permalink
  22. Tom Dilberger wrote:

    A couple of things. first, I like the tenor of the meetings. No more ridiculous plaques being given out all the time. Just get down to business and discuss the town problems and what is going to be done to solve them.
    ————————————–
    Brennan will be gone soon enough.
    —————————————-
    As far as the beach goes, the beach badges have to up and that includes senior badges.
    I’m glad no one drowned last year but at some point someone will drown. It’s just another way people die. As far as lifeguards go, if they can’t man all the areas of the beach, just put up the sign – No lifeguards – Swim at your own risk. No big deal about that.

    Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 7:37 pm | Permalink
  23. Guest wrote:

    Belmar makes the news. Avon by the sea sells discounted teenager badge. https://www.app.com/story/news/local/2019/02/07/belmar-beach-badge-fees-rise/2803944002/

    Thursday, February 7, 2019 at 8:29 pm | Permalink
  24. I'm New Here wrote:

    Asbury Park, Bradley, Avon, Manasquan, Long Branch, Ocean Grove all have teen/junior badges, have for years, yet we’re told those types of badges aren’t allowed under state law. Where has the state been this whole time? Why aren’t other towns being notified and held accountable as well?

    Combined with the new minimum wage laws, 10th Ave. Pavilion repairs, lawsuits paid from the beach utility, needing to attract more lifeguards with better pay (and thus avoiding stands being down), loss of concession rental income, we are starting out this summer in a massive hole. Badge fees had to go up, plain and simple. Sorry seniors, all good $15 things must come to an end.

    How about we up the rental fee for Taylor every time Merri wants to monopolize prime dates and weekends?? Tiered pricing perhaps. Wedding season is coming up. Oh wait, they were allowed to book into 2020, weren’t they?

    Friday, February 8, 2019 at 12:45 am | Permalink
  25. Ken Pringle wrote:

    #23-24

    The Mayor & Council, and the professionals they have engaged, deserve to be commended for complying with the law, and for the substantial steps they have taken to restore transparency to our local government.

    The authority of municipalities to charge beach fees is set forth in N.J.S.A 40:61-22.20. The statute provides that no fees shall be charged to children under the age of 12, but authorizes municipalities to charge “no fees, or reduced fees” to only the enumerated classes of beachgoers that are listed in N.J.S.A. 40:61-22.20(b). This list includes those 65 and over, and includes those with disabilities, active duty members of the National Guard and military and their families, and veterans, as defined in the statute. Probably because the Legislature never dreamed that municipalities would one day charge $9 per person for a day at the beach, there is no provision allowing “reduced fees” for anyone between the ages of 12 and 64.

    I’m pasting below the relevant part of the statute, and am including at the end of this post a link to the full text of the statute. By the way, the statute also requires that badge fees and beach regulations be set by ordinance, as opposed to resolution.

    NJSA 40:61-22.20

    Any such municipality may, in order to provide funds to improve, maintain and police the same and to protect the same from erosion, encroachment and damage by sea or otherwise, and to provide facilities and safeguards for public bathing and recreation, including the employment of lifeguards, by ordinance, make and enforce rules and regulations for the government, use, maintenance and policing thereof and provide for the charging and collecting of reasonable fees for the registration of persons using said lands and bathing facilities, for access to the beach and bathing and recreational grounds so provided and for the use of the bathing and recreational facilities, but no such fees shall be charged or collected from children under the age of 12 years.

    b. A municipality may by ordinance provide that no fees, or reduced fees, shall be charged to:

    (1)persons 65 or more years of age; . . . .

    Here is a link to the full statute: Here is a link to the full text of the of the statute.

    https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2014/title-40/section-40-61-22.20/

    Friday, February 8, 2019 at 5:36 am | Permalink
  26. admin wrote:

    Note: Earlier viewers might have seen this comment posted anonymously. That anonymity was in error. Mr. Pringle does not and has never posted any comments anonymously.

    Friday, February 8, 2019 at 7:59 am | Permalink
  27. Anonymous wrote:

    Don’t pay Maser one more penny.

    Friday, February 8, 2019 at 8:42 am | Permalink
  28. Jim Bean wrote:

    I think its petty to charge children to get on the beach. It is no surprise that the beach utility is broke. The town officials have been stealing from it for 8 years. Last I remember the budget passed with all “yea” votes for the past 4, including the present mayor. The beach utility receives plenty of cash, but when it is used to reduce taxes, for instance pay for all of the Specials (including Lake Como’s) half of the CFO’s salary, dispatching, etc it’s going to be depleted. How did anyone that supported Doherty believe that he could increase spending, not raise taxes, and still balance the books? This town partied for 8 years and now the hangover comes. I hate this beach utility (I want free beaches like the rest of America). It will always be used as a political slush fund because politicians will always try to illegally buy votes with it, aka not raising taxes. What is so hard about being fiscally responsible? I say make the hard decision, cut and cut. Get the books back in order. Over $1 million in police salary for 5 people shows there is opportunity. Maybe they won’t be politically popular but it’s what Belmar needs. And stop raising money charging children. It’s the beach, not 6 flags.

    Friday, February 8, 2019 at 9:59 am | Permalink

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