Library Branch Debated, Parkway Overpasses Near Yet Far

STONE HARBOR — Members of the Stone Harbor Realty Owners Association learned there is opposition to placement of a county library branch on the beachfront and parkway overpasses will mean two years of rerouting. Those were some of the topics at the general meeting Sat., June 11 in the elementary school:
* There were 117 registered voters in the borough who signed a petition seeking a November referendum on location of the 13,750-square-foot County Library branch, which borough and county officials are forging ahead to begin as soon as possible at the 95th Street municipal beachfront parking lot. The borough clerk at the Tue., June 7 council meeting rejected that petition.
County Library Director Deborah Poillon explained the project, noting there would be ample public meeting space and 15,000 adult and 5,000 children’s books, as well as DVDs, 1,700 audio books and computers with Internet access for adults and children. The entire facility will be WiFi, she said.
Acknowledging controversy surrounding the project, Poillon said, “I want to build this library in Stone Harbor. Avalon has an excellent library system. (Which is not part of the county library system.) The Sea Isle City library will be opening in the fall. It is spectacular, it’s in a beautiful location. I would love to give Stone Harbor that kind of library. You pay us a lot of money. You all deserve a spectacular library,” Poillon said.
Asked if she knew the cost to maintain and staff the planned facility, Poillon said she did not, and was awaiting numbers from the Sea Isle City branch in order to see what costs might be.
Josee Rich then rose to repeat what she stated at the Tue., June 7 council meeting about the placement of the library on the beachfront and the 117-signature petition seeking a November referendum, that was rejected by the borough clerk “on a technicality,” she said.
* “We are closer than we have ever been” to start of construction of three overpasses in a $100-million project on Garden State Parkway and Stone Harbor Boulevard, Crest Haven and Shell Bay Avenue intersections. That is like saying we are close as ever to Moscow, since the New Jersey Turnpike Authority project is stymied by wetland mitigation.
Still, County Engineer Dale Foster told the ROA the authority had awarded final design for the project.
He showed conceptual images of how the 21-foot high overpasses, all on the parkway over local roads, would look.
The project’s first two years will be toughest on motorists, he said. That’s when work will reroute traffic as work continues. The first year, the present three lanes will be reduced to two, as the work is done.
All three interchanges will be done in one project, not phased, Foster said. That means two years versus six years or traffic detours and delays.
“Unfortunately, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and its consultant are not very forthcoming with information,” he said. Versions of the interchange configurations were in the rear of the room for all to inspect.
Prior to start of the work, especially the wetlands mitigation, the public will have another opportunity for input, Foster said. That is part of the permit process, he added.
Tentative start of construction, based on a best-case scenario, is January 2013 with completion in June 2015.
Also at the ROA spring general meeting, Mayor Suzanne Walters delivered her “State of the Borough” address.
Karen Lane, chair of the Stone Harbor Shade Tree Committee, gave an overview of the new organization. Its mission, she noted, is to “Encourage property owners and builders through education and enforcement of our ordinances to maintain or replace trees and shrubs on properties…”
She distributed fliers that listed trees and shrubs over and under 20 feet in height, as well as grasses and perennials that are best suited for planting in the harsh seashore environment.
A backlog of ROA Outstanding Citizen Awards was presented:
1990: Thomas “Ted” Reese
1991: Marjorie Otton
1992: Sgt. Arthur Anderson
1993: R. Jack Fitzpatrick
1994: William T. Fox
1995: Elizabeth “Tridi Jo” DeRose
1996: Ernie Blair
1997: Gen. John Stoner
1998: Gerald Gladue
1999: Jane Scott
2000: Anne and Phil Smith
2001: Vicki Roselle
2002: Josee Rich
2003: James Kilsdonk
2004: Azalea Ellis
2005: None awarded
2006: Bob Bartke
2007: Nancy Cope
2008: Joan Kramar
2009: Julian Miraglia
2010: Diana Harris
The 2011 award will be presented at the Sept. 17 meeting, which will be in Borough Hall. At that time, Borough Council will also conduct a regular meeting, moved from its regular Tuesday date and time, said Sandy Slabik, president of the Realty Owners Association.
See the June 15 Herald print edition for more details on the library project debate and Mayor Suzanne Walters’ State of the Borough address.