Avalon Council Bids Ellenberg Farewell

AVALON — Avalon Borough Council began its Aug. 12 work session with a final goodbye to David Ellenberg. Ellenberg recently stepped down from his position on council because he is moving to Lancaster, Pa., the location of his family and grandchildren.
Ellenberg was presented with a plaque containing a borough resolution recounting his accomplishments on council where he served for 10 years, two of which he served as president. 
Ellenberg was accompanied by his wife Sue who had also served the borough as head of the Recreation Department.
Mayor Martin Pagliughi had hoped to be at the meeting but was detained at a meeting with county officials. The plaque was presented by Business Manager Scott Wahl.
Ellenberg’s work on environmental issues received special notice as the proclamation cited his efforts as instrumental in Avalon’s Bronze Award from Sustainable New Jersey.
Councilman William Burns attended his first meeting since being appointed to fill Ellenberg’s seat. That seat will be filled by election in November for the remainder of Ellenberg’s term which expires June 30, 2017.
Beach and Bay
During reports from borough officials, Wahl updated council on recent storms that eroded part of the recently-completed beach fill in the northern end of the borough. Selected beaches were closed for parts of two days while repairs were done because steep drops in the sand presented potential safety hazards to beachgoers.
Wahl also noted that the dredging project is scheduled to begin again in the period from Sept. 15 through Dec. 31. Touch-up work remains in Princeton Harbor and then efforts will focus on Sterbeck Harbor in Middle Township.
Pennsylvania Harbor will follow next in this second year of a potential three- year project. Mobile Dredging will continue with the responsibility for the channels. The company has a contract with Channel Marine to dredge private boat slips.
Current regulation will require the borough to stop dredging Dec. 31. Following work in Pennsylvania Harbor, and depending on time available in that phase of dredging, work will move to the Third Avenue waterway, then north to Cornell Harbor, and moving westward through the harbor.
Porpoise Lagoon would be next, but is less likely this year.
Bridge Work to Continue
Staying with the topic of the island’s waterways, Wahl also reported that the borough has been informed that work on the Townsend’s Inlet Bridge will continue over the next two winters.
This winter work may require the bridge to be closed for a two-month period, but all work for this phase is to be completed by March 15, 2016. The work could start in mid-November.
The second winter, plans currently call for no total closure of the span although traffic may be limited to one lane during some periods.
County Hazard Mitigation Plan
The council approved Cape May County’s Multi-Jurisdictional All Hazard Mitigation Plan as the borough’s plan. Responding to the state’s Disaster Mitigation Act which sets requirements for pre and post disaster hazard mitigation programs, a number of Cape May County municipalities formed a coalition to pool resources and create consistent mitigation strategies.
That coalition has completed its planning process. The plan’s specifics were not discussed in any detail at the meeting.
In a related matter, the council adopted a resolution authorizing Wahl to advertise for bids for post-event emergency response and disaster recovery service. The focus was largely on public building restoration following damage from a natural or man-made disaster. 
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.