Back Bay Dredging Stalls Due to Lack of Disposal Site

STONE HARBOR – While votes were being racked up outside, the business of the borough was not to be delayed. The Nov. 5 Borough Council meeting went on as usual and no less than seven new resolutions were adopted. Not least of which was the resolution to award a contract for replacement of 93rd and 107th Street bulkheads. “We’ve had two bids,” said Councilwoman Joan Kramar. R.A. Walters & Son, Inc. of Court House had the “lowest responsible bid of $268,540 and the funds are available.”
Also adopted was a resolution to authorize a contract with The Reeds at Shelter Haven for Stone Harbor’s Centennial Cocktail Reception. To date, 250 tickets have been sold and the cost will be $11,192. The reception will be held Dec. 28.
As for the new cost and design of the Sept. 11 memorial, the committee has a meeting scheduled Nov 13. “There is no update at this time,” said Mayor Suzanne Walters. “But we will definitely have an update at the next borough council meeting.”
Councilwoman Joselyn Rich spoke to dispel a rumor about dredging. “We have been working very hard with the Army Corps of Engineers, specifically Monica Chasten, a project manager. She said they have a dredge and they could bring it up, we just didn’t have anywhere to put what we dig up (which is really a state responsibility).”
Rich went on to say that they were considering taking out 7,800 cubic yards of the Intracoastal Waterway. “If we could find a place to put it, we could probably have made it happen. Site 103 and Sedge Island were suggested but that didn’t happen. So we are back to the drawing board for the spring and hopefully the state will take the material and put it wherever they want to put it. We’re gonna stay on top of it and that’s the truth. We are working on all possibilities and working as hard as we can.”
During the public portion of the meeting, Charles Tomlinson stepped forward and asked council for clarification of the new design for the Sept. 11 memorial.
“Obviously it’s going to be a much smaller parcel of land across the street here,” said Walters. The newly proposed location is to be on Seng Place, across the street from borough hall.
“So there’s no budget for the designs being done then?” pressed Tomlinson.
“When we have the new design,” Walters replied, “we will bring it to the public and make a decision about cost.”
“Well that’s one way of doing it,” Tomlinson stated. “Normally you would pass a budget and then work on the design. But I guess this is another way of doing it.”
Next, Angelo Caracciolo stood to ask if council had ever entertained the idea of a meet-and-greet between police officers and residents. “I just think that with a close-knit town of this size it would be nice if we could all put names and faces to the police officers we see driving around every day,” said Caracciolo.
Council agreed that was a great idea. In the back of the room, recently appointed Capt. Thomas Schutta nodded in agreement.
Caracciolo also asked about adding a dog park to the 2014 budget. Walters reminded him that the preliminarily budgets have been discussed and their job now is to cut. When Kramar asked if Caracciolo had any ideas about locations, he said that he had “a dozen ideas.” One of which was to make a dog park out of one of the tennis courts that take in “a miniscule revenue.”
The next public meeting will be pushed forward and held on Nov. 18 to allow for Walters and several board members to attend to 98th annual N.J. State League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City, Nov. 19 (during council’s regularly scheduled meeting time).
Walters, currently league vice president, will be sworn in as its president Nov. 21. “We are going to do a ceremonial thing in town here,” said Walters. “The league thought it would be a good idea. We haven’t set a date yet but as soon as we do, we’ll get the word out to everyone.”
The New Jersey League of Municipalities is a voluntary association created to help communities do a better job of self-government through pooling information, resources and brainpower.
The fact that Walters is being sworn as its next president is “a very big deal,” said Kramar.
To contact Bryon Cahill, email bcahill@cmcherald.com.