Shared Municipal Court Judge to Continue Initiative of Islandwide Expense Savings

STONE HARBOR – The Borough of Stone Harbor continues to take advantage of opportunities to share services with its island neighbor, Avalon. At the June 16 Borough Council meeting, Public Safety Committee Chair Albert Carusi, announced that Municipal Court Judge John Fowler will retire in August. With that retirement, Stone Harbor will enter into an agreement with Avalon to share one municipal court.
The current Avalon Municipal Judge George B. Neidig, Jr. will preside over both communities and the Stone Harbor courtroom will be used.
This move is the latest in a series of arrangements between the two municipalities to gain efficiencies and reduce costs. Both already share emergency dispatch operations, chief financial officer services, water backup plans, recreation programs and numerous other activities.
Carusi also reported that the Public Safety Committee had received the engineer’s police building feasibility study. The report is still under consideration but Carusi said that the existing police building could be renovated and possibly enlarged to meet the department’s needs. Much will depend, he said, “on cost comparisons for renovation versus new construction.” The hope is that his group will be prepared to soon present options to council.
In a final note, Carusi indicated that the county had a 2017 deadline for submission and adoption of a new emergency management plan. A consultant has been hired to aid in the plans development and the municipalities will be expected to fold their efforts into the planning process. The desire is to have the plan submitted in mid-2016 in order to have it through the approval process by 2017. Hazard mitigation planning is an important component in setting flood insurance rates, Carusi noted.
Other Business
Council member Barry Mastrangelo added that the proposal for the new library building has gone out to bid. Both potential construction projects have been under discussion for a long period and both are showing simultaneous movement.
Council member Joselyn Rich prefaced her remarks with the announcement that she had exciting news. Finally, back bay dredging was becoming more of a reality than a wish.
Rich said that bids went out June 23 and would need to be received by July 21. Council later ratified that process by resolution.
Council member Karen Lane continued what has become a regular feature of her report to council when she noted that the latest figures for water use place the bough at roughly 5 million gallons higher than 2014. This report, she noted, represents figures for usage up to the end of May, before the borough really starts its busy summer season.
Vintage Homes
The Historic Preservation Committee of the Stone Harbor Museum is bucking the trend toward tearing down older homes to build larger new ones. They have an effort underway to celebrate some of Stone Harbor’s older homes and buildings, preserving a chance for visitors to see an earlier time in Stone Harbor.
Owners of homes built circa 1950s or earlier have been invited to have their homes certified by the committee. The certification carries no legal standing and does not interfere with flexibility respecting renovations and the like. What clearly the certification is meant to be is a badge of pride and a preserved beacon of the borough’s past.
When a building achieves certification, owners will be able to display a Vintage House plaque with the date of the building in the center. The structure will then be listed on a register in the Museum.
At this time 63 houses or other buildings have successfully completed the process and been certified. Plans are being developed for a brochure detailing a walking tour of the borough aimed at the presentation of its certified homes.
Museum President Terrie Cwik presented Mayor Suzanne Walters with one of the program’s plaques in honor of the Museum’s certification of the oldest borough owned property, the water works building on 96th Street.
Details on the program and the process for gaining certification are available on the Museum’s website at www.stoneharbormuseum.org/13.html.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.