By Liz Sheehan
SEA BRIGHT – Voters will decide on three bond issues approved by the Borough Council to fund the replacement of the fire house, police headquarters and library destroyed by Super Storm Sandy and the existing Borough Hall.
At the July 5 Borough Council meeting, Councilman Brian Kelly said that a petition signed by 69 qualified voters meets the standards for the bond issues to be placed on the ballot.
He said the project has been “stopped in its tracks” by the need for a vote on the bonds.
Kelly said the amount of the bonds totals $12 million, with $7 million covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and insurance funds, leaving $5 million for the borough to finance.
SEA BRIGHT – Voters will decide on three bond issues approved by the Borough Council to fund the replacement of the fire house, police headquarters and library destroyed by Super Storm Sandy and the existing Borough Hall.
At the July 5 Borough Council meeting, Councilman Brian Kelly said that a petition signed by 69 qualified voters meets the standards for the bond issues to be placed on the ballot.
He said the project has been “stopped in its tracks” by the need for a vote on the bonds.
Kelly said the amount of the bonds totals $12 million, with $7 million covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and insurance funds, leaving $5 million for the borough to finance.
Parking fees from the borough’s new metered parking system, according to Kelly, were projected to raise $125,000 this summer, and with that amount and other revenues, the owner of a house valued at $500,000 would pay an estimated additional $172 in taxes per year.
Mayor Dina Long said the scheduling of a public meeting on the bond issues would be discussed at the council’s July 14 workshop meeting, which begins at 8:30 a.m.
In addition to the public meeting, she said, there should be two drop-in meetings where residents could meet with borough personnel to ask questions to about the bond issues. Frank Lawrence, an administrative assistant in the borough, said that the council will consider whether to have a special election on the matter or place it on the ballot in the November election.
Mayor Dina Long said the scheduling of a public meeting on the bond issues would be discussed at the council’s July 14 workshop meeting, which begins at 8:30 a.m.
In addition to the public meeting, she said, there should be two drop-in meetings where residents could meet with borough personnel to ask questions to about the bond issues. Frank Lawrence, an administrative assistant in the borough, said that the council will consider whether to have a special election on the matter or place it on the ballot in the November election.
He said a delay might cause some problems with FEMA funding, since there were “some deadlines” the town had to meet.
Lawrence said that the small number of signatures on the petition triggered the need for a vote because it was based on a percentage of the number of voters in the last election, which he said had a low turnout.
Councilman John Lamia Jr., who voted against the bond issues and said he wanted to look at less costly alternatives, said the petition stated the signees did not want the town to assume the amount of debt resulting from the bonds. Lamia said he spoke to some of those who signed and was told they were not against rebuilding the facilities, but wanted to do it within the amount that the borough would receive from FEMA, insurance and other funding sources available that would not result in the debt the bond issue would create.
Lawrence said that the small number of signatures on the petition triggered the need for a vote because it was based on a percentage of the number of voters in the last election, which he said had a low turnout.
Councilman John Lamia Jr., who voted against the bond issues and said he wanted to look at less costly alternatives, said the petition stated the signees did not want the town to assume the amount of debt resulting from the bonds. Lamia said he spoke to some of those who signed and was told they were not against rebuilding the facilities, but wanted to do it within the amount that the borough would receive from FEMA, insurance and other funding sources available that would not result in the debt the bond issue would create.
Lamia said the cost of the project increased since it was first discussed and he was not sure why.
He said he would be seeking data to explain the increase, which he opposed.
He said he would be seeking data to explain the increase, which he opposed.
