Posted on October 19, 2020
The final bills for the dredging of Osborn Island and Mystic Island phase one lagoons have been tabulated, and both are much lower than the original bonding.
The final cost to dredge Osborn Island was $1,698,866, and Mystic Island phase one was $2,538,642. During the Oct. 8 municipal meeting, township Chief Financial Officer Rodney Haines said the figures have been sent to the assessor for certification; then a public hearing will be held on the final assessments.
The township bonded $4 million in September 2018 for Osborn Island and $4.5 million in the spring of 2019 for Mystic Island phase one. The committee had asserted that these were high figures, and the special assessment levied on the waterfront property owners would pertain only to actual costs.
In 2018, it was estimated that 14,000 cubic yards of dredge material would be removed from Osborn and the cost would be $1.5 million, with each property owner paying an assessment of $5,213 – a cost able to be spread out over 10 years.
The $1.3 million contract to dredge the low point of three lagoons in Osborn Island plus two “T” inlets from Ocean Boulevard to Great Creek was awarded to Wicksburg Marine. Later, the township approved a requested change from Wicksburg to dispose of the mud in a New Egypt facility rather than the confined dredge facility site in Atlantic County. The project was completed in December 2018.
The 526 property owners included in Mystic Island phase one were originally told the estimated cost of dredging 34,500 cubic yards of mud from the low spots of 12 lagoons plus part of Rose Cove would be close to $4 million, and their assessment would be $9,500, to be paid out over 10 years, so the actual cost of $2,538,642 should lower their assessments.
The Mystic Island phase one dredging started in August 2019 and was completed in December of that year.
Also during the municipal meeting, Councilmen Blaise Scibetta and John Kehm announced they had negotiated (with Township Attorney Jean Ciprianni) a 10-year contract with Comcast for the right to operate in the township. The contract includes a $116,500 technology grant; Comcast will also continue courtesy cable service at the township’s public facilities, including volunteer fire and EMS facilities.
Kehm said Comcast has also agreed to broadcasting five public announcements a month for a period of three years. The township’s Commercial Revitalization Advisory Board will allocate these PAs to local businesses. Ciprianni said the township could use the grant to upgrade technology or the money could be put in the general fund.
The details of the Cable Television Franchise contract are contained in Ordinance 2020-16, which was introduced on first reading with a second reading and public hearing set for the November meeting. The contract is non-exclusive and would not prevent another provider from supplying services during the 10-year term.
The residents of Frog Pond Road have prevailed as the committee introduced an ordinance to lower the speed limit on Frog Pond from 40 mph to 25 mph and create a no-passing zone on its entire length. The Frog Pond Elementary School is located on the street of the same name, and residents have been warning of speeders and an “accident waiting to happen.”
During the public comment period for the online meeting, two residents of Center Street wondered why the committee couldn’t do something more for their street, which has a 25-mph speed limit that is ignored by the vast number of travelers. John Edmunds said a recent count by the Ocean County engineers found 26,000 vehicles traveled the narrow road over a six-day period, and 94.6 percent of the trips originated in Little Egg Harbor.
“We have 250 homes and lots of children on our road – much like a school,” he noted.
Business Administrator Matthew Spadaccini said Capt. James Hawkins of the Little Egg Harbor Police Department was coordinating enforcement efforts with Tuckerton Police Chief Brian Olsen, and patrols would be stepped up.
The committee also introduced an ordinance to bond (borrow) $432,250 for capital improvements toward township-wide drainage projects estimated to cost $455,000. The projects include tide “flapper” valves that would shut outfalls during high tide events that usually result in flooding in some sections of the waterfront.
The tax collector’s office will be bolstered during the COVID-19 pandemic with the awarding of a $37,500 contract to Realauction.com LLC for an electronic tax sale.
Township Engineer Jason Worth said the township is ready to open bids for the first electronic vehicle charging station, which will be located at the township justice complex on Radio Road.
He also said there has been some interest from solar companies in the request for bids for solar on the roof of the justice complex and also on a construction yet to be built over the parking lot.
Committeeman Ray Gormley, who is campaigning for reelection, thanked Worth for securing a town-wide dredging permit that will be in effect for 10 years. Gormley also said the permitting process for beach replenishment would begin in a week or two, creating “something our town has never had.”
Deputy Mayor John Kehm, also running for reelection, also thanked Worth for securing a Community Development Block Grant that will be used to paint the Edward Thornton Community Center with logos from all three district schools. He bemoaned the fact that the annual Halloween Trunk or Treat and haunted maze event had to be canceled because of COVID-19 but said a Halloween-themed film would be shown during a drive-in event at the community center on October 16 at dusk.
Source: thesandpaper
