The Ocean Signal | June 7th - 20th, 2013
Ocean Gate Officers Sabatino and LaRocca Receive Agency Citations for Sandy Work by Erik Weber OCEAN GATE – With rising floodwaters and stranded residents as Hurricane Sandy barreled into the shore last October 29th and 30th, members of the Ocean Gate Police Department sprang into action to help those in need here in a manner “above and beyond their duty assignments,” said Chief Reece J. Fisher at last week’s council meeting. Singling out officers Adam Sabatino and Vincent LaRocca, the chief recalled those early days of darkness in Ocean Gate in a letter and presentation of agency citation bars honoring and thanking the pair for their work as the initial team assigned to the hurricane response efforts. “During the events of Hurricane Sandy, many resources and emergency personnel were required to ensure the safety of those residents that decided to remain with their homes and the safety of the property of those that evacuated,” he wrote. “As a result, all police officers were placed on 12-hour shifts through the storm period, and our Emergency Operations Center was activated in advance of the storm by [Office of] Emergency Management volunteers.” “As the storm approached the Jersey Shore and the effects began in Ocean Gate, a fire at the Ocean Gate Deli broke out and consumed most of the police resources on duty for the initial stages of the storm,” Chief Fisher continued. “As a result, more officers were called in to assist with storm operations with emergency management personnel.” “As the storm progressed and water from the Toms River approached major flood stages, officers were assigned to a high water transport vehicle to travel
out to assist in the evacuation of residents who called for assistance,” he added. “Several residents along the way were found walking through four to five feed of flood water with personal belongings in hand and some carrying their pets. All that were encountered were assisted by the officers assigned to the task and loaded into the high water transport vehicle.” A M-35 surplus military transport was secured by the chief from Seaside Heights a year earlier in the event of flooding in the borough. It did not cost anything beyond the agreement to maintain its operation unless such time arose that the borough did not wish to retain it any longer. “Approximately 35 people were received and transported to safety on that evening by this initial rescue team, with more throughout the night and into the next morning by other assigned emergency personnel rotated into this operation,” said Chief Fisher. “Officers Sabatino and LaRocca were the initial officers assigned to this task and exited the transport vehicle several times to assist residents in substantial flood waters with debris and contaminants commonly present within these waters. These officers also remained well beyond their assigned shifts without compensation to maintain an active part of this ongoing effort.” He said that because of these actions, the pair were eligible for the agency citation bars “for a highly creditable accomplishment to duty and service to the public.” In other news of the late May borough council meeting: The Ocean Gate Civic Club is hosting a gift auction at Ocean Gate School this Sat-
urday, June 8th, with doors opening at 5 pm. Cost is $12 for entry that includes one sheet of tickets plus coffee and dessert. Former councilwoman and West Arverne Avenue resident Pat Barger asked the governing body for relief from several loose manhole covers in her neighborhood that rattle as vehicles travel over them. Mayor Paul Kennedy noted that over 150 manholes that were previously covered by asphalt across town were recently uncovered and that he would request they be made tighter through the firm performing the work. East Bayview Avenue resident and Ocean Gate Historical Society President Lou Purcaro asked that the borough address the ownership of the caboose on society grounds, as the town was in the process of taking ownership of the property and two museum facilities, including the original Pennsylvania Railroad train depot, to relieve the organization from onerous annual insurance premium costs required to operate there. He noted that he was concerned that future generations may not have the interest to maintain and repair the train car, and that the borough taking ownership of it would help it to remain and be maintained within the municipality as part of the borough’s heritage. Attorney Bob Allen, present in the place of his business partner and borough attorney, James Gluck, stated that Mr. Gluck had some ideas on how to handle the caboose and that he would pass along the concern for a response at the next council meeting. Chief Financial Officer Paulette Konopka reported that following several meetings and walkthroughs with representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the government would cover 75 percent of the cost for all fixtures in the bathrooms at the two comfort stations on the riverfront at Wildwood and Angelsea avenues. Further work was needed at the Wildwood Avenue comfort station, including mold treatment, power washing, the replacement of doors, repainting, a new electrical
system and the installation of a cabinet to hold medical supplies for the lifeguards when the beaches are open. She added that FEMA would further replace the roofs of both pavilions on the riverfront at the 75 percent reimbursement rate. Other roofs being replaced in the borough included Adrian Hall, the water treatment plant, the fire company and the garage of the first aid squad. A report on beach badge and parking decal sales for the same period of time over the previous three years was also offered by Ms. Konopka, with revenue from 2011 at $20,563; revenue in 2012 at $19,793 and revenue this year at $15,090. “So we are down and if we go badge to badge, we are down 483 badges from last year alone,” she said. “We are taking a hit.” Mayor Kennedy reported on a number of items, including: the borough asked the state department of transportation to combine the two Monmouth Avenue road projects, which were expected to begin construction in July; the Ocean County Utilities Authority was going to have a public hearing on 2014 rates but they were not going to be raised from the current level; several different churches and civic organizations were arriving in town over the coming weeks to help out those affected by Hurricane Sandy to do such tasks as cleanouts, painting and power washing; residents on the eastern end of town were reporting foul odors emanating from the border area of Berkeley Township and Ocean Gate, and the county health department was looking into possible trash washed up from last October’s hurricane as the cause; the beach prism project was approved by the Department of Environmental Protection but the Army Corps of Engineers was now seeking to have the application resubmitted with the borough as the applicant, which Mayor Kennedy stated occurred after a new supervisor arrived to a role within that department; the borough and its police department were working with the joint insurance fund to try and receive departmental accreditation
in the coming years to help stave off lawsuits targeting the town; the new court administrator’s hours are Monday through Thursday from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm; fireworks were possibly going to be featured at this year’s Ocean Gate Day in August to celebrate the borough’s 95th year of incorporation, and the borough is seeking potential sponsors; and the borough was visited by 110 3rd grade students from St. Joseph’s Grade School, who were walked around town by volunteers and taught about its history and various features. Council President Brian DiStefano reported that the borough website was back online following a bad script within the website code that he suspected was installed during a site violation several months ago. Councilman Dave Kendrick reported that the police department received a $1,200 grant for the Cops in Shops program through the summer, which would install plainclothes officers in area liquor establishments to seek out adults who may be trying to purchase alcohol for minors or minors seeking to use false identification to purchase the same. Councilwoman Joella Nicastro reported that unknown area residents were illegally dumping non-recyclable materials, including tree limbs and yard clippins, in the borough bins, costing taxpayers money and creating a headache for public works and Meadowbrook,
the borough’s waste disposal contractor. The topic of the reconstruction at the Ocean Gate Deli was also brought up by the councilwoman, who stated that rumors circulating around town that the borough construction department was holding up work there was incorrect and that town officials were interested in seeing the owner complete his work as fast as he was able, as many residents also do. Mayor Kennedy added that as long as the site was secure and not a danger to the public, the owner could keep his permit open for as long as 2.5 years prior to completion. Councilman Charles Mailot reported that residents affected by last October’s hurricane could go to www. sandyhelp.nj.gov and also reach out to the Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity at www.nohfh.com and (732) 228-7962 for further aid. Councilman James McGrath stated that two lifeguards and two badge checkers were being hired for the beachfront thus far, and that interviews were ongoing. Councilman Frank Santarpia gave the construction department’s report for the previous month, stating that 131 construction permits mainly for flood damage were issued, and 42 violations were written due to grass, trash, rubbish and vehicles on properties.
Reconstruction work continued on the borough’s mile-long boardwalk work earlier this week. Photo courtesy Ocean Gate resident Manuel Ferreira.
Ocean Gate Memorial Day Photos by Wendy Konar
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