The BERKELEY Times Vol. 25 - No. 33
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Berkeley Trying To Fill Vacant Storefronts
In This Week’s Edition
The Perils Of Posting: Should Public Officials Play It Safe On Social Media?
Community News! Pages 10-13
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 16
Dear Pharmacist Page 17
Wolfgang Puck Page 27
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
–Photo by Chris Lundy Berkeley has filled some of the empty storefronts, but others remain open. By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – The tow nship has made hea dway i n f ill i ng empty storefronts but there is still a challenge to bringing new commerce in. “We have made progress on bringing in new businesses along the Route 9 corridor,”
Mayor Carmen Amato said. “New businesses that recently opened in old dilapidated or vacant buildings are: The Max Challenge, Staffa Stone, C&G Café, Bayville Phar macy, CG Landscaping Supply and the new Heritage Square which opened t he M&M Se afo o d
Market along with other small businesses.” He noted a list of new construction or renovations along Route 9 that includes: Advance Auto Parts, Dollar General, QuickChek and the expansion of Jersey Rents. “The BP station will also undergo major renovations as well.”
“We are working with the current owners of the Berkeley Plaza and the new owners of the Baywick Plaza,” he said. Bay wick Plaza is where Foodtown and Market Fresh grocery stores used to be. The Berkeley Plaza is where ShopRite is. (Vacant - See Page 4)
Town’s Insurance Sees Small Bump
By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – The i nsu rance f u nd the township uses will see little change for the next three years, officials said. At a recent Township Council meeting, the gover ning body decided to stay with the Garden State Joint Municipal Insurance Fund.
Business Administrator John Camera said that township officials shopped around and the current insurance carrier “has been and remains our best deal going forward.” The new agreement will cover the township employees from Jan. 1, 2020 until Dec. 31, 2022.
Camera reported that the total premium for the township, which includes workers comp, general liability, employment practices, and property damage was $1,228,145 in 2019. For 2020, there would be an increase of $21,060 to $1,249,205. This is an increase of 1.7 percent. W hen asked if it
January 25, 2020
would be better if the am not concerned about township shopped for a renewing for another new carrier every year, three-year period,” he Camera explained that said. the three-year renewal In other news, the is the only option that township renewed its was offered. lease agreement with “A joint insurance the Berkeley Township fund needs some stabil- Historical Society. The ity to operate properly society operates out and they have proven to of the old Town Hall be our best coverage for on Route 9. The new a number of years so I (Insurance - See Page 4)
By Kimberly Bosco OCEAN COUNTY – No one is immune to risks of social media, even those that lead us. Social media can be used for both the personal and professional. For example, your next door neighbor might be sharing funny animal videos to Facebook while your local police department is posting updates on road closures in your area. While social media has become an easy and efficient way to connect with the community, it also breeds a new problem for local officials with an online presence: where does one draw the line between the personal and the professional? What sort of content should be allowed on professional platforms? Jersey Shore Online recently used this very technology to poll the Ocean County community on this issue, asking residents via Facebook: Should politicians be held to a higher standard on social media than the average citizen? In response, an overwhelming majority (70 voters) agreed that as public officials, they should be held to a higher standard. A small percentage (23 voters) compromised with the idea that public officials should have separate accounts for personal and professional posts, and an even smaller percentage (18 voters) believes that they should be able to post or share whatever content they choose. One Ocean County resident noted that “as representatives they have a duty to” be professional. Resident Michael J. Glenn said that it shouldn’t matter either way. “Why? Because unlike a lot of other things, we actually have the power to hire and fire our elected reps. All ya gotta do is vote. So they should be free to be whoever they are so we can see them for what they really are,” he wrote. Resident Roxanne Zygmund proposed the idea that “As a professional they should have someone to review their messages before posting.” (Social - See Page 8)
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