The MANCHESTER Times Vol. 27 - No. 36
In This Week’s Edition
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
Lakehurst Names Citizen Of The Year
Borough Codes Being Upgraded
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Community News Page 10-15
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 18
Inside The Law Page 21
Classifieds Page 24
–Photos By Bob Vosseller Lakehurst Mayor Harry Robbins, left, presents the key to the borough’s 2021 Citizen of the Year Jerry Nieuwenhuizen during a recent council meeting. Council President Steven Oglesby is seen seated at far right. By Bob Vosseller LAKEHURST – Clad in a crimson shirt and sporting a white beard, Jerry Nieuwenhuizen could easily be confused with a certain visitor from the North Pole. But that isn’t why he received a ceremonial key to the borough nor the honor of lighting the community Christmas tree this year. Nieuwenhuizen is a
long-time resident of Lakehurst and he takes pride in what the town looks like, so much so that he is often seen cleaning up debris and trash in the street. That is why he was awarded Citizen of the Year during a recent council meeting. Joined by two family members, Nieuwenhuizen was presented the award by Mayor Harry Robbins. The
mayor said that this year, unlike years past, instead of a plaque, the recipient of the Citizen of the Year would receive a shiny gold key as a symbol to his being a key citizen of the community. “I walk back in the bogs along Proving Ground Road and walk around the back of the Public Works (building) and walked around Di-
vision Street - stuff like that - and people throw their garbage out there. I get tired of seeing it. I walked down the street a couple of weeks ago with my dog and people just toss out their beer bottles,” he told The Manchester Times after the meeting. He also comes across many discarded COVID protection (Citizen - See Page 7)
Colleagues Thank Commissioner Little During His Last Meeting
By Stephanie Faughnan OCEAN COUNTY - News that Ocean County Commissioner Gerry Little’s last meeting would be December 1st caught even his colleagues by surprise. “We only learned Gerry wouldn’t be coming back the day of the meeting,” shared Gary Quinn, Director of the Ocean County Board of Commis-
sioners. “We planned to do something special for him at our final meeting of the year.” Little announced his decision to forego seeking reelection earlier this year. His replacement, Bobbi Jo Crea, takes office in January. Both are Republicans from southern Ocean County. As the Ocean County Health Depart-
ment liaison, Little provided regular COVID-19 updates since the disease became both a local and national issue. Immediately after he delivered his early December report, Little made his announcement. “This will be the last meeting I will be attending as your commissioner,” Little (Little - See Page 4)
December 18, 2021
By Bob Vosseller LA K EH U RST – For most of the year, Borough Councilwoman Patricia Hodges ha s bee n working on the review and archiving the borough’s ordinances and that work is moving towards conclusion i n the new year. During a recent c ou nci l me e t i ng, Ho d ge s r e p o r t e d that the Ordinance Committee had been meeting and that it may be possible that the entire code book
could be adopted “with some minor revisions.” The code is all of the rules and regulations of the borough. The Ordinance book now needs to go to Coded Systems, a codifying company, who draws up the final draft. It then will go to the council twice. The first meeting will have the mayor and council vote on its fi rst reading, the following meeting will open it up to the public for comments. (Codes - See Page 7)
Senior Clubhouses’ Legal Protection Against COVID In Question
By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – There was a great sigh of relief when senior communities opened their public buildings and allowed residents to use their amenities like pools and meeting rooms. However, the protection from lawsuits against these communities is scheduled to run out. State law was changed to indemnify those who run these buildings. They are called “common areas” and include more than just senior communities. However, in this area it is almost entirely seniors who are being impacted. The law granted protection from any lawsuits against the community and members of its boards. Before this protection was granted, a visitor could theoretically sue the Board of Directors and the directors individually if they thought they contracted coronavirus in the clubhouse, for example. That protection runs out on January 1, 2021. It doesn’t matter that it might be difficult to (Senior - See Page 5)
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