LAKEHURST – Fixing vandalism at Horicon Lake and buying video cameras to deter more could cost the borough about $20,000, officials said.
Cameras were called for as a security measure after damage was done to the new bathrooms. The small metal cube-like building housed two bathroom facilities. The bathrooms were added a few months prior to this year’s summer season.
The vandalism’s repair cost is still unknown as a piece of sheet metal to replace a wall area has not arrived yet, according to Councilman Gary Lowe. He did estimate that the repair cost could come to $4,500. The cameras to prevent are expected to cost below the $17,000 target mark.
“Our hope is that the cameras…are available and we can get them soon,” Mayor Harry Robbins said.
Lowe also noted that the cherry trees that will replace trees removed on streets in the borough due to the prior ones either dying or causing damage to sidewalks, will cost around $365 each. Lowe noted that “we will be checking for underground utilities before these trees are planted.”
Mayor Robbins said “we need a head count for the trees and Dr. (Brian) Klohn had offered to help us out with the cost of the trees.”
Lowe also provided an update on the borough public works department’s troubled backhoe. The backhoe will be having its engine replaced. “It is at a point where it is losing too much oil so we are taking it out of service before we do a rebuild but it is not something we can work around.”
Officials noted the resignation of Public Works Laborer John Wisniewski during the latest Lakehurst Council meeting.
Councilman Brian DiMeo provided an update on the phone system replacement which began with the installation Borough Hall and Public Works. “They are only being used for internal use right now. The phone lines haven’t been transferred over yet but that is coming. They will be doing the police department phones and by October 26 the inbound phone lines from AT&T will come in with the new provider of the phones.”
Councilwoman Patricia Hodges said the “ordinance committee has been working quite diligently. We took a little detour this week. The policy procedures need to be updated and approved by the middle of November. There are personnel issues we need to address. We went through the entire manual and we have seen where we needed to recommend making changes.”
“We will have that manual hopefully for approval on the next agenda in November. We’ve been working on the ordinances too. We’re going to keep that going it is an ongoing process but it is necessary and we’ll get through it. It won’t be fast but it will be thorough,” she added.
