MANCHESTER – Council members remembered those lost during the events of September 11, 2001 and recognized local first responders during their latest meeting.
The Council first approved ordinances concerning a land donation to Ocean County; parking, loading and vehicular access, and a correction to the township zoning map during the latest council meeting.
Ordinance 24-17 regarding storm water management was carried as officials are awaiting further details from the state regarding this ordinance which will be heard on final reading during the council’s November 25 meeting.
Ordinances were also introduced that involved CAFRA area and Pinelands National Reserve Area Zoning Districts and regulations, the $41,628 purchase of property known as Whiting Terrace by the township to Karen Mandel and the $30,000 sale of land at 1409 7th Avenue to developer Jeffrey Jerman.
The Council also introduced ordinances for salary and position raises of bargaining and non-bargaining unit employees. All the ordinances introduced will have a public hearing and second reading during the council’s September 23 meeting.
Remembering Sept. 11
Councilwoman Michele Zolezi noted the service at Town Hall and extended her sincere condolences “to those families who lost family members on that day (September 11, 2001). When people talk about September 11, you remember where you were. I think it is a good time to take the opportunity to be respectful and appreciative of what our emergency services do, police, fire, EMS.”
“When there is a catastrophe or catastrophic event like that where people are running from an incident they are actually running to it,” the Councilwoman added. “They do a great job.”
Police Chief Antonio Ellis also offered some remarks about September 11 during the council meeting. “23 years ago on September 11 everybody remembers where they were and we don’t forget that. We had officers here who did attend at the site and helped clean up in the days that followed that. I was a young officer when that happened but I was not here at the time.”
“Along with September 11 we talked about appreciation for first responders and that is what we did. We had two events leading up to September 11. One was a team building exercise with an appreciation day out at the (township) range where we cooked them breakfast and allowed them to fire off some weapons and do some training and blow off some steam,” the chief added.
Chief Ellis continued saying, “we also had a luncheon here for all the emergency workers involved and our police and EMS foundation paid for that lunch for our first responders.”
He previewed a virtual event that took place later in the week where he attended a question-and-answer session on Facebook Live. The Meet the Chief event took place on Thursday afternoon at the Manchester Facebook site.
“I did attend the (First Responders) Appreciation Day on Saturday and it really was a great team building event. It got people in a more relaxed atmosphere. We really appreciate it and we had a great time,” Councilman Craig Wallis said during his council report.
Grounds Crew Recognized
Mayor Robert Arace and the Township Council recently recognized the Buildings and Grounds crew for their work in keeping public spaces in pristine condition.
The mayor remarked that it was important to take pride “in these spaces utilized by our employees and community on a daily basis, so thank you to Public Works Director Al Yodakis, General Foreman Donald Thomas, and all of the Buildings and Grounds staff for your tireless efforts.”
Mayor Arace presented a proclamation that was accepted by Thomas on behalf of his staff that reads, in part, “their dedication and hard work are vital to the well-being of our community, and we honor their ongoing commitment to excellence.”
“From landscaping, maintenance, repairs, and so much more, the Buildings and Grounds crew plays a vital role in making Manchester Township a safe and welcoming place for all,” the proclamation added.
National Night Out
The mayor and members of council also noted during a prior meeting the success of this year’s National Night Out event held on the grounds of the Manchester Township High School. Mayor Arace noted, “We had a great time at National Night Out with our Manchester Police officers.”
The township police department co-hosted the event with the Lakehurst Police Department and were joined by members of the Manchester Recreation crew, Manchester Division of Emergency Services and volunteer responders.
The mayor stated the event offered an opportunity for the public “to get to know our officers in a relaxed and fun setting. It was great to see special guests such as Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer and State Senator Carmen F. Amato.”
