LAKEHURST – New Year’s Day was bright and sunny, a perfect day for the borough’s annual reorganization meeting that saw the swearing in of three returning council members – but this year’s budget preparation may present a challenge.
Mayor Harry Robbins welcomed everyone to the noon meeting which lasted less than a half hour. Councilwoman Bernadette Dugan was sworn in for a two-year unexpired term, having been chosen last year to fill the vacant seat of Councilman Gary Lowe who died early in 2022. Sworn in for full three-year terms on the council were Brian DiMeo and Steven Oglesby.
Dugan’s son Paul held the Bible for her while DiMeo’s daughter Isabel held the Bible for him. Oglesby’s 4-year-old granddaughter Lilly Moreno of Lacey Township carefully held the Bible for him as Borough Attorney Ian Goldman administered the oath of office to each of them in separate installations of office.
Oglesby was unanimously approved to serve another year as council president.
Borough professional staff were approved for office and council committee assignments were read early on during the session.
“Happy New Year everyone, I’m happy to be here,” Dugan said during the Council comments period.
Mayor Robbins expressed, “a happy, healthy new year to everyone. I consider it an honor to speak with this group of people who make the decisions for the borough. Everybody’s heart here is in the same place and it’s all about helping our community”
The Finance and Administration Committee is made up of Councilmembers Dugan and DiMeo; Personnel will have Councilman Robert McCarthy and Oglesby; public safety is McCarthy and Councilman James Davis; Public Works is Councilwoman Patricia Hodges and McCarthy; Building and Grounds will be Hodges and Davis; Youth and Recreation will be Dugan and DiMeo; Shade Tree will be Oglesby; Board of Education will be Davis and the mayor will serve on the Joint Base liaison position. The ordinance committee will consist of Hodges and Oglesby.
Mayor Robbins told The Manchester Times after the meeting that the borough was bracing for a fiscal challenge in the new year. “The budget is going to be tighter than it has ever been. It is going to be a tight budget and this might be our last year for the borough calendar (made up of historic and scenic photographs of the community with important event dates included). It is very nice.
“We have the cannabis (licensing and operation) to get under control. We feel it is in place. We have one more application for the additional zone and the deadline for that is the end of this month. Burger King (on Route 37 in the Borough) submitted plans to the Land Use Board. It has the same footprint. I don’t really see an issue with it unless they add anything (to the building),” the mayor added.
The new Wawa convenience store within the Borough is also underway and the mayor said he was confident that there will not be a traffic issue with it. “It will flow good. Besides that, we will just take one issue at a time. If something comes up, we’ll take care of it. That is all we can do. We really do have a solid team here.”
Early in the meeting the mayor announced the winners of the holiday home decorating contest which include: First place-507 Union Avenue, Second place 25 Pine Street, Third place 502 Chestnut Street and in the mobile home category, 5 Geneva Road.
