LAKEHURST – Borough Mayor Harry Robbins and Council discussed the delayed spending plan due to the current situation and will be looking into the state’s extension for municipalities presenting and adopting their budgets.
That subject was broached during the council’s last meeting which was conducted through a Google Conference call due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has caused municipalities to conduct their meetings in different ways.
Robbins said no budget meetings have occurred to allow for the preparation of this year’s spending plan. The council did move to vote for the payment of bills as a state of emergency.
“I understand the state gave us an extension until later for our municipal budget. We’re obviously not having any budget meetings. I think we should extend that,” Councilman James Davis said.
The mayor said, “we need to reach out to the state and get the facts.”
Councilman Robert McCarthy commended the borough’s emergency service responders, first aid, Office of Emergency Management, firefighters and police for doing “an amazing job they reacted very quickly complying with the CDC guys and on anything put forward by you Mr. Mayor and any other recommendations put forward to ensure the safety of our first responders.”
McCarthy commended the fire department on the Center Street fire saving the structure. They did a fine job on that.” The councilman was referencing a fire that erupted around 2:50 a.m. on March 24 that destroyed a two-story home on Center Street. Lakehurst Fire Chief Ken Sloan reported shortly afterward that everyone had gotten out safely.
Mayor Robbins also commended all emergency response units, the police and fire units and the OEM. “Our fire company did a bang-up job with that structural fire we had.”
Councilman McCarthy added that the fire company took advantage of a program in Stafford Township in the form of a “free emergency services vehicle decontamination. They had all the fire apparatus down there getting decontaminated. A site is being put up in Berkeley also so I would recommend that to the First Aid also if they feel they need a unit decontaminated.”
“The police department made a pretty prominent arrest on one person that was wanted and was speeding through town. Everyone is following all the guidelines and staying safe but still getting the job done,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy moved on to the subject of the borough’s school system. “The Board of Education did have a meeting the day the school building to the public and to the staff. What I took from the agenda is that they are continuing to distribute meals and all kindergarten and pre-K registration has been postponed.”
“They will be distributing meals on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the cafeteria parking lot. They did have a hand full of resignations and retirements and bill payments of $352,000,” McCarthy said.
Councilman Brian Dimeo said that while he had previously had a meeting with the Youth and Recreation committees “the discussion was anything was going to be postponed and now pending the outcoming of this there will be a discussion what our next steps will be but everything has been cancelled.”
Mayor Robbins said, “one thing I’d like to say to the public even though they are not with us this evening is that the public really needs to keep their distance from our public works workers they are running out to the trucks with their garbage and trying to help them out but in reality they are putting themselves and our workers at risk.”
“Quite honestly if we lose our workers, the garbage will just pile up,” the mayor added.
While the public was invited to call in for the conference meeting, no one spoke up regarding any point of business of the borough during the meeting.
Council President Steven Oglesby reminded all residents to maintain social distancing as outlined by the state guidelines of the governor.
“The countries that have been fairly successful in fighting this seem to be really adhering to the social distancing that seems to be the number one thing that we can do that is within our power to help slow this thing down so I’d just encourage every one to follow these rules. They are more of an inconvenience than a sacrifice at this point,” Oglesby added.
“Well that is our first meeting like this. I have a feeling we may be doing another one like this in a couple of weeks. Everyone stay safe,” Mayor Robbins said closing out the session. The meeting began with a moment of silence for all those who have died as a result of the coronavirus.
