The Rundown: Monday's Squan Council Meeting

Manasquan's governing body on Monday , added $22,000 to the bill for the borough's new water treatment plant project, and adopted nearly $100,000 in bond ordinances to purchase new police SUVs and finance improvements to borough hall. 

A $10,000 bond ordinance to finance the demolition of the old Manasquan-Brielle Little League building was also adopted. 

The Borough Council also amended two ordinances — one increases fines for various public conduct offenses, while the other tightens up the borough's parking enforcement code. 

During the council's work session, Republican Councilwoman Patricia Connolly sparred with other members regarding the hiring of non-residents for seasonal beach jobs. 

Here's the rundown: 

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The governing body during its work session approved several events for this year's 125 Anniversary celebration. 

The events include: a cocktail party (Sept. 21); fireworks (Sept. 22); parade (Sept. 22); and a clam bake (Sept. 23). 

The 125th Committee, which is in charge of organizing the monumental occasion, is also requesting the use of extra banners. The borough allows for only three uses per year; the committee would like more. 

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The school board is requesting permission to begin construction on the new High School roof this summer at 5 a.m. each day. 

Several council members, however, were not keen on allowing a likely noisy project to disturb nearby residents that early in the morning. 

The governing body, in the meantime, is requesting a more specific timetable from school officials. But it doesn't sound as if the council would approve the 5 a.m. start time either way. 

Councilman Owen McCarthy said residents "deserve better" than the early work days.

The project is expected to last about two months. 

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A JCP&L spokesman was scheduled to meet with the governing body during its work session to discuss "customer and community relations." 

The spokesman, however, did not show. 

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Councilwoman Patricia Connolly, after reviewing the list of return beach employees, said there were not enough Manasquan residents on the list. 

Connolly said Manasquan residents should be given preference over non-residents for badge checking, parking and beach patrol jobs. 

Councilman Mike Mangan said the list was only of employees returning from last season. Mangan said they were likely invited back because they did a good job. 

Councilman McCarthy added that "experience matters" at those positions.

Mangan also said he was concerned about stepping too far into the realm of hiring practices at the beach.  

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The borough's chairman of the Cable Advisory Committee, Lee Weisert, videotaped the governing body's work session. 

It seems the mayor and council are still toying with the idea of televising meetings on the borough's public access TV stations. 

Some members of the governing body have been reluctant to move forward with the idea until certain sound and other technical issues are sorted out. 

Councilwoman Connolly has been the only member to consistently support the plan. 

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The borough will add an extra $22,500 to the $4.2 million water treatment plant project. Administrative costs were not included in the new charges, according to Borough Engineer Charlie Rooney of T&M Associates.

The project's subcontractor, Paddock Construction, requested a change order to its contract to remove additional asbestos found at the old water plant, add door locks to the new site, and to install 10 road ballards, a lockable ladder to access a decant tank and an automated flush system.

Mayor George Dempsey seemed somewhat miffed that the asbestos was not discovered during the original inspection of the old water plant. 

In addition, one of the wells needs some rehabilitation but the borough will hold off until after peak season since the project would temporarily close the well. 

The governing body also decided to handle the well rehab without Paddock in order to save some money. The project is expected to cost roughly $19,000. 

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Borough Engineer Rooney asked the council to get moving on sending out for bids on architects for the new beach building. 

He told the governing body he'd like to open the bids by mid-July. 

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A $67,500 bond ordinance was adopted to purchase three police SUVs. 

After a cash down payment of $3,375, the difference of $64,125 would be financed.

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The council adopted another bond ordinance that would appropriate $30,000 for improvements inside Borough Hall. 

The project would upgrade the building's ventilation system, replace some carpeting and furniture and add a security gate the a stairwell leading to the police department's locker room. 

The borough would bond $28,500 of the cost after a cash down payment of $1500.

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Another bond ordinance was adopted to finance the demolition of the old Little League building on Second Avenue. 

The estimated cost is $10,000 — $500 of which would be a cash down payment, while the remaining $9500 would be financed. 

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The governing body adopted an ordinance amending certain fines for various offenses in town. 

Anyone convicted of consuming alcohol in public, public nudity, indecent exposure and urinating in public, would face a $400 fine. 

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The council also adopted an ordinance amending its parking enforcement code. 

The amendment says that the time limits on parking in town would not reset or start over if the vehicle is moved to a different parking spot on the same street or if the vehicle leaves and returns at a later time during the specified hours of the day. 

The ordinance affects Riverside Drive.

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That's the rundown. Check back throughout this week for more in-depth stories on some of these items.