What are the biggest issues facing Toms River in 2016?
Sandy recovery, balancing the budget and beach replenishment are among the big issues facing the township, officials said.
What are the biggest issues facing Toms River in 2016? Sandy recovery, balancing the budget and beach replenishment are among the big issues facing the township, officials said. Check out this story on app.com: https://on.app.com/1R8muLB
Jean Mikle, @jeanmikle Published 9:22 p.m. ET Jan. 4, 2016 | Updated 12:27 p.m. ET Jan. 5, 2016
Toms River reorganization meeting. Thomas Kelaher is sworn in by Lt Gov Kim Guadagno as Toms River mayor. With him are his wife Caroline and grandson Alex Thompson —January 4, 2016-Toms River, NJ.-Staff photographer/Bob Bielk/Asbury Park Press(Photo: Bob Bielk/Asbury Park Press)Buy Photo
TOMS RIVER - Balancing the budget, post-Sandy rebuilding, beach replenishment and development pressures in North Dover are among the issues facing the township this year, according to Mayor Thomas F. Kelaher and three Township Council members who were sworn in last night as Toms River's governing body reorganized for 2016.
Kelaher, 83, a Republican, and his GOP running mates Brian Kubiel, 55, George E. Wittmann Jr., 59, and Maurice B. "Mo" Hill Jr., 68, won re-election by large margins in November. All four were sworn in to new four-year terms by Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno as family members held the Bible.
"Good government is good politics," Kelaher said of the GOP's election victory, referring to a statement made frequently by his former law partner, retired Superior Court Judge Vincent J. Grasso. "This last election just proves it."
Republicans control all six seats on the council in Ocean County's second-largest municipality; there is one seat vacant because Kubiel, who formerly represented Ward 2, ran for and won the seat vacated by Councilman John "Sevas" Sevastakis, who chose not to seek re-election.
Toms River reorganization meeting. Maurice Hill with his family after he was sworn in as a Toms River councilman—January 4, 2016-Toms River, NJ.-Staff photographer/Bob Bielk/Asbury Park Press (Photo: Bob Bielk/Asbury Park Press)
The council is expected to choose a replacement for the Ward 2 seat by the end of January.
Kelaher and council members listed four main issues facing the township in 2016:
1. Balancing the budget. The township continues to struggle with a loss of ratables caused by Sandy damage in Toms River. Toms River lost $2.2 billion in ratables when Sandy struck in October 2012. Kelaher estimated about 60 to 65 percent of those ratables will be back online in time for this year's budget.
But this year, $7.6 million in essential-services grant money that Toms River received last year is not expected to be available.
"We need to have a meeting with the administration to address the fiscal realities," said Wittmann, who serves as the council's Finance Chairman.
Sandy towns face new financial threat
2. Sandy rebuilding. While the pace of rebuilding here seems to have picked up in the past year, many residents still have been unable to return home. Nearly 11,000 township properties were damaged by superstorm Sandy, the most in the state.
"We want to get the people back in their homes who are unfortunately not back," Kelaher said.
Hill said money should be made available to second-home owners, who were not eligible for the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation program, the state's largest rebuilding program.
Toms River reorganization meeting. Brian Kubiel is sworn in as a councilman by Lt. Gov Kim Guadagno. Kubiel will serve as council president—January 4, 2016-Toms River, NJ.-Staff photographer/Bob Bielk/Asbury Park Press (Photo: Bob Bielk/Asbury Park Press)
3. Dune building and beach replenishment. Kelaher and council members again vowed to keeping fighting for the long-delayed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plan to build 22-foot dunes and replenishment beaches from Manasquan to Barnegat inlets.
"There is no greater project — no greater challenge — we face than getting dunes rebuilt and beaches replenished," said Councilwoman Maria Maruca, who represents Ward 1. That area includes the barrier island, where many residents continue to voice concern about narrow beaches and a vulnerable dune line.
Pharmacy for Route 9 and Indian Head Road
4. Development in North Dover and real estate soliciting there. Hill read from a list of projects either approved or in the planning stages that could add up to 1,000 new housing units in the northern section of the township.
"The road infrastructure can't handle it," Hill said. "We have to preserve open space out there."
Toms River reorganization meeting. Lt Gov Kim Guadagno shakes hands with George Wittmann after she swore him in as Toms River councilman —January 4, 2016-Toms River, NJ.-Staff photographer/Bob Bielk/Asbury Park Press (Photo: Bob Bielk/Asbury Park Press)
Wittmann said the township must continue working to curb the actions of some aggressive real estate solicitors, who he said "are trying to intimidate" people into selling their homes.
Kelaher also pledged that township police would continue working closely with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the county Sheriff's Department to try to tackle "the heroin problem here."
Council members then selected Kubiel to be council president for 2016, with Al Manforti as vice president.
Jean Mikle: (732) 643-4050; jmikle@gannettnj.com
Download our apps & get alerts for local news, weather, traffic, more. Search "Asbury Park Press" in app store or use these links on your device: iPhone app | Android app | iPad app. Subscribe for full access. Follow us on Facebook
Read or Share this story: https://on.app.com/1R8muLB
Two Toms River Catholic schools are closed Monday
Long Branch murders: Kologi indicted on four counts of murder
'He's the reason she's not here': Parze's parents open up about ex-boyfriend's role