Borough of Harvey Cedars, Ocean County, NJ
November 2021 Hometown News
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*Department of Public Works & Public Property - Commissioner/Mayor Jonathan
Oldham*
Nine years ago, last week, SuperStorm Sandy ravaged our little town. It
took a number of months to reopen and longer to recover. We must always
remember the ocean is wonderful and dangerous at the same time.
Public Works has flushed all the hydrants getting ready for the winter
months. We are putting the town to bed. Ice eaters will be going on the
docks, trash cans in, benches put away, public bathrooms closed for the
winter season, so they don’t freeze up, everything ready for a long
winter's nap. However, we do keep a porta potty at the park all winter
long.
Paving will start on 72nd Street and 85th Street the week of the 8th of
November. They will install some drainage and curbing, followed by
scarifying and regrading, and then final paving. The process should not
take very long, but if you need to get out during the process you will need
to park across the street. We will be notifying residents by phone calls
and Nixle updates.
Good news! We just received notification that our streetscapes grant
application has been approved. We will be looking to design a walkway
through the center of town. This will be a great addition to our town. I
want to thank the members of the committee that worked on this concept, it
is exciting to get this far. We still have a lot of work to do, however it
will be a big improvement to the business district. We are still waiting
for the final approval for the plans for the paving of North Holly and
Essex Avenue.
As the winter gets close, we will get the snow removal equipment hooked up
and ready to go. We are hoping for a warm winter with very little snow. I
am not sure that is going to happen but we can hope.
*Department of Revenue & Finance – Commissioner Paul Rice*
The finance department is working hard this month on our yearly short-term
debt sale. Similar to last year, we expect to have another low interest
rate.
2022 Holiday Beach Badges are on sale! The exclusive holiday design can be
purchased at Borough Hall or by mailing in your order form. Quantities are
limited.
The Harvey Cedars Activity Committee met in person last month for the first
time in over a year to recap 2021 events and brainstorm ideas for 2022.
The Committee is happy to see new members joining the group this year. As
a reminder, all concerts and events are paid for through collection of
craft show fees, donations and sales. NO tax dollars are used to provide
for fireworks, concerts and other events. Thank you to all committee
members for volunteering throughout the season. Without you, the summer
events would not be possible.
The Committee is selling Harvey Cedars merchandise at Borough Hall. There
are long sleeve shirts, tote bags, cookbooks with recipes from your
neighbors, hats and more! Stop by to pick up a holiday gift and support
the Activity Committee.
*Department of Public Safety & Public Affairs – Commissioner/Deputy Mayor
John M. Imperiale*
On behalf of myself and Chief Burnaford we want to wish all a Happy and
Healthy Thanksgiving!
Body Worn Cameras: The Harvey Cedars Police Department is proud to announce
the deployment of body worn cameras. In addition to our in-car cameras
which we have had for 10 years, our officers assigned to patrol duty will
wear a body camera to enhance community trust and record public
interactions in an official capacity. The cameras will be worn on the
police officer's outermost garment, in the center of the upper body. The
body worn cameras will be used in accordance with the New Jersey Attorney
General’s Office Directive and the Harvey Cedars Police Department
policy. Our Supervisors will conduct a monthly review of body worn camera
footage in accordance with the AG Directive and HCPD policy. We look
forward to this age of continued transparency and will continue to provide
the residents and visitors of Harvey Cedars with the best possible services.
Body Worn Cameras are a positive for both the public and police officers.
They can ensure an impartial record of police interaction with the public.
However, the State did not fully fund the program. For example, they did
not provide any funding for all of the ancillary costs associated with the
program, including maintenance, training, and record keeping. I will
continue to lobby the State and our State Representatives to sufficiently
support all aspects of this valuable program. Additionally, the
administrative and clerical tasks associated with the Body Worn Camera
program will be significant. I am working on ways to address these
administrative and clerical tasks without taking Officers off patrol.
"LET-IT-GROW “ NOVEMBER (Formerly No-Shave November): The HCPD is
participating again this year in the annual “LET-IT-GROW” campaign to raise
awareness and funds for those impacted by a cancer diagnosis. This year,
100% of the proceeds will go directly to "David's Dream & Believe Cancer
Foundation", a great Foundation committed to helping NJ families that are
battling cancer. It’s A “fun” way to encourage donations. You do NOT have
to quit shaving to contribute. Since our Officers are always clean-shaven,
people invariably ask “‘are you growing a beard’ or ‘what’s up with not
shaving?!” And the answer leads right into encouraging donations. I,
personally, am all in! Please visit www.hcpolice.org to donate.
David’s Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation is a 501c3 Not-for-profit that
raises funds to provide financial assistance, wellness services, and hope
to New Jersey families afflicted with a cancer diagnosis. Their website is:
Davidsdreamandbelieve.org <http://davidsdreamandbelieve.org/>
HCBP Business Appreciation Program: As with all businesses, recruiting and
retaining a full seasonal staff is a challenge for the Harvey Cedars Beach
Patrol. Chief Townsend did a great job in maintaining a full staff of
Lifeguards and Beach Badge Checkers this year, and next year the great
Harvey Cedars businesses will show their appreciation to our staff. Four HC
breakfast and lunch businesses: The Neptune Market, the Nep2une Surfside
Grill, Birdy’s, and Agnello’s By the Cove will give HC Lifeguards and Badge
Checkers a 10% discount on breakfast and lunch throughout the season. This
is a nice incentive for staff to come and stay with the HCBP. I want to
thank these great businesses for their generosity and commitment to our
town.
DEAD TREES!: For those who do not know, Harvey Cedars last year passed a
“Dead Tree” Ordinance requiring homeowners to remove dead trees - or the
town will remove them and charge the homeowner. Dead Trees are not just
unsightly, they are a huge safety issue. Branches have flown through the
windows of other homes, and onto the boulevard; the trees themselves easily
fall and cause damage. With the increased storms and high winds, dead trees
MUST be dealt with. Removing dead trees is the law, but it is also common
sense.
CROSSWALKS: Completed! After many delays due to issues with the boulevard
repayment, the additional Crosswalks in Harvey Cedars were completed by the
County. I want to thank the Ocean County Engineer’s office for their
follow-through on getting this done.
DID YOU KNOW? Last month we started a “Did You Know?” section where we
will present an interesting fact about the HCPD that you should be aware of.
So…Did you know….every year over 100 property owners in Harvey Cedars
register for the Winter House Checks Program. This Program, currently
overseen by Ptl. Nick D’Andrea, is a service that has our officers
periodically checking in on properties when they are unoccupied for any
period of time, and notifying the owners of any issues. We encourage
everyone to take advantage of this free and invaluable service! Visit
www.hcpolice.org and click on “Winter House Check” to sign up today. We do
ask that everyone signs up every year to ensure that the department has the
most current contact information.
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