March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.  Spring is just around the corner but first we need to get through March.  A few of the old timers remember that March is when the ‘62 storm hit and took out 50% of our homes, wreaking havoc on our town.  March is usually good for one big storm and then Spring arrives.  Let’s hope for a quiet month as Public Works starts to gear up for summer.

Now that the directional drill is in place on Bay Terrace, we will start connecting both ends of the water main. A tide valve was installed out on Bay Terrace to alleviate some of the flooding that occurs during high tides and rainstorms.  You will also start to see action on the drainage project on Essex Avenue.  That should start this week.  Once the drainage project is complete, North Holly and a portion of Essex Avenue will be repaved.

Every year we have a meeting with Ocean County to discuss the Boulevard.  We met Monday and again asked for three lanes.  While that request did not gain any traction, we did discuss the Streetscapes project, which has the goal of keeping pedestrians safer, along with the outstanding manhole problem.  Our next step is to survey the downtown portion of town and provide Ocean County with a couple of Streetscapes designs to review.  I also have received a promise from Verizon that they will be fixing their manholes which are causing problems throughout the town due to either jutting too high or dipping too low from the road surface.
We still have a lot to complete before summer.

Stay Safe.

I hope everyone is safe and healthy, and ready for Spring to arrive. First I would like to thank the many people who emailed, wrote, and called regarding outdoor dining, and especially thank those who were able to come to the last Borough meeting where we approved a Resolution allowing outdoor dining for this year. Be assured that the Chief and I are committed to making the process continue to go smoothly regarding traffic and parking. Every year gets better, so continue to enjoy our great restaurants, respect the neighbors, follow the traffic regulations, and we will all have a great season.

I am happy to say that the LBI Health Department will be conducting another Covid Vaccine Clinic at Harvey Cedars Borough Hall on Tuesday, March 15th from 10 A.M. until 11:30 A.M.  No appointment is necessary.

Rip Current signs are in and are already being installed at beach entrances. Take a moment to look at the sign every time you go up to the beach, and by the time warm weather comes and you jump in, you will be fully aware of how to recognize, avoid, and respond to a rip current!

In February I received the report on the review of the HCPD that was done by the Law Enforcement Risk Control Consultant, J.A. Montgomery Consulting. The review, which was initiated by the Ocean County Joint Insurance Fund, concluded “Chief Burnaford continues to be focused on professionalism, officer safety, and the liability issues that challenge the law enforcement community. There are no suggestions for improvement at this time.”  Anyone who has ever gone through any kind of audit process knows how rare it is to have no suggestions for improvement. Congratulations to Chief Burnaford and the entire department.

The schedule for the Harvey Cedars Police Department Community Forums has been set. Chief Burnaford will kick off the series on Wednesday, April 27th, and Officers will be assigned to each of the other sessions so that you can meet all of the members of the HCPD throughout these HCPD Community Forums. Please try to attend as these will be informative, two-way sessions!

Wednesday, April 27th; 5 P.M. Chief Robert Burnaford: The Harvey Cedars Police Department organization, staff, and day to day operations.
Wednesday, May 18th; 5 P.M. HCPD Administration, Scheduling, and Record Keeping
Wednesday , June 22nd; 5 P.M. Officers on Patrol: Traffic, Pedestrian, and Bike Safety
Wednesday, September. 28th; 5 P.M.  Firearms, S.W.A.T. and Training
Wednesday, October 26th; 5 P.M. Crime Prevention, Scams, Investigations, and Accreditation.
Wednesday, November 16th; 5 P.M. First Aid and Resident Services, drone program

Full details of each session, including which Officers will be conducting each session,  will be sent on the first of each month.

DID YOU KNOW?  Continuing the “Did You Know?” section, Did You Know that HCPD Officers on the overnight shift, on top of handling calls for service, regularly check on multiple properties, as part of the Winter House Watch Program, and check all businesses in town for any problems or suspicious activity.