March comes in like a lion and rolls out like a lamb.  It seems like yesterday was February first.  Where did the month go?  We dodged a bullet on all but one of the snow storms.  However, the storms wreaked havoc on the beaches.  We are currently on the beaches everyday with our bulldozer, loader and skid steer.  The Ford tractor, which pulls the beach rake, was damaged early on and now is at the shop, out of commission.  We are working hard to provide access to all of the street ends.  This will be followed with rebuilding the emergency entrances, handicap walkovers, and we will end up reinstalling the dune fence.  There is a lot of work to be done before summer.

The team has also been working their way through town cleaning storm drains.  We do this twice a year along with when one becomes clogged with debris.  We have also been called to a number of water leaks.  Frozen pipes along with some underground leaks have taken some of our time as well.

Summer is coming, and while we are finalizing the budget, which will put the money in place for a number of projects, we are doing preventative maintenance at the water plants.

We are working hard to get ready for the summer.

On behalf of myself and Chief Burnaford we hope everyone weathered February well and all are healthy, safe, and happy!

Speed Limit on side streets: As you know, the speed limit on W.80th Street has been lowered to 20 M.P.H. and signage will be up soon. Also, HCPD Traffic Safety Officers have been working with the Harvey Cedars Borough Engineer, Frank Little, in an attempt to lower the speed limits on some of our other side streets, specifically Buckingham Avenue, West Essex Ave and Cedars Avenue.

Unfortunately, at least for now, upon completion of a traffic study, and the speed data we provided, it was determined that we cannot lower the speed limits at this time. As a result, the Chief has indicated that Officers will conduct high visibility traffic enforcement over the next 6-8 months on these particular streets. During this time, our Traffic Safety Officers will obtain new data and work with the Borough Engineer to revisit lowering the speed limits.

Safety on the Boulevard: As we know, safety along Long Beach Boulevard continues to be a primary focus of the HCPD. The Chief and I met with a resident on the north end of town to discuss some of these safety issues. While we work to do everything we can to address these concerns, we encourage all of our residents to reach out to the Chief or I with any concerns. We are always willing to personally meet to discuss and listen. A sub-committee of the Land Use Board is also looking at the issue of “sidewalks” in Harvey Cedars with the goal of improving both the safety and the look along the boulevard.

2021 Summer: Beach Operations Chief Randy Townsend continues to prepare for this upcoming summer season. This preparation includes the Lifeguard in Training (LIT) Program. We are planning and anticipating a full program this year. The cost of the program has increased this year from $200 to $250 to assist with operating expenses. Our LIT program continues to remain one of the most professionally run programs at the lowest cost to the participants on LBI.

Previously we have given you the background of Chief Burnaford, Sergeant Snow, and Sergeant Frazee. This month, we will begin presenting the background of the rest of the members of the HCPD, in order of seniority, beginning with Officer Chris Oldham:

Officer Chris Oldham
35 Years Old
Harvey Cedars Police Department, Class 1; June 2009 - August 2009
Harvey Cedars Police Department, Class 2; September 2009 – December 2010
Harvey Cedars Police Department, full-time for 10 Years, January 2011 - Present
Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Liberty University.