September 2023 Newsletter
Department of Public Works & Public Property - Commissioner/Mayor Jonathan Oldham
I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend. What a great fireworks’ show on Saturday night, I hope you enjoyed them. Thank you to the Activities Committee for all their hard work and, also, the first responders who volunteered their time so that we could enjoy a great show. It is hard to believe summer is officially over. School has begun for many, and the fall season will be here before you know it.
Public works is working hard. We will slowly begin putting all the summer things to bed like beach mats, lifeguard stands, trash cans, and so many other things need to be put away for the winter. The memorial brick project will begin this week. The bricks have arrived, and our Public Works department will be preparing the site for the installation of the project. The memorial bricks which many of you purchased will be arriving later this month. We will be replacing the watermain on West Bergen Avenue prior to paving that street late this fall.
The beach project is on track for late this fall or early next year. It is our desire to have replenishment done after the hurricane season. In early November we will be issuing, with the state, a notice to proceed with the project. It will be great for Harvey Cedars to have our beaches renourished. If you’d like to learn more about beach vulnerability and recent studies done by local universities, please consider coming to the next borough meeting. We will be hosting an educational session on September 18th at the borough hall right after our 4:30pm meeting about the vulnerability of the Jersey Shore beaches by Stockton University.
I was encouraged to hear about Interfaith Health & Support Services (IHSS) and the wonderful job they do for our senior population. IHSS has served thousands of seniors since it opened its doors in 1998 as a non-profit organization. Twenty-three different congregations from Forked River to Tuckerton and all of Long Beach Island participate in providing volunteers and support for those needing care. Volunteers provide transportation to doctor appointments, the library, and community events, do food shopping, provide respite care for caregivers, and make reassurance calls. Volunteer training is ongoing, and volunteers are always needed and welcome. Please call 609-978-3839 to speak to IHSS’s Executive Director, Amy Raimondi, about how Interfaith can best use your skills.
Department of Revenue & Finance – Commissioner Paul Rice
Thank you everyone for another wonderful summer here in Harvey Cedars!
A HUGE thank you to the Harvey Cedars Activity Committee and their coordinator Christine Lisiewski for a great fireworks display on Saturday night. Donations from our taxpayers and businesses fund this event every other year. Your support is always appreciated. The Impulsives put on a fantastic show that was sponsored by the Harvey Cedars Police Foundation. Thanks to the Harvey Cedars Police Department, the High Point Volunteer Fire Company, Barnegat Light Volunteer Fire Company, Surf City Volunteer Fire Company and the Barnegat Light First Aid Squad for their support during the fireworks and throughout the summer season.
The municipal tax sale for the delinquent 2022 taxes and municipal charges was scheduled for September 1st, but all the properties paid their delinquencies prior to the sale time. Timely payments ensure that your property is not on this list in the future.
The High Point Volunteer Fire Company held their annual Dog Day Road Race in August with great success. Your continued support at fundraisers and the annual mailing is greatly appreciated.
What a wonderful summer for the events hosted by the Harvey Cedars Activity Committee! Our HCAC volunteers collected over $2,800 in donations at concerts. These donations provide funds for future concerts and events. We could not do it without volunteers! The end of summer meeting will be happening soon to wrap up summer and start planning the Annual Wine Tasting event. If you are interested in joining the HCAC, contact Christine at Borough Hall.
As always, the end of summer signals the beginning of hurricane season. As a reminder, if ordered to evacuate please follow any directions released by the state. In the event that you find yourself in an emergency situation still on the island, I would like to remind you that both the Harvey Cedars Bible Conference and the High Point Volunteer Fire Company are areas of refuge. In the case of an event like this, Mayor Oldham will coordinate efforts the Bible Conference and Chief Federicci will coordinate the efforts at the Fire Company. If you have any questions please reach out to Borough Hall.
Department of Public Safety & Public Affairs – Commissioner/Deputy Mayor John M. Imperiale
Another summer season is coming to an end. I hope everyone enjoyed it and was safe and healthy. I would like to thank HCPD Chief Burnaford and HCBP Chief Randy Townsend for a terrific job this summer. They and their teams did their usual great job, and faced some particularly challenging scheduling issues regarding beach coverage. I know our residents and visitors are appreciative of their efforts.
Our Beach Patrol remained fully staffed through the middle of August, and is still doing a great job staffing as best as possible as we close out summer. Please note that the postseason lifeguard schedule is as follows:
Middlesex Ave will be guarded daily, Tuesday, Sept 5th through Sept 30th
80th St beach will be guarded on weekends, depending on weather and staffing.
I want to thank Agnello’s By The Cove for hosting a “Coffee With A Cop” in August, completing the Coffee With A Cop Program for this year, after our July stops at the Neptune Market and Birdy’s.
COMMUNITY FORUM:
September brings a return to our Community Forums with a presentation on Thursday, Sept. 21st at 5 pm by Dan Krupinski of the LBI Health Department. Dan’s presentation will cover all of the services provided by the LBI Health Department, the Department’s background, as well as how that organization works with and supports the island’s municipalities. This is a great opportunity to learn about the LBI Health Department and ask any questions of Dan, who will also give a perspective on the upcoming flu season.
Please be aware that the County, which controls the lights on the boulevard, will be turning them “off,” that is changing them to flashing beginning Monday, Sept.11th
HCPD ACCREDITATION:
On Monday, September 11th, 2023 a team of assessors from the New Jersey State
Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) will examine all aspects of the
Harvey Cedars Police Department policies and procedures, management,
operations, and support services. Chief Burnaford and I welcome the
verification from the team of assessors that the Harvey Cedars Police
Department meets the Commission’s “best practice” standards. It is part of a
voluntary process to achieve accreditation, a highly prized recognition of law
enforcement professional excellence.
As part of this final on-site assessment, employees and members of the general public are invited to provide comments to the assessment team. They may do so by telephone or email. The public may call 609-661-8048 on Monday, September 11th, 2023 between the hours of 10:00AM and 11:00AM. Email comments can be sent to dtilton@hcpolice.org.
Telephone comments are limited to 5 minutes and must address the HCPD's ability to comply with the NJSACOP standards. Please contact Confidential Administrative Assistant/Accreditation Manager Danielle Tilton at 609-494-6509 for information about the standards.
HCPD Winter House Program: It is not too early to think about registering for the HCPD Winter House Registration Program. Property owners can register online (www.hcpolice.org) or fill out this form and email it to dtilton@hcpolice.org
Finally, I want to thank the many Harvey Cedars residents who attended the presentations I gave on American History in February and March at the Library in Surf City at the request of the Friends of the Library. I have been asked to expand on one aspect of these talks and so on Saturday, October 7th, 10:00- 12:00, I will make a presentation entitled “A Citizen’s Look at the U.S. Constitution.” I expect we will have another good interactive discussion. I hope many of you can attend. For information about membership in the Friends of the Island Library, stop by the library for a brochure or email lbif@theoceancountylibrary.org