BRICK – The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has requested a shortened season for allowing four-wheel-drive vehicles to operate on township beaches as part of Brick’s Beach Management Plan.
Beach buggies were previously permitted on township beaches from October 1 through April 30. The revised ordinance would protect federally and state-listed plant species, and would allow the vehicles to operate until March 15 with assurances that no driving will occur in plant-protected areas until November 30.
“This plan is a requirement for the beach replenishment project,” said Councilman Art Halloran during the most recent Council meeting. “In its review, Fish & Wildlife made a comment specific to the township’s beach buggy ordinance.”
The amended ordinance would be implemented either through notification as part of the permit process or through enforcement, he said.
“The township will opt to do both,” Halloran said. “We have revised the permit process and are in the process of creating and installing the required signage.”
Brick Police Department will enforce the amended ordinance, he added. The change was reviewed by and is being recommended by the township’s Recreation Department, Halloran said.
Beach buggy permits can be obtained by filling out an application with the township clerk. The application fee is $35, and vehicles must be properly equipped for beach use. Four-wheelers must have a 25-foot towing chain, shovel, spare tire and jack, fire extinguisher, flashlight and first aid kit.
Road Paving
In other news, the governing body awarded a contract to Earle Asphalt Company of Farmingdale for Phase II of roadway resurfacing of some of the roads in Point Pleasant Manor, which is also known as the president streets.
The $713,913 contract includes the milling and resurfacing of Washington Drive, Adams Avenue, Jefferson Drive, Truman Drive, Taft Avenue and Taft Court. The contract includes drainage improvements to Truman Drive.
Bid notices were provided to 77 prospective bidders from the township’s Bidder’s List. 11 picked up bid packages, and six contractors submitted bids ranging from the low awarded bid up to $1,179,732.
“I’m sure the residents out there on those streets are looking forward to this project getting underway and being completed,” said Mayor John G. Ducey.
Flood-Prone Roads
The council also awarded a $200,000 two-year contract for the purchase and delivery of flood control valves to Wapro Inc. of Chicago, Illinois to be used to mitigate flooding in some of the township’s low-lying roads.
“This is a continuation of our efforts to try to alleviate the sunny-day flooding problem that we have here in town,” the mayor said.
“Last year we spent $300,000 on the check valves; this was after we did a little bit over a year of study on one particular check valve, which was successful in stopping the water from coming up during high tides,” Mayor Ducey said.
This is a not-to-exceed contract for a variety of sized flood control valves as needed throughout the township, the mayor explained.
Wapro, Inc. was the only bid received. “We were happy that we found that company because we had tried other check valves in the past and they did not work,” the mayor said.
The next council meeting will be on Tuesday, July 26 at 7 p.m.
