UPDATE: Barnegat Committee Sets Special Meeting To Approve Amended Budget

The Barnegat Township Committee has set a special meeting for 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 26, where it is expected the committee will adopt the 2011-2012 budget.

That budget was amended at a special meeting last Thursday, Sept. 15, according to Township Administrator David Breeden, after Barnegat received approval last Wednesday from the state of its plan to use surplus to cover a deficit of $820,634. The deficit, Breeden said, was the result of "the massive number of tax appeals in 2010."

"The state would not allow us to have a deficit in the budget," Breeden said, so the town was forced to use surplus to cover it. Information on the amended budget will be presented at tonight's committee meeting, at 6:30 p.m. at the township administration building, 900 West Bay Ave.

Township Clerk Sharon Auer said the budget adoption was pushed back to next Monday, Sept. 26, as a result.

The budget, which had been $21,308,314, is now $20,546,883. The tax levy was reduced just $267 as a result of the amendment. The amended total tax levy is $16,139,592.

Check back with the Barnegat Patch for an update from tonight's committee meeting.