Squan to Bond for New Beach Headquarters

Despite the protests of one council member, the Manasquan beachfront will get a new headquarters along with other improvements.

The borough council voted 5 to 1 to adopt an ordinance bonding $1.5 million for the beach headquarters, public restrooms and other miscellaneous improvements with Republican Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Patricia Connelly casting the dissenting vote.

The total estimated cost of the project is $1.6 million. The borough budgeted $100,000 as a down payment for the improvements in the 2011 beach budget.

The borough has this year completed payments on a 2001 comfort station project along the beachfront. Borough Administrator Joe DeIorio explained that historically, Manasquan has completed payment on one capital project at the beach before taking on the next.

DeIorio outlined a repayment plan for the borough that would have the project paid off in four years in payments of $385,000 drawn from the borough's beach utility. The project will require no contribution from taxpayer dollars.

An unaudited calculation of this year's beach revenues has profits at approximately $1.67 million, down approximately $30,000 from 2010 but ahead of 2009.

"On the revenue side we're actually doing fairly well," DeIorio said, noting that should revenues take a significant hit the payment schedule can be altered.

DeIorio also said that the financing available for the project is at an interest rate that is significantly lower than normal.

"To finance a project at 1 percent is unheard of," he said. "Financially speaking we have the ability."

Connolly, however, disagreed.

"The process that was used— that's very disturbing," the councilwoman said. "I think the way it was managed is very bad."

Connolly criticized the council's decision to completely demolish the structure rather than explore the possibility of a renovation. She also called into the question the decision to hire local architect Chris Rice for the project rather than bid it out publicly.

"This type of management has got to stop," she said. "We just give it to the local friend?"

Council President Jeff Lee, running the meeting in Mayor George Dempsey's absence, resented the implication.

"This was not, in any way, a payback," Lee said. "We had our own children in this community help with the design."

Councilman Owen McCarthy defended the project.

"I think we have to be realistic in our decisions and really think about the future," he said. "The entire economy of Manasquan is driven by the beach."

"Continuing to ignore a problem — I don't think it's fair to future taxpayers," he added.

"It may not be a popular decision, but sometimes government has to spend money," McCarthy said.

Councilman Don Grasso, a Republican, also defended the decision.

"There are certain things we've got to do in this town," Grasso said. "This is one of them."

"This is where I'm going to break ranks," the Republican councilman said.

Republican Councilman Joe Lucas also voted to approve the bond ordinance.

A second reading and public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 26.