Manchester To Get $226K In Sandy Cleanup Reimbursement From County

MANCHESTER, NJ — Toms River officials will be receiving a check for $226,000 from Ocean County soon, funds that are reimbursing the township for money spent for debris cleanup following Superstorm Sandy.

The Ocean County Board of Freeholders on Thursday announced the plan to distribute more than $9.3 million to 17 towns that participated in the county's debris removal program after Sandy wreaked havoc at the Jersey Shore on Oct. 29, 2012. The funding for the reimbursements comes from a Community Development Block Grant through the state Department of Community Affairs, Freeholder John C. Bartlett Jr. said.

The freeholders created a shared services agreement on Nov. 19, 2012, and offered affected municipalities the opportunity to have the county oversee and fund the debris cleanup, a massive undertaking that exceeded the staffing and expertise of many towns.

Under the agreement, the county would be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Administration at 90 percent, with towns providing the 10 percent required local match. The agreement allowed towns to free up staff to attend to other storm-related activities and provide assistance to citizens, freeholders said.

"It was imperative to take action quickly," Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari said. "It was essential to take these steps with expediency in order to allow for necessary utility repairs, infrastructure repairs and most importantly for public safety."

Vicari noted it was the ongoing fiscal conservative policies of the board that allowed the freeholders to front almost $100 million for the clean-up without having to borrow it.

"All of that money through FEMA and grants has been returned to the county and we are reimbursing the towns what had been their required match," Bartlett said. He said FEMA told county officials that no other county has ever done or tried to do what Ocean County did following the storm.

"Debris removal was key and we knew we had to do it," Bartlett said. "We came up with a plan. We did a good thing for our towns and residents and we successfully received full reimbursement for it. We got their share back for them and we will be sending them checks."

The reimbursements are expected to be approved at the board's meeting next week.

"The program provided the same help for all the other towns that signed on," Vicari said. "Ocean County and its municipalities suffered serious losses as a result of Sandy. We are coming back and this will help."

The municipalities and the amount they will receive are: Barnegat Township, $39,545; Bay Head, $377,524; Beach Haven, $262,224; Berkeley Township, $278,106; Brick Township, $1.3 million; Jackson Township, $594,009; Lakewood, $460,872; Lavallette, $921,529; Long Beach Township, $809,441; Manchester Township, $226,253; Mantoloking, $306,226; Ocean Township, $69,698; Seaside Heights, $345,112; Seaside Park, $112,581; Ship Bottom, $114,261; Stafford Township, $781,862 and Toms River Township, $2,298,677.

In addition, Ocean County will receive $336,458.

Patch file photo