Toms River Field Of Dreams Unveiling: Monday Manual

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Welcome to the April 25 edition of Monday Manual, where we highlight events coming up during the week in Toms River.

It has been five years of sweat, tears and perseverance, and on Saturday, the Toms River Field of Dreams is set to have its grand opening.

The facility is designed to accommodate those with special needs at every age with much more than just swings and ramps. There's miniature golf and basketball, and places to go when people need a moment of quiet.

The ceremonies are set for noon at the complex on North Bay Avenue.

Toms River Regional Schools Budget hearing

The Toms River Regional Board of Education is set to meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday and adoption of the 2022-23 school year budget is the main action on the agenda.

The Citizens Budget Advisory meeting on March 30 was poorly attended, with just two residents and a reporter present in person and a handful of people watching online. Also missing from that meeting was board member Ashley Lamb.

The 2022-23 budget is $229.5 million. There are no staff cuts in the budget because $6 million in COVID-19 relief funding has been used to offset special eduction tuition to avoid cuts. The tax levy is rising 2 percent, as required under S2, the law that also is cutting Toms River Regional's state aid.

Toms River council, zoning board meetings

The Township Council and the Board of Adjustment both have meetings scheduled, with the council on Wednesday and the zoning board Thursday but meeting agendas have not been published.