By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
Residents at Tuesday’s meeting asked Bradley Beach Mayor Julie Schreck not to increase pre-season beach badge prices for residents.
At the last meeting Schreck said council was considering giving residents less of a discount on pre-season sales in December. She said an analysis is currently being done of beach figures including a comparison of seasonal and daily badges.
“Don’t touch the seniors and the residents,” said Pat D’Angelo. “That would be a disgrace.”
For years the borough has sold beach badges at half price during the holiday season as a “gift” to residents.
George Doeffinger, Newark Avenue, said, however, he wants to see the discount programs offered to visitors last summer continue.
“I’m asking you to continue with the free day Wednesday,” he said referring to the free parking and half priced beach badges offered on Wednesdays last summer.
Schreck said the summer beach figures are still being reviewed, but said the town did not lose money on the program. She cautioned that much of the analysis is guess work regarding how many people came into town to take advantage of the discounts.
“We don’t know if it brought in more people than otherwise,” she said.
“With the economy the way it is, it’s something to hang your hat on,” Doeffinger said after the meeting.
D’Angelo also asked Schreck to look into what he called “slumlords” in town, allowing five or six families to live under one roof.
“These are people that are destroying our town,” he said.
D’Angelo said when he was in code enforcement officials would go out at night and knock on doors, getting names and phone numbers of those living at a particular residence.
“Would it help if I have Keith (DiLello) call you?” asked the mayor.
“I would be more than thrilled,” D’Angelo said.
D’Angelo also said that he has seen children leaving the elementary school and getting into taxi cabs at the Beach Plum on Main Street. He said he believes the students may not live in town.
Also at the meeting Councilman George Bachar reported that efforts to have beach lockers not stored at the north end of the beach were not successful.
Bachar said Borough Administrator Gail O’Reilly suggested enclosing the lockers in some way and putting potted plants around them.
Schreck reported that she and Councilman Norman Goldfarb are working on forming a Youth Advisory Council in town.
The council would be comprised of nine teens aged 12 to 19 who would serve one year terms and meet monthly with the mayor to advise council on youth issues.
They would also make presentations at council meetings.
Schreck also announced that polls will be open for the general election Nov. 4 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Also there will be no council meeting Nov. 11 due to Veterans Day.
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Thanks for the coverage of our local issues. Just to make it clear: the discount pre-season beach badges have been available to anyone who wishes to purchase them, not just for residents.
Hi Julie,
Is there a way of selling reduced, preseason beach badges ONLY to residents? That hasn’t been the case in previous years. The early, discounted season badges were on sale for anyone and everyone to buy.
Maybe we should start asking for proof that people actually live in town, so when the articles say resident, they mean people who live and pay taxes in BB?