By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
Neptune City officials approved a salary ordinance for borough employees with ranges in pay that reflect the 3.9 percent increase recently negotiated.
Police, who are in the final year of a three-year contract, will see increases of 4 percent.
The public employees will received 4 percent raises for the final two years of their contract, ending in 2011.
Mayor Thomas Arnone reported that discussions at a meeting in Senator Sean Kean’s office regarding the dredging of the Shark River were “productive,” although he said some uncertain issues remain.
Arnone said the group, which included a representative of the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Transportation along with mayors of Belmar and Avon, looked at alternative routes for the dredging materials.
Wall Township has not given its approval for use of land in Camp Evan on Marconi Road near the entrance to Route 18 for dewatering of the dredge materials.
Wall officials site concerns for residents and the lack of a specific timeline from the DEP for their resistance to the plan.
“Time is of the essence,” Arnone said.
The mayor has said without the dredging project the future of the Shark River is in jeopardy. He said he believes a decision is expected in January.
In other business, Arnone said he will be meeting with the developer previously hired for the Steiner Avenue redevelopment project to discuss moving forward with a plan.
“We will be discussing which properties fit to move forward,” he said.
Arnone also said legal issues, regarding the East Coast Ice building, are being discussed.
The borough may have to acquire the building through condemnation to move forward on the long awaited demolition of the building.
Arnone reported that he received a letter from Patriot Consulting regarding sharing services with other towns for garbage disposal.
Joining services could save as much as 20 percent said Arnone.
Other towns expressing interest said the mayor are Interlaken and Allenhurst.
“We’re all trying to save here and there,” he said.
Arnone also said the borough received $196,000 from the Transportation Trust Fund for the Fifth Avenue road project.
Borough Administrator Joel Popkin reported that the popular pedestrian crossing sign may be back on West Sylvania Avenue in a month or two following a year and a half long undertaking.
The sign had been placed in the center of West Sylvania Avenue near borough hall requiring motorist to stop for pedestrians.
The area is a frequent crossing site for people going to borough hall, the library or the police station.
Students from the childcare center located in the Memorial United Methodist Church use the site to cross on their way to the library.
West Sylvania Avenue is a county road, which allowed the county to abruptly remove the sign, but then necessitated a lengthy process to have it put back in place when residents complained.
There was some obvious skepticism among the council when Popkin said it might finally be back in place soon.
Email to joanne@thecoaster.net.
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