The Coaster

By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
Students at the Hope Academy Charter School in Asbury Park will be launching a sailboat they made by hand in Deal Lake Mon., Jun 9.
The boat, The Hope 2008, was a year long project made possible through a grant from the Horner Family Trust and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.
Beatons Boatyard in Point Pleasant built the mast and sails used on the boat. Everything else was made by students all no older than 14.
The boat was unveiled at a ceremony in the schools gymnasium after Wednesdays launch was cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

By DON STINE
Political stability in Deal continued this week after longtime Board of Commission members Harry I. Franco and Dorothy ODonnell were sworn into office.
Commissioner Morris Ades was also sworn into office for his first full term. All three commissioners were re-elected to four-year terms last month.
Franco was appointed to fill an unexpired term in 1979 and won his first full term in 1980. He has served as mayor for the past 13 years and was again appointed mayor for the next four years.
ODonnell has served on the board for 12 years and begins her fourth full term.

By DON STINE
A special Proactive Police Supervision Course was recently sponsored by the Deal police department in which officers from various towns improved their legal, management and leadership skills.
The training course is designed primarily for police supervisors or officers showing promise to become supervisors. Its the kind of training we think is essential to bring our force up to the highest standards, said Borough Administrator James Rogers.
The course, given by the Law Enforcement Training Associates, consists of five, eight-hour classes which began February 27 and ended April 17.

By DON STINE
Eight bond ordinances approving $900,000 in capital improvement expenditures for various projects and equipment purchases were introduced at Tuesdays Deal Borough Council meeting.
The money will be used for many annual maintenance-type improvements in the borough, said Borough Administrator James Rogers.
Public hearings on the bond ordinances will be held April 22.
Repairs to storm drains and streets, restoration work on an old fire engine, improvements to the Deal Casino and Conover Pavilions on Ocean Avenue, and the purchase of new equipment for the police and public works departments will be financed through $600,000 in bonding.

By DON STINE
The Deal Lake Commission is requesting $470,000 from county or state coffers to pay for much-needed water-quality and flooding projects for the lake the largest in Monmouth County.
At any point in time this is the most important one for the seven participating towns to remain fully supportive of the commission, said Commission President John Everson.
In a letter to state Senator Sean Kean (R-11th District) the commission wrote it wants him to push for $470,000 in funding from the state or Monmouth County to pay for three vital projects:

By DON STINE
The replacement of concrete decking around the pool at the Deal Casino on Ocean Avenue will continue under a contract recently awarded by the Borough Council. The council awarded the $245,434 contract to Nova Crete Inc., based in South Amboy.
The borough replaced half of the decking last year and this will complete the project, said Borough Administrator James Rogers.
Rogers said the borough received 10 bids for the project, with the highest bid coming in at $523,823.
Nova Crete was the low bidder, he said.

By DON STINE
Taxpayers in Deal will see a 2-cent increase in the municipal tax rate under the boroughs proposed 2008 budget.
The total $8,208,107 budget, up from $7,024,301 last year, carries a tax levy, or the amount to be raised through taxation, of $4,429,589, up from $4,184,134 last year.
The result is a 2-cent increase in the tax rate, for a total municipal-purpose tax rate of 40 cents for each $100 of assessed valuation.
The borough lost about $40,000 in state aid with only $479,456 coming in from the state in the form of energy tax receipts.