“The event is intended to get people to celebrate living along Deal Lake and have other people really enjoy it as well,” said Mark Fleming, special events planner for the Friends of Deal Lake.

Residents, particularly in the Wanamassa, Interlaken and Asbury Park areas, are urged to host backyard parties and place lights along the lake with a suggested $20 donation to attend.

John Gunn, one of the petition organizers, said 292 residents signed the document. There are 392 homes in the borough.

In order for the petition question to be placed on the November ballot the council needed to submit the request to Monmouth County Clerk M. Claire French by Aug. 21.

“And there are various problems with each proposal,” said Councilman Lynn A. Parry Jr., head of the public safety committee.

Parry said at last week’s Borough Council meeting that the three options currently being explored are building an addition to the side of the current borough hall, adding a second story to borough hall, or building a separate building behind borough hall.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for May 20.

Mayor Robert Wolf III said the only reason there was any tax increase in the borough was primarily due to a loss in state aid and other revenues.

“Looking at the total budget, it has barely budged. Our general costs (excluding pensions and salaries) haven’t increased at all,” he said.

The commission said Asbury Park is in arrears of payment for 2007 and 2008, totaling about $16,500.

Organized in 1974 at the behest of Asbury Park, the commission is a municipal corporation comprised of volunteer representatives from the seven municipalities that border the 150-acre lake, including Asbury Park, Ocean Township, Loch Arbour, Allenhurst, Interlaken, Deal and Neptune. Their mission is to provide leadership, guidance and resources to preserve and restore Deal Lake and its tributaries as a healthy and stable ecosystem.

Each town is assessed based on their lake frontage, with Asbury Park having the most. All six other municipalities have paid their assessments.

Asbury Park officials told representatives of the commission that they do not approve of some of the ways they spend funds, including having a lawyer and engineering consultant present at every meeting, and the breakdown between overhead and lake maintenance.

“We have some serious issues with how they spend money, and have for some time,” said Asbury Park City Manager Terry Reidy. “And when they doubled the dues assessment, and our’s went from $5,500 to $11,000, we were like, ‘That’s it.’ ”

The commission asked the municipalities to double their assessments two years ago. It said it needs experts present at meetings to function as an effective commission, and says it has done its best to preserve as much money for lake maintenance as possible.

“It has to be remembered that we are volunteers who run the Commission,” said Commission Chairman John Everson, who lives in Ocean Township.

“We’re not knowledgeable in all areas, and these are sophisticated and technical operations we are involved in. We need the input of those professionals,” he said.

“The complexity of the problems and the sheer magnitude of Deal Lake requires the advice of our consultant and engineer to make informed decisions,” Everson wrote in a letter to Reidy dated Aug. 18, in which he outlined several ways the commission would address specific concerns of the city.

“The levels of technical depth discussed at our meetings require our professionals to be present. Without them, we can not serve the public or move key projects forward,” the letter read.

In fact, Everson said, if the professionals can’t make the meetings, “we cancel them because, for one, it saves money on overhead, and all we would do is spin our wheels anyway.”

Everson, who has been on the commission for four years and chairman for two, said he has had productive meetings with Asbury Park officials in the past, where they have questioned spending. He says the commission has addressed most of those concerns, including cutting overhead costs

“You get to a point where you get frustrated and you throw your hands up, but we don’t want to do that,” said Everson.

Asked if the commission could survive without Asbury Park’s involvement Everson hesitated.

“The answer is yes, but we’d be a limping dog. With a unified front we can go after state money, federal grants, and private money. If Asbury Park pulls out, we won’t be able to perform nearly as much lake maintenance, and there might be domino effect of other towns pulling out as well.”

“It’s time that Asbury Park’s council step up and make a decision,” Everson said.

At their most recent public meeting, Asbury Park Councilman Ed Johnson informed the council that he had met with representatives from the commission and he recommended that talks proceed.

“We should continue to work this out and try to find a resolution,” Johnson said.

Reidy, for one, thinks a resolution could be close at hand.

“We still have a lot of concerns over spending and other issues, some of which we feel strongly about,” Reidy said. For instance, the city feels the commission should reimburse Asbury Park for some costs incurred in maintaining the lake, such as raising and lowering the water level. Costs Reidy described as “not significant, but still costs.”

“But we want to resolve this, it’s gone on long enough. We’re going to sit down with the Deal Lake Commission, address these issues and move on,” Reidy said. He said he was hopeful such a meeting could take place within the next month.

But she will face challenges unique to Interlaken and its place in eastern Monmouth County.

Sullivan was scheduled to be sworn in this week as Interlakens police chief. She is the countys first female chief.

Morris Countys Chatham is larger, with a 2006 population of 8,390, compared to Interlakens 900. Chatham is 2.4 square miles; Interlaken is .4 Chatham was spun off from a larger town, as was Interlaken, and being in Morris County, it has no beach nearby.

Sullivan, a Brick Township resident of many years, has parents in Seaside Park, living in a Victorian a few blocks from the beach. She understands summer crowds and the issues they bring. She also knows officers in departments around the county and in the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office and county Sheriff Kim Guadagno, who have filled her in on some aspects of life here, she said.

She spent more that 23 years as a police officer up north.

I see it as a challenge and an opportunity, she said. I firmly believe I can handle this because my background prepared me for it, she said on Monday.

Shes held tough jobs in Chatham: traffic, training, hiring and internal affairs. She has a masters degree, numerous citations and appears to have successfully navigated the sometimes rough-and-tumble world of law enforcement, from patrolling to administration and all the politics that come with it.

Sullivan graduated Summa cum Laude from Seton Hall University with a masters degree in Human Resources and Training; has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Jersey City State University; is certified as a Certified Law Enforcement Executive by the N.J. State Chiefs of Police association, and is a graduate of the West Point Command and Leadership Program. She is on the Executive Board of the N.J. Women in Law Enforcement.

Her first challenge is one she said she most looks forward to: rebuilding the Interlaken department and restoring its reputation for service and community orientation. She said she plans to listen carefully to residents and bring the most successful programs from Chatham here.

Im not concerned with what happened in the past because I dont know first hand what happened. My focus is to bring pride back to the police department, and Im looking forward to it, she said.

She will acclimate herself, and then put her stamp on things. First will come a program where senior citizens call in the morning. No call, an officer will check on them. She is also considering a service for summer residents to keep their properties secure, she said.

Im not about reinventing the wheel. I will be about customer service. I want the people of Interlaken to know when they call were there. Whatever concerns they will have well address them.

Sullivans confident shell succeed. Her contacts here and knowledge of the region, coupled with her background and experience, should make for a smooth transition.

Ive done all I can do in Chatham at my present rank. With my training and responsibilities, I want the responsibility. I know the journey that lies ahead will have many new challenges but collectively the department will overcome each of them and grow stronger. ]]> http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2008/07/03/county%e2%80%99s-first-female-police-chief-looks-forward-to-post/feed/ 0 http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2008/06/26/interlaken-hires-first-female-police-chief-in-county/ http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2008/06/26/interlaken-hires-first-female-police-chief-in-county/#comments Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:51:57 +0000 Coaster http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2008/06/26/interlaken-hires-first-female-police-chief-in-county/ By GARRETT STASSE Interlaken is scheduled to swear in the county’s first female police chief July 2. A months-long search that included reviewing 75 applicants ended this month when Borough Council selected Karen Sullivan, a captain of the Chatham Police Department, to serve as police chief in this residential-only borough. The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office has been in charge of the department after irregularities were found there two years ago. Following an investigation one police officer was charged and fired. Sullivan’s hiring is expected to end the investigation and allow the borough to rebuild the force. ]]> By GARRETT STASSE
Interlaken is scheduled to swear in the countys first female police chief July 2.

A months-long search that included reviewing 75 applicants ended this month when Borough Council selected Karen Sullivan, a captain of the Chatham Police Department, to serve as police chief in this residential-only borough.

The Monmouth County Prosecutors Office has been in charge of the department after irregularities were found there two years ago. Following an investigation one police officer was charged and fired. Sullivans hiring is expected to end the investigation and allow the borough to rebuild the force.

The governing body is excited and looks forward to having a strong professional police agency for its deserving community, Mayor Robert Wolf said. The borough Council welcomes Chief Sullivan to Interlaken and takes pride in progressively hiring the first female municipal police chief in Monmouth County.

Sullivan comes with an impressive background. She graduated summa cum laude from Seton Hall University with a masters degree in Human Resources and Training; has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from New Jersey City University (formerly Jersey City State University); is a Certified Law Enforcement Executive by the N.J. State Chiefs of Police association, and is a graduate of the West Point Command and Leadership Program. She is on the Executive Board of the N.J. Women in Law Enforcement and was the first woman to participate in the Police Unity Tour bike ride from New Jersey to Washington, D.C.

Wolf said Sullivans first task when she begins working on July 15 is to assess the departments needs then hire additional officers. Long-term, she will also help determine the size, shape and function of the Police Headquarters the borough is planning to construct.

Once the department is fully operational we will move onto providing a proper building, Wolf said. Well leave the development of that time frame to our chief and administrator. We have all the professionals in place to make that judgment.

Sullivan will report to Borough Administrator Aimee Antonides, under an ordinance amendment council adopted last month. Council could have continued the policy where the chief would report to council but council rejected that.

Were taking politics out of this, Wolf said. The problems we faced were deeply rooted before I got involved. We want to clean up this department and do this right.

Sullivans gender played no part in her selection, he said. We did this strictly on her abilities and accomplishments and thats what we believe Interlaken wants most. Shes the penultimate professional and I can say on behalf of the council that were looking forward to having her here and moving forward.

The hiring ends a long and sometimes tumultuous period in which council and residents had to cope with the investigation, the stigma of county supervision and clean up the mess caused by lax paperwork and other problems. Department morale was impacted while council and residents debated whether to even keep the department.

Residents supported keeping the department after holding at least two informational meetings.

Superior Court Judge Lawrence M. Lawson, seated in Freehold, met this week with Interlaken attorney Dennis Crawford and Walter M. Luers, who represents Robert Napoli the Interlaken residents filing the suit.

I feel the law suit has definite traction and feel confident that our position will be supported by the judge, Napoli said.

Napoli, a former councilman, filed the suit earlier this month charging borough officials held meetings regarding the fate of the police department in private and withheld public information in the matter from the public all in violation of the states Sunshine Law.

Mayor Robert D. Wolf III and the Borough Council initiated a several-month study on whether to keep or disband the small police department or merge the department with neighboring towns.

On April 2 the council voted to keep the police department after residents turned out in large numbers to support maintaining the force.

Napolis suit charges the decision was made mostly in secret with limited public input, disclosure or facts.

The suit does not seek monetary damages but seeks a more open public meeting agenda in the borough.

This is all for the people and this decision will open up the doors of the local government, Napoli said.

A lawsuit was filed in Monmouth County Superior Court this week by an Interlaken resident claiming borough officials withheld critical information and documentation from the public while deciding the fate of the boroughs small police department.

The lawsuit is aimed at the illegal process, not the decision, said Robert Napoli, a former councilman who hired a firm specializing in Open Public Meetings Act law to file the suit.

In a press release disclosing information about the suit, Napoli claims the borough conducted important meetings in private and behind closed doors which, in turn, made it necessary to seek legal action.

Our knowledge was limited. Taxpayers demand accountability, leadership and responsible government, he said in the statement.

The lawsuit alleges a series of illegal meetings and a denial of records which kept the public from witnessing the deliberative process regarding the future of the boroughs police department. This in turn, derailed the process by limiting public input, disclosure and facts, the statement said.

Interlaken Mayor Robert Wolf III said he had no first-hand knowledge about the lawsuit and could not comment without seeing it.

I have not seen anything regarding the suit but I am interested in seeing it, whatever it may be, he said.

The lawsuit seeks no monetary damages but more open access to borough public records and meetings.

We want deliberations in public. No more behind closed doors and in secret. We dont want to jump through hoops for information, Napoli said when contacted on Tuesday.

Napoli said in the statement that even though the Borough Council knew residents favored sharing police services with Allenhurst, the governing body willingly created a sham by introducing an ordinance to disband the police department and potentially contract serves with neighboring Ocean Township knowing residents would disapprove any contract with Ocean Township.

Napoli said that a 90-page report was submitted by the borough to the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office in February- a report that outlined a rebuilding plan for the police department.

The report was not publicly released until the day the lawsuit was filed, the statement says.

Apparently they had already made up their minds in February about the future of the police department, Napoli said.

A year ago the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office took over control of the police department and investigated records pertaining to the firearms qualifications of several officers on the force.

A police sergeant, who was heading the police department after the chief retired in the summer, eventually pled guilty to tampering with the qualification records and had to pay a $1,000 fine and give up his police position.

This left the department with four officers but none with the qualifications to lead it.

The police department has been working out of trailers placed on the street behind Borough Hall.

On April 2 the council unanimously voted to keep the police department after an overwhelming number of residents vocally opposed dismantling the department at the public hearing.

The council was to vote that night on an ordinance to disband the department and possibly contract with services from Ocean Township.

Napoli is represented by the Walter Luers firm- a firm with extensive experience in Open Public Meetings Act law. He said he is confident he will win this suit and invites other interested presidents to get involved.

Secrecy in public affairs undermines the publics right to be effective and residents are fed up with these criminal probes and misinformation, he said.

Napoli claims limited knowledge and misinformation have led to the state of affairs in Interlaken. ]]> http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2008/04/16/interlaken-resident-files-lawsuit/feed/ 0 http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2008/04/03/deal-lake-commission-seeking-470000-from-county-state/ http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2008/04/03/deal-lake-commission-seeking-470000-from-county-state/#comments Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:30:43 +0000 Coaster http://thecoaster.net/wordpress/2008/04/03/deal-lake-commission-seeking-470000-from-county-state/ 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 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:

- $44,000 to electrify the flood gates and install a new grate at the lakes flume into the Atlantic Ocean. The flume, which controls the water level in the lake, is located between Asbury Park and Loch Arbour and runs under Ocean Avenue.

- $25,000 to identify sources of human fecal bacteria entering the lake through the old storm water system.

- $400,000 to remove an accumulation of weeds and leaves over 14-acre areas that are choking western sections of the lake.

These items are all high priority and need to be done, Everson said.

Everson said that although Deal Lake is equal in size to all of the other coastal lakes (those that feed into the ocean) in Monmouth County combined Deal Lake receives less funding than given for projects at other coastal lakes.

The 158-acre lake has more than 20 miles of coastline.

The amount of money per acre is a lot less than whats given to other lakes, Everson said.

The Deal Lake Commission is funded by annual contributions by seven municipalities with borders on the lake: Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Deal, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Neptune and Ocean Township.

The irony… is that the state Department of Environmental Protection tells us the state owns the lake but it is the commission and municipalities, along with local groups, that have to beg the state for permission to care for and find funding to proceed for the lakes care, the commission wrote in a March 13 letter to Kean.

The letter also requests a county or state agency provide matching annual funding for yearly repairs and maintenance. It also requests a county-wide Joint Lakes Commission be created to find disposal sites for dredge spoils from the lakes

Properly run the site should be self-funding by selling compost made from the spoils, Everson said.

In addition, Everson said there are many long-range projects that need to be done to improve Deal Lake.

The areas surrounding the lake are in dire need of updated and improved storm water infrastructure and controls. The lake also needs about a million cubic yards of sediment removed to fully restore its vitality.

We also need to begin identifying and building large-scale regional storm-water basins in the lakes watershed. Its really is the only way to control flooding and the flow of silt into the lake. Until these basins are in place we cant do effective dredging because the rapid storm-water runoff is scouring silt right back into the lake, he said.