By MELISSA BEVERIDGE
The Neptune City Council approved the appointment of Tracy Sorrentino as Deputy Court Administrator after the Monmouth County Assignment Judge approved the appointment.
Neptune City, Bradley Beach, and Avon work within a mutually beneficial shared services agreement, said Mary Sapp, Neptune City Administrator and Municipal Clerk. Neptune City provides the courtroom for all three towns and Bradley Beach provides the personnel.
Sorrentino will be an employee of and compensated by Bradley Beach, taking the place of the current Court Administrator in April when Kelly Barrett, the current Court Administrator will take over the Municipal Clerk role in Bradley Beach.
Sapp said Neptune City must appoint Sorrentino as Deputy Court Administrator in order for her to perform the same function in Neptune City as she does in Bradley Beach.
The council commended the work of the Office of Emergency Management, the Department of Public Works, Police Department, Fire Department, First Aid Department, and everyone else involved with preparation for winter storm Jonas. Public Safety Director Edward Kirchenbaum described the town’s preparations for the storm, which began on Wednesday and Thursday with a meeting that included Mayor Robert Brown, Sapp, Councilman Joseph Zajack, and the heads of the departments.
Kirchenbaum said the town experienced a broken water main on Avondale Avenue and loss of power to approximately 39 homes. The police department visited the houses without power to make sure that everyone was OK and offered to drive them to a friend’s or relative’s house. Director Tom Adcock made the community center available to Neptune City and Avon residents as a warming station before the power was restored later that evening.
Kirchenbaum said during the high tide on Saturday, East End Avenue bridge from Neptune City to Shark River Hills was completely covered and the town worked with Neptune to close the bridge.
“Neptune City runs like a well oiled machine,” Kirchenbaum said. “We all realistically know what we have to do.”
“It was the first time I sat in on one of these meetings and I didn’t realize what goes into the preparation of getting our town ready,” Zajack said.
Council President John More honored the passing of former Councilman Joe Freda, who served on the Neptune City Council from 1975-2000. More said he knew him also as Coach Freda during his time playing for the Tri-Boro Little League.
“Councilman Freda really exemplified what this council was all about,” More said. “His love was for this town, his mission was what was best for this community, and he did that quietly through service. I think he’s a model that we should all try to follow.”
