Brant Beach Bulletin
June 8, 2024
After leading our association, rebuilding its membership and activities as our president, and then remaining as a board member, John Fiore has decided to lighten his load and depart from our board. While we are sad to make this announcement, we will continue to benefit from John’s leadership since he will remain as the President of Long Beach Island’s Joint Council of Taxpayers Associations. We thank John for his many years of service directly supporting Brant Beach and look forward to his continued leadership benefiting Brant Beach as well as the entire island.
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This issue of the Brant Beach Bulletin covers traffic ticketing, beach mats, e-bikes, Fire Pit Fridays, hospital improvements, the LBI Shuttle, and beach replenishment.
❖ Increased Red Light Enforcement: Mayor Mancini stated that LBT police officers recently issued 30 tickets in two hours to drivers who ran yellow lights to avoid stopping at a red signal. The Mayor used this statistic to emphasize traffic safety overall and to emphasize that running the light on yellow is dangerous. He urged everyone to be mindful about driving through intersections only on the solid green. Heightened enforcement of “drive right, pass left” also continues.
❖ Beach Mats: Surf City has installed beach mats at certain beach entrances, and Long Beach Township is watching the outcome. Historically, the Township has been reluctant to install beach mats due to the significant labor required to keep them free of sand and because mechanical sweepers damage the mats. The Mayor stressed that our Gators remain as an option for those needing this service for beach access.
❖ E-bikes: The season has just begun, but already e-bikes have become a major concern. Accordingly, LBT police have begun issuing tickets to those e-bike riders who are not following safe biking rules such as speeding or riding on the sidewalk. Police will confiscate the faster state-designated “Class 3” motorized bicycles for improper license, registration or insurance. “Fair warning,” said Mayor Mancini.
❖ Fire Pit Fridays: These popular events are held every Friday from 7-9pm at the 68th Street ocean beach in Brant Beach. Bring a chair and relax around one of the 15 fire pits while listening to the music of a local band and enjoying beer or seltzers from the Manafirkin Brewery Company. Parking is tight, so please walk or take the LBI shuttle.
❖ Hackensack Meridian Southern Ocean Medical Center (formerly SOCH): Mayor Mancini described the $30M transformational project that will expand the surgical care capacity of the hospital. The hospital’s four operating rooms will be expanded to meet modern standards and support state-of-the-art procedures such as robotics. In addition, two new operating rooms will be built and current care bays will be expanded or replaced. The Mayor explained that the size of the surgical area has remained the same since the medical center opened in 1972 and their size/capacity needs to be expanded to serve our growing community. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.
❖ LBI Shuttle: Commissioner Lattanzi reported that the number of riders is up significantly and encouraged everyone to take advantage of this service. Buses run Sunday-Thursday from 3-11pm and Friday & Saturday from 3pm-12am. The cost is $5 per ride; children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult.
More information and the link to the shuttle bus tracker can be found at https://www.lbishuttle.com/.
❖ Beach Replenishment: The bids received in May exceeded the $32M budgeted. Additional funding is being sought, and a reduction in the scope of work is being considered. Commissioner Allie Meehan recently urged homeowners to contact their elected representatives to provide additional funding. It is anticipated that the work will start by September or October. The specific areas that would be replenished have not been announced.
Ordinances
❖ Proposed On First Reading: First reading ordinances are no longer available on the LBT website. Only bond ordinances were presented at this meeting. No changes to any existing regulations in the Township code were proposed.
- 24-18 & 24-19 Bond ordinances for $2M and $999,999, respectively, to replace water mains in two separate areas in the southern portion of the Township.
- 24-20 Bond ordinance for $1.425M to construct a new beach patrol building.
- 24-21 Bond ordinance for $1,279,380 to reconstruct or resurface two roadways in the southern portion of the Township and Panorama Drive in Loveladies.
- 24-22 Bond ordinance for $3.8M for equipment that had been back ordered for the storm water pump stations. Six pumps and other components finally arrived and will be installed between 20th & 89th Streets. The county will reimburse the Township for the $3.8M.
❖ Passed On Second Reading:
- 24-14C Required by the state, this ordinance clarifies how salt and other de-icing materials used by residents on roads, driveways and sidewalks must be stored to prevent exposure to storm water.
- 24-15C Also required by the state, this ordinance establishes the revised and required regulations around storm water control. It establishes minimum storm water management protocols and specific controls for major developments.
- 24-16C Authorizes the addition of two stop signs on bayside streets near the Acme.
- 24-17C Establishes a fund for the purpose of self-funding insurance benefits, including health benefits, for Township employees and their dependents.
Thank you for being a part of the
Brant Beach Taxpayers Association
