Matthew J. Doherty

Letters to the Editor, Oct. 16, 2008

Volker Deserves Your Vote

Submitted by THOMAS BRENNAN

Let me tell you what I know to be true about Tom Volker, Belmar council candidate. As a teacher and coach, I have had many chances to see Tom supporting his family at different events. He is always there for them, cheering them on. The example he sets of positive support for all of us is inspiring. Of course, he doesn’t see it that way. He’s just doing what a good grandpa does.

Tom brings the same commitment to his involvement in the Belmar Arts Council, Harbor Commission and Historical Society. I have seen him put in time on difficult projects for the BAC, following through on the details that are the difference between success and failure. Tom wouldn’t think of that as anything special, just doing what has to be done. Again, his example is inspiring.

Tom deserves your vote on Nov. 4th. He will bring the same dedication and selfless commitment to elected office that he already gives to his community and his family. Belmar will be lucky to have him on our borough council.

THOMAS BRENNAN
11th Avenue, Belmar

Volker Enhances Belmar’s Small-Town Feel

Submitted by NEIL SCHECK

Tom Volker is the right choice for Belmar Borough Council. From his work on the harbor commission and the historical council, to his tireless contributions on behalf of the Belmar Arts Council, to his hard labor on the beautification committee and the Adopt-a-Spot program, no one does more to make Belmar great than Tom.

When he’s not busy with civic betterment projects, he can be found running the lovely Inn at the Shore bed and breakfast with his wife, Rosemary, or taking the neighborhood kids Christmas caroling. If there were a “Norman Rockwell Award” for preserving and enhancing all the things we love about living in a small town like Belmar, the winner, hands down, would be this most neighborly man of quiet dignity, competence, experience, and integrity, Tom Volker.

NEIL SCHECK
Fourth Avenue, Belmar

Vote Tom Volker For Belmar Council

Submitted by DOUGLAS DEICKE

As a former Belmar councilman, and presently married to a Belmar councilwoman, I have a thorough understanding as to what is involved in representing the residents of our community.

Tom Volker has what it takes to serve the wonderful people of our shore town. Tom holds a bachelor of science degree in marketing from LaSalle University in Philadelphia, and has an impressive background in business. He held a position in management with JCPenney for many years, and presently owns the Inn at the Shore bed and breakfast in town. Couple this business acumen with an individual who possesses a strong sense of community, and you have an ideal candidate.

Tom is a trustee of the Belmar Historical Council, a member of the chamber of commerce, a member of Belmar’s Harbor Commission, a trustee of our local Adopt-a-Spot program, a member of the Belmar Arts Council, and has signed on as a member of the newly-formed beautification committee. I know personally that Tom can always be depended upon to fulfill the responsibilities put forward by these various volunteer organizations, as his word is his bond.

I’m sure you can readily understand why I support Tom Volker’s candidacy for Belmar’s borough council, and I hope you will, too!

DOUGLAS DEICKE
14th Avenue, Belmar

Top Ten Reasons To Vote Tom Volker In Belmar

Submitted by ROSEMARY VOLKER

1. Tom has been working since he was eight years old, and has an excellent work ethic.

2. Tom has been a volunteer all of his life: Boy Scout leader, church youth group leader, JCPenney project business teacher, JCPenney-sponsored “Clinton Visiting Housebound Seniors Program in New York City,” Belmar Elementary School Grandparents Reading Program, Belmar Historical Council Board member, chamber of commerce member, Adopt-a-Spot Program member, Belmar Harbor Commission member, Belmar Beautification Commission member, and Belmar Arts Council member.

3. Tom worked his way through high school so that he could help his single mom with the finances as she raised four children by herself. He worked every day after school, from 4 p.m. to midnight, and on weekends at a factory in Philadelphia.

4. Tom paid his way through night school at LaSalle University in Philadelphia while working full time. [He started when his three children were one month old, 15 months old, and three years old, respectively.]

5. Tom received a Celebrating Excellence Award for Outstanding Contributions from the Preferred Inns of New Jersey Bed and Breakfast Association, in which he served as president for six years and as a board member for 12 years.

6. Tom has kindness and compassion for all, especially the young and elderly. He helped care for his mother-in-law when she developed senile dementia.

7. Tom is extremely optimistic about Belmar’s future.

8. When others only criticize, Tom takes action to make it better.

9. Tom loves Belmar and all of the great quality of life improvements over the past 15 years.

10. Tom is a wonderful dad to a daughter and two sons, a superb “Pop-Pop” to 11 delightful grandchildren, and a fabulous husband to his wife of 46 years, Rosemary.

ROSEMARY VOLKER
Fourth Avenue, Belmar

Praise For Tom Volker

Submitted by HARRY ASCHOFF

Belmar is lucky to have a resident like Tom Volker running for town council. Tom and his wife have been in Belmar for 14 years, both as residents and as business owners. Tom loves the “small-town Americana” feel of Belmar, with our plaza where concerts are held, and our summer Saturday farmer’s market.

Tom is a member of various committees and organizations, including the harbor commission, beautification committee, and arts council.

Tom has been described as reliable. He’s always there to help out when he says he’ll be there. He’s thorough and a person that we can all depend on. Tom works hard and is willing to share his ideas.

Tom is enthusiastic about Belmar and wants to help solve the issues that occur. Tom is the type of person who will jump in and work at resolving issues rather than sitting back and complaining about them.

I feel that Tom Volker will be an asset to the Belmar town council.

HARRY ASCHOFF
River Ct., Belmar

Candidates offer solutions to increased taxes, shoaling

ELECTION 2008

By Kelly Skellinger

The Coast Star

The candidate elected to fill the available council seat on Belmar’s governing body in this November’s general election will be expected to work alongside the mayor and council over the next few years to develop short- and long-term solutions to several problems currently facing the governing body, including higher tax rates and increased shoaling at the Shark River Inlet.

Thomas Volker, Democratic candidate for council, and Richard Wright, Republican candidate for council, will battle for the single, three-year term on the council this November.

The available council seat is currently being held by Councilman William Merkler, the lone Republican seated at the dais of Belmar’s governing body.

His term is scheduled to expire on Dec. 31.

While Councilman Merkler was backed by the Belmar Republican Committee and he ran uncontested for the Republican nomination in the June GOP Primary, the councilman decided not to seek re-election two weeks ago, citing the increased time demanded by his business.

In turn, Mr. Wright was nominated by the Belmar Republican Committee to take his place as the Republican nominee.

Both Mr. Volker and Mr. Wright were recently presented with a set of four questions pertaining to the election and asked to answer the questions in 175 words or less.

The last two questions, relating to tax rate hikes and shoaling at the Shark River Inlet, appear below, along with the candidates’ answers. Candidate answers appear verbatim.

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Q:With the cost of pensions and salaries on the rise, do you feel you are qualified to make the cuts necessary to keep the municipal tax rate low? What steps would you take to save taxpayers money?

A: VOLKER: In addition to my management background, my wife and I operate a B&B, so I work every day keeping costs low, while maintaining high quality. The borough’s portion of our tax bill is 37 percent and that levy is only 16 percent higher than it was in 1990. The mayor and past councils have been able to achieve that by reducing our full-time employee count from 94 to 67 over that time. I wish the state was managed as effectively as Belmar. While we need to continue to cut costs wherever we can, the biggest opportunity keeping taxes down is by sharing services with other towns, and I would work to pursue every opportunity in this area. The state also must be more realistic when considering aid cuts to towns like Belmar that are actively seeking to share services with other communities.

A: WRIGHT: The difficult economic environment will put great pressure on public sector budgets. Belmar should expect even larger cuts in state support. We need to anticipate that our local economy will also be impacted. Now is the time to start identifying marginal programs and services which can be delivered more efficiently or suspended. Other towns have adopted four-day work weeks in order to reduce the energy cost of operating their municipal building. In order to be able to maintain the jobs for all our employees, we should sit done with their union representatives and explore revising certain benefits and sharing the cost of their benefits. Longevity pay, automatic promotions, paid holidays, retirement age, health care costs and more need to be reconsidered. Belmar should also use the fiscal pressure being felt by every municipality to break the political logjam known as home rule to make regionalization of services happen.

Years of financial experience in budget management during both economic expansion and contraction qualify me to manage the municipal budget for lower tax rates.

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Q: While the Army Corps of Engineers has attempted to thwart the shoaling of the Shark River at the Shark River Inlet by dredging on numerous occasions, the shoaling problem is not going away and continues to create dangerous rip currents for swimmers and dangerously low tides for boaters entering and exiting the inlet.

If you were elected as councilman, what steps would you take, if any, to correct the shoaling problem there?

A: VOLKER: Belmar has made a major investment in improving our marina, and it’s essential that the inlet be safe for boaters. My fellow members of the Belmar Harbor Commission and I have been pressing the Army Corps of Engineers to expedite completion of their study on the causes of the shoaling. Congressman Frank Pallone has been very helpful in this regard. Some suspect that the cutting of the jetties some years ago is contributing to the problems. But we can’t keep reacting to the problem with emergency dredging responses. We need a long-term solution to this problem, and I will work with Congressman Pallone’s office to get this done.

A: WRIGHT: After another reported incident of large swells pitching a commercial boat into a severe yaw, we must immediately press the Army Corps of Engineers to return as often as necessary to maintain the safety of the many recreational and commercial boaters who pass through the Inlet everyday. And this needs to be a joint effort with our neighboring towns of Neptune, Neptune City and Avon.

Immediately, we need to get from the Corps their promised findings as to the causes of the shoaling and their recommendations. Dredging every six months is not considered normal and the funding for that expense is not likely to continue for very long. Notching of the jetties during the beach replenishment is suspected by many as the underlying cause. Experts on beach replenishment suggested at the time that the notched jetties would allow sand to move north along the beach and not be swept offshore. That may still be true, but shoaling and rip tides may have been the unintended consequences.

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Voters can cast their votes for their candidate of choice on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

There are four polling locations in Belmar.

District One and District Five voters can vote at the Goodwill Firehouse, located at 610 7th Avenue, in Belmar. District Two voters can vote at the Union Firehouse, located at 9th Avenue and E Street, in Belmar.

District Three voters can vote at the Volunteer Hook and Ladder House, located on 11th Avenue, in Belmar. District Four voters can vote at the Borough Public Works building, located at 800 13th Avenue, in Belmar.

Meet the Candidates night set for Oct. 21

The Coast Star

The Belmar Homeowners Association [BHA] will be hosting its annual “Meet the Candidates” night on Tuesday, Oct. 21, just two weeks before the upcoming general election.

Democratic candidate for council Thomas Volker and Republican candidate for council Richard Wright will be answering pre-screened questions during the debate, as well as questions offered to them by the public in attendance.

Both men will be competing in this November’s general election for the council seat of Councilman William Merkler, which will expire on Dec. 31.

The candidate who receives the most votes on election day, Nov. 4, will fill the three-year term on Belmar’s governing body.

The event - which will kick-off at 7 p.m. and run until 8:30 p.m. that evening - will be held once again at the Taylor Pavilion, on 5th and Ocean Avenues, in Belmar.

No fee will be charged for admission and the debate is open to all Belmar residents.

Coffee and refreshments will be served for those in attendance.

The BHA is currently soliciting questions from the public via a lockbox which has been placed at the Belmar Borough Hall.

The BHA will select 12 to 13 questions from the lockbox to be screened by the candidates prior to the debate, according to BHA Co-president Doug Sweeny.

Ed Bonder, also co-president of the association, is organizing this year’s “Meet the Candidates” night and will be working with the candidates one-on-one to select the questions they see fit to address during the debate.

While the candidates will be informed of the questions beforehand, the order of the questions will be decided at random, Mr. Sweeny said.

The public will have a chance to ask the candidates questions following the formal debate.

Jim Hohn, an Independent, according to Mr. Sweeny, will be moderating the debate.

A total of 200 to 300 residents are expected to attend.

To solicit questions for the “Meet the Candidates” night, visit Belmar Borough Hall and place questions in the lockbox there.

Fall Harvest Festival draws large crowd

By Kelly Skellinger

The Coast Star

To say this year’s annual Fall Harvest Festival was a success is an understatement, according to Belmar Chamber of Commerce President Rachel Rogers.

Festival goers came out in droves to attend the Belmar Chamber of Commerce’s 16th annual Fall Harvest Festival this past Sunday.

The event was held on Main Street, between 8th and 10th avenues.

While the event has boasted between 6,000 and 7,000 revelers in recent years, this year the turnout exceeded all previous records, Ms. Rogers said.

The number of people who ventured to Belmar’s downtown to participate in the day’ festivities was “hard to judge,” Ms. Rogers said, as the crowds were so immense and frequent.

According to many of the vendors who showcased their wares during the fall festival, the event, no doubt, saw more attendees than in previous years.

“The turn-out was spectacular,” Ms. Rogers said.

Clear, blue skies and warm temperatures beckoned the crowds to the borough’s downtown, Ms. Rogers noted.

“It was a beautiful day,” she said.

Vendors lined Main Street selling original, hand-made art and crafts. Fresh produce and baked pies were also for sale at various locations along the festival grounds.

The children’s obstacle course and children’s games were never at a loss for participants throughout the day. Children also lined up for pony rides and their chance to participate in the event’s ever-popular pumpkin decorating contest.

This year’s competition was sponsored by Central Jersey Bank.

A car show was another feature of the festival which drew onlookers and car enthusiasts.

A food court, located at Pyanoe Plaza, featured delicacies from local establishments and offered revelers a place to sit back and enjoy their culinary delights with ease.

“The day, as a whole, ran smoothly,” Ms. Rogers said. “Everywhere you looked children were playing; people were shopping and eating.”

Those in attendance were also treated to live entertainment throughout the day, Ms. Rogers added.

Mascots from the New Jersey Devils and Lakewood Blue Claws went head-to-head in a dance off with mascots from Red’s Custard and State Farm during the day, as well.

The fall festival was sponsored by Allaire Country Day and Goodsports, USA, the Gold Leaf sponsor.

The Silver Leaf sponsors included Hauser Hills Farms; Central Jersey Bank; Super Foodtown of Wall; and Pringle Quinn Anzano, PC.

The Bronze Leaf sponsors included Evans Enterprise Modular Homes; WRAT Radio; Versatile Entertainment; GG Design Group; InVisual MD and Manasquan Savings Bank.

Letters to the Editor, Oct. 9, 2008

“Balance” Means Nothing

Submitted by SAM KAYE

I am tired of Republicans saying they should be elected to the Belmar Council because we need “balance.” If we get another Republican on the council like Bill Merkler, it will not be “balance;” it will be incompetence.

Mayor Ken Pringle has done an amazing job transforming Belmar from a party town to a town where you can raise your family or retire. And the council members that have helped him do that have all been Democrats. The one Republican to get elected was not “balanced,” but rather was a disappointment. We cannot afford to have another council member like him again.

I attend council meetings [8 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month], and I watch the mayor and all the council members. I keep an eye on each one of them, and I can tell you that each Democratic council member is their own person. They have their own areas of interest, and you can tell that they each care about Belmar and moving it forward. You can see that as plain as day.

The only council member who does not pull his weight is the one Republican. If you don’t believe me, come to a meeting and see for yourself.

When it comes to “balance,” don’t believe the Republican lies. Come to the council meeting and see for yourself.

SAM KAYE
Seventh Avenue, Belmar

Tom Volker Is Right For Belmar

Submitted by MIKE KALENA

Tom Volker is getting my vote on Election Day. I met him, I like him, and he is just the type of person we need here in Belmar.

Tom has a clear and responsible vision for Belmar. Maybe that comes from him and his wife both living here and operating a bed and breakfast here, too.

Tom wants to make Belmar more family-friendly and improve Main Street - two things I think everyone agrees with.

I don’t offer my opinion about politics often, but I thought now was a good time, since Tom is the right guy for the job.

MIKE KALENA
Eighth Avenue, Belmar

Emergency generator installed at senior building

By Kelly Skellinger

Threats of blackouts and power outages will no longer strike fear into the hearts of tenants residing in Belmar’s senior building, a federally subsidized, six-story building on 8th Avenue which houses a total of 52 residents, ranging in age from 62 to 90.

Paul Caverly, executive director of the Belmar Housing Authority and deputy executive director of the Township of Neptune Housing Authority, recently purchased the emergency generator from Allaire Electric, to replace the building’s existing emergency generator which dates back to the 1960s when the senior building was first built.

The new 65-kilowatt emergency generator, which has already been installed, is can produce enough energy to light the building’s common areas and hallways, keep the hot water and heat pumping, as well as power one of the elevators.

The building’s previous emergency generator had the limited capability to supply lighting to the building’s hallways and stairwells in case of emergency power outages.

As a result, tenants, some of whom have limited mobility and use oxygen tanks, were forced to wait in the dark, in the sweltering heat or the frigid cold, for emergency personnel to come to their rooms and assist them down the stairwells to the building’s common areas.

The building’s elevators did not function during previous power outages due to the limited functions of the older generator.

The tenants’ refrigerated medications were often in danger of expiring during incidents in which the power outages lasted for hours at a time, as well.

With the new generator in place, tenants will no longer need to suffer through such harrowing experiences should the lights suddenly go out.

Mr. Caverly learned of the availability of the generator from a contractor who had come into the Township of Neptune Housing Authority office looking for work recently.

The contractor had installed a new generator to replace an existing generator at the Keansburg Housing Authority.

The generator which was replaced was “still in good shape,” Mr. Caverly explained.

The Keansburg Housing Authority had since sold the generator to Allaire Electric.

Mr. Caverly, in turn, offered to purchase the generator from the electrical contractor for $7,000, money which was extricated from the Belmar Housing Authority’s capital fund program.

Mr. Caverly agreed to pay $14,000 from the fund to have the generator installed in the senior building.

The Belmar Housing Authority was given $53,000 from the federal government to make capital improvements to the senior building this year.

The $53,000 was deposited into the authority’s capital fund program. Out of that fund, $18,000 has already been allocated to pay for a bond to purchase new boilers for the building this year.

The remaining money was used to purchase and install the generator and will be used over the course of the year to further maintain the building and modernize the units, Mr. Caverly said.

The new generator is gas-fired, not diesel-fueled, Mr. Caverly explained.

“It looks like a truck engine - 4 feet tall, 3 feet wide and 6feet long,” he said.

The generator has a one-year guarantee, he noted.

“Now, we have a generator that, in essence, is brand-new,” Mr. Caverly explained. “For the last two and one-half, almost three years, I’ve been whacking my head against the wall trying to get a generator.”

Belmar Councilman Matthew Doherty, Congressman Frank Pallone and Mr. Caverly met with residents of the senior building on Wednesday afternoon to alert tenants to the installation of the new emergency generator and discuss the improved electric service to the building.

Officials fielded questions posed by the tenants as well.

The improved electrical service to the building is the result of a number of officials working together to come up with a solution to the problem over the course of the last year.

For example, Councilman Doherty, Congressman Pallone and Mr. Caverly reached out to media outlets, housing authorities and government agencies over the past year, in an attempt to find an emergency generator at a discounted cost to power the building.

Upon hearing of the plight of the tenants in the building, Jersey Central Power and Light [JCP&L] increased the reliability of its service to the borough’s senior building by installing new primary lines to feed the building.

The amount of voltage feeding the building was increased from 4,100 volts to 7,200 volts.

By increasing the voltage, JCP&L made it less likely for the building’s power to shut down in times of inclement weather or extreme temperatures.

The Belmar Housing Authority and Belmar Mayor and Council agreed to evenly split the cost of an 800-amp transfer switch for the building in March. However, the switch was never purchased and will not be purchased now that the new generator is in place, Mr. Caverly explained.

The switch, which would have cost $23,770 to purchase and install, transfers power from the JCP&L power lines, which currently power the building, to a portable emergency generator.

Belmar’s governing body also agreed to lease an 800-amp generator for the building, which would then be hooked up to the building when power outages last for longer than one day.

The 800-amp generator will no longer need to be leased by the borough, as the new generator will be more than adequate to power the building during emergencies which last longer than one day.

Residents from Manasquan to Jersey City have also offered to aid borough officials in finding a generator adequate enough to power the entire building over the past year, Councilman Doherty added.

The councilman noted that tenants have already begun to reap the benefits of the improved electrical service to the building.

“While in past summers the senior building would often lose power on extremely hot days for long periods of time, this summer they suffered only one for a very short amount of time,” the councilman said, noting that the improved electrical service to the building provided by JCP&L is the cause of the decrease in power outages.

“In the past, the length of the outages necessitated emergency services from the borough, but there was no need for that type of response this year,” he said.

According to Congressman Pallone, the collaborative efforts of local government officials, state officials and the private sector to find a solution to the power outage problem at the senior building is a good example of how government can work together and produce successful results.

“Everybody kind of came together,” the congressman said of the collaborative push to acquire a new generator for the building. “During tough times, when there is not a lot of money available, this is a good example of how government and the private sector can work together to try to accomplish something.”

“The residents of our housing authority’s senior building are a great asset to our community,” Councilman Doherty added. “They volunteer in Belmar in numerous ways including the Belmar Woman’s Club, St. Rose Church and the ADA Committee, just to name a few.

“I will always remember the generosity from these low-income seniors after the devastating fire last year that took the lives of two people,” the councilman said of a house fire on C Street last year which claimed the lives of Kenyon Stevens, a 7-year-old Belmar Elementary School first-grader, and his 52-year-old grandmother, Barbara Carter.

“They were the first ones to donate money for the surviving family members,” Councilman Doherty explained. “They exemplify the best of Belmar and they deserve our attention and support.”

Hokey-pokey for a good cause planned for Nov. 1

By Kelly Skellinger

The Coast Star

The governing body recently gave their blessing to Krislyn Vouno-Srour to host what she hopes will be the largest “hokey pokey” ever.

For Mrs. Vouno-Srour, the hokey pokey will be “what it’s all about” on Saturday, Nov. 1, when area residents gather on Belmar’s beaches in an attempt to be listed in The Guinness Book of World Records for the most people to ever participate in the children’s sing-a-long, dance-a-long.

No world record currently exists for the most amount of people to participate in the hokey pokey.

Ms. Vouno-Srour was one of the organizers of the meditation garden created in honor of the late Julianne and Emily Hendrickson, and located in the rear lot behind Lavender Moon, 1006 Main St., in Belmar.

According to Ms. Vouno-Srour, proceeds from the hokey-pokey event will go to benefit the Julianne and Emily Hendrickson Fund for Children, which was created following the death of the two Sea Girt residents who perished in a plane crash last summer.

The charity’s mission is to break the cycle of welfare and poverty by educating groups affected by welfare and poverty of the values which can be gained through outdoor, experiential education.

For instance, funds raised through the charity will allow at-risk teens to pair up with the Longacre Expedition to help build the teen’s teamwork and leadership skills.

In the spring of 2009, the charity will assist the junior class at Academy Charter High School in participating on a six-day trip hiking the Appalachian trail.

“It’s really amazing when you think about how an experience like that can change anyone, but especially these kids,” Ms. Vouno-Srour.

The hokey-pokey event will begin at 2 p.m. sharp on Nov. 1 on the beach and boardwalk by Jake’s Crab House, located at 500 Ocean Ave., in Belmar.

The first 1,000 people to register for the event will get a free t-shirt. The registration fee will be $10 for those who register in advance and $12 for those who register the day of the event.

To pre-register, contact Lu Stierman at 732-688-5400 or Ms. Vouno-Srour at 908-433-9782.

Sponsors are currently being sought for the event. The sponsor’s names will be printed on the back of the T-shirts. The adult T-shirts will have six large sponsors at $175 each and 30 small sponsors at $60 each.

Those interested in sponsoring the event can contact Lu Stierman at the number listed above or via e-mail at Lstierman@yahoo.com.

Those interested in volunteering their time to help out with the event can contact Ms. Vouno-Srour at her phone number listed above.

Councilwoman Meredith Brennan, who presented Ms. Vouno-Srour’s request to host the event to the mayor and council during a recent council meeting, explained that Ms. Vouno-Srour was hoping to attract at least several hundred people to the event.

The councilwoman added that Ms. Vouno-Srour hopes to make the event an annual event, in which the participants beat their previous year’s record each year.

Candidates tackle quality

ELECTION 2008

By Kelly Skellinger

The Coast Star

Quality of life and redevelopment have become buzz words in Belmar, with officials and residents alike continuously voicing their concerns regarding both topics throughout the years.

For the candidates running in this November’s general election for council, this year is no different: Quality of life and redevelopment issues remain at the forefront of Belmar politics.

Richard Wright, Republican candidate for council, and Thomas Volker, Democratic candidate for council, will go head to head during this November’s general election, with both men competing for the single, three-year seat open on the council.

The soon-to-be vacant seat is currently held by Councilman William Merkler, the lone Republican seated at the dais of Belmar’s governing body.

His term is scheduled to expire on Dec. 31.

While Councilman Merkler was backed by the Belmar Republican Committee and ran uncontested for the Republican nomination in the June GOP Primary, the councilman decided not to seek re-election two weeks ago, citing the increased time demanded by his business.

In turn, Mr. Wright was nominated by the Belmar Republican Committee to take his place as the Republican nominee.

Both Mr. Volker and Mr. Wright were recently presented with a set of four questions pertaining to the election and asked to answer the questions in 175 words or less.

The first two questions, relating to quality of life and redevelopment issues, appear below, along with the candidates’ answers, verbatim. The remaining two questions and answers will appear in the Oct. 16 issue.

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Q: While some borough officials and residents believe Belmar’s quality of life issues are fading with the number of seasonal rentals in the borough, others still complain of not being able to sleep with their windows open during the summer months due to the excessive noise created by tourists and residents.

Do you believe Belmar is still struggling with the same quality of life issues it faced years ago or do you believe Belmar finally has its quality of life issues under control?

A: VOLKER: I feel Belmar has made tremendous progress on quality of life issues since I first arrived in town 15 years ago. More work needs to be done in some neighborhoods, but our police chief is very sensitive to this issue. Some of our council people ride with police officers in the early morning summer season hours to experience bad behavior problems first hand and I intend to participate in that practice. We need to continue to hold those accountable who fail to respect our residents’ quality of life, and to hold landlords responsible for the conduct of their tenants and the condition of their properties. But I also think it’s time to begin focusing more attention on the positive aspects of our entire community.

A: WRIGHT: The number of Belmar’s summer rentals has dropped significantly in recent years. And with that reduction, our residents have enjoyed an improved quality of life. Today, in the south end of town, our long term residents and our new residents, who have moved into the neighborhoods where the rentals have sold, still must endure noise, trespassing, vandalism and generally obnoxious behavior. These problems have generally been eliminated from the north and central areas of town. We need to ensure that the promises that have been made to make Belmar into a family town are fulfilled for everyone. It is especially important that those who relied upon the promises of a family-oriented town, and who invested significant money into their homes and into areas which needed to be rebuilt, are not left stranded. At the same time, we must be careful that summer bungalows are not converted to year-round rentals without being appropriately upgraded and regulated. While we all want affordable housing openly available, substandard, overcrowded housing is not acceptable.

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Q: Redevelopment in Belmar is currently at a standstill.

Since the Gale Company agreement fell through, the mayor and

council have shifted their focus on making minor facade improvements to Belmar’s downtown.

What do you believe can be done to downtown Belmar to bring in more customers to the area and, ultimately, make the downtown more attractive to tourists and local customers?

A: VOLKER: The comprehensive plans for downtown redevelopment must remain on hold until the economy improves. In the meantime much can be done. We should shower praise on the stores who have dramatically improved their curb appeal, such as Maccanico’s Ice Cream Shop, Shark River Kayak, Connolly Station, Klein’s Fish Market, Taylor Hardware and Custom Living, to name a few. I support the Belmar Beautification Committee, a group that is dedicated to enhancing public areas around town, and would work to secure a grant to study the feasibility of creating a Business Improvement District for Main Street that would promote our downtown, and present the opportunities to the business owners. We need to work with the county to allow diagonal parking on one side of Main Street, and promote better signage to bring the customers to Main Street.

A: WRIGHT: Neither minor facade improvements nor the proposed taxpayer paid fencing and landscaping around the Sea Coast property, yet another election eve downtown event, are, in themselves, going to attract more customers to Belmar. The redevelopment plan has frozen landlords’ maintenance plans of properties expected to be leveled. We need a clear statement of our future plan for downtown so that landlords can comfortably make plans to invest in much-needed maintenance.

Ultimately what will draw customers to our downtown is a diversity of attractive retail stores offering convenient access to everyday needs and unique product offerings. Retailers will be attracted as we continue our development as a family oriented town. Office space over retail also provides traffic for our retail and should be encouraged. I do not believe that we should fundamentally change the character of Belmar by increasing our already dense housing by building another 600 additional condo or rental units. Building those units in order to create a customer base for our retail stores is just too much to ask of our residents.

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Voters can cast their votes for their candidate of choice on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

There are four polling locations in Belmar.

District One and District Five voters can vote at the Goodwill Firehouse, located at 610 7th Avenue, in Belmar. District Two voters can vote at the Union Firehouse, located at 9th Avenue and E Street, in Belmar.

District Three voters can vote at the Volunteer Hook and Ladder House, located on 11th Avenue, in Belmar. District Four voters can vote at the Borough Public Works building, located at 800 13th Avenue, in Belmar.

BAC to host annual costume party, Oct. 25

The Coast Star

The Belmar Arts Council [BAC] will be hosting its fourth annual Beaux Eaux Ball, an annual Halloween costume party and fund-raiser, at D’Jais Oceanview Bar and Grill, 1803 Ocean Avenue, Belmar, on Saturday, Oct. 25, in celebration of the “spooky season.”

In keeping with the BAC’s artistic heritage, party-goers are encouraged to creatively dress in the spirit of the holiday. Residents are asked to start planning their casual, fun, funky, or even scary costumes.

The evening will feature a hot and cold buffet provided by the wonderful D’Jais Chef Mike, an ongoing 50/50 raffle, fabulous awards for unique costume categories, and the music of D’Jais own fabulous band Holme - the rock and roll band that was a major shore phenomenon in the 1970s and 1980s. Holme is still rocking and rolling today.

Tickets are on sale online at www.belmararts.org or through the Belmar Arts Council office 732-749-3360 at 608 River Road, in Belmar.

Tickets can also be purchased at Artifacts Boutique, 1012 Main Street, in Belmar, or at Custom Living, 500 Main Street, in Belmar.

The ticket price will be $50 until Oct. 18, and includes the buffet and two free drink tickets.

Tickets purchased at the door, or after Oct. 18, will cost $60. Ticket purchasers arriving after 10 p.m. will pay a special entrance price of $10, which will not include the buffet or the free drink tickets.

The night promises to be a howling good time of dancing, dining and delightful music!

For directions to the Boatworks and further information about other upcoming events, please visit the BAC Web site at www.BelmarArts.org.

The programs of the BAC are funded by dues, donations and grants. BAC’s events are made possible in part by the Monmouth County Arts Council through funding from the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, through the County Historical Commission, and the New Jersey Stats Council on the Arts/Department of State a Partner Agency of the National Endowment of the Arts.

The BAC is a non-profit organization dedicated to making Belmar a better place to live through the arts.

The BAC provides opportunities for our children, residents and visitors to experience and participate in artistic activities by nurturing and maintaining an atmosphere in which art and artists can thrive in our community.

The BAC provides a 12-month voice for the arts in the community and schools by promoting events of interest for residents and visitors.

Recent events sponsored by BAC include the Art Walk, Youth Art Exhibition, Battle of the Bands, Community Mural Project, FantaSea Creature Invasion, Beaux Eaux Ball, Liberty Oaks Choral Concert, Juried Craft Show and Valentine Cabaret.

October 2, 2008

Clean up Belmar, make a difference

The Coast Star

Belmar’s Beautification Committee will be hosting a townwide, fall clean-up on Saturday, Oct. 25, to coincide with National Make a Difference Day.

A rain date is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15.

Volunteers are needed to help spruce up various locations throughout Belmar, including the Belmar Public

Library grounds, Silver Lake, the Borough Hall grounds, and the area located near 7th Avenue and the bridge, just to mention a few.

Those interested in participating in the townwide, fall clean-up can stop by the Belmar First Aid parking lot, on 9th Avenue, that day, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., to find out which areas of town need the most attention.

Any amount of time that volunteers can assist during those hours would be helpful. If possible, please bring gardening tools.

Residents and business owners are encouraged to participate in any way they can on that day, even if it is working on their own properties or storefronts. Rake leaves, pull weeds, prune trees, cut back bushes — whatever it takes to improve individual properties or storefronts.

On Oct. 25, participants are asked to roll up their sleeves and “dig in.”

For more information, contact Councilwoman Claire Deicke at ctd@verizon.net or 732-681-0522.

http://starnewsgroup.com/weekly/2008/10.02.08/clean_up_bel_10.02.08_72948.html