Mayor Stephen Acropolis and the Township Council will be presented with a check from Knollwood Energy, LLC at tonight’s Council Meeting for Solar Renewable Energy Credits that were produced by the solar panel system at the Brick Township Municipal Building.

“This is the first of many checks that we are going to get thanks to our solar power system,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “The revenue that is going to be generated over the next fifteen years is going to be invaluable and help us provide services to the people of Brick Township.”

Earlier this month, Knollwood Energy was awarded a 3 year contract to purchase the SRECs from the Township.  The $22,274 check is payment for 37 SRECs produced from the time the system went operational in earlier this year until May 31, 2010.  The Town expects to receive about $77,000 a year over the next three years from the sale of SRECs and produce another $30,000 in savings annually on electricity at the municipal building.

Last year, the Township installed a 125kw photovoltaic roof mounted solar system and a 12kw ground mounted photo photovoltaic solar system at the municipal complex.  The installation was completed earlier this year. The system will produce about 158,511 kWh annually.  The project cost $765,000, approximately $235,000 under what was budgeted.  It was funded through the 2009 Capital Budget.  The contractor was Barrier Electric of Bayonne, NJ.

The solar photovoltaic project was born out of the township’s comprehensive Sustainable Energy Master Plan (SEMP) that was developed by Birdsall Services Group with input from the MACRE.  Future projects that are part of the SEMP include the installation of a wind turbine at the Drum Point Sports Complex that could generate 30,000 kilowatts of electricity and the construction of a solar field at the site of the French’s Landfill.

# # #

Mayor Stephen Acropolis and the Township Council plan on giving voters the opportunity to decide how services will be provided by the municipality in the future by placing referendum questions on this November’s ballot.  The questions will ask voters opinions on services ranging from police and public safety to solid waste collection.

“It was a challenge to put together a budget that fit within the state’s budgetary and tax levy caps while not cutting services this year,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “This is likely not going to be possible moving forward.  The caps are going to be more restrictive next year and costs to provide services are going to continue to rise.  We are going to ask the people how they want services delivered and how they want to pay for them.”

The Township Administration is going to work with the Township Council and legal counsel to develop non-binding referendum questions for this November’s ballot.  The questions will ask voters opinion on various Township services and funding levels for those services.  The questions are going to be a continuation of the administration and council’s efforts to transform the local government in Brick Township.

“We have been working to move Brick Township to a more user-based system of governance.  People who use services, programs and facilities should shoulder a larger burden of the cost of them than those who do not use them,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “These ballot questions will give the public their chance to weigh in and let us know if they want us to continue to change the way the township does business.”

“We are going through tough economic times.  It is happening in communities throughout the State,” said Council President Anthony Matthews.  “We are going to have to face this as an entire community and get through it together.  Having it placed on the ballot will let the people know what is going on and have their say.  We are going to involve the public in this just like we have been doing since 2004.”

The referendum questions are being placed on the ballot to give the Mayor and Council a clearer idea of what services that the voters deem essential and how they want those services to be funded through taxation or other means, such as user-based fees.  Voters will be asked their opinion on topics such as whether or not the Township should maintain municipal garbage collection or use a private service.

“We are going to give the people the chance to effect change in municipal government,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “They are going to have the opportunity to set the standard for reform in New Jersey.”

Mayor Acropolis says that State mandated tax levy and spending caps are necessitating this reform.  “Our leaders in Trenton, most notably Governor Christie, are working to bring change to New Jersey and make it more affordable.  We are working to follow his lead and make Brick Township more affordable through institutional changes.”  Mayor Acropolis cites staff reduction and health care contributions as initiatives that will have permanent impacts on municipal spending.

Municipal governments currently operate under a 4% tax levy cap.  The state legislature recently approved a 2.9% tax levy cap and Governor Christie is proposing a constitutionally mandated 2.5% tax levy cap with no exemptions.

“This Council has been cutting for years.  We have worked with the Mayor to reduce the size of our staff and rein in municipal spending while not affecting services.  It is becoming more likely that we are going to have to affect services in the future,” said Councilwoman Ruthanne Scaturro, Chairwoman of the Business and Finance Committee.  “We are going to ask the people what they are willing to pay for and what they are willing to give up as a community.  Since the people are going to be affected, we are going to let them have their say.”

In order to have the questions placed on this November’s ballot, the Township Council must pass a resolution at the August 10^th Council Meeting.  The questions must be submitted to the County Clerk no later than August 20.

The Township will seek the input of the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee while drafting the referendum questions.  “Our Citizens Budget Advisory Committee members have put in a great deal of time learning about our budget and the issues that are impacting it,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “They know what is going on and we are going to ask them to help us as we move forward with these questions and represent the community’s point of view.”

$250 Medicare Rebate Checks Alert
 
Target: Medicare Beneficiaries   The U.S. Health and Human Services agency began mailing $250 Medicare rebate checks last week, also known as the donut hole checks, to the estimated 4 million eligible Medicare beneficiaries.
 
Please note scam artists will be using this opportunity to get personal information!
 
There are no forms to complete or information to give in order to receive the $250 rebate check.
Beneficiaries:
• Do not provide any personal information or bank account numbers to get the rebate check, and
• Do not give any personal information to anyone who calls about the rebate check.
 
Call the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general to report possible scams: (800) 447-8477.
For more information, visit www.medicare.gov.

Mayor Stephen Acropolis was joined by Township officials, representatives of Birdsall Services Group and members of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Renewable Energy (MACRE) as they officially unveiled the Brick Township Municipal Building’s solar power system today.

“In today’s age of state mandated caps and falling revenues, it is important that towns look for ways to save money,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “These solar panels will reduce the amount of money we spend on utilities at Town Hall.  Every dime we save on our electric bill is one more dime we can put towards maintaining services.”

Earlier this year, the installation of a 125kW roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system and a 12kW ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system at Brick Township Municipal Complex was completed.  The system will produce about 158,511 kWh annually.  The project cost $765,000, approximately $235,000 under what was budgeted.  It was funded through the 2009 Capital Budget.  The contractor was Barrier Electric of Bayonne, NJ.

“What is great is that between the savings on utilities and the revenue it will generate through solar renewable energy credits this system will pay for itself in a matter of years,” said Mayor Acropolis.

Solar renewable energy credits (SRECs).  According to New Jersey Clean Energy Program’s website, each time a system generates 1,000 kWh of electricity, an SREC is earned and placed in the customer's electronic account.  SRECs can then be sold on the SREC tracking system, providing revenue for the first 15 years of the system's life.  The Township anticipates generating about $90,000 a year in revenue through SRECs alone and another $30,000 or so from savings on our electric bills.”

“This is a great investment for our community and for our taxpayers,” said Council President Anthony Matthews.  “It is another example of the administration and council working to make sure that our taxpayer dollars are being used wisely and in ways that are going to provide our community with the best return for their hard earned dollars.”

The solar photovoltaic project was born out of the township’s comprehensive Sustainable Energy Master Plan (SEMP) that was developed by Birdsall Services Group with input from the MACRE.  Future projects that are part of the SEMP include the installation of a wind turbine at the Drum Point Sports Complex that could generate 30,000 kilowatts of electricity and the construction of a solar field at the site of the French’s Landfill.

“The solar field project is one of the most exciting I have been involved with,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “The field will generate about $2.5 million in net revenue every year for the next 15 years, a total of about $37.5 million.  That is money that we can use to maintain services and try to reduce the tax burdens our citizens face everyday.”

The Township and Birdsall Services Group are working on a plan that includes an impermeable cap for the landfill and a 24-acre, 7.5 megawatt solar PV field.  When completed, this project along with our other solar PV projects and wind turbine project will make Brick Township one of NJ’s renewable energy leaders.

2010 STANDARDIZED MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLANS

***Deductible amounts and out-of-pocket limits announced annually by CMS.

*Plan F also has an option called a high deductible Plan F. This high deductible plan pays the same benefits as Plan F after having paid a calendar year ($***) deductible.  Benefits from high deductible Plan F will not begin until out-of-pocket expenses exceed ($***).  Out-of-pocket expenses for this deductible are expenses that would ordinarily be paid by the policy. These expenses include the Medicare deductible for Part A and Part B, but do not include the plan’s separate foreign travel emergency deductible.     

“Medicare and the New Health Law – What it Means for You”

Closing the Prescription Drug Coverage Gap
You Could Be Eligible For
A $250 Rebate This Year
to Help with your Medicare Drug Costs

The Affordable Care Act passed by Congress and signed by President Obama this year contains some important benefits for Medicare recipients.
If you have Medicare prescription drug coverage, and aren’t already getting Medicare Extra Help, Medicare will automatically send you a one-time $250 rebate check after you reach the coverage gap (also called the “donut hole”) in 2010. This rebate is the first step toward closing the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap.
What is the coverage gap and how will I know if I’ve reached it?
Most Medicare drug plans have a coverage gap. This means that after you and your plan have spent a certain amount of money for covered drugs, you have to pay all costs out-of-pocket for your drugs (up to a limit).
The Explanation of Benefits notice, which your drug plan mails to you each month when you fill a prescription, will tell you how much you’ve spent on covered drugs and whether you’ve entered the coverage gap.
Will I need to do anything to get this rebate check?
No. There are no forms to fill out. Medicare will automatically send a check that’s made out to you. You don’t need to provide any personal information like your Medicare, Social Security, or bank account numbers to get the rebate check. Don’t give your personal information to anyone who calls you about the $250 rebate check. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to report anyone who does this. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
When will I get the rebate check?
If you reach the coverage gap this year and enter the Part D “donut hole”, you will receive a one-time $250 rebate check if you are not already receiving Medicare Extra Help. These checks will begin to get mailed to beneficiaries starting in mid-June.
Checks will be mailed monthly throughout the year as beneficiaries enter the coverage gap. However, this is a one-time benefit and beneficiaries who qualify will only receive one check after they reach the coverage gap.
What if I don’t get the rebate check when I should?
Beneficiaries who hit the donut hole after the program has begun should expect to receive their check within 45 days. Your rebate may be delayed if Medicare doesn’t have information from your Medicare drug plan showing that you reached the coverage gap in time to include you in the next mailing. You should call your Medicare drug plan to make sure all of your information has been sent to Medicare.
If you don’t get your rebate check, contact Medicare. Individuals receiving Medicare Extra Help will not receive a rebate check.
You can also check to make sure Social Security has your correct home address. Call 1-800-772-1213 or your local Social Security office. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778.
What’s Next ….Coming in 2011
If you reach the coverage gap in 2011, you may get a 50% discount on your brand name prescription drugs at the time you buy them. Stay tuned for more information from Medicare.
Help us spread the word about this important benefit
And help stop scams against seniors
Pass this brochure along to your friends, neighbors and family so they know the facts about this important program. Remember- there are no forms to fill out to receive this benefit once you qualify for it. Medicare will automatically send a check that’s made out to you.
You don’t need to provide any personal information like your Medicare, Social Security, or bank account numbers to get the rebate check. Don’t give your personal information to anyone who calls you about the $250 rebate check. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to report anyone who does this. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
Go to stopmedicarefraud.gov to learn more about how Medicare is working with law enforcement to stop scams against seniors.
Have other questions about the $250 rebate check or the Affordable Care Act and Medicare?
Please refer to the brochure Medicare and the New Health Care Law--What it Means for You that Medicare has sent you. You can also visit www.medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.