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.

Mayor Stephen Acropolis was in attendance for Governor Chris Christie’s press conference about his proposed reforms for New Jersey government and  applauds the Governor’s plans.

“New Jersey’s taxpayers can no longer afford the way government currently works in our state,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “These reforms that Governor Christie has proposed are much need and quite frankly long over-due.”

Governor Christie unveiled a package of 33 bills that are aimed at making New Jersey a more affordable place through systemic reforms.  These reforms include a 2.5% cap on tax levies, raising the retirement age, capping payouts for unused sick and vacation times and adjustment of civil service rules.

“Over the past two years, we have been working to reform the way Brick Township does business,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “We have implemented reforms such as health care contributions, eliminating ‘Cadillac’ health plans, capping buyouts and reducing the size of government.  It is good to see the same changes taking place in Trenton.”

One of the most significant components of Governor Christie’s plan is Cap 2.5 which would eliminate the ability of towns, schools and counties to increase tax levies by more than 2.5%.  There would be no exemptions to the cap except for debt service.  The only way for the 2.5% cap to be exceeded would through a ballot question. Towns currently operate under a 4% tax levy cap that has numerous exemptions.

“When a government has to adhere to a hard cap, it is forced to trim fat from the budget and cut spending,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “It makes us focus on what the core missions of government are.”

Another proposal is the reformation of the civil service system.  Towns would have the ability to opt out of the civil service system by ordinance or by petition by a percentage of voters.

“The civil service system is inherently flawed,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “It is an archaic system that seems to exist first and foremost to protect mediocre employees.  When we reduced staff in 2008, it was in accordance with civil service rules as opposed to performance.  It is not fair to our employees or our taxpayers to operate this way.”

Mayor Acropolis also supports the Governor’s proposal to cap buybacks of unused sick and vacation time.  “We have all heard about public employees retiring with a check for $100,000, $150,000 or even more when they retire,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “This is unacceptable and unfair to taxpayers.  These payouts should be capped for all public employees.”

“The people of this state have had enough.  That was clear in April when the majority of school budgets across the state were defeated at the polls,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “Governor Christie knows this and has developed a plan that will turn our state around.  It is my hope that the New Jersey Legislature follows the will of the people and enacts the Governor’s reforms."

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To commemorate Arbor Day this year, the Brick Township Shade Tree Commission is donating two copies of the 40^th Edition of The Giving Tree to the Brick Branch of the Ocean County Library.

“We are proud to provide copies of this classic book to the library,” said Dottie LaPosa, Chairperson of the Shade Tree Commission.  “Hopefully many young people will read this book over the years and gain a greater appreciation of all that nature and trees give us.”

The Giving Tree was written in 1964 by Shel Silverstein.  It has been translated into over 30 languages.

Arbor Day began in 1872 and is celebrated throughout the nation on the last Friday of each April. Mayor Stephen Acropolis has issued an official Mayoral Proclamation designating April 30 as Arbor Day in Brick Township and is encouraging residents to observe the holiday by planting a tree.

Mayor Acropolis has words of thanks for the Brick Township Shade Tree Commission.  “Our Shade Tree Commissioners are extremely enthusiastic and dedicated.  They volunteer their time to make our community a greener place and teach people about the importance of trees and I commend them for their efforts,” said the Mayor.

Brick Township has been named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for the past six years.  This designation is awarded to municipalities for their commitment to community forestry.

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Brick Township Council President Anthony Matthews has announced the formation of a Council Committee to review the defeated school tax levy.  The committee will be chaired by Councilwoman Ruthanne Scaturro and will include Council Vice President Dan Toth and Councilman Brian DeLuca.  The committee will be responsible for meeting with school officials to discuss the levy and make recommendations to the Council.

“The people spoke loud and clear on the school tax levy.  Now it is up to this Council to look at the budget and determine what should be cut,” said Council President Matthews.  “The Council members who are going to be on this special committee are going to make sure there is an appropriate balance between the will of the people and the need to provide our young people with an excellent education.”

The school tax levy was defeated 7,227 – 4,794 on Tuesday evening.  As per New Jersey law, the levy will be reviewed by the Township Council who has the authority to enact cuts and adopt the final levy.

“We are going to go over the school budget as thoroughly as we can in the time we have it,” said Councilwoman Scaturro.  “We have a short window to look over a $135 million budget.  It is going to be a tough job, but we are going to get it done.”

The committee is going to meet with officials from the school administration and members of the Board of Education during the review process.  “We had the school in to discuss their budget prior to this week’s vote.  It seemed that they presented a very lean budget to the people,” said Council Vice-President Toth.  “Nonetheless, the people voted against the budget and we have an obligation to heed their will.  We are going to work with the schools to make sure that any reductions we make do not affect education.”

“Many people have expressed their concerns over block scheduling and the proposal to eliminate programs such as middle school athletics and may have based their votes on these issues,” said Council President Matthews.  “People must know that the Council does not have the authority to dictate policy or programs for the schools; all we can do is give them a number.  We can’t tell them to provide middle school sports.  Those decisions are up to the Board and administration and them alone.”

By law, the Council has until May 19 to review the school budget, make changes and adopt it.

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Brick Township is seeking people interested in helping control the community’s feral cat population by volunteering to serve on their Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) Committee.  The Committee will work with local veterinarians, shelters and residents to manage the feral cat colonies, as well as vaccination and neutering of feral cats.

“Feral cats are a unique challenge for a community,” said Mayor Stephen Acropolis.  “On one hand, we have to make sure that they do not pose a health danger for our residents.  On the other, we want to use the most humane methods to manage the colonies and the population.  The members of the TNR Committee will work to accomplish both of these goals.”

TNR stands for Trap-Neuter-Release.  TNR is the method of humanely trapping feral cats, having them spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies and then returning them to their colony to live out their lives. Volunteers are being sought to assist with colony caretaking, fostering cats, planning and coordination for trapping, transportation to and from veterinarians, adoption, fundraising and more.

The TNR Committee meets in the Brick Township Municipal Building on the first Monday of every month at 10 a.m.  Anyone interested in volunteering can attend a meeting.  For more information please call 732-262-1053 or email brickfelinetnr@aol.com.

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“I had the opportunity to attend Governor Chris Christie’s first budget address on March 16.  In his speech, Governor Christie spoke clearly and decisively about the budget crisis that New Jersey is facing and the sacrifices that we must all make to get the State and our communities back on track.

I wholeheartedly support the reforms Governor Christie outlined in his speech.  In fact, we have already implemented a number of those reforms in Brick Township such as having every employee contribute to their health care costs, reducing the size of government and labor contracts that are more considerate of taxpayers.  These reforms have saved Brick’s taxpayers millions of dollars.

Governor Christie made it clear why we are in the mess we are in.  He presented a clear plan to begin to dig us out of that mess and start us on the road to fiscal responsibility.  That plan is going to require sacrifices from each and every one of us.  This shared sacrifice is a far cry from the days of taking from one group to give to another that has marked New Jersey governance for decades.  It is this type of plan that reminds us of why we elected Governor Christie this past November.

I applaud Governor Christie for the conviction and leadership he displayed during his address.  It is comforting to know that we have a Governor willing to stand up to special interests and political groups on both sides of the aisle and do what is right by the taxpayers of this State.

It is my hope that the New Jersey State legislature approves the reforms Governor Christie has proposed.”

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The Ocean County Utilities Authority is rehabilitating sewer pipes in the Midstreams area.  The major portion of the work is expected to be complete on or about April 9, 2010.

The portion of pipe to be rehabilitated begins at Rainbow Drive near Blue Fin Drive and continues east on Rainbow Road onto Tremont Place and continues northeast onto the Esplanade to Midstreams Road.  The last section to be rehabilitated is under Midstreams Road from the Esplanade to the intersection of Midstreams and Jordan Roads.  Spiniello Companies, Inc. will perform the rehabilitation work.

Should you need to report a sewer work related emergency, please dial the 24-hour emergency call number established for you to contact Spiniello Companies personnel to report any contract work related problems.  This sewer work related emergency number is 973-651-1806.

The OCUA has established a 24-hour emergency call number which is 732-920-1301 ext. 3347 to report construction related complaints or problems to Authority personnel. Between the hours of 8am and 4:30pm please call 732-269-4500 ext 829 to report construction related complaints, questions or problems to OCUA personnel.

Brick Township residents can now submit requests for municipal services online through the Township’s new E-Service Portal.  After registering for the site, residents will be able to fill out an online form and their request will be automatically directed to the appropriate department. 

“This service is going to improve how we serve the people of Brick Township,” said Mayor Stephen Acropolis.  “It is going to make our entire operation more efficient and give residents the assurance that the people in our organization that are best able to address their requests are working on them.”

Residents can find the E-Service Portal on the Township website, www.bricktownship.net or at eservice.bricktownship.net.

The E-Service Portal works in conjunction with the Township’s Citizen Relationship Management (CRM) System.  Previously, residents would contact a township employee by phone or in person. The employee would then input the information into the system.  Residents will now have the option of placing their request directly into the system.

“The great thing about this service is that it is available to residents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” said Council President Anthony Matthews.

After registering for the site, residents will be able to input the information directly into the CRM System and follow the progress of their request.

“Much like you can track a parcel you are expecting on-line, users will be able to track what is being done to fulfill their request,” said Mayor Acropolis.

There are several dozen options available for residents to choose from when registering a request for service.  These include property maintenance concerns, requests for brush and litter pickups, potholes, vandalism, traffic signs and many more. 

“We will be adding additional options to the system as the system becomes more integrated with our new automated processes,” said Mayor Acropolis. “Much as people do more and more of their shopping, banking and other aspects of their life online we anticipate that our residents will prefer utilizing our online services at times that are convenient for them, which isn’t necessarily when we are open right now. Being able to expand our ability to provide services to our residents 24 hours a day in a new, improved and very efficient manner is something I am very proud of.”

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Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis presented the Township’s proposed 2010 Capital Budget to the Township Council at the March 9, 2010 meeting.  The proposed capital budget totals $16,600,000 and provides funds for infrastructure maintenance, parks, public safety and public works equipment and the development of Trader’s Cove.

“This year’s capital budget is a statement on what we value in Brick Township,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “It is a comprehensive plan to make our community cleaner, safer and a better place to live and raise a family.”

Improvements to recreational and park facilities represents the biggest component of the proposed capital budget.  The township has allocated $10,417,000 for projects including the development of Trader’s Cove, playground and equipment replacement and site improvement at Emma Havens Young School and Midstreams School and park facility upgrades to various area parks and Township owned facilities.

“The value of clean, safe parks and recreational facilities to a community cannot by underestimated,” said Council President Tony Matthews.  “They greatly improve the quality of life.  This was evident when we upgraded the Frede Drive and Arrowhead Parks last year.  This budget provides funds to do similar projects throughout the community.”

The proposed improvements to Trader’s Cove include the installation of vinyl sheet bulkhead and boardwalk, installation of lighting and the construction of a maintenance building, parking areas, decorative gazebo and tot lot area with safety surface in addition as well as several other improvement projects.

“By the end of this year, Trader’s Cove will look very different than it does today,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “There is going to be something for everyone there.  You will be able to go boating, launch a kayak, go crabbing and fishing, take children to the playground or sit on a bench and enjoy the bay.”

The Township has been awarded a $1,000,000 reimbursable grant for the development of Trader’s Cove from Green Acres.  This in addition to nearly $5,000,000 the Township has received from the State and Ocean County.

The proposed capital budget includes $3,400,000 for roadway and drainage improvement projects.  Areas slated to be improved included Thiele Road, Hollywood Manor, Lakewood Gardens, portions of Rivera Beach, Laurelton Park and portions of Glenwood Avenue and Glenwood Place.  The Township is also going to address chronic flooding issues on Island Drive and Island Court and reconfigure the entrance to the Brick Township Housing Authority. 

“Every year, we allocate money to improve township streets in need of repair.  This is one of the most important things we do,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “The costs to putting these projects off would far outweigh the costs to addressing these problems now.”

Several years ago, the Township created a street inventory where the condition of every street was graded and prioritized.  Every year, the Township sets aside funds to repair the streets according to the prioritized list.

$1,341,600 has been allocated for improvements to public buildings and grounds.  This includes funds for the replacement of windows at the municipal building and completion of the HVAC upgrade at the municipal building.  The Township received $675,000 in Federal funds for these projects as a reimbursable grant.

“We are working to make the municipal building a more energy efficient building which will translate into savings for taxpayers,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “This began last year with the installation of solar panels which will save about $100,000 a year.  These projects will add to those savings. ”

The proposed capital budget also includes $262,600 for police equipment and $147,800 for an ambulance for the Township EMS Squad and three (3) ATVs for beach patrol.

“One of our most important jobs is to make sure that our police have the resources they need to keep residents safe,” said Council President Matthews.  “You can’t put a price on public safety.”

The Township is retiring approximately $9,300,000 in principle and loan payable obligations this year.  The net effect of the proposed 2010 capital budget is an increase of approximately $6.5 million in the Township’s long term debt obligations.  With the proposed capital program, the Township’s total debt obligation is $113.4 million, which is about 25% of the Township’s allowable debt level of $448,500,000.

“With interest rates hovering around historic lows, it is advantageous for us to issue notes to pay for projects like this,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “Because of our solid credit rating, we were able to secure an interest rate of slightly more than ˝ of one percent the last time we issued notes.  That is essentially borrowing for free and will stretch our taxpayer’s hard earned dollars further.  It’s common sense and smart fiscal policy.”

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Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis is pleased to announce the Township of Brick is donating 10 used computers to the Brick Township Housing Authority and its residents.  Mayor Acropolis and Council President Anthony Matthews presented the computers to residents this morning.

“Advances in software have made these computers obsolete for the needs of our employees and the demands of their jobs,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “However, they are perfectly suited for casual use for the residents of the Housing Authority.  I am glad that we can put these computers to good use while giving senior citizens access to technology.” 

The computers are approximately 6 years old.  Each computer has had its memory wiped and has had a new operating system installed.  The Township purchased 10 licenses for Microsoft Windows XP Home for the computers.

“It is becoming increasingly essential for citizens, especially senior citizens, to be able to have access to the internet for everything from news to shopping,” said Mayor Acropolis.  “I am confident that the residents of the Housing Authority will put these computers to good use while discovering all that can be done over the web.”

The Brick Township Housing Authority provides public housing to senior citizens and disabled persons.  They operate three facilities; David Fried Apartments, Forge Pond Apartments and the Chambers Bridge Residence.  They have approximately 266 tenants.

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