MANASQUAN — The Manasquan mayor and council on Monday adopted a bond ordinance appropriating $500,000 for the purchase of equipment for the beach department.
The ordinance had been introduced at the April 15 meeting. Before its introduction, the council had discussed requests from the beach department for new equipment during one of its early budget presentation meetings on March 16. During that meeting, the council received input from the public as to the necessity of the requests as well as other things they might like to see added.
Among the purchases that will be made with the funds from the bond ordinance are pickup trucks and other vehicles for the beach department; new computers, beach ramp railings, fences and fence posts, playground equipment and security cameras.
The ordinance will also fund any necessary installation for the purchased equipment.
Mayor Michael Mangan clarified that some of the new vehicles will replace vehicles that will be given to other departments, whereas some of them will replace vehicles that cannot be repaired.
“This ordinance is really meant to represent planning for this year and next year’s capital purchases,” he said. “It’s just a more efficient way to purchase it…Some of that stuff won’t be purchased immediately as well. This is an ordinance that allows them to purchase them when they need it and as it makes sense.”
He added that the purchases align with the borough’s long-term debt plan.
The council also introduced a new ordinance that would allow it to set water and sewer rates by resolution, rather than by ordinance.
Mayor Mangan said that reason for the change is because in years past, the council would have to wait to set water and sewer rates because it must both introduce and adopt the ordinance in the same year. This new ordinance would allow the council to set the rates earlier.
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