DLC Meeting – December 19, 2024 – Minutes
DEAL LAKE COMMISSION
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
DECEMBER 19, 2024
The Regular Meeting of the Deal Lake Commission was held In-Peron and via teleconference using the Zoom Meeting Platform. The Commission Chairman called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. After the Salute to the Flag, the Commission Clerk announced that the notice requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act C.231, P.L. 1975, were met by transmitting the notice to the Commission’s official newspaper on February 1, 2024, posting where required and filing a copy of the notice with the Commission Clerk. The Deal Lake Commission meeting will be audio and video taped and will be shown on APTV, Optimum 77 and throughout Monmouth County on FIOS 28.
ROLL CALL
| PRESENT | ABSENT | |
| Allenhurst (B. Fromer) | x | |
| Asbury Park (J. Toher) | x | |
| Deal (B. Coffey) ** | x | |
| Interlaken (Alt. S. Merlin) | x | |
| Loch Arbour (M. Fernicola) | x | |
| Neptune | x | |
| Ocean (D. Brockel) | x |
OTHERS PRESENT:
Hunt Parry, Esq., Commission Attorney
Peter R. Avakian, Commission Engineer
Dr. Stephen Souza, Environmental Consultant
Jessie M. Joseph, Commission Clerk
Resolution #24-055 – Resolution to Approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting,
October 17, 2024
UPON MOTION of Allenhurst, seconded by Interlaken, carried that the following Resolution be and the same is hereby adopted:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Deal Lake Commission held on October 17, 2024 be and the same are hereby approved (Neptune does not vote).
RECORDED VOTE:
Ayes: Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Ocean
Nays: None
Absent: Deal, Neptune
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
DECEMBER 19, 2024
Resolution #24-056 – Resolution to Approve Treasurer’s Report and Pay Bills of the Deal
Lake Commission – December 19, 2024
UPON MOTION of Interlaken, seconded by Allenhurst, carried that the following Treasurer’s Report for December 19, 2024 be approved and the bills listed authorized for payment:
BALANCE ON HAND – PREVIOUS MONTH
Manasquan Bank $ 77,159.52 NJ Cash Management Fund 15,957.25
TOTAL ON DEPOSIT $ 93,116.77
RECEIPTS:
2024 Goose Remediation Assessment
Borough of Allenhurst $ 240.90
Village of Loch Arbour 328.50
Borough of Deal 153.30
Interest – Manasquan Bank – October & November 2024 509.94
Interest – NJ Cash Management Fund – October &
November 2024 127.65
TOTAL RECEIPTS $ 1,360.29
TOTAL AVAILABLE $ 94,477.06
DISBURSEMENTS:
2024 Appropriations:
JCP&L (9/24/24-11/24/24) $ 77.89
Verizon (9/24/24-11/23/24) 80.24
Clean Waters Consulting, LLC (11/2/24-11/30/24) 700.00
Mastermix Audio Media, LLC – 4rd Qtr-2024 Services, Zoom 451.15
Leon S. Avakian, Inc. – General Engineering (Inv. #29016 3,880.00
Richard Gartz – CFO Services (Nov & Dec 2024) 1,300.00
Jessie M. Joseph – Clerk Services (Nov & Dec 2024) 1,350.00
Jessie M. Joseph, 2025 Lake Lowering Permit 2.00
Connor Strong Buckalew (Insurance Paid 10/24/24) 3,773.81
Hunt A. Parry, Esq. (Oct & Dec 2024 Meetings) 500.00
Sub-Total 12,115.09
DLC – 22-02 Water Quality Improvement Grant:
LSA Inc. – Water Quality Improvements (Inv. 29015) $ 880.00
Sub-total Grants $ 880.00
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
DECEMBER 19, 2024
TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS 12/19/2024 $ 12,995.09
TOTAL BALANCES $ 81,481.97
DETAIL OF BALANCES:
Manasquan Bank $ 65,397.07
NJ Cash Management Fund 16,084.90
TOTAL ON DEPOSIT $ 81,481.97
RECORDED VOTE:
Ayes: Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Ocean
Nays: None
Absent: Deal, Neptune
** 7:04 PM – Borough of Deal Commissioner (Barbara Coffey) arrived.
OLD BUSINESS
- DEP Stormwater Management Grant for Seaview Mall – Don Brockel, Commission Chairman, said that after numerous roadblocks from the DEP, a major one being the need for insurance from the DLC, it appears the contract should be ready to sign any day.
Peter Avakian, Commission Engineer, suggested when the DEP asks about the project timing we ask for an extra year so they don’t come back to us and make us do time extension paperwork when they were the ones holding up the project.
Jeanie Toher, City of Asbury Park Commissioner, said Mr. Avakian had previously mentioned having a Workshop for the public to let them know what work is going to be done.
Mr. Avakian said once we get the contract signed and an initial site evaluation, we will have a better idea of when to hold the meeting. It probably will not be until May or June.
- Shoreline Protection/Education – Mr. Brockel asked Ms. Toher if she has received any response to the letter she sent to the DEP.
Ms. Toher read from a prepared statement about the history of the project. She has been working to arrange a second virtual meeting with the regional supervisor and his staff. She has reached out to them through numerous e-mails and has not heard back from anyone. She went on to ask the DLC experts if there was anything else they felt we could do as a next step.
There was a discussion on the lack of response from the DEP.
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
DECEMEBR 19, 2024
- Goose/Carp Remediation – Mr. Brockel said we have not received the 2025 Goose Remediation Contract. The Commission Clerk has sent out the report along with the bills to each municipality.
- Reestablishment of a Joint Meeting known as the Deal Lake Commission – Jessie Joseph, Commission Clerk, said the letters have gone out along with the resolution and the amendment. She also reported that Asbury Park has still not renewed the Agreement.
- 2024 Deal Lake Fall Clean-Up – Mr. Brockel reported that there was a tremendous turn-out for the clean-up. On the suggestion of Josh Starner, Alternate Commissioner for Asbury Park, we purchased magnets and for the first time ever did magnet fishing and it was very successful.
- Clean Ocean Action – Mr. Brockel said he just received the report on the recent testing that Clean Ocean Action did on the upstream waters and tributaries. He will be sending the report out to the Commissioners. The results show that we have issues upstream that will need to be addressed. A meeting will be set-up with TOSA to discuss the results of the report.
Dr. Souza gave a brief explanation of the report. He said this report has helped us narrow the focus as to where the source may be.
Mr. Brockel congratulated Clean Ocean Action on winning the Governors Excellence Award for stormwater management this year. He spoke briefly about all of the great things they do.
There was a discussion on the fall clean-up and the amount of debris that washed up after the clean-up.
NEW BUSINESS
- Resolution #24-057 – Authorizing the Payment of Storage Rental Fees to Extra Space
Storage at a cost not to exceed $2,000.00
UPON MOTION of Deal, seconded by Allenhurst, carried that the following Resolution be and the same is hereby adopted:
WHEREAS, over the years the Deal Lake Commission has accumulated a large quantity of rakes, shovels, trimmers and supplies which are used during lake clean-ups and at other times during the year; and
WHEREAS, there exists the need for a storage unit to store those items and other equipment.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Deal Lake Commissioners of the Deal Lake Commission that it hereby authorizes payment to Extra Space Storage, Neptune, NJ
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
DECEMBER 19, 2024
for the rental of a storage unit for the period January 1 through December 31, 2025 at a cost not to exceed $2,000.00.
RECORDED VOTE:
Ayes: Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Deal, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Ocean
Nays: None
Absent: Neptune
- Proposed Budget and Assessments for 2025
Bobbi Coffey, Commissioner for the Borough of Deal, asked how the amounts are decided for each participating municipality.
Mr. Avakian explained it is based on a percentage of lake frontage.
Mr. Brockel went over the expenditures. He pointed out that one new expenditure and the amount is still unknown, is the insurance that the DLC now needs for any grant that we receive. We do have the insurance thanks to Ocean Township and will hopefully have that number soon.
Resolution #24-058 – Approve the Proposed Budget and Assessments for 2025
UPON MOTION of Allenhurst, seconded by Asbury Park, carried, that the following Budget for the year 2025 be and the same is hereby approved as proposed and the Clerk be directed to notify constituent municipalities of their 2025 assessments (no change from 2024):
| REVENUES: | 2025 |
| Allenhurst | $ 2,750.00 |
| Asbury Park | 11,000.00 |
| Deal | 1,750.00 |
| Interlaken | 10,000.00 |
| Loch Arbour | 3,750.00 |
| Neptune | 1,000.00 |
| Ocean | 19,750.00 |
| Surplus Applied | 29,000.00 |
| TOTAL REVENUES ANTICIPATED FOR GENERAL OPERATIONS | $79,000.00 |
| EXPENDITURES: | |
| 401 – Administration (Clerk) | $ 8,200.00 |
| 402 – Postage | 300.00 |
| 403 – Supplies | 750.00 |
| 404 – Advertising | 1,000.00 |
| 410 – Administration (CFO) | 7,800.00 |
| 411 – Legal Fees | 3,000.00 |
| 413 – Insurance | $ 5,000.00 |
| 420 – Engineering | 8,000.00 |
| 430 – Audit Fees | 2,250.00 |
| LAKE MAINTENANCE: | |
| 442 – Environmental Consultant | 7,000.00 |
| 443 – General Lake Maintenance | 29,700.00 |
| OTHER: | |
| 450 – Special Projects including website
Hosting/maintenance/virtual meeting expense |
4,500.00 |
| 470 – Utility Expenses | 1,500.00 |
| Sub-total Operating Expenditures | $79,000.00 |
| TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES | $79,000.00 |
RECORDED VOTE:
Ayes: Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Deal, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Ocean
Nays: None
Absent: Neptune
COMMISSIONER’S LAST WORD
Don Brockel, Commission Chairman and Commissioner for the Township of Ocean, wanted to thank everyone for a good year. He thanked Ms. Toher for all her hard work on the newsletters. He went on to announce that after 15 years Bruce Fromer will no longer be representing the Borough of Allenhurst as its Commissioner. He thanked him for all his years of service to the Commission.
Bruce Fromer, Borough of Allenhurst Commissioner, thanked everyone and spoke briefly about his ten year on the commission. He went on to say the DLC is the custodian and stewards of the lake and there are times when we will run into a conflict with our municipal governments and sometimes our neighbors trying to do things and engage in activities that we know will be harmful to the lake and we need to keep in mind that no matter what the pressures are we have to speak up because we are the custodians and the stewards of the lake and we are what stands between the life and death of this ecological wonder that is Deal Lake. In all of his time on the DLC, this Commission, is by far the best and most productive, especially when it comes to securing grants and everybody should be commended. He especially wanted to thank Don Brockel for all of his hard work and leadership.
Jeannie Toher, City of Asbury Park Commissioner, read from a prepared statement. She is grateful that she has been able to distribute helpful information to lakefront homeowners and would like to once again make sure the building departments of the municipalities put the blurb that she helped develop on the permits about contacting NJDEP before they begin any type of work on the lakefront.
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
DECEMBER 19, 2024
Margot Fernicola, Village of Loch Arbour Commissioner, seconded everything that Mr. Fromer said about being the custodians and stewards of the lake and our responsibilities to the lake come first. Wished everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah. She has learned so much from her time on the DLC and she hopes it has helped the residents of Loch Arbour realize that what they do on their property affects the lake and the ocean. She is looking forward to next year.
PUBLIC HEARING
UPON MOTION of Ocean, seconded by Allenhurst, moved that the meeting be opened to the public.
Bob Jazorowski, Ocean Township, wanted to mention that there are a lot of bald eagles flying all over the lake. Kudos and thank you to the DLC.
Pat Hartman, Interlaken, wanted to thank the DLC for all that they do. She went on to say after working at the clean-up by the bridge, she went home and her son helped remove large branches and logs that had stopped the flow of water from Firemen’s Pond. The branches and logs are now on her lawn and she is wondering how to get them hauled away.
Stephen Merlin, Alternate Commissioner for the Borough of Interlaken, will reach out to the town tomorrow and have them get their front-end loader to her home.
Ms. Hartman also mentioned a letter she has received from NJDEP regarding the removal of sediment from Firemen’s Pond. She was wondering if they could remove the sediment from Deal Lake.
Mr. Brockel said it is a Township of Ocean project and is not tied into Deal Lake.
Ms. Toher suggested using Monmouth County for dredging the sediment over there.
Mr. Avakian explained that you can’t do anything to Deal Lake or any body of water, without a dredging permit, supplemental evaluation studies, sediment studies, water quality studies, etc. It takes a lot time and it costs a lot of money.
Stephen Myer, Allenhurst, introduced himself and stated he graduated from the University of Vermont a week ago with a Bachelor of Science and Environmental Science Degree. He has been very passionate about the waterways around us for a long time. He has interned with Clean Ocean Action in their water quality department. He learned so much from it and would love to help out in any way possible in the future.
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
DECEMBER 19, 2024
There being no other comments and UPON MOTION of Asbury Park, seconded by Interlaken, carried that the public hearing be closed. There being no further business and UPON
MOTION of Ocean, seconded by Allenhurst, carried that the meeting be finally adjourned at 8:04 PM.
_____________________________
Jessie M. Joseph, RMC/CMC
Commission Clerk