DLC Meeting – October 16, 2025 – Minutes
DEAL LAKE COMMISSION
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
OCTOBER 16, 2025
The Regular Meeting of the Deal Lake Commission was held in the Borough of Interlaken Municipal Building, 100 Grassmere Avenue 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 6, 2025, 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 (Alt. T. Mauro) | x | |
| Asbury Park (J. Toher) | x | |
| Deal (B. Coffey) | x | |
| Interlaken (C. Roarty) | x | |
| Loch Arbour (M. Fernicola) | x | |
| Neptune (E. Houghtaling)* | x | |
| Ocean (D. Brockel) | x |
OTHERS PRESENT:
Dr. Stephen Souza, Commission Environmental Consultant
Peter Avakian, P.E., Commission Engineer
Paul Fernicola, Esq., Commission Attorney
Jessie M. Joseph, Commission Clerk
Resolution #25-049 – Resolution to Approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting,
September 18, 2025
UPON MOTION of Asbury Park, seconded by Loch Arbour, 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 September 18, 2025 be and the same are hereby approved (Allenhurst and Deal do not vote).
RECORDED VOTE:
Ayes: Asbury Park, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Ocean
Nays: None
Abstain: Allenhurst, Deal
Absent: Neptune
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
OCTOBER 16, 2025
Resolution #25-050 – Resolution to Approve Treasurer’s Report and Pay Bills of the Deal
Lake Commission – October 16, 2025
UPON MOTION of Ocean, seconded by Interlaken, carried that the following Treasurer’s Report for October 16, 2025 be approved and the bills listed authorized for payment:
BALANCE ON HAND – PREVIOUS MONTH
Manasquan Bank $116,042.78
NJ Cash Management Fund 16,609.75
TOTAL ON DEPOSIT $132,652.53
RECEIPTS:
Interest – Manasquan Bank, September 2025 $ 405.76
Interest – NJ Cash Management Fund, September 2025 57.32
TOTAL RECEIPTS $ 463.08
TOTAL AVAILABLE $133,115.61
DISBURSEMENTS:
2025 Appropriations:
JCP&L (8/24/25 – 9/24/25) $ 47.17
Verizon (8/24/25- 9/23/25) 40.10
Clean Waters Consulting, LLC (9/1/25-9/30/25) 525.00
Leon S. Avakian, Inc. – General Eng. (Inv. #33145) 370.00
Richard Gartz – CFO Services (October 2025) 650.00
Jessie M. Joseph – Clerk Services (October 2025) 675.00
Connor Strong Buckalew (Public Official Liability Ins.) 3,763.67
Extra Space Storage – Unit Rental, October 2025 152.81
Sub-Total $ 6,225.75
DLC – 22-02 Water Quality Improvement Grant:
LSA, Inc. – Water Quality Improvements (Inv. 33146) $ 4,092.50
Clean Waters Consulting, LLC (Tasks 8 & 10) 900.00
Sub-Toal Grants $ 4,992.50
TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS FOR APPROVAL 10/16/2025 $ 11,218.25
TOTAL BALANCES $121,897.36
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
OCTOBER 16, 2025
DETAIL OF BALANCES:
Manasquan Bank $105,230.29 NJ Cash Management Fund 16,667.07
TOTAL ON DEPOSIT $121,897.36
RECORDED VOTE:
Ayes: Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Deal, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Ocean
Nays: None
Absent: Neptune
** 7:05 p.m. – Eric Houghtaling, Township of Neptune Commissioner arrived at the meeting.
OLD BUSINESS
- 319 (H) NJDEP Stormwater Management Grant for Seaview Square Mall – Don Brockel, Commission Chairman, said the grant is moving along.
Peter Avakian, Commission Engineer, reported that the contracts have been sent out to the lowest bidder, Precise Construction, Inc. They did provide the schematics of the vortex devices, which are the stormwater structures in accordance with our specs. Right now, there are four MTD’s with the possibility of five. His office reviewed the schematics and approved them so the Contractor can order them. They have to form them, pour them, and make sure the holes are in the right locations for the pipes that are coming in and out. And the concrete has to cure. He went on to once again explain how the MTD’s work. We also filed a Freehold Soil Permit and there are a few items that needed to be addressed as well as their inspections fees. We are looking for the project to start in January.
Due to the high visibility of the project, Carolyn Roarty, Borough of Interlaken Commissioner, will be designing a sign to be placed at the entrance to Seaview Mall briefly describing the project and the entities involved in the project.
There was more discussion on the project.
- Shoreline Protection/Education – Jeannie Toher, City of Asbury Park Commissioner, once again recapped the June 5th meeting that Don, Steve and she had with NJDEP. She will be sending out a letter to them with a copy of the Minutes from the meeting, requesting another meeting in February 2026.
- New 319(H) Grant – Revision of the Watershed Plan – No Update.
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
OCTOBER 16, 2025
- 2025 Deal Lake Fall Clean-Up – Mr. Brockel said the Fall Clean-Up is October 25th and we will start lowering the lake on October 19th.
Ms. Toher said she will reach out to Asbury Park to have the MTD’s cleaned out for the clean-up.
- Boy Scouts and NJNG Clean Water Day Clean- Up– Mr. Brockel explained that the October 11th Clean-Up that was a collaboration between the Boy Scouts and New Jersey Natural Gas was very successful. They cleaned five different waterbodies. The gas company came to the Deal Lake site. They removed over 500 pounds of material from the lake. There was well over 60 boy scouts from five or six different troops, including scouts from the handicapped troop.
Josh Starner, City of Asbury Park Alternate Commissioner, said they were able to clean out the grates at the flume that run out to the ocean as well as the fisherman’s lot.
- Asbury Park Oil Spill – Mr. Brockel said he sent another e-mail and still has had no response.
- Asbury Avenue (County) Storm Drain Plan – Mr. Brockel spoke to the County today and they had gone over and looked at Asbury Avenue east of Bimbler Boulevard just before Oxonia and the storm drains going across Holly Brook. Although they look good, there are breaks in the curb which allows trash to flow right into them. The County plans to repair the curbs in the next few weeks.
- Paul Fernicola, Commission Attorney, asked Ms. Toher if she was able to find out the status of Asbury Park returning the renewal Agreement.
Jessie Joseph, Commission Clerk, was told they were not sending their Assessment or signed Agreement until they received the Addendums. The Addendums were done and sent to each DLC municipality. All Municipalities except for Asbury Park sent them back. The Commission Clerk distributed the Addendum 1 and 2 tonight to the Commissioners with the letters that were sent. There was more discussion on the matter.
NEW BUSINESS
- Recent Nor’easter – Mr. Brockel briefed the Commissioners on the recent storm and the DLC’s response. He went on the thank Josh for all of the work he did during the storm. He said we need to hire the actuator company that does the actuators in the building to do a maintenance job to make sure they are working properly.
There was more discussion on the storm.
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
OCTOBER 16, 2025
- Ocean Township Stormwater Management Plan – Mr. Brockel said he has received a request to review the plan. He will also have Dr. Souza review it as well for his comments.
PUBLIC HEARING
UPON MOTION of Allenhurst, seconded by Interlaken, moved that the meeting be opened to the public
Bob Jazorowski, Township of Ocean, shared a picture of the bald eagles hanging out at the satellite tower.
Stephen Mayer, Borough of Allenhurst, said the second phase of the stormwater plan will be the public outreach portion that will take place in 2026.
Mr. Avakian suggested inviting a representative from DPW, governing body members and someone from the Planning Board. It can be used to satisfy the educational piece of the grant.
Brian Mullins, Township of Ocean, had comments to make about stormwater controls or lack thereof in the past in Ocean Township.
Mr. Avakian said it has since changed and now the Master Plan requires a stormwater management plan and the land ordinance has the stormwater regulations. Every major development that comes before the Planning Board has to be reviewed for stormwater compliance.
There were no other public comments at this time and UPON MOTION of Allenhurst, seconded by Interlaken, carried that the public hearing be closed.
COMMISSIONER’S LAST WORD
- Jeannie Toher, City of Asbury Park Commissioner, wanted to confirm that the next meeting is December 4th.
- Bobbi Coffey, Borough of Deal Commissioner, announced the Trick or Trot on October 26th starting at Deal Casino. It benefits the Fire Department and SPCA. Some Deal residents are routing their sump pumps back into the sewers. Deal will be doing a smoke test for the sewer to figure out whose homes are routing the sump pump water into the sewer.
- Carolyn Roarty, Borough of Interlaken Commissioner, thanked Josh, Don and Don’s son for the work they did during the recent storm. Hopes to see everyone at the clean-up.
MINUTES – REGULAR MEETING
OCTOBER 16, 2025
- Tony Mauro, Borough of Allenhurst Alternate Commissioner, congratulated everyone on a job well done in protecting us from the storm surge. Is happy to see progress being made with the Seaview Mall grant.
- Margot Fernicola, Village of Loch Arbour Commissioner, thanked everyone for the work they did during the storm. The residents of Loch Arbour have no idea how important the flume is. She reminded everyone that the Clean Ocean Beach Sweep is October 18th from 9:00 am to Noon.
- Eric Houghtaling, Township of Neptune Commissioner, people that live around the lake are lucky that Josh and Don are around. Thanked Don and Josh.
- Don Brockel, Commission Chairman and Township of Ocean Commissioner, spoke about taking Councilman Weinstein on his boat for a tour of Deal Lake. The communication links with the Town’s OEM’s is working out really well.
There being no further business and UPON MOTION Interlaken, seconded by Allenhurst, carried that the meeting be finally adjourned at 8:05 PM.
_____________________________
Jessie M. Joseph, RMC
Commission Clerk