Manasquan Approves $13.5M in Rebuilding Spending

What Manasquan Borough calls its "Emergency Protection and Recovery Plan" was approved for $13.5M over three ordinances, to address damaged beachfront and other infrastructure impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

Borough Administrator Joe DeIorio explained at the previous borough council meeting that the three ordinances — $7.4 million in beach rebuilding, $5.548 million in water and sewer costs and another half million in other capital improvements — is both to rebuild and improve gaps in emergency operations.

For example, the plan aims to improve an element to the dispatch system called repeaters. The dispatch system failed during the storm, leaving police unable to receive messages between walky-talky or their vehicles, DeIorio said.

Specifically the emergency upgrades include $177,000 in spending: for backup repeaters, a technology that enables communication between dispatch, vehicles and walky-talkies of emergency personnel, which failed after the storm; that figure also includes spending for solar backup for the siren system, replacing portable radios, and a flood mapping initiative under the borough Office of Emergency Management.

The plan looks to funnel $7.4 million to rebuilding the waterfront of Manasquan, where public buildings were severely damaged, equipment was destroyed and sand was pushed into the streets.

Some of the planned beach restoration includes:

• $7.366 million in beach operations: rebuilding destroyed bathroom facilities, gazebo, boardwalk promenade and other buildings; the purchase of a surf rake, hauler and golf cart; sifting sand and more.
• $3.45 million for bulk heading on Fourth and Perrine
• $500,000 to restore the Sea Watch Building
• $300,000 to restore the Life Saving Station

In a hearing on the plan, no questions or comments came from the audience Thursday and the measures unanimously passed council without much comment. 

DeIorio added the ordinance would pave the way to ask for FEMA reimbursement on the spending.

The complete "Emergency Protection and Recovery Plan" is attached to this article.