TheTOMS RIVER Times Vol. 19 - No. 47
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Repairs To Be Done In-House To Save Money
In This Week’s Edition
BREAKING NEWS @
Fishermen Get Equipped For Emergencies At Sea Photos by Stephanie Faughnan
jerseyshoreonline.com
Government Page 7
Community News Pages 9-14
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 16
Inside The Law Page 18
Despite the bitter cold, commercial fishermen put on survival suits to ensure they knew what to do if it was necessary to abandon ship. By Stephanie Faughnan BARNEGAT LIGHT – Some local commercial fishermen recently found themselves faceto-face with members of the United States Coast Guard. However, the reason behind their meeting wasn’t because they were in any kind of trouble or in need of rescue. Instead, the 42 fishermen were all students participating in day-long classes conducted in con-
junction with Fishing Partnership Services, a non-profit organization. The emphasis of the program was on Safety and Survival Training to stay safe at sea. Lecturers for the program came down from the Boston area, where Fishing Partnership Services is headquartered. Most were fishermen themselves with additional credentials as Coast Guard members, firefighters/EMTs, and
marine surveyors. Each of the classroom lessons held at the local Coast Guard station was skillfully crafted to blend with the next. And despite temperatures nearly below freezing, the group of fishermen ventured outside for further instruction – and even into the cold water in brightly-colored suits. “These are survival suits,” shared the instructor. “This is what you put on before you abandon
ship. They are the most important piece of survival gear on the boat, bar none.” The day’s schedule included sessions on various types of professional floating devices (PFDs), proper Mayday procedures, immersion suit usage, damage control, firefighting techniques, life rafts, and flares. One of the impactful presentations focused on (Coast Guard See Page 4)
Critics: Ciba Presentation Lacked Info By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER - BASF recently hosted an event billed as an in-person poster session to detail its environmental restoration plans for the former Ciba-Geigy chemical plant site. However, many of those who attended expressed frustration at the lack of information actually
March 30, 2024
provided to them. Britta Forsberg , the Executive Director of Save Bar negat Bay, summed up her impression of the presentation which was echoed by others who hoped to secure some answers – and even some positive reassurances. “I think it’s just a bunch of pretty pictures with very little sub-
stance,” said Forsberg. “I’ve seen pictures of birds, bees, and butterflies but nothing new in the way of information.” “When you approached any one of the individuals standing near a poster,” Forsberg continued. “And you asked them a direct question, they deflected away from it.” Some suggested that
many of the posters mirrored slides used earlier in the year as part of an online presentation. Graceanne Taylor, Education and Outreach Coordinator for Save Barnegat Bay, pointed out the problems that Ciba-Geigy caused. Its unsafe practices polluted everything including the groundwater, the
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forests, the ocean, the river, and more. A disturbing number of children and adults became critically ill with experts tracing the environmental exposure as a detrimental health factor. Some deaths have also been attributed to the unsafe conditions caused by the contamination. (Ciba - See Page 4)
Photo by Chris Lundy Some spots in the parking garage show damage. By Chris Lundy TOMS R I V ER – Three projects were canceled by administration to save taxes, but some say that these projects still need to be done and it will cost the town more down the line. These topics came up at recent Township Council meetings. Mayor Daniel Rodrick said that his administration has “eliminated 18 unnecessary positions” saving $2.3 million and cut “$1.5 million in unnecessary projects.” The three projects are described in this article. The first project is siding on Shogun, the restaurant at the municipal Bey Lea Golf Course. Rodrick said that the money for this project came from a recreation grant for half a million dollars. He said that this should go to recreation specifically, not a restaurant. He said that money could do something
new like install personal watercraft access. In-house staff could do the work for $8,000 wor th of aluminum siding, he said. When a town wants a project done, they ask for bids from professional companies. Councilman James Quinlisk asked if any of the bids that came in for the project were around $8,000. Rodrick answered that they were all around half a million. Quinlisk suggested that this means the project was really a h a l f-m i l l ion - dol la r project. “Is there anyone from engineering we can ask?” Quinlisk asked, knowing that Township Engineer Robert Chankalian - who often was present at meetings during the prior administration had resigned and not been replaced. A resident said the h a l f-m i l l ion - dol la r (Repair - See Page 5)
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