The BERKELEY Times Vol. 30 - No. 2
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Council Adopts $61 Million Budget
Rides, Games, Shows, And More At Upcoming Ocean County Fair
In This Week’s Edition
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Government Page 7
Community News Pages 8-13
Photo by Chris Lundy 4-H had a number of animals you could see and learn about in this archived photo from 2022. By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – The Ocean County Fair will again be held at the Robert J. Miller Airpark on Route 530 in Berkeley and will be filled with all the rides, food, and entertainment you’ve come to expect at the annual event. Entrance to the fairground is $10. Parking is free. The same ride vendor as last year, Campy’s Blue Star Amusements, will be there. Certain days (see below) will have wristbands available
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 16
Inside The Law Page 18
for unlimited rides during certain times. Expect to see pig races, the Dynamo Dog show, and other animal acts. Depending on when you get there, you might see Sheriff K-9 demonstrations, seeing eye dog demos, horse shows and more. Only exhibit animals are allowed at the fair. Visitors need to leave pets at home. As always, the 4-H clubs are a huge part of (Fair - See Page 5)
Cops, Neighbors Rescue Ducklings From Drain
By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – You might have seen videos online of people rescuing animals from a storm drain. But you probably don’t expect to be starring in one of those videos. Robin Bausback lives in the Berkeley Shores area of town. She was running out to get ba-
gels in anticipation of some friends coming over. She was stopped at a busy intersection Veeder Lane and Mill Creek Road - waiting for fou r d i rect ion s worth of cars to make it through. But the cars weren’t just waiting for traffic. They were waiting for a mother duck and a
trail of ducklings to make it through the intersection. Robin said the moment was heartwarming - this many people waiting patiently. No one was beeping or yelling. Just letting nature go by. However, while she was watching the ducks go by, she saw four ducklings slip into the
d rain. T he mom ma moved the rest of her crew into nearby brush and waited. Robin said she remembered a video a friend had sent her of a baby deer falling into a drain. In that case, the mom was waiting, too. “Animals are so much smarter than we think,” she said.
Quinn Hopping Funeral Home BURIALS | ENTOMBMENTS | CREMATIONS PRE-PLANNING without OBLIGATION Clifford B. Tantum, Manager • N.J. Lic. No. 4078
26 Mule Road, Toms River | 732-240-3800 | Quinn-HoppingFH.com
June 29, 2024
Robin hustled to the drain to see how they could help. She called 911 and police officers showed up right away. They were able to lift up the drain. Robin’s neig hbor, Kathleen Carman, scooped the ducklings up with a long-handled pool net. The four babies were
(Ducklings - See Page 5)
By Alyssa Riccardi BERKELEY – At the June Township Council meeting, the governing body approved and adopted the $61 million 2024 budget. According to the Township, the budget is $61,450,458.49, which is over a $5 million increase from the 2023 budget. “It took seven meetings in total to come up with this budget. It wasn’t an easy budget to tie together. There is a minimum increase of 3.47% this year on this budget. It’s something we couldn’t avoid,” Mayor John Bacchione said before the budget presentation. “We will not compromise any of the services, what the Township provides such as police, fire, volunteers, rescues services, sanitation, public works – everything will be intact.” Of the total budget, $39,904,099.72 is coming from taxes – making up about 65% of the revenue. “There is an appropriation cap and a levy cap that we must follow and this budget meets both. So, we don’t have any cap issues right now,” Christine Manolio, Chief Financial Officer/ Treasurer, said. “We increased the use of Surplus. We also got more Municipal Revenue. The State Aid went up a little because of the Municipal Relief Tax. The Delinquent Tax Receipts went up and the General Taxation went up a little over $2 million,” Manolio added. As for expenditures, the two largest categories the 2024 budget will be spent on are Operating Expenses as well as Salary and Wages. Operating Expenses will cost $22,284,347.01 – 36%; and Salary and Wages will cost $21,192,197.44 – 35%. Operating Expenses saw the biggest increase from 2023, having a variance of over $4 million. “The largest difference is Operating Expenses. Most of those are not controllable because a lot of it is pension, social security – the biggest increase being insurances,” Manolio said. The cost of those uncontrollable expenses totaled to $21,431,304.76. Of this, the highest expense is the group insurances – as Manolio noted – being over $11 million. This is a $2.5 million variance from the previous year. This resulted in a 3.47% tax increase from last year’s budget, Manolio reiterated. After the budget presentation concluded, all members of the council voted in favor to adopted the 2024 budget.
DIRECT CREMATION $2,295 Includes: arrangement conference, removal from place of death, alternative container Batesville ccbmdfc, transfer to crematory, crematory fee
“We are dedicated to exceeding expectations and delivering a standard of service that is 100% guaranteed.”