Toms River Police First in New Jersey to Partner with Neighbors by Ring!
The Toms River Police Department is announcing a partnership with the free crime and safety app ‘Neighbors’ by the Santa Monica based company Ring. This partnership is separate from but supplemental to our current program Operation WatchDog which encourages residents and businesses to register their security systems in effort to increase safety and reduce crime. The Neighbors app platform is a way for anyone, whether or not they own a Ring device or other home security system, to share and receive photos, videos and real-time crime and safety information with their neighbors and local law enforcement.
The Neighbors app (available for download via iOS and Android
HERE provides citizens with a reciprocal connection with each other as well as their local police department in real-time relating to local crime, suspicious persons and safety information free of charge. The emphasis of this partnership enables the Toms River Police Department to have a greater footprint of potential video owners as well as a proactive approach to effectively communicate with our residents that will only enhance a stronger community partnership.
PLEASE SIGN UP NOW AND HELP MAKE ORTLEY BEACH SAFE!
As you may know, there have been numerous developer proposals made for the Surf Club property located on Ocean Ave. However, none of them have been acceptable to the Club owners, Toms River and the OBVTA members. Fortunately the Surf Club owners are now willing to consider offers from the State of New Jersey Green Acres program to preserve the property and convert it to public beach – forever. And the Township of Toms River has agreed to make significant boardwalk improvements to the area if the acquisition can be finalized.
However, we need your help in persuading Toms River to support the acquisition of the property. This will further the preservation of open space in Ortley Beach and be in compliance with the public trust placed with our township government. Toms River must do all that is possible to ensure this vital oceanfront property is acquired, outfitted, and rehabilitated for public access and recreation, and then maintained.
This topic was thoroughly discussed at the OBVTA General Meeting held last Saturday and all agreed that the more our voices are heard, the better. So, if you support the purchase of the Surf Club property to become public beach through Blue/Green Areas funding, with the assistance, encouragement and support of Toms River, please let your voice be heard by mailing the letter at the link below to George Wittmann, President of the Toms River Council. We have left room at the bottom of the letter for you to add your own personal comments and your signature. If you prefer, you can draft your own letter and use the same address.
Alternatively, you can email Council President Wittmann at gwittmann@tomsrivertownship.com with your comments, or sign and attach the letter we have provided.
One way or another, please make your voice heard. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to convert the Surf Club property to public beach for the betterment of Ortley Beach … and all of Toms River.
The beach and dune replenishment project appears to be complete in Ortley Beach!. Hurrah! It looks awesome. If you are not local, come and have a look at this wonderful finished project. In the spring Toms River will be adding beach mats up and over the dunes and on some portions of the beach itself to ease the looong walk to the water.
The dune and beach replenishment is completed in Ortley Beach and the US Army Corps is now in the process of planting the dune grass. See pictures below taken near Harding Ave beach. (Photos by Paul Jeffrey)
Many of you will remember the volunteers from North Carolina Baptists who helped so many of us after superstorm Sandy. They helped clean homes, gutted water logged residences and cleaned nasty wet crawlspaces.
Now, as a result of hurricane Florence, they are the ones in trouble – and it’s time for us to pay back.
OBVTA has joined forces with Joan Delucia of Weekday Warriors to collect items for delivery to our friends in North Carolina. The supplies and financial donations will go directly to the NC Baptists in Lumberton, North Carolina that helped us here.
Items to be donated and the drop off locations in Orltey beach can be found
HERE .
Payments by check should be made payable to: NCBM and mailed to:
North Carolina Baptist Mission
Attn Billy Layton
141 Avent Road, Lumberton, NC 28358
In the check memo it is very important to write “Bill L Lumberton Disaster”.
Please also wait a few days to send your check because we are concerned that mail delivery is not yet back to normal and we do not want checks to be lost in the mail.
We thank you – and our friends in North Carolina Thank you!
Despite the on again off again weather, the 4th annual BeachJam was a great success! We successfully dodged the raindrops, AND the thunder and lightning and had a really good time.
A big thank you to Rick Jurgens for leading the volunteer effort to make it a success – and to the nearly 40 volunteers who all gave their time and effort.
Last but not least, thank you to all the local business sponsors who donated gifts and donations to the event. Local businesses donated over $4,000 to help defray the costs. See the list of supporting businesses HERE .
Beach replenishment is ongoing and the beach remains closed south of Fielder Ave. The ongoing operation produced a wonderful swimming pool over the weekend which was enjoyed by many.
Because sections of our beach are now closed, Ortley Beach badges will be honored in Seaside Heights.
You can find the latest information on Beach replenishment and beach closures at the link below. As of July 31st the beach and entrances south of Fielder are closed.
See the article below for the latest news article on beach replenishment in Ortley Beach. The link in the story that provides daily updates on which portions of our beach will be closed can be found on our OBVTA website Homepage and on “Useful Links” tab.
Toms River announced that our town’s FEMA CRS rating has improved from an 8 to a 7, resulting in a 5% increased flood insurance policy discount. The previous discount was 10%; it will now be 15%.
Details are provided in the article HERE
Dune replenishment in Ortley Beach may be delayed again. The project was delayed when hurricanes that traveled up the coast earlier this year required the contractor to move all of his equipment to safe harbors to avoid damage. Now, the severe winter cold and equipment breakdowns have put the US Army Corps even further behind schedule. The US ACE is currently working in Mantaloking and are slowly making their way south. Ortley Beach dune replenishment will most likely now occur in the late summer, or the fall of 2018, after Seaside Heights. We will keep you posted as work progresses.
