As you may know, we will be facing and increase of over 5% in our municipal taxes from Toms River for this year. There are a number of reasons for this. Please take action to help!
One reason is increasing operating costs despite the Township’s effort to control them.
Another reason is a court decision regarding a lower assessed value for the BASF property (formerly Ciba Geigy) which will result in significantly reduced taxes on that large tract. All of our property taxes will increase to make up for that loss.
A third reason for the tax increase is that FEMA has decided that Toms River must pay back a $5 million loan that was expected to be a grant. Toms River is anticipating that the payment on this loan will be about $1.25 million for 2020.
To address this last issue, we ask you to send a letter to your congressmen and senators. If you live in Ortley Beach, you can use the two letters at the links below. Just print them and add the date and your name and address at the bottom, and mail.
If you live in northern New Jersey, then you can use the letter to Senator Menendez above as our state senator, but please use the third link below to send the letter to the congress representative for your area.
If you wish to write your own letter, of course you may do so. Or, if you prefer to edit this letter, please send an email to OBVTA@ortleybeach.org and ask us to send you these letters in Word format and you may then edit the letter.
Lastly, a one page summary of the proposed bill, called the “Security After Sandy Act”, is shown HERE
Thank you! We must do all we can to keep Toms River taxes affordable.
The NJ Organizing Project that provided assistance to so many after superstorm Sandy has established a very helpful website to help navigate all the issues related to the coronavirus.
You can find extensive useful information HERE
At the link below is a great article published by Shorebeat on the Toms River – Surf Club mediation and negotiation which is scheduled to be held on March 5th. As a reminder, because discussions between the Township and the property owners had completely stalled, OBVTA offered to identify and fund a mediator to lead both parties in non-binding negotiation. We sincerely hope that both parties come to the mediation ready to meet somewhere in the middle
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 .
