Long Branch Council Outlines Plans For 2012

The Long Branch Council has several things it would like to accomplish in 2012, and got an early start on the planning process during Tuesday night's special meeting.

The main topic of discussion was whether or not the the city should begin re-issuing a calendar or newsletter that would list events, important dates, garbage collection times and the mayor's annual report.

Long Branch Business Administrator Howard Woolley said the newsletter was originally discontinued because of its cost. Woolley also said the newsletter was not as current it should have been and that the city began putting more emphasis on its web site.

Councilman John Pallone said he would prefer to see a calendar reinstated, because residents would be more likely to hang onto it, as opposed to a newsletter which is something residents might misplace or throw away.

The council decided to discuss the idea further next year and see if would be cost-effective to begin printing either calendars or newsletters, perhaps beginning next summer.

Other council matters discussed on Tuesday night included:

• The council created a subcommittee to look into how Long Branch's fire houses could be run more efficiently. The committee will be comprised of Councilman Pallone and Councilwoman Mary Jane Celli, who said one of the points of emphasis will be looking into the under- or over-utilization of trucks.

• The council said it would like to hold a joint meeting between itself and the Long Branch School District Board of Education, where things such as shared services and the appointment of a liaison between the two bodies could be discussed.

• Councilwoman Kathleen Billings said she would like to "shed the perception that the city only cares about the beachfront." Mayor Adam Schneider said that it is not true and that it is just what Councilwoman Billings called it, a perception. He said the council is active in the community and tries to highlight all aspects of the city.

• Councilwoman Joy Bastelli said she would like to see the areas of Broadway and Third Avenue "beautified," by arranging street cleanups and getting community volunteers involved in the process.

• Councilwoman Batelli said she has received complaints from runners and walkers that the boardwalk is too narrow south of Pier Village. She said she would like to see the boardwalk widened in this area, something that could be accomplished as part of the . Mayor Schneider said the council had looked into doing so in the past, but that the cost, nearly $13 million, was too great for the city.