New Equipment and Police Officers Headline Eatontown Borough Council Meeting

It looks like we'll be seeing a few new borough resources on the streets of Eatontown in the coming weeks. These upgrades to the police department, public works, and EMS squad were announced at the July 27 borough council meeting.

• NEW POLICE OFFICERS:
  Two new police officers were sworn into their probationary positions for the The openings came as a result of retirements, according to Chief Michael Goldfarb. The borough received over 100 applications, and interviewed 25 candidates. Those candidates were narrowed down to six finalists, which were presented to a committee who had the final vote. Goldfarb said he was confident in the two new officers abilities to serve the community.
  
  “We're eager for them begin working for our department. We have chosen two of the finest candidates out there. We have the utmost confidence that they'll be able to carry on the ranks of their predecessors,” he said at last night's meeting in front of about 15 township police officers who were in attendance.

The new officers are:

• Christopher Quackenbush. Quackenbush graduated from Bayville's Central Regional High School in 2004. The 2008 Farleigh Dickinson University graduate was previously working for the Plumstead Police Department. He was joined by his parents and girlfriend at last night's meeting.

• George Gonzalez was born in 1984 in the Dominican Republic as his father was there attending medical school. At the age of 2, he returned to the United States, and graduated from St. John Vianney High School. The 2008 Rowan University graduate is an accomplished EMS volunteer, and was previously working for the Princeton Police Department. He was joined by his parents, sister, and girlfriend at last night's meeting.

• FORT MONMOUTH:
  
  Mayor Tarantolo told the council last evening that he was pleased with the progress being made after attending a meeting regarding zoning at Fort Monmouth earlier on Wednesday. A followup meeting has been scheduled with a consultant.
  
  The council also announced that Fort Monmouth officials were working with the three towns affected by the impending closure on Sept. 15th to solve security issues. Mayor Tarantolo said the biggest problem comes from the division of the mutual aid.
  
  “It has lots of issues. It is not cut and dry, and it needs to be worked out in short order to solidify a plan for this,” he said.
  
  
• NEW EQUIPMENT:
  
  In the coming weeks, you may notice two new pieces of equipment for the borough:
  
  A $171,000 front wheel loader was recently purchased. Borough administrator, George Jackson, joked that officials learned the value of these pieces of equipment during the December blizzard. The new loader joins a fleet of two other front wheel loaders. The project had been previously alloted $190,000.
  
  A $140,678 ambulance was purchased for the Eatontown's first aid squad. The project was alloted $130,000 from the borough's capital funds, but the EMS Volunteer Corps previously agreed to pay the  anything above the $130,000 mark. First aid volunteers in attendance said the ambulance is a state-of-the-art piece of equipment, and they are quite pleased. The older ambulance being replaced will be sent to a municipal auction.

• TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS:
  
  If you've been stopped for a traffic violation in Eatontown this year, you're definitely not alone. Councilwoman Jennifer Piazza announced that the police reported 3,692 traffic violations as of  June 30, which officially marked the middle of the calendar year.