By Christopher Sheldon
Oceanfest and a hot and sunny Fourth of July weekend have helped Long Branch catch up to last year's total beach badge sales.
Long Branch Business Administrator Howard Woolley said the city took in close to $250,000 in beach badge sales during the 4-day weekend.
"We were behind last year's total at this time because of the early June weather but we've been catching up," Woolley said.
The first few weekends of the summer were filled with clouds and rain and the beach badge sales reflected it, Woolley said.
However, with the influx of good weather, the city's beaches have been making more money lately.
"We've had some good weekends and the weekends are where we make our money," Woolley said.
Long Branch made over $1.6 million in beach badge sales in 2012, a record for the city. Woolley said the exact totals from the weekend and the total amount of revenue collected from beach badge sales was not immediately available.
Long Branch Chief Financial Officer Ron Mehlhorn has said any money the city makes from beach badge sales is used to pay for beach-related expenses such as lifeguard and beach badge checker salaries. He said Long Branch Police and Department of Public Works employees who patrol and do work on the beach also are paid for through beach badge sales.
The city also passed an ordinance last year that keeps lifeguards on most Long Branch beaches until 7 p.m. and extended the hours they can be sold from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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