FILE PHOTO: Bishop Memorial Library, Washington Street. Erik Weber / Ocean Signal

The following was submitted by Ward 3 Councilman Jeffrey J. Carr and is published unedited per our letters policy.

It hardly seems it but, spring has arrived. Along with it comes yard work, Little League baseball and the Toms River Food Fest.  The Toms River Little League season got underway on April 6th.  It was a chilly Saturday morning but, much better than the rain filled event of last year. Mayor Kelaher and I were on hand at the TRLL fields to throw in the first pitch. Councilman Whittmann, Councilman Manforti and Councilwoman Maruca attended opening day at the TRELL complex.

This year’s Food Fest was held on Saturday, May 4th. The weather was nothing short of perfect. The event officially began at 12 noon but, the streets were already getting crowed by 11:30 am.  The event was kicked off by the Toms River High School North Marching Band parading down Washington Street.   That was followed by an invocation by Father Scott Schaeffer of St Joseph’s Church and the singing of the National Anthem by Lisa Evans, a Toms River South aluminous. There were 78 vendors in attendance and an abundance of food and drink.  There was a dunk tank sponsored by the fire department and lots of games and amusement rides for the kids. Four different bands played throughout the day and into the evening.  There was literally dancing in the streets.  Township Administrative Staff, Recreation Department,  Department of Public Works(recycling), Parks Buildings & Grounds, Mayors ADA Advisory Committee, Mayors Council for The developmental Disabled, Police Department and Safety and Fire Districts Bureau of Fire Prevention  were there to assist and answer any questions for our Township residents. It was estimated that over 25,000 people were in attendance.

Toms River prides itself in our efforts to be environmentally responsible and to promote recycling within the Township. In 2012 we received a recycling grant in the amount of $177,138.44. We were the fifth highest grant behind Newark ($299,903.76), Jersey City ($278,748.03), Paterson ($238,701.00), and Clifton ($222,103.44).  Based on our increased recycling tonnage (40,000 tons) we anticipate a higher grant for this year.

As far as the Clean Communities grant, the amount estimated to be received this year for Toms River is $168,296.83.  This puts us first in the County and third highest in the state behind Newark ($322,905.58) and Jersey City ($297,747.90).
Our Senior Center is always filled with some great activities available to our senior residents. I recently had the opportunity to attend an art show and tea party held at the senior center. Some wonderful art exhibits created by our senior residents were on display. Friday May 24th is our Health Fair and Picnic, free to all seniors. The time is 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Friday, May 31st is the Grand Opening of the Nutrition Site at the Toms River Senior Center. The festivities begin at 11:00 am.

On Saturday, June 1st, Toms River Youth Services will be holding a Kids’ Spring Cleaning Flea Market from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.  Our Youth Summer Camp will begin on June 24th. Family Carnival Day will be held on July 12th. There will be food, fun, game trailers and rides.

Our rebuilding process continues to receive our utmost attention.  The Land Use Committee continues to meet regularly to review our ordinances to ease the building process and to help rebuild using sound planning. The Council recently introduced new ordinances to better define and regulate setbacks and the construction of decks. The footings at the Lord House Lifeguard Station are complete and underground utilities are being installed.   The 3rd Avenue parking lot is scheduled to be completed on or about May 24th.  It will include new pavement, light poles and temporary restroom trailers. The number of parking spaces has been increased from 132 spaces to 150 spaces.  This cost of this work will be reimbursed by FEMA.  The boardwalk reconstruction continues to progress with pile driving being over 75% complete.  Other work underway or in the bidding process include repair of Township bulkheads and the first phase of Ortley roads.

Changes have also been instituted in our Building Department to ease the process of obtaining building permits. The department now opens at 7:30am. That is one hour earlier than usual. they are also open until 6:30pm on Wednesdays. Normal weekday closing time is 4:30pm. Inspections are performed Monday through Saturday. The Building Department staff has also worked some Sundays when the demand requires it.  Clerical staffing has been supplemented by hiring three additional permit clerks and one phone clerk. This equates to a 60% increase in clerical staff. The clerical staff also works overtime and on Saturdays to keep up with the volume. Other Township departments have also lent personnel during peak volume periods. The finance and tax offices have helped out with processing permits and certificates. The clerk’s office has handled all OPRA requests for permit documents. Administration has provided personnel to handle periods of high phone call volume, as well as unwavering support. This help was offered by other departments in the spirit of a true team effort.

Inspection and plan review staff has been increased with one full time inspector. We have also supplemented our inspection crew with personnel provided by the NJ DCA. This program, put in place immediately after the storm by the DCA, has been extremely beneficial to our residents. We had as many as 15 DCA inspectors helping us out immediately after the storm. As the demand fluctuates,  personnel is adjusted as necessary.

The department has issued 5,746 permits since 11/01/2012. That is an increase of 218% (2,634 permits) for the same period a year ago. To assist residents and their contractors, permit forms are now available for pick up at the Township’s Ortley Beach annex.

As summer approaches, we will continue our efforts to rebuild our Community.  While these continue to be difficult times for many, we must also continue to serve all of our residents. I encourage everyone to take advantage of the many wonderful things our Township has to offer. There are many youth activities and sports programs available to our children. The senior center provides daily activities to our senior residents. And whether it’s a picnic, reading a book or a walk along a trail, our parks are a wonderful way to spend some time with family and friends. I wish everyone a safe and fun filled summer.  As always, I encourage you to send me your thoughts and comments to JCarr@TomsRiverTownship.com.  And don’t forget to visit our website at www.tomsrivertownship.com for more information about your town.

The team, consisting of  Emily Golembiski of Little Egg Harbor, Jillian Hubbard of Toms River, Gillian Schriever of West Creek, Michael Signorelli of Toms River and Megan Tumpey of  Brick, will represent New Jersey in the 2013 North American Envirothon at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana in August.

The Ocean County students competed against 33 other teams on knowledge of natural resources-related topics, including soils, forestry, aquatics, wildlife ecology and a current environmental issue. This year’s theme was “Sustainable Rangeland Management: Achieving a Balance Between Traditional Agricultural Uses with Non-Agricultural Uses on Montana Rangelands.”

“For 20 years, New Jersey high school students have had the opportunity to participate in this valuable competition and learn more about the environment, natural resources and science,” said Secretary Fisher. “We hope they take advantage of the skills they learned and consider careers in agriculture and natural resources-related fields.”

Each of the MATES team members received $1,000 scholarships from the New Jersey Association of Conservation Districts, $2,000 scholarships from Richard Stockton State College and $1,000 scholarships from Applied and Health Sciences at Kean University.

Two 5-member teams of MATES students competed in last year’s Envirothon with all but one of those students graduating. The two MATES teams placed first and second in 2012. An almost entirely new set of 10 students made up this year’s two teams.

“I am very proud of the hard work and dedication put forth by our members,” said MATES Advisor Adam Sprague.  “It was quite an accomplishment considering it was the first year competing for nine out of the 10 team members. We now turn our attention to Montana which offers an exciting variety of challenges in terms of preparation for our students.”

The second-place team in this year’s Envirothon was West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North and third place was taken by High Tech High School, North Bergen.

The Envirothon is sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, State Soil Conservation Committee; New Jersey Association of Conservation Districts; the 15 Soil Conservation Districts; United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; and Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

The 15 Soil Conservation Districts in New Jersey follow county boundaries and implement the New Jersey Soil and Sediment Control Act, which governs certain aspects of new development.  These semi-autonomous bodies are locally governed and play a strong role in the protection of New Jersey’s natural resources.

BERKELEY – Central Regional TV Productions students won county and state contests and film festival awards for their video productions surrounding the events of Hurricane Sandy.

Senior Austin Steinbrick recently took the award for Best Documentary in the Ocean County Library Film Festival held at the Toms River Branch of the Ocean County Library.  Over 140 entries were received from around the world and only 43 were chosen for submission.  Austin’s video told the story of Hurricane Sandy using footage recorded by students and staff from the Central Regional High School which included eye witness accounts of the devastating events on the day of the storm.

In addition, Austin received an Honorable Mention along with senior Nicholas Castrovilly for the New Jersey State Attorney General’s PSA Contest Proms and Alcohol Don’t Mix Contest.

High school junior, Marc Wittig, won a Certificate of Excellence at the Ocean County Teen Arts Festival for his Hurricane Sandy video.  The Ocean County Teen Arts Festival is a showcase and competition held at Ocean County College.  Student works are judged and critiqued where the best in show receive a Certificate of Excellence.  The Central Regional High School TV Program has received an Award of Excellence eight times over the last twelve years.

Student works are available for viewing at the school district website at www.centralreg.k12.nj.us by linking to the “video on demand” tab.  All of our students’ Hurricane Sandy videos can be watched on Channel 21.

“Our communities have exhibited tremendous resilience in the face of the after-effects of Super Storm Sandy and they should be commended for all they have done to support our students and their education,” said State Education Commissioner Cerf.  “These funds from the U.S. Department of Education will help support the continuous recovery of school communities in New Jersey and we are grateful these grants were made available.”

School districts or charter schools were able to request reimbursement of expenditures in support of activities intended to restore a sense of safety and security, activities intended to assist students in understanding the impact of the Superstorm and stabilizing their lives, and activities that assist school districts and charter schools in managing the practical problems created by Superstorm Sandy.

Examples of eligible types of services or activities districts applied for include:

• Overtime for teachers, counsellors, and law enforcement and security officers and other staff;
• Substitute teachers and other staff as necessary;
• Emergency transportation;
• Technical assistance on developing an appropriate response to crisis;
• Transportation and other costs to operate school at an alternative site, e.g. leasing of space to substitute for damaged building;
• Temporary security measures such as non-permanent metal detectors and additional security guards and security cameras;
• Targeted mental health assessments, referrals and services related to Superstorm Sandy with the goal of restoring victims/survivors to their pre-incident levels of functioning.

Based on the number of applicants, monies requested, and available funding, all districts received 45% of their requested eligible expenses.

The list of districts that applied and their award amounts is as follows:

JACKSON-Students at St. Aloysius created life sized history displays that included themselves for a recent school project.  After completing a biographical book report, the 4th grade students dressed in character and posed as wax figures that suddenly came to life at the touch of a button.

Read more about the cause: http://thinkingofyouthursdays.blogspot.com/

Here are the dates for the Jeans Days:
Middle School – Friday, April 19.
High School – Friday, April 26.

Central staff members will also wear green ribbons on their respective “Jeans Day” since it is one of Sandy Hook Elementary’s school colors.

Single steam recycling includes all recyclable products; magazines, newspapers, office paper, aluminum cans, phone books, bottles, jars, and many food containers which have been cleaned. All recycled materials are sorted at a central recycling center and distributed for re-use. Organic collection includes leftover foods, bread, fruits, vegetables, meat products – including bones, paper napkins, paper towels, brown lunch bags and wood products with the exception of pressure treated lumber.  The organic materials will be transported to a large composting plant for processing. Trash includes plastic wrappings, plastic shopping bags, latex gloves, shipping peanuts, twine, Styrofoam, wax paper, K-cups, etc. The ultimate goal is to encourage everyone to make more environmentally friendly choices initially to reduce and totally eliminate the items on the trash list.

The Ocean County Landfill is tentatively scheduled to close in 2016 but that timeline could be impacted by the enormous amount of debris delivered to the landfill in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy; the equivalent of nearly one year’s trash. “Our landfill space is diminishing and costs will keep rising; it is time to make changes and adapt,” explained Ed Crawford, OCVTS Manager of Building and Grounds. “Creating a Zero Waste Environment within the district is beneficial to everyone. Our younger generations are very aware of environmental issues and are eager to make changes. There will also be significant savings over time in dumpster use and tipping fees. Almost all materials used within our schools each day are either recyclable or compostable, with only a few exceptions.”

Color-coded receptacles have been positioned in key areas of each OCVTS building and faculty and staff have been briefed on the new guidelines. “It’s a new learning curve and it will take time for everyone to get comfortable with it, but with just a little effort we can make a big difference,” concluded Mr. Crawford.

The house will be built through a partnership with Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity. Students will not only learn valuable skills; they will be part of a neighborhood revitalization initiative. The finished house will become the new home for an Ocean County family selected by Habitat for Humanity. Learn a trade, build a career and be part of something great!

This program offers an accelerated approach to developing skills needed for employment in the construction trades. This program is open to adults, 18 and over, with a high school diploma or GED. Students may qualify for Federal Financial Aid or Veterans Benefits. The OCVTS Financial Aid Representative can provide more information.

Registration is limited. The program will start in September. Call 732.473.3100 x3144 for more information or visit our website at www.ocvts.org.

(OCVTS) announces Cuisine on the Green, the new   Ocean County Culinary Arts Training Center, located at the Atlantis Golf Club in Little Egg Harbor. The Culinary Arts Training Center offers adult students the opportunity to pursue their career goals in the culinary profession. Students receive real-world experience in restaurant operations and culinary production techniques through the daily operation of the full-service restaurant and banquet facility, open to the public, located on the premises.

The 10-month curriculum includes classroom instruction, culinary skills training and working internships. The teaching philosophy at Cuisine on the Green involves a curriculum and training program incorporating a foundation of ecology, wellness, and responsibility. The use of locally-sourced foods, responsible-catch seafood and attention to dietary diversity as well as energy conservation, materials usage, elimination of non-recyclables and overall reduction of the environmental footprint in the culinary industry are essentials elements of the program.

Culinary Arts Instructor Chef Ian Smith comments, “This is a very exciting opportunity. Our goal is for students to incorporate and implement these practices as second nature; to embrace a more responsible approach to culinary arts that is the future and they are the trailblazers that will set the new standard.”

Areas of instruction include: Introduction to Culinary Arts, Applied Culinary Skills, The Science of Food, American Regional Cuisine, International Cuisine, Restaurant and Dining Room Operations, Dessert Preparations, Restaurant Management, and Food and Beverage Service. Students can receive the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification from the National Restaurant Association.

Articulation agreements have been established with the Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape

(Continued)

Community College, Johnson & Wales University, the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College

and Brookdale Community College which provide students the opportunity to earn advanced college   credits upon completion of this program.

OCVTS Cuisine on the Green is the result of a partnership with the Ocean County Parks and Recreation.   A decision was made to utilize the restaurant at Atlantis Golf Club to provide Southern Ocean County    with a state-of-the-art training facility as well as a new dining venue for local residents. Cuisine on the Green Culinary Arts Training Center becomes Ocean County Vocational Technical School’s seventh  career training facility.

This program offers an accelerated approach to developing skills needed for employment in food and hospitality industries. This program is open to adults, 18 and over, with a high school diploma or GED. Students may qualify for Federal Financial Aid or Veterans Benefits. The OCVTS Financial Aid Representative can be contacted at 732.473.3100 x3139 for more information

Register now! The program will start in September. Call 732.473.3100 x3144 for more information     visit our website at www.ocvts.org. Like us on facebook to stay informed Cuisine on the Green events and activities.

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP -The Central Regional High School Guidance Department has incorporated the robust, interactive college search engine offered by College Board called “BigFuture” as a link on our high school guidance webpage to assist students and families with their college decision-making process.
College Board is a not-for-profit membership organization committed to excellence and equity in education whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity.
The goal of the program is to assist Central Regional students in finding the right college in order to succeed in today’s world. In support of the College Board goal of having 55 percent of Americans with a college degree by 2025, they have launched BigFuture, the new, free, comprehensive website that improves the college planning process for students, families, and educators.
Once you link to Big Future from our high school guidance webpage, the program will guide the student through the college planning process, making it easier and less overwhelming. The step-by-step approach demystifies college planning, particularly for those students who are the first generation in their families to attend college.
Students using BigFuture answer questions and make choices about their own needs and preferences. Easy-to-use search tools and informative videos guide them through the process. The large collection of videos contains real-world advice from college students and expert educators.
“We know the best source of insight into the college planning process is from those who have experienced it,” said Roy Ben-Yoseph, the College Board’s executive director of digital products. “That’s why we asked students to collaborate with us on the site design and interactive tools that guide students as they find, afford and enroll in a college that is right for them.”
BigFuture has a robust college search tool that helps students find the schools that are best for their needs and compare their advantages. Because great education occurs in thousands of colleges and universities, BigFuture can find college options for any high school graduate.
The resource also has a scholarship search tool and extensive information about ways students can pay for college. “College is more accessible than many people think,” Ben-Yoseph said. “Families using the resource learn ways others have paid for college: securing scholarships, enrolling at a community college, saving for college and finding grants and loans. They also will see that most families do not pay the full sticker price for college.”
Students using BigFuture develop a customizable action plan that tells them exactly what to do and when.
The high school guidance supervisor, Darryl Heale, adds, “Since our counselors and teachers have a great influence on the students’ college planning, we have incorporated the best tool available that can be also used by our staff as a resource for information.”
During a time when college planning and application has grown increasingly complex, BigFuture’s step-by-step approach makes college planning easier to navigate. Visit our website today at www.centralreg.k12.nj.us and start to make inroads into college planning.