COVID Crashes Council; Meeting’s almost in person

Long Branch – About a dozen people attended the Long Branch Council meeting on Wednesday night, happy to finally be at a meeting in person. Some who attended were a little miffed to find that Mayor and Council were there by zoom after coming into contact with Covid a few days before. Attending were Michael Martin, head of finances, George Jackson and City Attorney Louis Rainone.

To start the meeting 12-year-old Zack from Long Branch, a student at Hillel Yeshiva School in Ocean Twp. read the opening resolution about May being Jewish American Heritage Month. Dr. Mary Jane Celli commented on how nice it was to have a young person volunteer to read.

On another matter dogs are welcomed to Jackson Woods. Please scoop.

During open mike, Joe Lucia from Woolley Ave. complained about drivers speeding down his street. Woolley Ave. is a 25-mph zone that Lucia said cars speed down at 40 mph.  “I tried to ask them to slow down but they yell at me… One guy even threw a bottle at me,” Lucia said. “I’m very concerned for the safety of people living on that street.” He said that a digital speed limit sign was put up at one time but its lights weren’t flashing and he assumed it didn’t work.

Before the meeting was over Long Branch Business Administrator George Jackson had contacted  the  LBPD and was advised that a sign would be erected on Woolley Ave. the next day and would remain for two weeks. “The sign is put out without flashing lights and considered on stealth mode so motorists don’t change their speed,” Jackson advised. The sign to be erected tracks the speed of cars and takes their picture.

Don Macpherson from W. Columbus Pl. spoke about all the work he and his friend Andy Kline did on Mother’s Day weekend cleaning out the creek that runs by City Hall and Seventh Avenue then drains into the Shrewsbury River. “That’s if it makes it to the Shrewsbury,” he said. “The water is dirty, smelly and disgusting and filled with dead trees and garbage that clogs up the flow.” Don cleans the creek to get the water moving. He admits he is obsessed with getting the water clean and has been for years. “I won’t quit,” he said.

He praised DPW for their help in the matter.

Marsha Brown, member of the Long Branch Cable Commission expressed her concerns about summer traffic on Joline Ave. where she lives. She also had concerns about overpopulation in the city. “ I would like in the future if the Council would speak to us more about that,” she said.

She also would like something done to make the LB Cable channel available to more people.

Brown had much praise for Christine Sullivan, Director of the Long Branch Arts and Cultural Center. “She has done an amazing job coming up with some great programs. They are very thoughtful and creative,” Brown said. “ There’s a great opportunity to bring the community together through the center, people of different races and culture who normally wouldn’t come to same events.”

Mayor and Council signed off by thanking everyone who voted in the election.