| Ocean Star 12/4/09 |
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Mantoloking To Become
Military Friendly Ocean Star 12/4/09 By Erica Florentine • Members of the council
voted to approve a resolution that will allow free beach badges to be issued to
active duty members of the U.S. military and their immediate family. This
resolution will now provide free annual beach badges to these individuals.
According to the resolution, “the service is essential to the preservation of
the well-being of our nation.” The resolution also states that “the services of
the members of the U.S. military are hereby acknowledged with respect and
sincere appreciation.” In Mantoloking, season beach badges, which are sold at
the municipal building, go for $12 each. The borough does not issue daily beach
passes. Those in the military can contact borough hall to receive their free
badges. Recently, several local towns have been making stride to become
“militaryfriendly.” Making a town militaryfriendly means getting businesses in
town to provide discounts to past and present members of the military. It also
involves getting beaches to offer past and present members of the military
discounted or free beach badges.In Point Pleasant Beach, residents Casey
Loundy, 17, and her father, Mike Loundy, attended a Point Pleasant Beach Council
meeting in October, where Casey discussed her efforts to make that town
“military -friendly.” The Point Beach Council promised Casey that the governing
body would move forward with their efforts to get businesses to help in
thisendeavor, and to work on providing discounted beach badges.Casey also
visited Seaside Heights with a similar mission earlier this year. Casey
proposed the idea of a military- friendly town to the Seaside Heights Borough
Council, which elicited a positive response, as the council drafted an
ordinance, to make it a military-friendly town. Following her successes, Casey
then drafted letters to Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, Brick, Toms River,
Berkeley, Seaside Park, Atlantic City, Ocean City, Lavallette, Sea
Girt, Highlands and then Mantoloking. The New Jersey State Senate has
also adopted legislation proposed by State Sen.Christopher Connors,Assemblyman
Brian E.Rumpf and Assemblyman Daniel W. Van Pelt. The officials’ proposed
legislation called for towns to be able to decide for themselves whether to
provide free or reduced beach badges to active military and New Jersey National
Guard personnel. Under the proposed legislation, the military members’ spouses
and children under the age of 12 would also be given the free or discounted
beach badges. Police chief reviews department activity |
