Close that. >> Good evening. Welcome to the agenda meeting of the Burough Beach Haven. It is Thursday, March 26, 6 p.m. Please join us in the pledge of allegiance led by Mrs. Bone. I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, adequate and electronic notice of this meeting has been provided
by posting on the bulletin board in the Beach Haven Municipal Building and on the Burough website legal notices page as required by law. Miss Anderson >> here. >> Mrs. Ball Miller >> here. >> Mr. McCaffrey >> here. >> Miss Snder >> here. >> Mayor Lambert
>> here. >> Okay. Um, good evening. Tonight we have a very special proclamation we would like to award. This is being given to the organization known as Meals on Wheels. And they honestly are just a superior
um organization that we are fortunate to have in our county. I mean, I believe uh our group is what from South Tom's River all the way down. And um last year I had the opportunity to do a ride around with them, which was truly eye opening and I would recommend everybody do it. And
then just the other day when I got to meet Angela, who's going to be accepting the proclamation, I got to tour their facilities over on Route 9, the Southern Ocean Resource Center, and the work they're doing is just incredible. And what they are providing for our citizens
is amazing because you don't realize that a lot of these seniors the only contact they may have during the day is when uh the agent shows up with the meals and what they do to make sure everybody is safe, secure. Um I know
they've had to call for welfare checks and things like that. Like I said, their service is invaluable. So, thank you very much. And I'd like to read the proclamation. And it says, "A proclamation recognizing March 2026 as a month celebrating senior
nutrition programs and their efforts to deliver more than meals. Whereas on March 22nd, 1972, amendments to the Older Americans Act established a national nutrition program for older adults, creating a network of
community-based organizations dedicated to supporting the health, independence, and dignity of seniors. And whereas for more than five decades, Meals on Wheels Ocean County has helped older adults remain safely in their homes by
providing access to nutritious meals and meaningful social connection. And whereas Meals on Wheels, Ocean County supports older adults throughout Ocean County by delivering more than meals, offering community care, and connection
through nutritious meals, wellness checks, and meaningful human interaction that help seniors remain healthy, independent, and connected. And whereas in 2025, Meals on Wheels Ocean County delivered more than 286,000 meals to
over 2300 seniors, ensuring that vulnerable residents had consistent access to nourishment and support. And whereas the need for senior nutrition services continues to grow as the aging population increases and more adults
face financial and social challenges. with nearly 53% of local participants unable to contribute to the $3 voluntary meal donation, demonstrating the increased need for affordable senior nutrition programs among older adults.
And whereas dedicated volunteers and staff provide vital services each day, helping older adults remain independent and connected within their community. And whereas Meals on Wheels programs nationwide are working together to raise
awareness and advocate for the resources necessary to ensure no senior waits for essential nutrition services. Now therefore, I, Colleen Lambert, as mayor of the Burough Beach Haven, do hereby proclaim March 2026 as a month
celebrating senior nutrition programs and recognizing the important contributions of Meals on Wheels County. I encourage all residents to take this opportunity to recognize the individuals served, honor the volunteers and staff
who make this work possible, and support efforts to address senior hunger and social isolation. In witness thereof, I have here unto set my hand this 26th day of March in the year of our Lord, 2026.
And this evening, Angela Galuchcci from the staff of Meals on Wheels will be up to accept the proclamation. Oh, his camera makes the noise even. >> Turn this way, too. >> Thank you so much. >> Can I ask you a question?
>> One more picture. Hold on. >> You know what? It's Remember I said something about the windows behind. >> Yeah. Good. Thank you so much. Good job. Thank you. Congratulations. >> Just do you are you all do you have volunteers? All volunteers partially and do you have enough volunteers?
>> So right now our drivers are all >> you know what Angelic >> and Katie why don't you repeat your question. I was just wondering, it's such a wonderful program and as Colleen said and the proclamation states, it's we're
so grateful as as a senior citizen and as from just the community standpoint, but I wonder how many volunteers you have in your organization versus full-time or part-time employees and are you in need of volunteers? >> So, yes, right now most of our staff is
paid, but we do have a lot of volunteers. Um, our volunteers right now help out mainly in the kitchen. They prep uh prepare meals and prepare the uh cold bags that our drivers do take out to all the senior homes. We actually just hired a volunteer coordinator though that will get our program our
volunteer program up and running. Uh before COVID happened, we had a friendly visitor um and friendly telephone reassurance program where our volunteers would call um seniors and they would also visit them in their houses. So, we're reinstating that with the help of our volunteer coordinator. So, you'll
definitely see a lot more volunteer opportunities coming forward um in the next couple months and couple weeks. >> That's wonderful. Thank you. Thank you. Keep up the good work. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. >> No. Anybody out there? No. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thanks again. >> Thank you.
>> Take care. >> Thank you. >> Do you want me? >> All right. At this time, we'll um welcome Mr. Michael Roach. and Jennifer Gallagher from the Ocean County Mental Health Association. They're going to talk to us about uh stigmafree mental
health. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> I have kind of a cheat sheet here uh that I everyone. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you.
We appreciate the opportunity to everyone and um what we'll do is start kind of introduce myself introduce herself and then we'll really
>> Thank you. >> Good evening. I'm Jennifer Gallagher from Mental Health Association. Uh Michael and I sit on the committee for mental health awareness in Ocean County and we are here to talk about being stigmafree
in uh Beach Haven. We are on the campaign to get the entire Ocean County to be stigmafree right now. There are just a few holdouts and you're one of them. So that's why we're here. >> Oh no. So, I don't know if you've known about us before, but here we are, and we
really want to >> just open up the dialogue and and get the conversation started about um mental health. So, Mike, do you want to >> You got to get real close to the mic so we can get you on record. >> Okay. I I wanted to mention that I've
spent entire growing up years during the summers here in Beach Haven. >> Nice. I told Jen today I I built all the bathrooms in the Carl Sees Motel and I I put the fascia on the Hands um five and
10 store. Um it's really great to be back uh here. I I'm from Tom's River. I live in 8 Riverbend Drive in Tom's River. Um, I have a son who has bipolar disorder and that really uh got me
involved heavily involved in mental health. I'm a member of the the uh county mental health board and as Jen mentioned, we're both on the mental health awareness committee which is kind of a subcommittee of the mental health
board. Um, so what we wanted to do is just kind of give you kind of the background on stigmafree. It's kind of a unusual term. I know when I was growing up, my parents were always worried about
the stigma of cancer. Uh, and now what we're worried about is the stigma of mental health issues, mental illness. So I'll Jen has already introduced herself. Do you have any other thoughts? >> I'll finish, but okay. Sure. Um, so I do
see some familiar faces here. I have been on this island for number of years now. I was married at the boat house before it became Parker's. I worked in the bank building with Dr. Teransky. >> Um, and >> I still miss him. >> Yeah, me too. All the time I think of
him. Um, and so I, my daughter went to Holy Innocence for preK with Miss Molly and Miss Karen. So, you know, I I call this place home. And, um, for me, uh, being here is a personal reason as well as a professional. Um, I love somebody
who has an undiagnosed mental illness that led to self-medicating with substance use and alcohol. And, um, I've watched him slip away from us. So, it's um it's been a process and it's it's not
something that is easy to talk about. Um it's it is uh it's hard and the person suffering feels like they're suffering alone. But also what they don't realize and and um what they don't know if they
feel safe enough to talk to people about is um is really the family suffers as well. So um you know there's sleepless nights, there's grieving. Um, so it's not just the person going through it themselves, but it's really all of us
and it's our community. And we've lost so many people. Um, my generation and I'm seeing younger people. Um, my kids age and even younger now. Uh, the statistics are rising for kids going
into so in a crisis and you know, this is our home and I just want to protect it. So that's why I'm here and Mike's going to give you a great uh rundown of what being stigmafree is. So thank you. >> Thank you.
>> So I have a son as I mentioned um he has had five psychiatric breaks. Each one of those resulted in hospitalization for some period of time. Um but that's what kind of got me involved in mental health
stuff. um he absolutely denied for a year and a half. He denied that he was mentally ill. It's a actually a term there's agnosia is the term for it and it's very very common among people that have
mental health issues. So he denied and part of his denial was if I get tagged as a mentally ill person I'll never get a job. I'll never be able to get a driver's license. There's lots of, you
know, issues. That's that's the the stigma is that uh in in a nutshell, it it um prevents people from getting treatment. We now know that mental mental illness are uh issues with the
brain. They're chemical issues. There's many new findings coming out pretty much monthly now. Schizophrenia, which is a very common 1% of the population has schizophrenia.
Bipolar is is another very common. Turns out they're very closely allied to one another, connected to one another from the the cellular part of the the brain. So there's lots of new research being
done, but fundamentally u what we see is the stigma prevents people from saying I need help and I need to get treatment of some sort. Um so what we had we've actually copied this from Bergen and
Mars County. Um they have a had a stigmafree program. you if you drive in to a lot of the the entrances into Bergen and Mars, you'll see a sign that says we're proud to be stigmafree.
And so we have now 29 municipalities in Ocean County signed up for the stigmafree campaign. And what we're the reason we're here for to talk to you is to get your resolution. And we have a a cheat
sheet and in the back of the cheat sheet is a draft resolution. We want to get your resolution supporting the stigma free program. Um I think one of the things that is you know very very striking
20% of the population is potentially has some mentally ill issue. Sometimes they're um very manifest. In the case of my son, he was convinced that the CIA was controlling his his all
his actions. His his brain was being controlled by the CIA. Uh and he was absolutely certain of it. He he by the way is a jazz musician. He he makes his livelihood as a jazz musician. He lives in New York City.
He's been uh out of the hospital now for 11 years. And I believe we finally after a year and a half, we finally got him convinced that he needed to get help. He was convinced that he wasn't sick, that
I was sick or my wife was sick, that he was fine. So mental health issues are really, really difficult to deal with. No matter no amount of our talking to him convinced him that he was
in fact had mental ill mental illness. We finally found a a therapist who was a jazz musician and and that was magic. Uh all of a sudden my son realized that he
had mentally mental health issues. So um one of the things that we know is that um all the mentally ill issues they manifest themselves in much different ways. They're not always the same. The
person with bipolar disorder may have certain aspects um that's very similar to a person with schizophrenia. There's there's other uh diseases that
um they people can be fine for a long time and then they will have some issue arise and they'll that will cause them uh to to go into some latent issues that uh
really make it hard for families to deal with it. And that's so I'm a family member and you know we we worried about our son for many years and now we're really comfortable because we got him the help he needed. Um so the the cheat
sheet that I provided to you has um information about the the um reason we're doing this campaign is to try to drop stigma, prevent stigma, enable people to realize
that um if they have a mental illness, it's not a not a crime. It's not a problem for society. They need help. 95% of the people that get help are able to lead a normal life. There
are some small percentage of the people that have mental health issues, they they cannot deal with society and so they they end up having other solutions to their problems. But um the statistics are
pretty dramatic and what we see recently is very worrisome to us uh as younger people more younger people are having mental health issues. And so we need to
that's why we're pressing the stigma idea. We need to get families to if they see their their children have issues, we need to get them to get help. And problem again, the stigma is a is a a
real block to for people getting help. So with that, I'll stop. I I don't want to spend a lot of your time, but but we'd like you as the as the burrows to pass a resolution and it's in the back
page, the next page of your of your handout that um as I said, we we have um 30 of the 33 municipalities, we have 29
municipalities that have done it. So, you're in good company if you if you you're able to pull off a resolution. Um, you can change it certainly u in any way that you'd like if you want to address particular topics. Um, the
county will help you. The the slash this sign. Um, this is the last one we have, but we will get more. And, um, Long Beach Boulevard, whatever it's
called, you could have you could have a sign like this. As people come south or people come north from homeate, they could uh see that each haven is is involved in trying to drive out street.
There's training. There's the the doctor mentions mental health first aid. So first aid, mental health first aid is a currently a program that's provided by Barnabas. Um I've taken the class and it's really
like a first aid as any first aid kind of program. It helps the person to understand what they're dealing with if they have a mentally ill person. But there's other things I've given this presentation to ship
bottom to surf city to the township and there's a lot of documents you can provide pamphlets like this. Often we recommend that that as as citizens come into your
building, you might have a like a pamphlet rack that would have information about mental health and what you can do as a as a period to try to help your loved ones. So with that, I'll stop talking
and we'd be glad to talk answering questions and then anything that um I just want to add that this is important. Um it lets people know that they're not alone. Uh there is help out there. There are resources. We are happy
to provide them to educate um and just help the community. That's really all we're looking to do. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you both very much. I think I speak for everybody. I don't usually like to do that, but I think we all know somebody or we are related to somebody
who, you know, suffers as you were mentioning to. So, I think it's something we can all definitely relate to and we will certainly give it very serious consideration. I I don't have a problem with >> Yeah. Anybody else want to
just thank you for coming and thank you for sharing your experiences. It's I know it's never easy. Um and I wish your family both families all the best. Um we it's every parent, grandparent,
wives, husbands, you know, it's it's it's can be anyone's um situation. So um thank you. And it's it's very necessary in our society, especially today. Jamie's a teacher. I worked in the middle school and Colleen was a teacher.
I mean that just just anxiety levels have gone through the roof. So, it just it's it's really good for you and thank you for your for your um >> for your job, >> good presentation, good info.
>> Thank you. >> With that, we will depart. >> Well, thank you. And I I think that resolution is a great idea. So, hopefully awareness out there. >> Yeah. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you very much. >> Wait, what year were your children in
Holy Innocence? Do I need another one? >> Okay. >> Oh, right. >> Oh, heard of it. >> I don't think I don't know. >> Anyway, it's nice to see. I still miss
Bob. Harry Gilbert's very gentle but not as gentle as >> loved him. Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. >> All right, we have minutes for approval this evening without formal reading. The February 9th, 2026 regular meeting and
the February 26, 2026 agenda meeting. Assume everybody had a chance to look everything over. Is there a motion to approve the minutes? >> I'll make a motion to approve the minutes. I'll second. >> All in favor? >> I I >> I. >> Thank you. Motion approved. All matters
listed under item consent agenda are considered to be routine by the municipal council and will be enacted by one motion in the form listed. Any items requiring expenditure supported by a certification of availability of funds and any item requiring discussion will
be removed from the consent agenda and discussed separately. All consent agenda items will be reflected in full in the minutes. Resolution 79 approving an expenditure in an amount not to exceed $28,6420 for the purchase of additional radios
for the police department. 81. Proclaiming the month of May as Older Americans Month. 82. Celebrating National Service Recognition Day and National Volunteer Week. 84. Approving an agreement between the Burough Beach Haven and the Tucker Seapport and
Bayman's Museum for the ferry service. 85. Authorizing an executive session to discuss personnel. 86. Supporting Congressman Vandrews application to the federal US Army Cor of Engineer Shore
Protection Project on Long Beach Island. 87. Awarding the 2026 peddlers licenses for ice cream vending. 88. Updating the fees for parts and water for um for water and sewer parts fees utilized by the Burough Beach Haven water and sewer
utility, replacing versions 251 with version 2601. 89 awarding a contract to Monmouth Dock Works for the 2026 Bulkhead Replacement Project Pearl Street. And I did add resolution 91 to the agenda before the
meeting accepting the resignation of employee number MCCAL O5 and approving the terms of a separation agreement. >> I do have some statistics from the ferry if you wanted to hear some of those. >> That'd be great. Thank you. Uh last
year, the 2025 season, the Tucker Ferry, um between Beach Haven and Tucker ran 214 public trips and um carried 4,388 passengers. Um they did 175 floating
classroom creek tours. They had 3,264 guests on specialty trips. They hosted 81 school groups with 3,566 students. And they also did uh 10 private charter groups and 259 private
charter guests. >> Thank you. Yeah, they are busy and you know people sometimes like to just take it over who live on the mainland to work >> and get a ride because it's it you know the what a surface is with the traffic in the summer. So it really does you know bring people in and I think it goes
while you're over there. >> There you go. So um anything else to add about any of the resolutions? Would anybody like to pull anything and discuss it? >> No. >> Okay. Um, seeing none, is there a motion to approve the resolutions within the
consent agenda? >> I'll make the motion. >> I'll second it. >> Miss Anderson? >> Yes. >> Mrs. Ball Miller? >> Yes. >> Mr. McCaffrey? >> Yes. >> Miss Snder? >> Yes. >> Mayor Lambert? >> Yes. >> I have a bill list this evening in the amount of $153,9549.
Everybody have a chance to review the bills? >> Yes. >> Okay. I know little little well, we still have some of the retirement and that package thrown in. So, yeah, it's not not as bad as it has been, but again, some of these are just totally out of our control. Um, is there a
motion to approve the bills? >> So, make a motion to approve the bills. >> A second. >> Thank you, Miss Anderson. >> Yes. >> Mrs. B Miller? >> Yes. >> Mr. McCaffrey? >> Yes. >> Miss Snder? >> Yes. >> Mayor Lambert? >> Yes. Um just briefly under general discussion um we have a draft ordinance
in the works to update the water utility chapter of the code. Um Lauren Caravano came to me and had found some inconsistencies in the chapter. Some items that remained from the initial installation of the water meters that really should be gone now that we, you
know, we're covered uh townwide with the meters. Uh so we're working on that. You did see a draft. I think we have a couple more sections to add now, but that'll be um offered for introduction at the April 13th meeting. >> Nice of Lauren. That's
>> it's a lot of homework. >> Yeah, above and beyond. >> That's all I have. >> Okay. >> I was wondering do we want to talk about thinking about just discussing a resolution for um to be stigmafree?
>> Discuss that now since it's you want to discuss the stigma free. Oh. I mean, I'm in favor of it. >> It sounds like a good program. >> Yeah, it does. >> It does. I mean, there are some things on there I don't know that, you know, we would necessarily said we can edit,
>> right? >> But I think just for the sake of uniformity and conformity that it would be nice if our town was involved, >> I can uh we can have it drafted up for the next meeting, April 3rd. >> Great. That would be great. Thank you.
>> All right. It's uh public comment time. Um we always start with the room. Anybody in the room wish to speak? Either of you? No. Seeing none, is there anybody on Zoom who would like to speak? >> Well, okay, we will close the floor to
public comment and we will go to final comments before we adjourn for executive session. And Mrs. Paul Miller, I think we start with you tonight. >> Pledge of allegiance. Um, I just wanted to uh remind everyone
about the Beach Haven PTA annual benefit party which is April 24th. This uh benefits our local school here. At that benefit there is silent auction, gift auction, includes dinner and
there's a cash bar and that's April 24th. Tickets are $50 and you can contact beachhaven ptagmail.com or if you forget that you can shoot me an email and I can remind you. Where is the party? It's um it's at the angle side. Okay.
>> 6 pm. >> Okay. >> But you have to get tickets. You do have to get tickets in advance. >> Anything else? Um no. Okay. Mr. McCaffrey. >> Yeah. I just want to wish everybody a
happy Good Friday, happy Easter, and uh I guess April Fool's Day is coming up too. >> Mr. Snider, >> um just again, happy Easter to everyone and a happy Passover. Um wishing
everyone at schools a great vacation, much deserved for our teachers and our kids alike. Um, I've been away for a month visiting my daughter and I'm back and I'm Thank you for my your patience to my fellow council members for me zooming into the meetings. I appreciate that. It's very good to get home. So,
thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Anderson. >> We are roughly eight weeks until Memorial Day, so >> it's coming. >> Thanks, Lori. >> Push it. And for homeowners that rent for home, if you haven't done so yet,
please register and get your papers in order. inspections and proof of insurance, >> all that good stuff. Okay, thank you. And I have a couple here. I'll try to make it quickly. Do want to thank Angela Galuchcci and Heather De Jong who runs
the Meals on Wheels program for coming and all they do and thank Michael Ro and Jennifer Gallagher as well for their presentation tonight. Want to offer our heartfelt condolences to the family of Dave Olivier. Dave was a popular local figure from a prominent longtime beach
chamber family and he will be missed. I want to mention also that tomorrow there's a special program called thanking Vietnam vets being held at Barnagate High School for the fourth year. It's run by a lady who's a Vietnamese refugee and as a way of thanking those who served. It's open to
everyone but you know of course the veterans will be the stars of the show and they do encourage everyone to show though. Uh there will be music, food, displays, and they'd like to get as many people there as possible to show their appreciation. That's at 3:00 tomorrow at Borne High School. And as everybody else
said, happy Easter and Passover. Thank you. All right. Uh at this time, we are going to be recessing into an executive session. I anticipate being in the executive session about 30 minutes. No formal action will be taken during or after the executive session. Thank you.
Der and go to bed. >> All right. At this time, we're reconvening the public session at 7:46. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? Motion to adjurnn. All right. Thank you so much. Have a great night. Meeting. >> You don't even need a second. That's why
I said bills in