By Amy Batista, Special Writer
FLORENCE — The Township Council unanimously introduced on Sept. 5 the first reading of an amended ordinance to raise municipal boat ramp permit fees.
”This is a minor change to reflect and cover some of the additional work that has been done out there and to bring stuff to the times as far as our actual fees, which haven’t been touched in about 20 plus years,” said Assistant Municipal Administrator Thomas Sahol.
The measure calls for a daily permit increase of $5 for a Florence Township resident and an increase to $40 from $25 for annual rates, according to Mr. Sahol.
”If you are an owner and you have five boats, you only pay the one fee,” said Florence Mayor Craig Wilkie.
According to the ordinance, a Florence Township resident will now pay a daily rate of $10, which is an increase of $5; while an annual permit will now cost $40, which is a $15 increase from the previous rate.
An out-of town New Jersey resident will pay $20 per day, which is an increase of $10; and $80 for an annual permit, which is an increase of $30.
Noteworthy, an out-of-state resident will continue to pay the same rate of $50 for a daily permit and $500 for an annual permit.
Permits are valid for the calendar year in which they are issued.
The new increase fees will take effect Jan. 1 upon final passage of the ordinance, according to Mayor Wilkie. A public hearing and final reading on the measure set to increase the municipal boat ramp and designated trailer parking area permit fees will be held on Sept. 19.
At the Sept. 5 meeting, the Township Council opened up the floor to public comment and addressed a resident’s question regarding the boat dock fees and how they were applied to the municipal budget.
”The township has issued 260 boat ramp permits this year as of yesterday,” said resident Dan Kamienski of Florence.
”That equates to $6,500,” Mr. Kamienski said, noting that he took the most recent number of boat ramp permits issued that he was aware of at that time.
”If I take the same $260 and multiple it by $40, that equates to $10,400. Now, my question to the council is, will this $10,400 go into a general fee account or will it go into an account that is dedicated for the maintenance of the ramp, the dock?” Mr. Kamienski asked.
Mayor Wilkie addressed Mr. Kamienski’s question.
”It’s not dedicated as a separate fund.” Mayor Wilkie said. “It goes as part of revenue for the township. Also, under the municipal finance laws we have certain restrictions.”
”We do a lot of maintenance down there,” said Richard Brook, township administrator. “You probably see that. There is a porter potty that has to be serviced every once-in-a-while and that’s a fee.”
Mayor Wilkie said that even though the boat dock requires some maintenance, in the long run, it is the community that benefits, adding that he would like to make sure that residents and businesses continue to benefit from the dock.
”It’s a benefit to the community and that’s one of the things we want to make sure — (that) it’s not a drain on the community,” Mayor Wilkie said. “Because of that program being down there, I like to believe that some of our businesses in town benefit from it.”

