SOUTH AMBOY — The City Council looked at resolving issues that arose in the days following Hurricane Sandy during its business meeting on Feb. 6.
Business Administrator Camille Tooker said she was looking into having an account established at a chain store like a Wawa to purchase gas, since she said it seemed many Wawas were operational after the storm.
Law Director John Lanza said that if there were an emergency, the city could use whichever store it wanted. Tooker agreed, but said the issue was being able to pay the provider. Councilman Mickey Gross said the Office of Emergency Management plan should already outline a backup plan for gas purchasing, but Tooker said that even if a vendor were specified in that plan, that doesn’t mean that assigned store would necessarily be operational. Also at the meeting, Councilwoman Zusette Dato asked about how funds would be distributed from the Shore Aid telethon, which in December raised money for storm-impacted residents in South Amboy, Sayreville and Old Bridge. However, officials were unclear as to the process.
When asked for clarification after the meeting, Old Bridge Councilman Kevin Calogera clarified that the funds are being distributed from the nonprofit Alumni Path Foundation instead of the municipalities themselves, so that it wouldn’t become a political issue or affect what other funds residents may be eligible for. South Amboy had already submitted its list of “substantially damaged” homes (which, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, have damage that would equal or exceed 50 percent of the market value), so checks should be coming soon, he said. He said he believed the other towns were still compiling their lists.
Calogera said about $42,000 was raised, and each town will receive a third of that figure. That may mean that if there are fewer impacted homes in South Amboy than in Sayreville or Old Bridge, then South Amboy residents may receive bigger checks, but Calogera said that when the telethon was planned, Alumni Path did not have totals on impacted homes from the participating municipalities, so this was the fairest distribution method they came up with at the time.
At the meeting, Dato also said through the partnership with ShoreAid, she was able to find out about the Old Bridge Glass Slipper Project, which is designed to help students in need get low-cost apparel and services for the prom. Students need not be Sandy victims to avail themselves of the program, she said, and South Amboy students are welcome to participate.
She said 350 dresses have already been collected, and various businesses have signed on to give discounted services, donate items or serve as drop-off sites. Dato said she was currently looking for a tuxedo retailer to ensure both young men and women could benefit from the effort.
There will be a boutique set up from 12 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 16 and 17 at Old Bridge High School where girls can try on dresses. Dato said they would only be asked to pay what they could, and no questions as to need or circumstance will be asked.
“We want to be discreet; we don’t want to embarrass anyone,” she said.