OCEANPORT — The Blackberry Bay Park boat ramp is slated to receive muchneeded repairs.
The Borough Council voted in favor of awarding a contract for the boat ramp rehabilitation for $317,117 to Marbro Inc. of Long Branch at the regular meeting on March 19.
Borough officials had prepared two resolutions — one that includes an added alternative of a floating dock, and one without it.
“The price came right about where we wanted it with the floating dock,” Council President Robert Lynch said.
Lynch said the borough received a $168,000 grant from Monmouth County toward the rehabilitation of the boat ramp, which brings the cost to about $150,000 for the borough.
The rehabilitation includes replacement of the bulkhead and the addition of a floating dock ladder and 4-foot wide aluminum boat ramp.
Borough Engineer William White of T&M Associates had previously explained that the boat ramp had eroded because of high water and high waves.
Lynch said with the repairs, he expects the use of the boat launch ramp to double, even triple, at times with the easier access to launch a boat or a kayak.
Blackberry Bay Park is a 15-acre tract off Port-Au-Peck Avenue.
In other Oceanport news, the Borough Council accepted the resignation of Councilman Jerry Bertekap, who told the council that he had to resign due to changes in his career commitments.