FREEHOLD — The Borough Council has adopted an ordinance authorizing an emergency appropriation in the amount of $65,000.
The ordinance was adopted at the council’s June 22 meeting.
A subsequent resolution was passed which authorizes the council to borrow $65,000 and to issue emergency notes in order to hire a special consultant who will prepare a master plan or plans for Freehold Borough.
“We want to position ourselves going forward for what is the best use for the borough,” Business Administrator Joe Bellina said.
By using the appropriation formula, officials can fund the cost over five years, he said.
The ordinance gives authorization to finance the appropriation in succeeding annual budgets with payments of at least one fifth or $13,000 per year.
“It doesn’t break your back in one shot,” Bellina said.
In other business at the June 22 meeting, officials announced that a project to repave Throckmorton Street will cost less than initially anticipated.
According to a resolution, the council awarded a contract to Earle Asphalt Company in the amount of $325,013 to undertake the work on Throckmorton Street.
Field changes resulted in less quantities for asphalt, concrete, pavement repair and traffic control to complete the project and led to a savings of $30,080, according to the resolution. The council voted to revise the contract with Earle Asphalt Company to $294,933.
In personnel moves, the council:
appointed Philip Mastalski as a Class II Special Police Officer with the Freehold Borough Police Department
appointed Thomas J. O’Brien and Kevin Krause as members of the Freehold Fire Department’s Junior Firefighter program
appointed Jeremy Hoffman and Mikhail Karpov as probationary members of the Freehold Fire Department, Good Will Hook and Ladder Company
appointed Rut Lineswala as a probationary member of the Freehold Fire Department, Monmouth Hose Company.
In other municipal news, the borough’s website has been updated to be more userfriendly. The town’s new website address is http://www.freeholdboroughnj.gov/
“The new website is easier, more manageable and gives us 24/7 ability to post emergencies,” Bellina said.
Officials hired City Connections of Barnegat to create the website and the cost was $2,900, he said.
City Connections owner Morris Enyeart said the new website offers users improved navigation.
“We added more content and some online contact forms,” he said.
During emergencies, the website will be updated “in real time,” Enyeart said.
If a resident’s home loses power during an emergency, he can access the website via cell phone and obtain updated information, he said.
“The next step will be the addition of social media, which has become important for general and emergency communications,” Councilman Ron Griffiths said.
News Transcript staff writer Mark Rosman contributed to this article.