HOWELL – The Howell Township Council has authorized a shared services agreement for vehicle refueling with the Manasquan River Regional Sewerage Authority (MRRSA), and reappointed Robert Nicastro to continue serving as one of Howell’s representatives to the authority.
The MRRSA has five member municipalities – Farmingdale, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Howell and Wall Township – and serves more than 100,000 residences and commercial and industrial establishments in Monmouth County.
Each municipality appoints two representatives to the MRRSA. Howell is also represented on the authority’s board by Jesse Tantillo, whose current term runs through Jan. 31, 2022.
During the council’s Jan. 26 meeting, Mayor Theresa Berger, Deputy Mayor Thomas Russo, Councilman John Bonevich, Councilwoman Evelyn O’Donnell and Councilwoman Pamela Richmond voted to authorize the shared services agreement with the MRRSA.
Richmond thanked Township Manager Brian Geoghegan and Nicastro, who she said worked diligently to complete the shared services agreement.
“Thank you Brian, I appreciate your hard work,” Richmond said.
“We are going to charge the MRRSA the cost for fuel and an administrative cost. If there is no use of it, there is no cost or benefit to Howell. If they do (use fuel), we will make a little money based on the administrative charge. However, they are going to be using less fuel because they will have multiple locations where they can fuel up,” Geoghegan said.
Nicastro’s reappointment to the MRRSA was also on the council’s agenda. Republicans Russo, Richmond and O’Donnell voted “yes” on a motion to reappoint Nicastro. Democrats Berger and Bonevich voted “no” on the motion.
“Just to put it on the record. Mr. Nicastro is the only applicant who put in for this appointment” to the MRRSA, Richmond said.
Nicastro, who is a former member of the Howell Township Council, currently serves on the Howell Planning Board in addition to his position on the MRRSA.