Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press council over Snug Harbor Pool daily‑pass rules and Green Acres compliance
Summary
Several residents and seniors told the council they were unable to purchase a daily pass at Snug Harbor Pool and cited Green Acres grant rules requiring daily access; township officials said a daily rate exists but defended a season‑pass policy implemented to address neighborhood quality‑of‑life concerns.
TOMS RIVER, N.J. — Dozens of residents raised concerns at the July 24 council meeting about Snug Harbor Pool fees and access after the township implemented a season‑pass model and shifted away from ad‑hoc daily admissions.
Ellen Davis, a resident and frequent pool user, told the council the pool was purchased with Green Acres grant funds and that the Green Acres rules on pages she cited require a daily single‑use fee option without the need for a season‑pass. “You must have a daily single fee for the pool,” she said, asking the council to restore a true daily‑use option for residents who cannot afford or do not want a season pass.
Council and administration representatives said the township does offer a day rate but that in practice the operational policy was structured around a season‑pass holder bringing a daily guest to address neighborhood problems (reports of rowdiness, broken glass and other quality‑of‑life complaints). The administration said the season model encourages ownership and safer behavior and cited past meetings where concentrated neighborhood complaints led to the change.
Council members offered to meet with concerned residents after the meeting to try to strike a balance between the pool’s financial sustainability, compliance with Green Acres rules and neighborhood concerns.
What happens next: Council invited residents to meet with staff and a council member to review options; the administration said it would follow up on Green Acres compliance questions if necessary.
