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After major snowstorm, Bradley Beach officials cite heavy enforcement, plan fines changes and warn of rising health-plan costs
Summary
Council members praised DPW and police for extended snow response, reported hundreds of parking and sidewalk summonses, said fines for snow-related violations will increase, and discussed a 37% rise in borough health-insurance premiums that increased costs by roughly $400,000.
Bradley Beach officials used the Feb. 3 council meeting to highlight municipal response to a recent snow/ice event, preview enforcement changes and flag rising employee-benefit costs.
An administrative reporter and the mayor praised the Department of Public Works and police for long shifts clearing streets and enforcing parking and sidewalk rules, noting roughly 200 parking summonses and about 100 sidewalk/related summonses were issued over a recent two-day period. "Between the two groups, we probably had 300 different summonses issued for that two-day period," a council official said.
Council members discussed enforcement logistics and said the borough will introduce an ordinance on Feb. 17 to increase fines for snow-related street- and sidewalk-violation enforcement; the mayor and others said directives aim to improve clearance and public safety during storms. Officials also discussed operational lessons such as load-in strategies for plows and use of smaller equipment in tight streets.
Separately, the presiding official told the council the borough's employee health premiums rose by about 37% this year, increasing an approximate $1.1 million line item to $1.5 million — about a $400,000 increase — and noted the borough is evaluating a self-insurance 'difference card' option to mitigate the cost. Council members said they will present more information in coming meetings.
Council also previewed plans to draft a resolution opposing a DEP guidance referred to as "REAL" (a sea-level projection policy), asking for more research before the state adjusts local zoning based on projections to 2100. The council intends to circulate language and discuss the matter at a subsequent meeting.
