EMS, recreation, public works and parks present 2025 budgets to Brick Township council

Department heads presented individual budget and operational summaries to the council during the March meeting.

EMS: Jim Ricky summarized the Emergency Medical Services division. He said the unit handled over 11,200 calls in 2024, staffs 66 personnel (1 director, 32 full-time, 26 part-time, 7 seasonal), and operates 10 ambulances and three specialty units. For 2025 the EMS salary budget request rose from $2,575,000 to $2,800,000 to add two EMS supervisors and two EMTs; the presenter also requested operating funds for higher medical-supply and billing costs.

Recreation: Business Administrator Joanne Bergen presented the recreation budget and programming plans, including Summerfest, the farmers market and expanded arts and youth programming. She reported that beach operations include 65 lifeguards and 20 badge checkers; Traders Cove Marina produced revenue noted in the presentation.

Public Works: Director Steve Growski gave an overview of sanitation (more than 2.7 million stops and 38,419 tons of solid waste collected in 2024), recycling tonnage and utility crew activities; he described in‑house construction work on a new special operations building and noted fleet and vehicle-maintenance needs.

Parks: Director Rob Burns described park-system operations and upcoming capital projects, including playground surface replacements and pier/boardwalk renovations at Winward Beach.

Public engagement during and after the presentations included questions about marina profitability and the EMS staffing request; presenters answered that debt service affects net marina profit and that added EMS supervisors are intended to improve oversight and reduce overtime costs.

Ending: The presentations were recorded on the meeting record for council review and to inform budget deliberations.