Belmar official: 12th Avenue cleanup bid drops, remediation grant could cover much of cost

At its June 9 meeting the Belmar council discussed the 12th Avenue site cleanup and possible state remediation grants that officials said the borough may qualify for.

A staff update reported that the low construction bid for the project dropped to about $575,000 from an earlier figure near $770,000, a reduction the presenter described as a notable potential saving for the borough. Staff also said the borough’s grant consultant (identified in the meeting as Millennium) has been pursuing a remediation grant program; the presenter said the program’s reimbursement rate depends on the approved end use: municipal/public-service end uses could qualify for up to 75% construction reimbursement, affordable housing uses about 50%, and leaving the end use unspecified could yield lower reimbursement levels (about 25%).

Officials noted grant applications take months to process and that some grants may be retroactive, which could make previously incurred cleanup expenditures eligible for reimbursement — the presenter cited roughly $300,000 already spent on the site as potentially reimbursable depending on grant rules. Council members urged prompt public engagement to choose an end use so the application can maximize reimbursement, and staff said the borough’s grant consultant will identify eligibility barriers and application requirements.

Council members and the public also discussed scheduling constraints for the work (the presenter said summer timing mattered because of the water table) and encouraged public input and a future agenda item to confirm a preferred end use and move the grant application forward.

Next steps: staff will continue working with Millennium and the grant program; council signaled it will solicit public input on end-use options and consider the grant application status at future meetings.