HTA August 2022 Newsletter

As Summer comes to a close, we are looking ahead to several big events in September and October and we need many volunteers to be successful. We’ll start with a double header on Saturday, September 10th with a Refuge Clean-up starting in the parking lot at 10am and the annual HTA Fall Member BBQ in Bond’s Park at 5pm.

The Refuge clean-up is important to Holgate. Not just because the Refuge is our neighbor but also because we need their support for approval of the extended steel groin. Please try to join us on the 10th. The HTA will provide coffee and crumb cake.

In October, we have dune planting on Oct. 8 and the all-Island beach and bay clean-up on Oct. 22. We’ll send separate emails next month to help plan for each event in October.

August Highlights

• Beach Replenishment
• Windmill Status Update
• Elections: Trustees and Officers
• Bond’s Park Basketball Court
• Township Ordinances Moved on First Reading
• Township Ordinances Approved on Second Reading
• App for Water Usage – Update
• Dune Planting Water Needs
• ReClam the Bay Raffle
• Supporting First Responders – Sandpaper Ad
• Save-the-Dates – Fall Events

Beach Replenishment

We spoke with former Congressional representative Tom MacArthur who advised us that the best way to influence our 12 New Jersey Congressional offices is to generate a petition with as many signatures as possible calling for replenishment of the most seriously eroded LBI beaches. While there is money in the still-to-be approved Federal budget for FY 2023, it is unclear if the amount is adequate. We are working with the JCTA to create an online petition for all to sign.

Windmill Status Update

You can find updated summaries of available information listed on the HTA website. Please note, these summaries do not represent any formal position on the part of the HTA but represent the tremendous efforts of the JCTA to present as much factual and objective information as possible so that people are better educated about the wind projects. One caveat to keep in mind is that nearly all of the factual information is coming from directly from Atlantic Shores (LBI wind farm), Ocean Wind (Atlantic City wind farm), BOEM, or studies which have been commissioned by these parties. As such, it is up to you to research and assess the validity of the information provided by these organizations.

BOEM has completed an extended 60-day public comment period for the proposed Atlantic City (not LBI) field on August 23. We will closely monitor any results as this may impact the LBI field. We will also let you know when public comment begins for the Atlantic Shores project off LBI. But note that we understand only 84 people offered comments. If you want to affect these projects, you need to participate actively in the process.

Fall Elections

Trustees: We have two candidates, Art Levy and Jeff Lipman, running for the three open trustee positions. An online election will be held beginning September 5 and you will receive a separate email with a link for the election.

Officers: The Board will elect officers in our November meeting. Rand Pearsall, Bill Cannon and Bob White have agreed to stand for election as president, treasurer and recording secretary, respectively.

Corresponding Secretary: After several years of service, Yanni Kaloudis has stepped down this month as corresponding secretary. The Board is very pleased that Yanni will remain as trustee of the HTA.

Bond’s Park Basketball Court

We share the disappointment of many that this project has been badly delayed. The Township bid it in conjunction with the new pickleball courts at the old M&M Steambar location along with refinishing tennis courts in Loveladies. All of those projects were very late and we are last in line. Some of this is due to having to accept the low bid and apparently you get what you pay for. However, we intend to ask at the next Commissioners meeting if they include a penalty clause for missing deadlines in their bids and contracts.

Relevant Ordinance Moved on First Reading

22-20C: Establishes set-backs for air conditioning units and other such equipment

22-21C: Prohibits carrying guns into government buildings (including the LBT municipal building), in parks and on beaches in LBT

Relevant Ordinances Passed on Second Reading

22-18: Authorizes the issuance of a general bond for $3,500,000 for the modernization of the water treatment plant in Holgate (note: this will not increase the footprint of the current facility but current structure will be raised).

App for Water Usage – Update

The app continues to be delayed but you can call the Water/Sewer Dept for your water meter readings, if needed: 609-492-6314

Dune Planting Water Needs

As mentioned above, we will send out a separate email about dune planting but we want to underscore just how important water sources and watering volunteers are. We have had to cut back our efforts from time to time because we can’t guarantee we have watering volunteers and we will not waste your donations on plants that die from inadequate watering. When you get the dune planting email, please try to be able to volunteer to water.

ReClam the Bay Raffle

The drawing for the ReClam the Bay (RTB) 50/50 Raffle will be held Saturday, October 1, 2022, 3:00 pm at the ChowderFest Bayfront Festival, Taylor Avenue Bayfront, Beach Haven, NJ. Winners need not be present. Raffle tickets are $5 each. Please email billw@reclamthebay.org if you can help support this raffle. As RTB did last year, they will make arrangements to get you tickets through their members on LBI (unfortunately, New Jersey doesn’t allow online raffle sales.).

Supporting First Responders – Sandpaper Ad

At the bottom of this email, please see the ad created by the JCTA and supported by the HTA to increase awareness and support for our volunteer first responder units. This ad, which ran August 3 in The Sandpaper, is the first of an ongoing campaign to preserve our volunteer first responders network.

Save the Dates – Fall Events

Fall Membership BBQ: 5-7pm, Saturday, Sept. 10 at Bond’s Park

Fall Refuge Clean-up: Saturday, Sept. 10, 10am-noon, meet at the Holgate parking lot

Fall Dune Planting: Saturday, Oct. 8, 10am-noon, meet at Tebco Terrace beach entrance

All Island Beach and Bay Clean-up: Saturday, October 22, 10am-noon (meeting location TBD)