BEETS
Here’s a versatile vegetable that can be cooked in a variety of ways, pickled, in salads, roasted, steamed, in soups It is loaded with vitamins and minerals no matter how it’s served. Beets are low in calories, and loaded with fiber, manganese, copper, potassium, magnesium and Vitamin C. which means one beet contains just about all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy.
Actually, beets are the roots of the plant best known for their color, but also well known for helping to lower blood pressure and of course an aid in reducing aging macular degeneration. Beets are a heart healthy food, and some studies have shown that beet juice on its own can lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. There are those who say beets also enhance athletic performance because of the nitrates in them that help produce energy in cells. In some cases, beet juice has been shown to improve cycling performance and increase oxygen use. within two to three hours after consuming it.
Now the nutritional and medical worlds are studying the impact of beets on brain health and cognitive functions since there is some evidence it has helped fight some disorders like dementia since it promotes the dilation of blood vessels, thus increasing blood flow to the brain.
Try grating beets raw and peeled for a colorful addition to coleslaw or other salads.
Make a dip by blending grated beets into Greek yogurt, and maybe adding some fresh garlic.
Borscht is simply the Eastern Europe name for Beet Soup.
If you’re buying beets fresh, wash the leaves and cook them and use them like spinach. Great with feta cheese as well.
Peel and wedge raw beets, toss with olive oil and paper, add oregano or basil for taste, and roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until tender. Roast beets are delicious.
BEET AND ORANGE SALAD
4 OUNCES SPINACH OR ARUGULA
4 BEETS, COOKED AND SLICED
2 NAVAL ORANGES, PEELED AND SLICED
¼ CUP CHOPPED WALNUTS
2 TBLS. FETA CHEESE
Dressing
3 Tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tbls.Djon mustard
½ teas. Pepper
Blend well.
.
Place salad greens on two plates or bowls. Interchange next layers with beets and oranges, crumble feta cheese on top and sprinkle with walnuts. Top with your favorite dressing!
Want to see more healthy, easy recipes? Click HERE
The Freehold Township Historic Preservation Commission received an award for preserving the Henderson Barn, associated with patriot Dr. Thomas Henderson. Pictured left to right: Historical Commission Chair Barbara Kolarsick-Harrigan, Neil Garguilo, David Seme, Cheryl Polverino, Meg Thomann and Steve Downey. Photo by Monmouth County Government.
2023 Historic Preservation Awards
FREEHOLD, NJ – The Monmouth County Historical Commission recently announced the recipients of the County’s 2023 Historic Preservation Awards and the winners of the History Essay Contest for fifth grade students. The awards are presented to individuals or organizations who have undertaken restoration and preservation projects of historic buildings in Monmouth County.
“The Preservation Awards continue to be a fabulous way to express our appreciation to the individuals and organizations who have dedicated their time and money to preserve historic buildings in Monmouth County,” said Commissioner Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the Historical Commission. “Their efforts to preserve these sites takes a significant amount of patience and determination, and I am truly grateful to those who have committed themselves to helping preserve Monmouth County’s history.”
The 2023 Historic Preservation Awards were presented to:
· Lynda and Christian Cloud for faithfully restoring the 1889 Borden Carriage House, known as the “Clock House,” at 68 West River Road, Rumson;
· Veronica and Tom Sullivan for fully restoring the mid-19th century Daniel Rezeau Conover Barn at 180 Heyers Mill Road, Colts Neck;
· Dina Totaro for preserving the 1850 Toll House at 2185 Middletown-Lincroft Road, Middletown; Roseann M. Eteson for faithfully restoring the late 19th century Victorian House at 408 Conover Ave., Middletown;
· The Freehold Township Historic Preservation Commission for preserving the Henderson Barn, associated with patriot Dr. Thomas Henderson.
The Historical Commission also recognized the winners of the 2023 Fifth-Grade History Essay Contest. Each student received an essay contest certificate and a bookstore gift certificate:
· 1st Place: Yulan Chen of Indian Hill School, Holmdel, for The Holmdel Horn Antenna;
· 2nd Place: Emily Xie of Oak Hill Academy, Lincroft, for The Warehouse that Stood; · 3rd Place: Eva Pedrick of Indian Hill School, Holmdel, for It All Started in Shanghai.
The Historical Commission recognized the winners of the 2023 Fifth-Grade History Essay Contest. Second place went to Emily Xie of Oak Hill Academy, Lincroft, for The Warehouse that Stood. Pictured left to right are Historical Commission Executive Director John Fabiano, Emily Xie and Historical Commissioner Glenn Cashion. Photo by Monmouth County Government.
“This year marks the Historical Commission’s 30th annual essay contest and I continue to be in awe of the students’ essays,” said Commissioner Burry. “Numerous students who participate in the contest write about historical sites they have visited, while others write about their family history. This is a great way to get students interested in local history.”
For information about the County’s Historical Commission or the 2023 Historic Preservation Awards visit the County’s website at www.visitmonmouth.com.
What has been termed as an unprecedented massive industrial assault proposed to the ocean, Clean Ocean Action (COA) has revived the Clean Ocean Zone (COZ) legislative campaign developed years ago for a federal law to protect the life off the New Jersey coast and lock-out harmful industrialization and pollution.
The campaign was launched in Seaside Park, the “middle of the Jersey Shore” this week and was welcomed by Mayor John Peterson, Seaside Park, Trisha DeVoe, a naturalist; and ocean advocacy speakers including concerned citizen Leslie Mangold.
Kicking the campaign off with a press conference on the beach at Funtown Beach in Seaside Park, there was an afternoon Campaign Open House to educate and motivate citizens to become “Ocean Rebels for the COZ.” The day concluded with an evening Call to Action at the water’s edge.
The campaign kick off, originally planned for World Ocean Day June 8th, Clean Ocean Action rescheduled the event due to dangerous air quality conditions in the region. The nonprofit organization, based in Long Branch, noted “every day is ocean day” for ocean advocates.
For more than 40 years, Clean Ocean Action has led a campaign to end ocean dumping, reduce pollution and garbage wash ups, and blocked numerous proposals for oil and gas drilling, and other fossil fuel projects.
“We have come a long way and the ocean is now thriving. Everyone knows the ocean is key to the health of the planet, but few know a healthy ocean is also the planet’s best buffer against climate change. Sustaining a healthy ocean is the key to solving climate change,” said Cindy Zipf, Executive Director, Clean Ocean Action. “Yet threats not only remain but are growing at a reckless pace. Massive industrialization at an unimaginable scale now threatens the health of the ocean and the clean ocean economy,” Zipf added.
Clean Ocean Action identified some of the state and federal actions that have caused alarm and the need for a strong comprehensive law to protect the ocean, including President Biden’s Executive Order calling for 30 gigawatts (30,000 megawatts) of offshore wind by 2030 along with fast-tracking implementation without transparency, due diligence and good science; the Administration’s Ocean Climate Action Plan, for ocean injection of carbon, mining, and massive scale aquaculture and ocean confined animal feed lots, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) which ties offshore wind development (OSW) to offshore oil and gas development and other issues.
“While some elements of these programs do help address climate change, such as greener infrastructure, energy reduction may do so by undermining the health of the ocean, the overall drive is to industrialize the ocean at an unsustainable scale.” said Zipf.
“Whales are a powerful weapon in the fight against climate change. We need to protect the ocean and save our whales now!” said Trisha DeVoe, Conservation Biologist and founder of SaveOurWhalesNow.org.
The Clean Ocean Zone was launched as a campaign against old, new, and renewed threats and continues to call for a pilot project to determine the true impacts of offshore wind industrialization.
The organization will be reaching out to federal and state elected officials to inform them of the new campaign. More information is forthcoming, but the organization has the many action steps available at CleanOceanAction.org for the public to complete and share.
Congressman Chris Smith announced this week that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has formally agreed to launch an investigation into the impacts of the offshore wind development off New Jersey, on not only the environment but the fishing industry, military operations, navigational safety and other areas.
The GAO, an independent congressional watchdog, will investigate ocean altering impacts of the 3,400 offshore wind turbines planned along the Jersey shoreline and will help address the many questions and concerns residents have concerning the unprecedented offshore wind industrialization of the ocean, Smith said.
“It is absolutely critical that New Jersey residents understand all the impacts of these offshore wind projects—which will permanently transform our marine environment and seascape and could put our tourism-drive economy at grave risk—before it’s too late,” said Smith.
He also announced he will be hosting a meeting with GAO and other interested parties in the near future.
Smith requested the GAO study last May in a joint letter also signed by Rep. Jeff Van Drew and other Congressmen as part of the amendment Smith had offered and which was approved as part of the Lower Energy Costs Act last March.
That amendment, which had strong bipartisan support is now in the Senate as part of HR1 which faces strong opposition.
Smith and the other Congressman calling for the GAO investigation asked the committee to investigate all air and maritime safety affected by the turbines, including the operation of radar systems, their impact on air traffic, military training missions off the Atlantic coast, commercial fishing activities, fishing access to the Outer Continental Shelf and impacts on the fishing industry overall. The investigation should also include a study of the marine environment and ecology, including whales, dolphins and any endangered or threatened species, as well as the resiliency of any offshore wind infrastructure in extreme weather events off the coast, including hurricanes
Elden H. Johnson was born in the small community of Bivalve, a section of what was known as Commercial Township in Cumberland County on Feb. 12, 1921. But the family moved to Massachusetts sometime in his youth.
Since Johnson enlisted in the Army from Weymouth, Mass., that state is credited with his Congressional Medal of Honor.
However, the private was one of America’s Heroes honored aboard the USS New Jersey, BB62 in May during the 80th anniversary of the highly decorated battleship, now a museum and Memorial on the Delaware River in Camden.
Johnson joined the army in April 1943 and was a private in the 10th Infantry Regiment of the Third Infantry Division in 1944. Killed near Valmontone, Italy by hostile German gunfire. He was 23 years of age at the time of his death.
His Medal of Honor for his actions the day of his death was awarded to family members the following year, May 16, 1945.
Following his death, there were several honors paid to the private prior to the BB62 honors this year. In 1947, an evacuation transport ship, which in itself had also suffered from enemy fire, was repaired and returned to service as an Army transport ship named the Pvt. Eldon H. Johnson. The ship was in service with the Army and operating in the Pacific Ocean until the end of the war. It was then returned to Navy custody and was decommissioned and transferred to the Maritime Administration in 1950.
In 1949, the former German Panzerkaserne, in Germany, was named the Johnson Barracks honoring the private. From the 1970s, the John Barracks was home to the 16th Engineers Battalion in support of two brigades of the First Armored Division and one Brigade of the Second AD. It also contained warehouses and other facilities for supplying elements from the William O. Darby Barracks.
An elementary school in Weymouth, Mass was named in Pvt. Johnson’s honor and a copy of his Congressional Medal of Honor is on display there, now known as the Johnson Early Childhood Center. The Childhood Center is unique in that while it is part of the Weymouth public school system, tuition is required.
Pvt. Johnson is buried in Union Cemetery, Scituate, Mass.
Pvt. Johnson’s Medal of Honor reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. Pvt. Johnson elected to sacrifice his life in order that his comrades might extricate themselves from an ambush.
Braving the massed fire of about 60 riflemen, 3 machine guns, and 3 tanks from positions only 25 yards distant, he stood erect and signaled his patrol leader to withdraw. The whole area was brightly illuminated by enemy flares.
Then, despite 20mm. machine guns, machine pistol, and rifle fire directed at him, Pvt. Johnson advanced beyond the enemy in a slow deliberate walk. Firing his automatic rifle from the hip, he succeeded in distracting the enemy and enabled his 12 comrades to escape.
Advancing to within five yards of a machine gun, emptying his weapon, Pvt. Johnson killed its crew. Standing in full view of the enemy he reloaded and turned on the riflemen to the left, firing directly into their positions. He either killed or wounded four of them. A burst of machine gun fire tore into Pvt. Johnson and he dropped to his knees. Fighting to the very last, he steadied himself on his knees and sent a final burst of fire crashing into another German. With that he slumped forward dead.
Pvt. Johnson had willingly given his life in order that his comrades might live. These acts on the part of Pvt. Johnson were an inspiration to the entire command and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the armed forces.
Want to read more on Medal of Honor Recipients … Click HERE
With the annual Atlantic Highlands Fireman’s Fair set for five nights of fun and entertainment in two week, it’s time to look back to July 24, 1941 when the Fire Department set a record for the most successful Fireman’s Fair ever at its first annual event.
Irving Bader of Brooklyn was a salesman who happened to be in Naylor’s Auto when Billy Bowne was selling chances on a new car that was going to go to some lucky winner the night of the Fireman’s Fair. Bader bought a ticket from Bowne, who worked at Naylor’s and later went home from the fair with a 1941 Plymouth sedan, plus 100 gallons of gas as well as 1941 license plates for his lucky vehicle.
Dominick Caruso was chairman of the car raffle and announced the big event profited the fire department by $1,040.
During the three days of Fireman’s Fair festivities, Mary Costanza won a blanket and Mrs. Edward Layton a bed spread in other contest giveaways.
The African Dip was the biggest attraction of the many at the Fireman’s Fair, and for a small fee, anyone got the chance to throw a baseball, with successful throws landing two black men into the water tanks.
On Firemen’s Night at the event, the Navesink Fire company took away the trophy, with Sea Bright coming in second and Fair Haven third.
Ice cream sales for the event also earned another $32.75 for the volunteer fire department.
The fire companies had their own contest throughout the Fireman’s Fair. The company that sold the least tickets had to purchase sandwiches for the other two companies, while the company that sold second less tickets had to provide the drinks. Company 1 took the honors, with Hook and Ladder providing the sandwiches and Mantell the drinks for the event.
It started early one Saturday morning in the Seniors Center Building at the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Harbor. Guys normally in neat white, khaki or blue uniforms now dressed in jeans, t-shirts and some kind of brimmed cap were sharing coffee, bagels and spreads with seasoned fishermen eager to show their soon to be friends just how great sports fishing can be. Plan of the day? Fins for Freedom
The boat owning seasoned fishermen were taking out nearly 100 veterans or active-duty soldiers, sailors and Marines to say thanks so much for your service, thanks for protecting us. Now let us show you how to relax and meet new friends.
Today, Fins for Freedom consisted of 20 boat captains and owners, some in private vessels, some in their company’s charter boats, all wanting to help military men and women enjoy a day at sea, friendship, relaxation, and hopefully success at catching a striped bass.
It was all part of the Fins for Freedom Charity program launched by Mike Mavrinac, Jake Campi, Dave Thompson and Dan Brady all sports fishermen who recognize the benefits of a day on the water and the thrill of hooking a striped bass be it for the first or 50th time. Recognizing the relaxing and stress reducing benefits of a day on the open water and knowing that as boat owners or major corporation heads who could help active-duty military men and women, they pooled their efforts, came up with a program that provides for the mental health and well-being of the service members, and made it all official before the first hook went into the ocean.
Dan Brady took the concept to his employer Thomas J. Veth, CPA PC (US Navy) who supported the idea from the start. Veth’s office navigated the registration and application process with the State of New Jersey and the Internal Revenue Service to establish Fins for Freedom Inc.a New Jersey Non-Profit Organization with all donations being tax deductible and all the proceeds used to ensure a fun day for a lot of serving men and women.
Mike Mavrinac, another of the Fins for Freedom leaders and a sponsor of the program, is with Sport Drinking Apparel. He brought his boat and enthusiasm to the harbor to take some of the military members out, complete with bait, poles, and experience; Captain Dan Massa brought his Thin Blue Tide Charters to take a group, as did many private boat owners from the Atlantic Highlands Harbor and other local marinas.
The boat captains all met the night before the event to get filled in on all the details and get their assigned military fishermen for the next day’s outing. Most of these captains competitively fish against each other in tournaments throughout the season. There is NO information sharing during tournaments as the crews are fishing for a cash prize. This event was not a tournament. For this event to be a success, all captains were asked to check their egos at the door and to work together to help locate the fish, call in the other participating boats on a pre-determined “secret channel” to put fish on the lines of the service members, and… that’s exactly what they did!
The boat captains from Fins of Freedom first met with the soldiers and veterans the next morning, when all gathered for breakfast, a get together, and the military guests learning their specific vessel, some taking on two, others up to five military for the day. Each of the boats was fully equipped by the volunteers with poles, bait, crew members and box lunches, beverages and snacks for the day of fishing, all from the generous donations of sponsors and private individuals to Fins for Freedom Inc.
All agree to be back at the dock around 4 in the afternoon, an hour or so to change clothes, and be ready for a buffet dinner at The Shore Casino, complete with cocktail hour.
In between, the veterans, some experienced, some new to saltwater fishing, learned the tricks of fishing from the pros behind the wheel, learned how to bait as well as clean and filet their catch, put them on ice, and talk about the state regulations that let them fish for the day, but only permitted each to keep a single trophy of his prowess with a pole.
And at the end of the fishing day, everyone in the military had the thrill of catching at least one striper, some more than one and releasing it back to the sea. Over dinner at the Casino, there was talk about the largest and smallest that were kept, how they were going to grill or bake them after they got home, and of course, the one that got away.
The Directors of Fins for Freedom Inc. would like to thank all of our major sponsors, as well as the many local small businesses and Individuals whose support made this event a huge success! We are looking to build on the event for next year with a goal of doubling the amount of service members we can host.
Fins for Freedom
Fins for Freedom Inc. is accepting donations of either sponsorship of any part of the day for future events, or of vessels to take out the military. More information about this non-profit is available at their website finsforfreedom.org or by contacting them by email at Info@finsforfreedom.com.
More stories about the military … or our Veterans? View HERE
Today is Flag Day, the day set aside to commemorate the adoption of the official Flag of the United States by resolution of the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. That resolution stated “That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
Birthday
Today is also the Birthday of the United States Army, celebrating Jun 14, 1775, when Congress adopted “the American continental army” by a consensus position in the Committee of the Whole
It was President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 who first proclaimed June 14 as an official Flag Day. And an Act of Congress established Flag Day in 1949, although it is not an official federal holiday, but rather at the President’s discretion to officially proclaim the observance. Pennsylvania was the first state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday. The President can proclaim the entire week Flag Week.,
It was in December, 1773, that the Sons of Liberty dumped all those chests of tea from ships at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston into Boston Harbor, letting the British know the dissatisfaction of the colonists with the ever increasing taxes on the colonies.
That led to the British Parliament passing a series of acts known as the Intolerable Acts, to punish the colonists for their defiance. Those acts included not only more taxes but also a directive to house British troops in their homes and quit elections. That led to increased tension and more violence and the firing on the colonists’ militia at Lexington and Concord.
Two months into that conflict, in the face of actual war rather than civil disturbance, the Continental Congress created the Continental Army as united in response to the British enemy. This new Continental Army included 10 companies of riflemen. Men from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia were the first to volunteer. Congress, by a vote, named General George Washington Commander in Chief and the rest is history.
The Army is the oldest of all of the nation’s armed forces.
It was terrific to finally get inside the new Highlands borough halland see what it’s going to look like inside and it was a downright pleasant surprise. Seeing how the work is progressing on this building and the absolute enthusiasm of the work crews, to say nothing of the high standards set by the construction company, it does make me wonder if there’s something else really the cause of all those problems at the Sea Tow building in Atlantic Highlands by the same contractor more than two years ago.
Just my opinion, but not so sure they’re the ones who should take the blame for all that’s gone wrong in Atlantic Highlands.
Just my opinion, but while Venividiscripto still thinks the new borough hall is far larger than this great little borough needs …, its position is changed from what was first shown….you remember when the pictures showed it was set back enough for two rows of cars to be parked between the building and the highway, …and the strange thing about having the main door face somebody’s back yard, not even a street, when it comes to patriotism the builder has the right priority.
The building isn’t finished, the gardeners are still working to make the grounds attractive and yet the flagpoles honoring the state and the nation are already in place and banners flying high! Certainly don’t like the building hiding the beautiful church next to it from the view of those millions heading to Sandy Hook, but am appreciative, as every American should be, that this contractor appreciates his citizenship enough to make sure this happened even before the building is dedicated. Obviously proud of the red, white and blue standard!… Just my opinion
In contrast, not very fond of the too-high apartment complex going up next to the Legion post home, and think it is one more example of pouring too much concrete, covering up too much ground then wondering where the heck flood waters are going to go.
Had the chance to see how the view is changed for residents on the hill and now have more reason to dislike the new construction. Though it doesn’t completely obliterate the view, it certainly makes a huge difference at least for some of those highway residents. And that is kind of like what goes on at Sandy Hook.
Just my opinion … but, do you realize, in spite of some seven miles of magnificent oceanfront in a national recreation area, it really isn’t easy to see it. The ocean that is. Once you’re off the Captain Azzolina Bridge and back on level ground inside Sandy Hook, it’s impossible to see the ocean from your vehicle. Worse, for folks who require a wheelchair, there are not even any signs to let you know that at the very first parking area that’s open, Area B, there is a great deck built on top of the wall and a comfortable ramp for wheeling up a wheelchair.
But no signs will ever tell you that, it seems. Such an easy thing to accomplish with a little thought, but even a Congressman hasn’t been able to get the Park Service to do that much in more than a month. Just my opinion
Cleanliness and order. That’s the first two things you notice on a tour of the Highlands borough Hall under construction at the intersection of Route 36, which is Navesink Avenue, and Miller St, across from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.
Kappa Construction Corporation, a family-owned business for decades, is the general contractor for the building and broke ground April 3 of last year. Working with teams of subcontractors who have worked with the company many times in their history of building everything from municipal buildings to multi-family dwellings, the father and son team who head up the company take justifiable pride in their work and the standards they have set.
Corporation president Gus Kamaratos, his son, project manager Phil Kamaratos for the borough hall construction, along with the borough’s project manager, Caitlyn Munson, took time this week to permit an hour-long visit by VeniVidiScripto to the site, answer questions, and explain procedures and policies.
Work on the Borough Hall is proceeding ahead of schedule, and barring any unforeseen weather situations it appears the new building will be completed ahead of its scheduled October date.
Once open, the Highlands Police Department as well as every borough employee will appreciate the broad expanse of space the building provides to meet their everyday needs of running a municipality.
After years of operating out of a small store front type building on Bay Avenue in the 1950s, followed by a larger building on the same site after Hurricane Donna in 1960, a facility that housed a library but limited space for the police department, borough employees have been working in cramped quarters for more than a decade after Hurricane Sandy destroyed the building.
Since then, the borough clerk and borough administrator’s offices have been contained in cramped trailers and makeshift buildings, with the police department in another equally cramped facility a short distance away along Shore Drive.
The borough will now provide the largest and best equipped municipal office building the borough has ever known.
Designed by architect Settembrino Architects of Atlantic Highlands, the borough hall has undergone several change orders since first designed and now has two entrances, neither of which is on the Navesink Avenue side of the building.
With the police department on the lowest level of the two-story borough hall complex with a peaked roof and solar paneling on the highest peaks, the entrance to that section of the building faces Valley Avenue and opens to a large hallway and police department offices as well as a staircase and elevator nearby with access to the municipal business portions of the building.
Another door at that level on Miller Street opens to another section of the police department and will most likely only be accessible by department members. The facility includes a number of rooms for detectives, drug testing, offices, police lounge and bathrooms, showers and uniform storage, as well as two jail cells, ADA complaint, interrogation rooms, and a chief’s office.
Other offices near the entrance will enable personnel to be present to direct visitors who use this entrance to access municipal offices to the stairs or elevator, or other police department personnel.
The door for conducting municipal business faces the rear yard of the Daino household on Miller St. and is accessible from both the Miller Street and Route 36 parking areas. The entry leads to a hallway designed to enable easy access to either the building departments or the series of windows for other municipal business.
That floor of the facility includes a large room with windows opening out to the hallway for conducting business, several rooms for council sessions, a large meeting room for public meetings, a lounge area for employees, bathrooms, the court facilities, and tax, storage and records rooms.
In compliance with state judicial regulations, there is a court room, the judge’s private chamber and bathroom, and an office for the court clerk, all on this same level.
Both adjacent neighbors and the construction company recognize a new government building in what has been a residential neighborhood and parking lot for the church is not easily welcomed by homeowners, but there appears to be a healthy and understanding relationship between the two. Neighbors are politely enduring the traffic patterns and parking situations during construction, and the construction project manager is generous with information and suggestions.
Parking in front of the police headquarters on the side of the building as well more limited parking along the borough office side provides for approximately 50 cars. Access and egress to the parking will most likely be permitted both from the current curb opening on Route 36 as well as Miller St. As current traffic regulations stand, access to the downtown area leaving Borough Hall means driving east on Route 36 to Capt. Joseph Azzolina Bridge, since no left turns are allowed from the highway on to Miller Street.
Company president Kamaratos takes obvious pride in his work and the standards he has set and expects, and it appears every subcontractor meets or exceeds those standards. Hours into a typical workday, there are no wires, equipment, or paraphernalia of any kind on any of the hallways, extra products are neatly stored in one of the finished rooms, carpeting already installed is covered and lighting makes it easy to see.
While it is the architect who determines the specific materials used from paint and its colors to carpeting and floor coverings, Kamaratos made it clear that his company does not cut corners and chooses the best in the high-quality options set by the architect. As an example, the three or four different color paints, with a predominance of a clean gray color, are all Sherwin Williams paints and designed specifically for the specific type of surface it is covering. “There is no savings in using a cheaper or inferior product,” Kamaratos said. Similarly, the wooded doors are stained at the manufacturing plant.
While the main parking area is paved, Munson, the borough’s oversee of the project, explained it is only the subsurface and is in place before completion of the project for specific reasons. It is the one-time contractors hope for rain, she explained, since it would show if there were puddling or problems anyplace. Any less than perfect situation could be corrected before the final topcoat is poured. “That’s the last thing that gets done,” she said.
Munson, who earned her degree in engineering from Rutgers University, has worked on a variety of sites in her career, one of the most recent an affordable housing complex in Portchester, New York
Obviously well versed in every aspect of the borough hall construction, she is quick to point out the need for work schedules to be coordinated and scheduled to avoid any conflicts or wasted time. Scheduling is part of the duties of Phil Kamaratos, the construction company’s project manager for the building. He has been fastidious in ensuring there are no conflicts that slow down or prevent another sub-contractor’s work. As proud of the company as his father, the younger builder laughed that his father might be the owner of the company but does take orders from him as the project manager on this job.
There have been several change orders to the new Borough Hall, Munson explained, some occasioned by borough staff or administrators seeking a larger or smaller room than planned, so adjustments have to be made to ensure the changes do not contradict all building standards. The borough is subject to every inspection approval any commercial building is required to meet.
To avoid any possibility of conflict, Highlands pays the Holmdel building inspector rather than its own building inspector, which is the Middletown inspector, to do the inspections on the new building.
There have been virtually no delays in construction, the senior Kamaratos said, saying the contractors were able to complete their work both because of efficiency and good planning as well as extremely good weather during the winter months.
Nor have there been any major problems throughout the construction. Munson had to think a while before agreeing that currently the only problem is the elevator. “Everything is ready for the equipment to be installed,” she explained, “but when the apparatus arrived, it was missing a piece.” So, they have to wait for installation until the missing piece arrives from the manufacturer.
Both borough administrator Michael Muscillo and Mayor Carolyn Broullon are on site frequently, both to watch progress and familiarize themselves with the construction. Asked for a comment on the proximity of construction completion and a formal opening of the Borough Hall, the Mayor said “we have been waiting for this day for quite some time and are excited to finally see the opening of our Municipal Complex.”
The contractor was diligent in yet another visual impact of the Route 36 site. Flagpoles ordered for the Navesink Avenue side of the building arrived about four weeks ago, Kamaratos said, surveying the work currently underway by the landscapers. “We wanted to put the American flag up as soon as we got it,” he said, “and the landscapers are doing a great job with their plants and flowers in working around them.”
