Council meeting rushed after grueling public session – Star News Group

POINT PLEASANT BEACH — The borough council approved Ordinance 2023-04 at its Tuesday meeting, allowing Point Pleasant Beach to exceed municipal budget appropriation limits and establish a cap bank.

The measure was unanimously adopted following a second reading and public hearing during the meeting.

This ordinance now allows the borough to increase budget appropriations from 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent and to bank any appropriation room for the next two succeeding years. 

Due to an unexpectedly long and unscheduled public session at the start of the meeting, the council did not get to its agenda items until 10:40 p.m. [Related story, front page]. The rest of the meeting was rushed in an effort to avoid extending beyond 11 p.m. According to Mayor Kanitra, a meeting extension past 11 p.m. has only happened twice during his term.

While committee member reports were rushed, the administrator did take time to show the council and attendees a new street sign that read “Hennessy Way.” This sign would replace the Municipal Way street sign and honor the late Daniel Joseph Hennessy, the longest running mayor in Ocean County. 

Mr. Hennessy’s daughter, Kristin, also spoke during another public comment session, thanking the council for honoring her father.

“I appreciate Ms. [Christine] Riehl for bringing the sign tonight and I want to publicly thank Mr. Migut for reviving the spirit of a memorial for my dad,” said Ms. Hennessy. “I wish this was something that could have gotten done while my dad was still alive but it is better late than never.”

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