BRICK – The township’s Electric Vehicle Committee has recommended that the administration authorize the installation of two electric vehicle charging stations on township-owned property.
The governing body introduced an ordinance at their December 13 council meeting that gives the administration the ability to install the charging stations at the Drum Point Sports Complex and at Windward Beach Park to be used by owners of private and public electric vehicles.
During the meeting, Mayor John G. Ducey said that the installation of the two charging stations would be funded by grant money. He said the ordinance is necessary because the stations would be installed on township land.
Private electric car owners would be charged an hourly rate to charge their vehicles and would be given a 30-minute grace period after their car is fully charged to remove their vehicle.
During public comment, township resident Onofrio Ambrosino said he was thankful for the governing body’s efforts to provide electrical vehicle charging stations.
“I feel that is the way of the future, and that’s just another thing that keeps us moving ahead rather than stuck in the old,” Ambrosino said.
In other news, Brick Police Chief James Riccio and Sgt. James Kelly were honored with a Heroes Against Hate award at the Jewish Federation of Ocean County’s annual Community of Caring Celebration for their work with the Cops and Clergy initiative.
The men accepted their award during a December 19 ceremony held at The Barn in Whiting on Route 70.
Mayor Ducey spoke about the initiative during the council meeting.
“We do this pretty cool program here that a lot of people might not know about,” he said. “It’s the Cops and Clergy group so our representatives from each clergy…get together on a monthly basis and Sgt. Kelly advises everybody there about what’s going on in town and the congregations raise whatever concerns they may have,” he said.
The clergy take the information back to their congregations and distribute what they learned, the mayor said.
And finally, Councilman Perry Albanese spoke about the recent pet hoarding situation at a residence in Brick where 180 animals – including 135 dogs and 45 cats – were removed by the authorities.
“Due to the generosity of the people of Brick Township and the county, we were overwhelmed with donations, so as of now we cannot accept donations at the shelters just because there’s no room, but we do appreciate everybody’s interest,” he said.
Albanese said if the public is interested in donating items, call the shelters every few days to see what is needed.
The animals that were rescued are not available just yet, the councilman said. They have to be spayed, neutered, vetted, get all their required shots, which is currently ongoing, so they might become available for adoption in the next couple of weeks.
“These animals are not your standard shelter animals,” Albanese said. “There are a lot of smaller dogs, and they just need a loving home.”
He said the shelters hope to be posting photos of some of the animals shortly on the OCHD website. For more information visit OCHD.org and click on animal shelters, he said.
“It’s overwhelming right now,” Albanese said.
