LAKEHURST – Officials voted to approve ordinances regarding homelessness and safety during a recent Borough Council meeting.
They revised several general ordinances of the community and defined “camp” to mean to reside or dwell temporarily in a place, with shelter. According to the ordinance “shelter” shall mean and includes, without limitation, any tent, tarpaulin, lean-to, sleeping bag, bedroll, blankets, or any form of cover or protection from the elements other than clothing.
It added, “reside or dwell shall mean and includes, without limitation, conducting such activities as eating, sleeping, or the storage of personal possessions.”
Also designated was a human service outreach worker which the ordinance defined as a person designated in writing by the manager of the Ocean County Department of Human Services to assist law enforcement officers.
It added, “enforcement, regardless of whether the person is an employee of the Department of Human Services.”
Also defined was “public property” which means by way of illustration, any street, alley, sidewalk, pedestrian mall, bike path, town square, greenway, vacant land, woodland, or any other structure or area encompassed within the public right-of-way; any parkway, parking lot; or any other grounds, buildings, or other facilities owned or leased by the Borough of Lakehurst or by any other public owner, regardless of whether such public property is vacant or occupied and actively used for any public purpose.
It shall be unlawful to camp upon any private property without the express written consent of the property owner or the owner’s agent.
It is also prohibited anyone to camp upon any public property except in any park or recreation area where camping has been expressly allowed by the officer or agency having the control, management and supervision of the park or recreational area.
The provisions of this ordinance shall be under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Court of the Borough of Lakehurst to enforce, to include law enforcement officers and Borough inspectors.
No law enforcement officer or Borough inspector shall issue a citation, make an arrest or otherwise enforce this section against any person unless the officer orally requests or orders the person to refrain from the alleged violation of this section and, if the person fails to comply after receiving the oral request or order, the officer issues a written request or order to the person warning that if the person fails to comply the person may be cited or arrested for a violation of this ordinance.
The ordinance also noted that the officer should attempt to ascertain whether the person is in need of medical or human services assistance, including, but not limited to, mental health treatment, drug or alcohol rehabilitation, or homeless services assistance.
If the officer determines that the person may be in need of medical or human services assistance, the officer should make reasonable efforts to contact and obtain the assistance of a designated human service outreach worker, who, in turn, shall assess the needs of the person and, if warranted, direct the person to an appropriate provider of medical or human services assistance in lieu of the person being cited or arrested for a violation.
The ordinance further explains that if the officer is unable to obtain the assistance of a human services outreach worker, if the human services outreach worker determines that the person is not in need of medical or human services assistance or if the person refuses to cooperate with the direction of the human services outreach worker, the officer may proceed to cite or arrest the person for a violation.
In other news, the council authorized various improvements and appropriated $28,000 to cover the cost of those improvements and is fully funded by the general capital fund balance.
New Speed Limits
The speed limits on Union and Brown avenues were cut by five miles per hour. This ordinance came after a borough police department study and another by Ocean County.
The changes are: the Route 70 circle to Lake Street will be 30 miles per hour; Lake Street to a point 425 feet east from the easterly curb line of Railroad Avenue will be 25 miles per hour; and from a point 425’ east from the eastly curb line of Railroad Avenue to Route 37 will be 30 miles per hour.
Uncontested Races On Election Day
The borough had two full term council seat races which had Republican incumbents re-elected. Council President Steven Oglesby brought in 442 votes while Councilman Brian DiMeo collected 439 on Election Day.
There was one Board of Education seat up for election this year and incumbent David Burton was reelected to the Board.
