BRICK – Mayor Lisa Crate took a few minutes during the most recent council meeting to urge residents to shop locally and support small businesses in town.
According to the United States Small Business Association statistics, there are 34.7 million small businesses in the country, representing 99.7% of firms with paid employees, and are responsible for 61.1 percent of net new jobs created since 1995, Mayor Crate said.
Small businesses employ 45.9 percent of employees in the private sector in this country, she added.
“68 cents of every dollar spent at a small business in the United States stays in the local community, and every dollar spent at a small business creates an additional 48 cents in local business activity as a result of employees and local businesses purchasing local goods and services,” the mayor said.
“Brick Township, New Jersey celebrates our local small businesses and the contributions they make to our local economy and community,” she said.
Mayor Crate said Brick Township supports local businesses – they create jobs, boost the local economy and preserve our communities. She then presented a proclamation declaring the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday to the Executive Director of the Brick Chamber of Commerce Danielle Kidney.
After thanking the mayor and council, Kidney said the organization is proud to have such a wonderful relationship with the town.
“Our small businesses are the backbone of the community, and we are so excited to have your support and to help further the economy in Brick with the Economic Development Committee as well. We’re looking at ways to bring more small businesses and incentivize small business owners to open and flourish here in Brick Township,” Kidney said.
Electric Bike Safety
In other news, the governing body introduced an ordinance that would regulate low-speed electric bicycles with the goal of reducing the number of injuries and property damage related to them being improperly operated.
The Council’s Public Safety Committee has recommended the ordinance to address the growing numbers of electric bicycles on township roadways, said Council Vice President Derrick Ambrosino.
“With the rising popularity of the use of electric-powered bicycles, the Brick Police Department is seeing a rise in motor vehicle crashes, resulting in serious injuries involving these types of bicycles,” he said.
Most of these crashes are the fault of those driving the electric bikes, and township police have been seeing an increase of careless operations of the bikes and other electric-powered means of transportation, the Ambrosino said.
This ordinance outlines the classes of electric bicycles and the rules that need to be followed while they’re in use, he said.
For example, the ordinance defines low-speed electric bicycles versus motorized bicycles, and the speed limits at which they are able to operate.
The ordinance requires that electric bicycles abide by all normal traffic rules; the need for lights and reflectors; that riders under 17 would require helmets; and that none can be ridden on sidewalks by anyone over the age of 14.
The new ordinance also defines reckless and careless riding, and names specific locations in town where they are strictly prohibited, such as all township parks for example.
“Most importantly, this establishes penalties for violating this ordinance that can be enforced by our Police Department,” Ambrosino said.
“Adopting this ordinance is another tool for those officers to also help educate and enforce these laws in an attempt to lower motor vehicle crashes involving electric-powered bicycles and careless operators,” he said.
The next council meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 10 at 7 p.m.
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