LAKEHURST – The Borough’s 113-year-old fire company which has been on hiatus since April is expected to dissolve following a vote by its remaining membership.
The Borough’s budget is expected to be introduced at the council’s May 21 meeting. It was postponed from the most recent session due to the municipality not having a shared service agreement in place for fire protection as a result of the fire company’s suspension of service.
Last month Councilman Robert McCarthy who serves as the council committee chair for the Public Safety Committee reported the fire company was “temporarily shuttered.” He said that the replacement service will be what the borough is accustomed to.
He added that the station was being taken care of and that he hoped that a new chief would be put in place. “The bills for the building will be maintained.”
He noted that volunteers for fire companies and first aid squads nationwide were facing added requirements, expense and training. “Unfortunately, we are the latest victim.”
It was hoped that the fire company would be able to restart after being reorganized but Fire Company President Sue Clark said during the latest council meeting that despite a meeting of the fire company’s remaining membership last month, that the fire company has too few active members to operate. A final meeting was set to take place on May 13 to finalize the fire company’s closure.
The community is currently receiving fire coverage from nearby Manchester Township and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst through a mutual aid agreement. Manchester Mayor Joseph Hankins told The Manchester Times on May 11 that a meeting was scheduled this week to go over details of long-term coverage of the borough by firefighting units of the township.
Resolution of this issue will allow for the Lakehurst’s budget to be introduced on May 21.
Councilwoman Bernadette Dugan who chairs the council’s Finance Committee reported a public hearing on the budget is expected to be held on June 18 prior to being voted on by the governing body.
Council President Jeffrey Emmons reported that the planned Fourth of July Parade may not occur on Independence Day in lieu of the fire company’s status. The annual Car Show coordinated by the Lakehurst Historical Society will not take place this year and is usually held on the Lakehurst Elementary School grounds as part of the festivities that day.
The celebration is a popular holiday pastime for residents and visitors of the borough. Councilwoman Dugan said she would be disappointed if this is the case as this year marks the 250th birthday of America. Emmons said that a celebration may be pushed to the fall.
The community’s fire company was very much a part of the community through its participation and hosting of events such as Pizza With Santa. They would deliver Kris Kringle to Borough Hall for the lighting of the Christmas Tree, participate in the Halloween and Independence Day parades, bring the Easter Bunny to Lake Horicon and provide soup and chili entries for the Lakehurst Historical Society’s annual Soup & Chili challenge. In recent years the fire company hosted an autumn firepit and food truck event at the lake.
Among the resolutions passed during the latest council meeting included resolutions to award contract applications for a stormwater inlet vacuum truck to Gran Turk Equipment Company, a dump truck to Paramus Ford and a backhoe loader to Foley, Incorporated.
Land Use Board Chairman DavidBurton came before the mayor and council to report that a proposed cannabis retail operation west of Lake Street was “not a viable location to support a third potential retailer.”
Borough Attorney Ian Goldman said the Council’s Cannabis Committee would discuss this and advise the council on what the next step is. The cannabis ordinance will need to be reviewed by the Cannabis Committee first, then they will make a recommendation to the governing body.
The community’s cannabis ordinance was amended in 2022 to allow a third retailer. In 2023, the council issued a Resolution of Support to a cannabis retailer for the third location; however, they have not received approval from the Land Use board.
“There is no room on Route 70,” Burton stated. Lakehurst currently has two cannabis retail outlets – one on Route 70, the other on Union Avenue within a few blocks from each other. Both opened in recent years.
McCarthy noted that Lakehurst has received a Local Recreation Improvement Grant (LRIG) from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in the amount of $68,000.
The grant provides funding to municipalities, counties, and school districts for repairing and upgrading public recreational facilities with a focus on enhancing safe, modern spaces. The competitive program typically offers maximum awards of $75,000–$100,000 per project.
The councilman said the approval of the grant will allow the community to move forward with its playground improvement plans at Lake Horicon. He also noted that Lakehurst will receive $22,000 from the Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) program sponsored by JCP&L Energy Save New Jersey. The funds will be used for switching the lights over to LED lights at the police department. Last year funds from the program were used for the same project at the fire house.
Councilwoman Patricia Hodges reported that the Department of Public Works will be replacing the roof of the Quonset hut located at the Public Works yard, painting the Public Works building, and installing the LED lights at the Police Department.
Other issues discussed included water usage. In the winter of 2024-2025, the meter at the water plant was showing more usage than what was billed. This past winter the discrepancy was noted as a lot smaller.
The Borough Police Department’s annual Bike Rodeo will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 6 at Horicon Lake.
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