Hurricane Sandy

Mayor Puts Preliminary Storm Damage Costs Between $5M and $6M; Up To $500M Ratable Loss

Township could recoup up to 75 percent of storm damage costs from FEMA

Hurricane Sandy pummeled Berkeley Township over five weeks ago. But the reverberations from the historic storm will be felt for years to come. Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. estimated the actual property damage to beaches, bulkheads, buildings, roads and the infrastructure at roughly $2.5 million. But when you factor in cleanup costs - including employees, contractors, equipment, tipping fees at the Ocean County Landfill, gas, and police coverage, the number is much higher. "We are still gathering information," Amato said today. "I will have harder numbers on Tuesday. All said and done, it might be close to $5 million to $6 million." Berkeley should qualify for 75 percent reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), he …

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Bringing More Ratables To Town Number One On Amato's List

Mayor extends invitation to Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno to see the Beachwood Shopping Center for herself

Ask Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. what his number one goal is for the year and he answers without hesitation. Ratables, ratables, ratables. "The immediate challenge is to get some economic growth in the township," he said in a recent interview in his office at Town Hall. Berkeley, a traditionally retail-poor town, has seen even more businesses shuttered over the past several months. The biggest blow was the Food Circus' closure of the Bayville Super Foodtown in the Baywick Plaza off Route 9. The supermarket was the anchor store for mall's other businesses. Amato is determined to do as much as possible to speed up state approval of Berkeley's Town Center plan, a portion of the township's massive redevelopment plan. He has invited Lt. Gov. Kim …

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Rita Imperato McGuire

10:58 am on Sunday, February 19, 2012

Steve, I work for the Township and our new Mayor Amato has been in Townhall almost everyday since he was sworn in. Varano was rarely in the building the 12 years I worked there. Regarding clutter in the mayor's office, did you ever take a good look at the office when Mayor Varano was in power,,,,,,,,,now that was a mess. Leave our new mayor alone and let him do some good for this town. Get over …   more ›