Point Beach to Drop Early Bar Closing and Jenkinson's to Drop Lawsuits
Council, following mayor's recommendation, votes for agreement that also includes Jenkinson's help in boardwalk repairs
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It's a Christmas miracle.
The Point Beach Council, on the recommendation of the mayor, voted unanimously Tuesday night for a compromise with Jenkinson's that calls for rescinding the early bar closing ordinance and revising the parking plan in exchange for Jenkinson's to drop lawsuits against those measures and to pay up to $1 million towards boardwalk repair expenses.
Councilmember Michael Corbally was absent.
Mayor Vincent Barrella announced in the early portion of Tuesday night's meeting that he and Municipal Business Administrator Chris Riehl had met a few times with Jenkinson's representatives, including two meetings last week with Pat, Anthony and Frank Storino, who have owned Jenkinson's, since 1976, that led to the agreement.
Unlike many such private meetings during the past year, there were no lawyers representing the town or Jenkinson's present at the last two meetings.
Later in the Tuesday night council meeting, shortly after 9:20 p.m., council voted unanimously to accept the terms of the agreement.
Now the council needs to adopt an ordinance rescinding the early bar closing ordinance, said Barrella, adding he expects to have that on an agenda of the first regular council meeting in January.
Anthony Storino, Jenkinson's president, and Ed McGlynn, the company's attorney, were at Tuesday night's council meeting and confirmed the terms of the agreement.
"Thank you" said Anthony Storino, in a rare public statement to the mayor and council, before the council voted. "We're starting the New Year off on the right foot."
Barrella, in turn, thanked Storino.
"Please thank your father, uncle and brother," Barrella said, referring to the other Storinos who are principals of the company. Barrella said he had been particularly happy that Jenkinson's proposed helping to pay for boardwalk repairs.
The agreement pertains only to Jenkinson's and not to Martell's, which is still litigating against the earlier bar closing (which will now be a moot point) and the parking plan.
"I talked to Dave and Scott Bassinder, but I couldn't get them on board" to drop their lawsuit against the parking plan, said Barrella, who had met with Dave Bassinder, the former owner of Martell's, and Scott, his son and current owner of Martell's. "Maybe they'll be on board."
Councilmember Kristine Tooker said she's happy with the agreement and commended the mayor and Jenkinson's for reaching the compromise.
"Kudos to the mayor and Jenk's," she said. "We've all wanted this, peace in our time," she said laughing.
"I really encourage the Bassinders to get on board," Tooker said.
"There are people who say the mayor doesn't support tourism, but he does, he met with them and he worked this out," Tooker said.
Regarding the boardwalk repairs, Jenkinson's has agreed to reimburse the town up to $1 million, over a 20 year period, for any expenses to repair and replace Sandy-damaged boardwalk that is not reimbursed through state aid or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The parking plan, which was in place only during the summer, prohibited overnight parking on all municipally-owned roads in District 4.
Barrella said he expects council to revise the parking plan and then pass a new measure calling for it to be put back in place for next summer.
He said there may be sections of District 4 that are exempted from the plan and there may be sections of District 3 that are added to the plan, but no specifics were discussed Tuesday night. That will be the subject of future council discussions.
McGlynn said to the mayor and council, "In your minds and in the citizens' minds, the parking plan worked. You gave us your word that you won't be expanding the parking plan."
Barrella also said he will recommend to council that any new, revised parking plan start at 12:30 p.m, instead of midnight, which was the starting time for this past summer's parking plan.
Barrella and McGlynn agreed Tuesday night that the wreckage left in Sandy's wake was an impetus in meeting and reaching an agreement.
When asked outside the meeting why Jenkinson's is willing to drop its lawsuit against the parking plan, McGlynn said, "There was a give and take on both sides. Out of adversity always comes some good. Maybe both sides can start with a clean slate and work together for the betterment of the Beach.
"The negotiations have nothing to do with what was right, wrong, good or bad," McGlynn said. "This storm devastated this community and it's time for all of us to put this behind us and to work towards solving the problems that exist."
When asked if the two sides would likely have reached an agreement had Sandy never happened, McGlynn said, "I don't know. If there had been an agreement, it would have been much different circumstances and reached at a much later time than now."
Anthony Storino said the top priority for Jenkinson's is to bring back the town, as well as the company and its properties.
"We're working with the town to get it 100 percent back," he said. "We have to put in 110 percent effort to help homeowners and the community to get the town back to 100 percent.
"As residents and good neighbors, we want to work with the town to do that," Storino said.
McGlynn said as long as council supports the agreement, Jenkinson's will drop its three lawsuits against the earlier bar closing and the parking plan.
Storino and McGlynn also complimented the town's elected and appointed officials and the Public Works Department in cleaning up the remains of Sandy.
"What a miraculous job by mayor, council and public works in cleaning up and stabilizing the town," McGlynn said.
"They had it done in a month," Storino said, emphatically.
Storino said he expects Jenkinson's to be fully operational by Easter weekend, when it expects to hold its half price ride ticket sales and Easter egg hunt as in past years.
Why is Jenkinson's willing to help pay for boardwalk repairs?
"That started with discussions with the mayor, Vincent Storino (Pat Storino's brother, as well as other Storinos), on Nov. 21," McGlynn said. "That began discussions to try to get rid of the contentiousness which has existed between the mayor, council and Jenkinson's, the largest tax payer in town, to get things heading in a different direction."
Is this a Christmas miracle?
"It's a miracle at 416 New Jersey Avenue instead of Miracle on 34th Street!" McGlynn said, laughing.
Barrella said that any resurrection of the parking plan will still include the municipal lot on Arnold and Ocean avenues, known as the Silver Lake lot, to have free parking from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
In other business, the council's organization meeting will be at 1 p.m. Jan. 5.
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Martell's Sea Breeze/Martell's Tiki Bar
308 Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
watchdog
7:35 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Great damage control by Barrella Tooker and co. They knew they were in deep s**t and had to make a move. Of course Tooker keeps giggling as she has no clue and only moves on the mayor's cue. They know she's up for reelection and will already have a tough time winning. There is no way Martells drops their lawsuit after the mayor tried to humiliate the elder Bassinder at the last meeting.
Walter Cunningham
7:37 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
--Unlike many such private meetings during the past year, there were no lawyers representing the town or Jenkinson's present at the last two meetings.--
Good job.
Amazing what you can accomplish when you take the lawyers out of the equation.
Opinionated
8:19 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Walter, there was also someone else not there either. Kudos to the rest for acting like adults. Now you need to act the same way with Martells. It may be tougher but you can make it happen.
Donald Fagen
2:55 am on Sunday, January 6, 2013
"Amazing what you can accomplish when you take the lawyers out of the equation."
Totally. Nothing makes a settlement more binding/enforceable than represented parties negotiating without their representation. Right?
type writer
8:06 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
So what is the new plan to stop the rowdy drunks coming from Storino's bars and urinating, defecating, fighting and fornicating on tax paying residents private properties?
getgoing1973
9:48 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
if you cant beat them join them
Andrew Linfante
10:03 am on Friday, December 21, 2012
Let the police and the additional summer officers that they hire do their job by patrollong. If they patrol ,they shouild catch these "rowdy drunks". They issue them summonses that will pay for the additional police force and minimize the rowdies!
James Ward
8:06 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
A Christmas miracle indeed! Just what needed to happen & now we can all continue down the road to recovery together. ...Look out, other shore towns!
Jeanmarie Payne
9:22 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Oh well, at least we had one summer where our family could sleep through the night without being interrupted by drunks...
PPNB
9:35 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Really? Did you read the story? Nicely done Mr. Mayor.
Klm1905
10:16 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
I'm sorry your family has to deal with visitors who help support your local economy. Not all of the people who go to Jenk's or Martell's are disruptive drunks walking the streets. So punishing everyone because of a select few is not solving the problem. Secondly, did you move to Point Pleasant Beach before or after Jenkinson's boardwalk was established? Because this is the one thing you do have to factor in when buying there. If you wanted so much peace and quiet, there are many other shore towns that will welcome you with open arms. It'll be like the people who bought a house that backs up to the parkway, they knew what was there, and to think otherwise is on them.
Opinionated
12:09 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Might I recommend a nice adult community?
Opinionated
12:10 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
After all, they were there before you. This would make you the intruder.
Faye Maresca
1:23 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
That's amazing you say that because the bars were all open for their regular hours... remember????
getgoing1973
9:49 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
really? what summer was that? bars closed at 2 am all summer
James Ward
10:34 am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Whelp - bars were open until 2am last Summer so maybe the tougher stance aided in your pleasant Summer - sounds like everyone wins! Oh and where is this evidence of "poop on lawns epidemic" so often raised? I mean it happens - its even a saying but to keep referring to that as some nightly occurrence is silly. Yeah yeah I wouldn't want that on my lawn but where can one go where that doesn't happen?! Yeesh...
E.Nagle Moylesworth III
12:10 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
I'm impressed. I'll do my part too. I promise I'll stop having s-x on lawns in D4. Yes- I confess, it was me!
type writer
5:03 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
Next time try it with another person present. Stop doing all by yourself.
Denise Di Stephan
12:38 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Jeanmarie Payne: If you feel this past summer was better, perhaps it was due to the parking plan which is going to be put back in place for this summer, although it may have some revisions, as story reports. The bars all closed at 2 a.m. this past summer. If you have feelings on the parking plan, now is the time to make your voice heard since there will be more discussions on it.
Opinionated
8:24 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
I beg to differ, Denise. I believe the Boro's reinstating the police force to their previous numbers played the biggest role. The big increase from the amount 2010's complaints to the 2011's when combined with the decreased amount of summer police speaks volumes.
WMS826
4:18 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Money makes everything better I guess.
What was this about in the first place anyway. Please tell me how quality of life improves in Point of there is a Boardwalk at all. Let it go belly up for all I care. The town takes nothing from it and we could save money scaling everything down.
Point Goverment is a joke, Mayor..step down now I demand!
SoylentGreen
4:47 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
You demand it?
WMS826
6:30 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
YES I Do !!...step down now.
Opinionated
8:26 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
May I ask what your presence in Point Pleasant does to increase the quality of life there? And anyone can pay their property taxes, so let's not use that one please.
Danny
10:29 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012
Agreed....But you know that will never happen. So its best to work together. We definitely would survive as a town without a boardwalk. Plenty of towns survive without a boardwalk. So anyone who thinks otherwise is silly. The town would have to adjust. A small town would not need as much of the employee's that they now have. End of story. Jenkinson's must realize they are losing a lot of money being out of commission and they need to rebuild fast as well as Martell's. To bad Martell's will not get on board with everyone else. A town should be allowed to do what they want with their own street like every other town. The towns should rule the town, not the businesses rule the town.
Chief Wahoo
4:33 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
always follow the money.....its always about the money !
Mr. Happy
6:47 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Congrats to the Mayor and Happy holidays to all--and to the naysayers, I hate to say I told you so (about the mayor), but well, you know what I mean...
Kevin
9:50 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
It amazing how people think that the town could actually survive without the boardwalk......kudos for all that brokered this deal......the boardwalk is what keeps the schools running the police fire and public works funded.....the only town that has ever abandoned there boardwalk was Asbury park.......and we can see how we'll that worked.....if you want to live in a town without boardwalk attractions move to spring lake.
A Resident
8:24 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
It's amazing how people think the town could NOT survive without the boardwalk.
Guess what....the town was here before there was a boardwalk. And there would be a town here if the boardwalk was gone.
Many of us full time residents really don't have a problem with the boardwalk...but please don't tell us that we are only here because of the boardwalk.
Opinionated
8:33 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
I see a pattern developing here. Nothing irritates me more when someone moves to a community and then they want all of the businesses and people who "bother" them to be kicked out of town. We have seen it in Manalapan with Raceway Park, Wall with Wall Stadium, Point Boro with the old hospital property, etc. I think it may be time where we should have final say in who moves into our area. I realize it is totally Unamerican and unconstitutional but if it is in the First Amendment for them to complain, it is mine to feel the way I do. If you don't like it-MOVE! It was nice before you got here, remember that!
Spooner
11:11 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
It wasn't " residents who moved" to the Boro that were complaining about the hospital. It was Meridian who first began to down size after the Brick Hospital was built, and eventually closed the hospital. The residents in the surrounding towns ended up losing a closeby hospital and the property owners in the Boro got shafted when they sold the property for $5.25M to a developer, who parlayed and rolled it over to Pulte for $11.5M. We won't begin to even talk about the sweetheart deal the Planning Board gave the developer...nor the nice gift Ocean First received from the developer when he changed mortgage bankers after the application was approved...with one of the biggest Ocean First stock holders and an Ocean First Bank board member being part of the planning board. No conflict of interest there?
Danny
11:03 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012
They should all be working together. Both those who run the town and those who run the businesses. All businesses should go by the same rules. It does not matter who moves to a community or not. There is some people that live here, born and raise here that do not think the town is running properly. It comes a time when some businesses get to big for their bridges. The problem is some businesses change what they once were. It comes down to this, a business should know their place. No business should run a town as well as businesses have every right to run their businesses the way they like. But there is rules as should be and if they don't like the rules they are one's who should move. Please, Stop the crap move if you don't like it. Some things should not go on in any town. There is plenty of towns who don't have a boardwalk and survives. You would have to learn to adjust that most don't want to do for their own selfish reasons. The residents lose as well as some of the businesses.
Denise Di Stephan
9:57 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
Opinionated: Some feel the parking plan did the trick, some feel it was the increased police presence, some feel it was a combination. What I was trying to convey in my original statement was that the bars were all open until 2 a.m. this past summer, so if this was a more peaceful summer, as Jeanmarie Payne had indicated, it wasn't due to earlier bar closings because that had been attempted but was never actually implemented due to the state granting a stay. I probably should have said "Maybe it was due to the parking plan or increased police or a combination." That probably would have been a more complete answer.
Opinionated
11:17 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
Thank you. I will defer to you on the effect of the parking plan because I am unfamiliar with the geographics of the "bad apples" as to whether they stayed in PPB or were from other places. I figured the "wild" element were returning to their PPB summer rentals as opposed to going into cars. I truly hope they were not driving home, scary thought!
E.Nagle Moylesworth III
10:00 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
regarding boardwalk and other businesses in town: To say the town was here before the businesses is not accurate. Pt Pleasant was almost entirely farms in the late 1800's. Arnold Ave became the business hub. Developers converted farms to homesites and to sell the land they promoted the existence of a business community. People moved here because it had a business center. PP had the first telephone system in Ocean Cty. Stores sold food and clothing. The point is, without businesses downtown or beachfront, PPBch would not be what it is today. 40 years ago, in the winter, this town was in hibernation. Today, downtown PPBch is a year round happening place. If you prefer hibernation, I can understand your disdain.
A Resident
1:48 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
The town was here before the boardwalk and the boardwalk businesses. Downtown PPB a year round happening place? Unless you are one of the 4 restaraunts in the 700 block....it's a ghost town at night. 3/4 of the "downtown" closes at 5pm.
Kevin
1:02 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
To say tht the town would survive without the boardwalk is foolish and uneducated. Yes physically it would be here but take the tax revenue away take the parking money away and watch what happens to your taxes. Ppb was here before the boardwalk but if you lived in that time you weren't provided with the schools and other services that make point a joy to live in.
A Resident
1:50 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
Kevin, take away the boardwalk and its crowds, you take away a large chunk of the necessary police budget. Less PD budget....less parking money needed. Property tax paid by the boardwalk is not as much as what people would like to believe....
type writer
5:05 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
Long Beach Island does just fine. Where exactly is their boardwalk?
PPNB
2:50 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
The beach and ocean will still be there and still privately owed. The tourists will still come all day. Don't rebuild the boardwalk, save the money.
type writer
5:09 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
The town makes their money from property taxes on the beach properties, not the boardwalk business. the state makes sales tax. The boardwalk is owned by a couple of families now, it used to be owned by many different people running family businesses. Get rid of the boardwalk business and leave the boardwalk. Just like Spring Lake. Most of the towns crime eminates from the boardwalk.
PPNB
7:31 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
You can buy them out. Then do whatever with the businesses . Make it all parking lots. But don't forget to pay your property tax. The haves and the have nots. Never ends.
WMS826
5:32 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
Agreed. How does Spring Lake or Belmar survive without a boardwalk. How much business s radiated to Arnold Ave from the boardwalk anyway.
What a fool to believe the tax payers cannot or do not make the town function.
Step down now mayor...step down!,
Kevin
8:11 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
I love the examples people use of lib and Belmar survive with out a boardwalk.....yes your right but those towns have not crushed there local business that make the town attractive.....belmar is loaded with bars. And has the same problems.....lib also has bars and large party houses.......so eliminating the boardwalk does nothing.....what you people are spherically stating is to eliminate businesses.....and also eliminating tourism. ......so no boardwalk. Does nothing to reduce the police budget.......close down jenkinsons and throw them out of town.....the largest tax payer.......please explain how you pay for the services.....without raising taxes..............lets be clear tourism is what pays the bills....
Danny
11:46 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012
Tourism pays mainly for the business who own them which sends lots of money to the state of nj and the reason why our governor is so hell bent on getting the boardwalk businesses up and running. Even before the residents are in their homes. The rest is paid by the residents that live here full time as well as the part timers who actually are the ones we all should be thanking. They are the ones who use very little resources. If all of them decided to knock their damage houses down this town would be in trouble. Where would the town get all their money from? The tourism, I don't think so. This town would have to actually make deductions to this town. They would have no choice but to get rid of police, town workers and teachers that were now no longer needed. Stop keeping all the unnecessary employees. Oh, that's right... they don't want to get rid of their family members and friends.
Kevin
8:13 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
In my last comment. Lib is LBI. Hate spell check
PPNB
2:50 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012
PPB does not need a.boardwalk south of the arcade or north of the aquarium.. Let the rest be sand.
Michael Ramos
4:30 pm on Friday, December 21, 2012
It comes down to both sides sat down in the true interest of the town and made it work. PERIOD!. Kudos to Mayor Barella AND the Storino Family for keeping the eye on the prize - which is what is best for the town. The parking plan and higher police presence made it a better summer for residents of Point Pleasant Beach. The New Council has to maintain this focus and FORGET THE PAST. Hurrcane Sandy was a GAME CHANGER that hopefully slapped many of us back to reality! We are a town with neighbors and friends who happen to have a very successful boardwalk that makes EVERYONE money. There is NO CHOICE but to exist peacefully and for the mutual benefit of both parties. I hope Martell's will move forward as well.
That's Incredible
7:34 am on Saturday, December 22, 2012
So let me understand this Jenkinsons is paying Point Pleasant Beach one million dollars to drop assault on their business, and yet the assault continues on Martells who refuses to pay! All this was done at private meetings with no legal representation present ?????? Very smart attorneys, if they don't know they can't be held liable!!!!!!
It is a shame how mismanaged that municipality is, from the ground up, no wonder when they are all preoccupied with other things!!!!!! Hopefully in 2013 the nonsense will stop!