Oceanport Still Assessing Damage to Borough Hall

By Christopher Sheldon

Borough officials are still assessing damage done to Oceanport Borough Hall by Hurricane Sandy to determine the feasibility of either repairing the building or finding a new home.

Borough Engineer William White said he would need to check to see the amount of mold and asbestos present in borough hall which was flooded badly during the storm.

The Oceanport Council gave White the OK to use ground-penetrating radar to check for the presence of water below the floor of the building for $4,800.

His findings into the severity of the damage could help influence the council's decision to either repair the old borough hall or find a new building.

Oceanport court sessions are now being held at Shrewsbury Borough Hall and the Oceanport Council has been meeting at Maple Place School since the storm hit almost one year ago. Some portions of the building are still being used, including the library. 

The council passed a resolution during its Aug. 15 meeting that will allow the borough administrator to seek three quotes from experienced architects to complete a study for FEMA to figure out what it would take to either make repairs to the existing structure or find another borough hall.

The council previously passed an resolution renewing the borough's agreement with Millennium Strategies to seek out state funding to help rebuild or relocate borough hall.

Millennium Strategies is a grant consulting firm, originally hired by the borough in 2012, to help secure grants for moving or raising borough hall and homes in Oceanport.