By Kenny Walter
Staff Writer
OCEANPORT- The borough will soon be able to shed some salary costs after being awarded a $7,000 federal grant.
During the Feb. 18 Borough Council meeting, the council accepted the Federal Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency Assistance grant for the purpose of enhancing the borough’s ability to plan for, mitigate against, respond to and recover from natural and man-made disasters and other catastrophic events and emergencies.
Business Administrator John O. Bennett III said that the grant will fund emergency management staff and consultants salaries.
“It’s a $7,000 grant with a $7,000 match, but the match is for salaries that we already had,” Bennett said. “For instance on [Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Mauro ‘Buzz’ Baldanza’] salary, he gets paid from the Borough ‘x’ dollars, we will pay half of ‘x’ now and the grant will pay the other half now.
“In respect to the consultants, they will pay the first $5,000 towards the consultants.”
In a letter to the public safety council committee, Baldanza explained the parameters of the grant.
“This grant award for $7,000, runs from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 and is basically a salary reimbursement of the OEM coordinator and borough hall office staff who spend time handling OEM related work.”
Baldanza said other requirements of the grant include mandatory training by staff and attendance in a Community Mass Care Management course.
