The Ocean Gate Democratic Club will be sponsoring a pancake breakfast on Sunday, January 9th, 2011 from 8 am to noon in Adrian Hall, located on East Cape May Avenue in the borough. Price of admission will be $5 for adults and $3 for children.
For more information, please call 732-245-3172 or 732-779-6863.
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by Erik Weber
 OCEAN GATE – A somber mood marked the first borough council meeting, here, since the sudden deaths of 79-year-old borough resident James M. “Jim” Mooney and 32-year-old Ocean Gate Patrolman Jason C. “Jay” Marles rocked this community in November.
Mr. Mooney died on November 11th in University Hospital in Newark following complications as a result of a vehicle accident on the Garden State Parkway in Irvington. Patrolman Marles was killed in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving by a drunken driver on the Garden State Parkway in Toms River while traveling home to his wife and two young children from working an extended holiday drunken-driving detail in the borough.
To honor both men, Mayor Paul Kennedy and the governing body decided to hold a shortened meeting focused on required business only, and to use the remaining time for a small memorial slideshow featuring photographs from the previous week’s funeral procession through the borough for Patrolman Marles, and a video this year’s borough Fourth of July ceremony that featured Mr. Mooney, a retired captain of the Newark Fire Department and longtime singer known for his powerful voice, singing a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MARLES’ PROCESSION PHOTOS
CLICK HERE TO WATCH MOONEY’S SINGING
Prior to and during that night’s meeting, a number of borough officials and Ocean Gate School Superintendent Frank Vanalesti remembered the two men and reacted to their deaths.
“I happened to be one that knew Jay the longest out of all the governing body members here, except [Councilwoman Patricia] Barger,” said Mayor Kennedy. “I was on council with five other members when we hired Jay – to me, Jay was a friend.”
“I’m taking it hard, and the officers are taking it hard,” he continued, thanking officials and volunteers from surrounding towns who aided the borough and its police department in the days following Patrolman Marles’ death.
“This tragedy really showed the true reflection [of this community],” the mayor stated. “Those that were here at that vigil Friday night shows what a job our chief does here, shows a reflection on his men and what this little town really, really means to a lot of people.”
“Officer Jay, as the kids and the school community referred to him, was and always will be remembered as the best of the best,” stated Superintendent Vanalesti via e-mail. “He was a cop who was truly a keeper of the peace as he helped us all.”
He then listed a number of short memories he had of the late patrolman.
“He spend hours helping a boy look for his lost dog. He helped calm many a domestic dispute case. He kept an eye out for stolen quads. He recovered lost or stolen bikes. He would just stop and talk to all the kids in town, many of whom looked up to him. At one in the morning, a school door was inadvertently left open, and he sat and waited for someone to arrive to lock up,” he said. “Officer Jay came to the school and helped calm down some irate parents. He gave me his private cell number to call if I ever needed him. He came to our annual holiday show to see the kids. [He] treated everyone with respect. Anything I needed from the police, Chief [Reece J.] Fisher or Detective [Barry] Wohl would send Jay as they knew he would get the job done right.”
“He and I had many personal talks about people, life, children, our families and friends,” Superintendent Vanalesti continued. “He had a big heart and was very compassionate.”
Mrs. Barger recalled the man who had been hired while she was a deputy clerk for the borough in 2001.
“This is just awful,” she said. “He was always a gentleman and had a great personality – friendly to everyone.”
“He was very dedicated to his job and shall be missed by all who knew him,” the councilwoman added.
“Out of all of our officers, I knew Jay the best and the longest,” stated Councilman Brian DiStefano. “Jay was a huge part of our town and will be impossible to replace. He was an exceptional officer and was well-liked in the community. He was especially good with teens in town. Everyone liked him and respected him – that was reflected by the number of residents who attended his services and made donations to the family.”
“During our procession back through town, there were many residents standing in the wind and rain, holding up signs and saluting him as he passed,” he recalled. “That was something that made me very proud of our town and of Jay’s service as an officer. He was not only an employee of the borough; he was part of Ocean Gate.”
“I had the pleasure of knowing him both personally and professionally for many years, even before I was on council,” the borough official continued. “He was truly one of the best officers I have dealt with over my many years of [law] practice and I will miss him as a friend and councilman. He was the perfect fit as an officer in Ocean Gate. He was personable and was not afraid to interact with the residents.”
Mr. DiStefano added to the mayor’s praise of the area officials and volunteers who aided the Borough of Ocean Gate in the week that followed Patrolman Marles’ sudden death, and thanked all the officers who attended his funeral from across the state.
“On a sadder note, it is very difficult for me to see his children going through this tragedy, as I personally knew how much he loved and cared for them,” he stated. “I know he was a great father and it is hard to see that they will now grow up without him in their lives.”
The councilman emphasized the importance that area residents know how much he loved his children, and encouraged regular donations through the years to the fund set up by the Policeman’s Benevolent Association Local 352 for his 5-year-old daughter, Taryn, and 4-year-old son, Landon.
Donations to the fund can be made to PBA Local No. 352, P.O. Box 562, Island Heights, NJ 08732.
Please read the January 1st – 13th issue of the Riverside Signal for a full memorial article on Mr. Mooney’s life and the memories of borough residents that called him a friend.
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Editor’s Note: This story, the first half of which was published in the current edition of the Riverside Signal, is printed in its entirety below as last night the borough council voted to approve a contract for private garbage pickup, and that story will be in next week’s edition of the Signal rather than the second half of this story, seen here below.
by Philipp Schmidt
OCEAN GATE – Facing an uncertain financial future in the wake of the worst economy since the Great Depression and a state-imposed two percent cap on annual tax increases, the mayor and governing body, here, are considering multiple ways to cut borough costs, including researching the hiring of a private firm to take over solid waste garbage pickup.
During a special November meeting on the topic, Mayor Paul Kennedy noted that the borough had held a public referendum on the matter two years ago that had been defeated, but that two years ago, “we weren’t faced with the situation financially as we are now.”
The meeting room in borough hall on Ocean Gate Avenue was filled with residents interested in hearing the potential plans.
“This is purely a financial issue,” stated Mayor Kennedy. “When the referendum first went out it wasn’t fully explained in detail why it was being done – we want to look at what we do in the borough to benefit all taxpayers.”
He went on to state however, that he had heard numerous complaints from borough residents about the current borough trash collection.
“I can tell you that in the past six months to a year, I’ve received more complaints about garbage collection in this town than you can imagine, in writing,” he noted. “It’s not a pretty picture – I don’t think I got one nice one.”
The mayor said that the complaints largely were the result of garbage not being picked up when scheduled.
Paulette Konopka, the borough’s chief financial officer, presented financial information regarding the costs of the borough’s current trash collection based of actual 2011 figures that took into consideration insurance increases, payroll and pension raises, and state taxes. She also balked at any rumors that the numbers presented were altered to favor one form of trash collection or another.
“I have never manipulated any numbers as the chief financial officer for Ocean Gate,” she stated. “It is not my intention to manipulate or present any inaccurate information.”
Reviewing first the financial data strictly on borough garbage collection, Ms. Konopka pointed out that there are “currently four employees on one garbage truck – one driver and three laborers. Based on one time per week, it takes 1.5 days to complete.”
Garbage is picked up twice a week between the summer season beginning June 1st and ending September 6th, she said, and “that’s 66 total collections based on calendar year 2011.”
Also factored into the annual cost of borough garbage collection were the 170 trips to the landfill in 2009, each of which averaged three man-hours per trip, supervisor hours based upon two hours per week, maintenance house based upon two hours per week, a salary determined by the hourly rate of each employee plus the trip to the landfill, the longevity pay for the length of time each employee has worked for the borough, the 2011 health benefits rate plus consideration for the one percent employees give into the program, workers compensation at $11.48 per $100 of payroll, a 5.5% pension rate, and social security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, and disability insurance.
As a result, the total annual costs for the borough-operated garbage pickup are $64,584.96 in employee salary, $10,980.30 in trips to the landfill, $3,374.11 for longevity, $25,008.01 for health benefits, $9,062.25 for workers compensation, $4,156.09 for pension, $4,894.28 for social security, $1,144.63 for Medicare, $1,184.10 for unemployment insurance, and $394.70 for disability service for an overall total annual cost of $124,783.43.
According to Mr. Konopka, there are 1,071 residential units in the borough, which would make the annual cost per household for garbage pickup alone to be $116.51.
Reviewing next the data for recycling collection, Ms. Konopka stated that there were 26 collections per calendar year, with ten man-hours used per collection, and one supervisor hour and two maintenance hours utilized per week.
As a result, the total annual costs for the borough-operated recycling pickup are $20,904.78 in employee salary, $752.02 for longevity, $8,091.23 for health benefits, $2,380.71 for workers compensation, $1,149.76 for pension, $1,285.71 for social security, $300.69 for Medicare, $311.06 for unemployment insurance, and $103.69 for disability insurance. The borough also received a recent annual reimbursement from the county for their recycling pickup in the amount of $2,676.81, which would make the overall total annual cost $32,602.83, or $30.44 per residential unit..
Reviewing the data for bulk collection, Ms. Konopka stated that there was one borough-wide bulk pickup per month, with eight man-hours used per collection for a total of twelve collections per year. Two supervisor hours and one maintenance hour was allotted per month.
As a result, the total annual costs for the borough-operated bulk pickup are $7,965.72 in employee salary, $37.05 for longevity, $3,050.29 for health benefits, $946.60 for workers compensation, $438.11 for pension, $511.23 for social security, $119.56 for Medicare, $123.59 for unemployment insurance and $41.23 for disability insurance for an overall total annual cost of $13,233.49, or $12.36 per residential unit..
Adding to the data the overall vehicle and equipment maintenance and insurance, Ms. Konopka found that the borough annually spends $4,000 on vehicle repairs, $2,500 for equipment repairs, $1,000 on tires, $1,000 on oil and lubricants, $10,000 on gasoline and $2,482 for insurance for a total added cost of $20,982, or $19.59 per residential unit.
Based on the number of residential units in the borough, the annual cost per household for garbage, recycling and bulk collection vehicle and equipment maintenance and insurance is $19.59.
The final overall annual total for borough-operated garbage, recycling and bulk collection is $191,601.75, or $178.90 per residential unit.
None of the figures included tipping fees, or the cost the borough pays for the amount of garbage brought to the dump.
“That’s a fixed cost,” said Mayor Kennedy. “If we were to go private or stay in-house, it still exists.”
The average annual tipping fees cost the borough approximately $100,000, he added.
Borough Attorney James A. Gluck next explained that the borough went out to bid for its combined garbage and recycling pickup, which currently costs Ocean Gate $175,886.26, or $164.23 per residential unit.
“Five bids were received from five different companies – Meadowbrook, Tri-State Carting, Waste Management, Marpal, and Suburban Disposal,” he said, noting that bids were requested in keeping with the same collection schedule that the borough currently has, or twice a week in the summer and once a week during the off-season.
“The low bidder, Meadowbrook Industries, [offered] a couple different options – they had a three year option for keeping that collection the same at $288,000,” the attorney continued. “It would be $94,000 for year one, $94,000 for year two and $98,000 for year three.”
Based on the number of 1,071 households in the borough, the total amount per household that garbage and recycling pickup plus maintenance and insurance would cost would drop to $87.77 for the first and second years and $91.50 for the third.
They also offered a five year option, added Mr. Gluck, with a price increase of only $1,000 each for the fourth and fifth years.
“The total price at the five-year option for keeping service the way it is is $486,000,” he said. “There is no bulk, but recyclables are included.”
Another option was for the borough to offer trash pickup only one day per week year-round. Mr. Gluck said that Waste Management was the lowest bidder on that package, at $273,384 for a three-year contract which, split evenly across the time period, would be $91,128 annually, or $85.09 per residential unit.
Concluding his report, he added that he’d “also like to point out that within the last week, our firm was assigned to defend the borough from another workers’ compensation claim filed from the Public Works Department for an injury sustained on a garbage truck.”
Check the December 31st edition of the Riverside Signal to hear how residents reacted at the November meeting and also an upcoming second special meeting on the topic, which will take place on Wednesday, December 29th at 6 pm in borough hall on East Arverne Avenue. A regular borough council meeting will follow at 7 pm.
Following the information session, the council opened the meeting for public comment.
Ocean Gate Department of Public Works Supervisor and East Lakewood Avenue resident George Althouse directly contested the amount of man hours presented by Ms. Konopka in her figures, saying that it would not take a day and a half to complete the pickup if he did not have “so few people” working on the job.
“It would just take one day if I had the proper people,” he said, adding that recycling was completed in just half a day.
“I don’t want to get into it right now,” said Mayor Kennedy.
“I know you don’t,” replied Mr. Althouse.
“We took averages here,” stated Mayor Kennedy.
Former councilman and West Barnegat Avenue resident Frank Clayton thanked the board for their work and stated that “budgets are going to get harder and harder over the next few years.”
He asked the council whether they had new job descriptions in place for the borough employees currently in public works and a number of how many positions would be eliminated, should the borough decide to privatize their garbage and recycling pickup.
“I don’t want to keep the same amount of employees and not save anything,” Mr. Clayton added.
Mayor Kennedy said that the process was not far enough along to have undertaken such steps, and that “there has been no formal discussion as to employees or which way we’re leaning.”
“It should be part of your plan,” said Mr. Clayton.
East Cape May Avenue resident Barbara Cotto wanted to know about automating the garbage collection to that of the “robo-trucks” which are currently used in the neighboring boroughs of Beachwood and Pine Beach.
“As far as Pine Beach goes, I specifically went there myself and they currently collect two days a week, automated,” said Mayor Kennedy, who was looking at their system to possibly enter a shared agreement between the boroughs. “So if they collect for us they’re going to have to buy another truck and hire another employee and we were pretty much told it wouldn’t work with them.”
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but the Pine Beach trash cans are about half the size of Beachwood,” said East Cape May Avenue resident Cecilia Schaefer. “Maybe that’s part of the reason they go back and pick up additional times.”
Stone Harbor Avenue resident Patrick O’Neill, who worked with Longport Avenue resident Jim Fry on researching garbage and recycling pickup solutions at the request of the mayor said that he was also in contact with a representative of Berkeley Township regarding shared services, but that he “didn’t get the enthusiasm I was looking for from him, and when I mentioned our town was looking to take bids for outside services, he seemed to be encouraging me and the town to go in that direction for a number of reasons.”
“He made some comments about robo versus manual [collection],” Mr. O’Neill continued. “Some places do manual pickups because the senior citizens don’t like the big cans.”
“Also, they like to put the trash out in a bag so in the morning they don’t have to go wandering out to put the cans back in,” he added. “Our situation is that some seasonal people put the bag out in the morning but there’s no one to put the cans back in.”
The Stone Harbor Avenue resident stated that his contact in Berkeley Township also said that they would require Ocean Gate to purchase a new robotruck, pay the salary for an additional employee and purchase all the robocans needed if they were to enter into a shared services agreement.
“If we buy the truck, buy the cans and hire the employee, we wouldn’t be sharing services,” commented Mayor Kennedy.
“I just wanted to know if any figures were done if we automated ourselves,” asked Ms. Cotto. “Pine Beach has automation and has one man on the truck instead of four men on the truck.”
“I understand but I don’t know if you have the figures on what the truck costs or the cans cost,” replied Mayor Kennedy.
“Robotrucks have a lot of options and can be anywhere from $250,000 to $350,000,” said Mr. Fry, who had contacted the truck manufacturer that Pine Beach used. “From what I understand, Pine Beach paid $325,000 for their truck.”
“I also checked maintenance and life expectancy,” he continued. “The life expectancy on a robotruck in a busy community is five to seven years. [The manufacturer] had one of his trucks in our town last year and he feels that the life expectancy for these trucks is in the ballpark of 10 years before any major fixes or maintenance on them.”
“As far as the cans go, there are 1,200 to 1,300 residences in town with at least one can for trash and one for recyclables,” the Longport Avenue resident stated, adding that the combined cost plus the truck could be closer to $500,000.
Mr. Althouse said that Mr. Fry “came up with a very high price where I feel he was easily $100,000 to $150,000 over.”
“Last week I talked to a couple of dealers for trucks running between $225,000 and $250,000.”
Borough Councilman and Finance Committee Chairman Anthony Digironimo pointed out that Mr. Althouse said Mr. Fry “grossly misstated by $100,000,” when Mr. Althouse’s unofficial quotes were instead more at the lower end of the scale that Mr. Fry had reported.
Mr. Althouse replied that it would cost less than $400,000 to automate garbage pickup in the borough using the public works department.
“He gave a $500,000 price, you say you can do it for $400,000?” asked Mr. Digironimo.
“Or less,” said Mr. Althouse.
Mr. Clayton said that he was “surprised that Berkeley Township had recommended the robotruck because we did a study on this when I was on council.”
“It came back that the robot-type truck was not suitable for Ocean Gate for the reason that we have narrow roads,” he said, noting that some roads would require such a truck to back down them in order to pick up the trash as it would not have space to turn around at the end. He also said that he thought the borough should have gone out for the bids with bulk pickup included.
East Point Pleasant Avenue resident Ken Shelhamer said he was concerned at how high the robotic pickup arms of an automated truck would rise, as “we do have tree issues and low power lines.”
Mayor Kennedy said that the governing body was also aware of those issues.
East Bayview resident Larry McDowell also questioned not including bulk pickup, as the borough “will still have to have a trash truck and people to pick it up.”
“Is the insurance going to go down because we have less time that these guys are spending on the truck?” he asked.
“Theoretically, even if the governing body chooses at some point in time to privatize, we’ll still need a truck here or two as we still have brush leaves to pick up,” replied Mayor Kennedy. “That service won’t go away, and I’m assuming we wouldn’t have all three trucks here so insurance would go down on the vehicles, yes.”
Ms. Cotto was also concerned about potential operations issues with a private company as opposed to the borough public works department.
“I’ve been told that other towns have gone privatized but after their contracts were up they went back to doing it themselves because it wasn’t working out,” said Ms. Cotto.
Mayor Kennedy agreed that some did go back to collecting the trash themselves and others have renewed their contracts with the private firms.
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 OCEAN GATE – Late Ocean Gate Patrolman Jason Marles’ ties to the area community run deep. And that community is organizing to help his family any way they can.
Among his many community bonds, Officer Marles was a local soccer player. Coming up through the ranks of the Berkeley Soccer Association, he played for coach Frank Penevolpe on the Berkeley Raiders and was a four-year starter on the varsity soccer team at Central Regional High School. After high school, he continued his soccer career with participation in some of the local men’s leagues. In the wake of his death at the hands of a drunken driver on the Garden State Parkway early Thanksgiving way, Officer Marles’ soccer teammates have organized a charity game to benefit his children and pay tribute to the father of two.
“I had the pleasure and honor of calling Jay a teammate in middle school, high school, club, college and men’s leagues,” said Troy Van Hise, one of the game’s organizers and the junior varsity boys soccer coach at Central Regional. “We wanted to do something to honor our friend and help his two beautiful children.”
The game is scheduled for 11 am on December 18th at the Eastern Boulevard Soccer Complex, located at the south end of Eastern Boulevard in Bayville. Each player is contributing $20 to play in the game, and the organizers hope spectators will give donations to assist the Marles children as well.
For more information, contact Troy Van Hise at 908-565-0410.
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by Erik Weber
OCEAN GATE – Earlier today, the body of fallen Ocean Gate Patrolman Jason C. Marles, accompanied by family, friends and the borough police department, took one last ride through the downtown area and around borough hall and the police station.
Officer Marles was killed in a car crash caused by a drunken driver on the northbound Garden State Parkway in Toms River early Thanksgiving morning. He leaves behind a wife and two young children.
Shortly after 12:30 pm and during a sudden lull in the violent rainstorms battering the area, borough and area residents lined Ocean Gate Avenue as state and local police stood beside their vehicles and saluted the late patrolman’s motorcade while it drove beneath a large American flag hung between two tower trucks by the Seaside Heights and Bayville fire companies. The procession then traveled left onto East Arverne Avenue, north onto Asbury Avenue, and left onto East Cape May Avenue to complete its final ride around the police station and borough hall before making a slow right onto Ocean Gate Avenue, leaving the borough, and many crying and hugging onlookers, behind.
Almost as soon as the last car of the procession turned left off Ocean Gate Avenue away from Ocean Gate, the skies opened up once more, dousing this community in its wake and washing away any tears left behind on the faces of Jason C. Marles’ friends, neighbors and associates.
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OCEAN GATE – This Wednesday, December 1st, between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm, Ocean Gate residents, officials and area emergency personnel will be on hand to salute fallen Patrolman Jason C. Marles as his funeral procession makes its way through the downtown area, here.
According to Mayor Paul Kennedy, the procession, including Officer Marles and his family and accompanied by the Ocean Gate Police Department, will enter the borough from Chelsea Avenue, driving south on Ocean Gate Avenue, and pass beneath an American flag to be hung by the Bayville and Seaside Heights fire companies. It will then circle borough hall and the police station by making a left on East Cape May Avenue, a right on Asbury Avenue, another right on East Arverne Avenue and a final right back onto Ocean Gate Avenue, heading north. There, while passing the municipal complex for the last time, Officer Marles and his family will be saluted by officers and vehicles from departments of Island Heights, Pine Beach, South Toms River, Beachwood, Berkeley Township and the New Jersey State Police.
From there, the procession will continue to its final destination at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Toms River for a New Jersey State Police funeral service.
The procession through downtown Ocean Gate will take place rain or shine.
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Jason C. Marles, age 32, of Point Pleasant Beach, was called home by the Lord on Thursday, November 25th, 2010.
Known to his family and friends as Jay, he was born in Toms River and graduated from Central Regional High School in Berkeley Township where he was the only freshman who played on the varsity soccer team. Of his graduating class, Jay was voted Best Looking, Most Popular and Class Clown and was always able to put a smile on everyone’s face.
Jay began his police career with the Seaside Heights Police Department as a Class II officer, where he worked for three years. He went on to further his career with the Ocean Gate Police Department, where he was a nine-year veteran and a role model to the entire community. Jay never changed his person as an officer. He was the same outstanding individual on duty and off and he wore his heart on his sleeve. He loved his job, town and the community. He wasn’t a cop; he was a peace officer. He didn’t need to use a gun, he had a smile that could disarm you.
His true passions in life were his two beautiful children and his wife, who was the love of his life. His relationship with his Mom and their bond was one of a kind. Jay was a family man, putting family and friends before himself. He was an avid surfer, fisherman and four wheeler.
He was predeceased by his grandmother, Dorothy Sullivan. Surviving are his two beautiful children, daughter Taryn, age 5, and son Landon, age 4; the love of his life, his wife Ginny; his mom and best friend Patricia Engrassia; his dad, Sheldon Marles; his sister, Samantha; his second dad, Joseph Engrassia Jr.; grandparents James (Sully) & Roberta Sullivan, and Anna Hamilton; and his stepsister Brianna and stepbrother Joey. He also leaves behind many cherished aunts, uncles, cousins and his newborn nephew, Shane Michael Marles.
We will all miss your smile and ability to make us laugh, until we meet again. WE LOVE YOU!
Visitation will be Tuesday, November 30th from 2 to 9 pm and Wednesday, December 1st from 9 am until the funeral service at 10 am at Carmona-Bolen Home For Funerals, located at 412 Main Street in Toms River. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Toms River.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a college fund for Jason’s two children, Taryn and Landon. Donations may be mailed to the funeral home or to the Ocean Gate PBA Local #352, P.O. Box 562, Island Heights, N.J. 08732.
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The following is a straight transcript of the candlelight vigil held to honor Ocean Gate Police Officer Jason C. Marles, 32, who died at the hands of a drunken driver on the Garden State Parkway early Thanksgiving morning after getting off an extended shift to monitor borough streets for drunken drivers.
To read more about the vigil, please click this link HERE.
The candlelight vigil began shortly after 8 pm in front of Ocean Gate Borough Hall on Ocean Gate Avenue.
Ocean Gate Mayor Paul Kennedy
I want to thank everybody for coming here tonight. It’s not an easy thing for anyone, for me, or anyone else. Just a few short words from myself: I met Jay ten years ago, when he was brought in for an interview. I happened to be on the governing body at that time – on the police committee along with former council members – and we interviewed Jay and eventually hired him several weeks later. And I’ve gotten to know the fine young man that he was, and most of you here and all of you know, what he was.
He was a great man, great family man, loved kids; he proved that here in town. All the little kids throughout the years here in Ocean Gate, being at the school, crossing guard, over there watching the kids all day long, went out of his way up at the beach. We had tours here for the kids in the third grade every year; Jay was the guy these little kids always wanted to see. The ten minute tour that was given was over an hour every time he gave it, ever year. The kids loved him, just like all of you.
It’s not easy for me to stand up here, or anyone else, but, I just want to thank all of you for coming here tonight, to pay a special tribute to Jay, and this, so all of you know, most of you, I’m assuming, are here one way or another through the media, but the several young people here, residents in town, that put this together on Facebook this morning. This is the magic of Facebook in a great way. I’m not a believer in Facebook, but for this type of thing I am. And it’s the overwhelming response here from all you residents, the people from other towns, all the police officers, the police chiefs, emergency people that are here, firemen, first aiders, from all over, you’re a tight-knit group and you show it. You’ve shown your support since yesterday morning when we found out of this tragedy. This is a tragedy, very tragic moment for all of us.
Jay is one that’s a very, very hard individual, to replace here – we’ll never ever have another guy like Jay, we never will, I don’t believe so. He’s just a unique, unique person that most of you here that knew him know that.
We are going to keep this brief. The chief, our police chief will say a few words, a couple other people, then anybody who may want to come up and choose to say what they want to say a thing or two, we appreciate that, if you don’t, we understand. The people who did put this together, shortly this morning on Facebook, have chosen not to do that, but I know I appreciate that and the borough council and the chief and his staff as well. There is a sign over there behind the patrol car that Jay used the majority of the time with his badge number on it so take the time tonight to sign that for Jay, giving your memories of Jay, we’d appreciate that, I have a few other things to say after but at this time I’d like to turn it over to our police chief Reece Fisher.
Ocean Gate Police Chief Reece J. Fisher
It’s a very nice crowd. We really weren’t anticipating anything until approximately two in the afternoon when we started to receive information on Facebook discussions, and this is an overwhelming response. Over the years that I’ve worked with Jay – I was a patrolman when he was hired, I sat in on his hiring, a panel, and contributed to interviewing him – and today I can tell you that we definitely made the right choice nine years ago. And during that period, although it was many times when Jay went to calls, and depending on the circumstances we would talk, talk about the calls, and if it involved children, you would see every once in a while his eyes would well up a little. Never shed a tear, but the eyes welled up. I can tell you this: knowing what I know of Jay over the nine years that I had the privilege of being one of his coworkers, I can tell you that if he was here tonight, I think we would see a tear.
He loved people; he was very community oriented. I could tell you at 3 am on November 25th, 2010, Jay Marles may have walked out of this agency into his car for the last time, but he will not leave our memory here at this police department. The vehicle that was last on patrol by Jay is sitting in front of the building, has not been on patrol since he last used it. It will continue to the service on Tuesday, when the arrangements have been made at Carmola Bolen on Main Street in Toms River, from 2 to 9 will be the viewing service. On Wednesday, at 10am, service will begin at the funeral home, followed by a procession to St. Joseph’s Cemetery, where the police service will be conducted for his interment.
I can say that, and I’m sure everyone would agree that’s why we’re here, that not only was Jay a dedicated and devoted father, as we all know, those of us that know him well knew that much of him. That was the first thing he was. He was a dedicated and devoted friend, and a dedicated and devoted officer for this agency and in this community. He served it well and may he rest in peace.
I would like to thank everyone for coming out to show your support for Patrolman Jay Marles. And at this time we have several of his family members behind me also here and I’m very proud and happy that you came tonight to show your support not only for Jay Marles, this agency, this community, but for his family. It means a tremendous amount to them, to me, this agency, and this community, thank you.
[members of the gathered crowd respond with "Amen"]
Patricia Sullivan Marles Engrassia, Officer Marles’ mother, stood holding his daughter, Taryn, and faced her toward the crowd.
I just wanted to let you know whether they know already – thank everybody – this is for your daddy –
[the rest is drowned out by the child's cries and the sobs from the crowd]
Joseph Engrassia, Officer Marles’ Stepfather
I’ll make this short because I’m probably not going to make it too long, but Chief Fisher alluded to your support and I can’t tell you how much all your support means to the family. You have made Jay’s entire family so proud. I’ve always lived by the aspect that if I, being a police officer myself, reached one person during the course of my 25 years, I did my job. You have shown me that Jay Marles reached a lot more than just one person in half the time I’ve been working, and I want to thank you on behalf of Jay’s family, his dad, his mom, his children, everybody in the entire family how much this actually means to us, thank you so much and God bless.
Mayor Kennedy
At this time, our own Detective Barry Wohl would like to say a few words representing our small force that we have here in Ocean Gate.
Ocean Gate Police Lt. Detective Barry Wohl
I wanna thank everybody for coming out. I’ve been here about 14 years, and I can’t thank everybody enough for coming out. I mean, this is unexpected, but this is a tight-knit community, and it’s been very supportive of the police department. I want to give my condolences to Jay’s family.
Couple things you should know about Jay – when I was doing background, prior to Jay’s hiring, I was advised by someone in Seaside that he would be a good candidate and I had contacted him, he had called me back, I advised him there would be an opening for a Class II. It wouldn’t be a full time position at this time, he said he was interested, he called me back about an hour later and said he changed his mind, he wasn’t interested. I called him back about two hours later and advised him he might be making a mistake, it could turn into a full time position, which it did, and he had brought it up several times that he was glad he had changed his mind.
He constantly spoke about his two children, he often showed me photographs of his two children, the last time I saw him was Thanksgiving eve, I was walking to my car leaving work and he was about 25 yards away, he was working a double, he was working 3 to 11 and then he was putting in [audio system breaks up briefly - Officer Marles worked an extended drunken driving detail that lasted until 3 am]… prior to detail, he walked over to me from 25 yards to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving, and that was the last time I spoke with him. I never met a police officer that as far as everyone in this town, people he arrested, people he didn’t arrest, anyone in this town, especially kids – he had this repoire with kids, he had this knack with kids, it didn’t matter who they were, if they were arrested, if they weren’t, they all loved him. Every kid in this town loved him. I never heard a bad word about him. He just had a way of speaking to them in his own terms, and he’s going to be sorely missed and I thank you for coming out, thank you.
Jim Sullivan
I’m Jason’s uncle, and I got the phone call early yesterday. And I jumped on a plane got up here as quickly as I could to be with my family, I think all of us woke up this morning hoping that we had a bad nightmare. Just a dream. But from a dream perspective, let’s all be honored that we knew Jay, be honored that we shared time with him, let’s celebrate our lives knowing him. We’re all honored, and to see the outpouring from everybody, it’s tremendous, it means a lot to our family, this is very difficult for us but for all of you as well. Jason touched many lives. He was a brother, a son, comrade, everything to a lot of folks. Let’s please just remember to celebrate his life and the time we knew with him. God bless.
Mayor Kennedy
Just a few other short thank you’s. Certain people, some of the candles that you have, these fine young members of the community, [were] not only busy on Facebook but running around town, to different communities, had the candles donated, got that donated from the Candle Factory in Beachwood, we have the sign that’s over there they got that from Larry the Sign Guy in Beachwood, donated, the basket that’s here, out here for donations to the scholarship fund through the PBA, the local PBA, was donated by Ace Hardware, here in Bayville, and we also have, after you signed the card or look at the flowers or so choose to, we have coffee and donuts donated by Dunkin Donuts of Bayville and Pine Beach, and the coffee, et cetera, donated by the ShopRite of Bayville. Coffee and donuts will be in the building behind this building, which is Adrian Hall, you’re all more than welcome to go and share, chat about your memories of Jay, if you so choose to, at this time, there are an enormous amount of people here and I don’t want to belabor the point to the family, but if there are several members of the community or others in the community or police officers that would want to come up and say a few words about Jay, you may do so at this time, otherwise we will go on to the next part, if there is anyone.
Unidentified Woman
I just want everybody to know, that Jay is the most loving father in the whole world.
Tamie Serpica
I’m Tamie Serpica, and I’m a resident in Ocean Gate, and this is unbelievable. I read something on Facebook under Jay’s name, somebody said to him, “Are you still in OG?” and Jay’s response was, “I’ll never leave the ‘Gate,” and now he doesn’t have to. As sad as it is, and I pray for his family and I think I can speak for all of you that God would please comfort them and bless them in this horrible horrible time.
Unidentified Niece
I just wanted to say that Jason was a really great uncle, and I’ll miss him a lot.
Cassidy [no last name given]
I’m Cassidy, a lot of the kids know me, Jay was like the best cop in Ocean Gate for a kid, and he knew what they were going through, and I knew Jay past just being a cop because his family is related to my family, through his cousin, and I was always at the family parties and stuff, and I just wanted to say that he’ll be missed.
Councilman Dave Kendrick
My name is Dave Kendrick and I’m the chair of public safety on council. On behalf of all of council, I’d like to thank everybody for coming out, this is a tremendous showing for a great officer that we lost. As a police officer for over 27 years, you go to work and you realize that there might be a time that you don’t get a chance to go home. Jay Marles went to work on Wednesday night, and he’ll never get the chance to go home. He’ll never get a chance to stop his car, and speak with the kids in town. But officers here, you guys will have that opportunity to get out of your car and speak with the kids in town like Jay used to do. Jay Marles will never get the chance to go home and hug his kids. Go home and hug your kids, like there’s no tomorrow. Thank you.
Pat Sheldrick
I’m Pat Sheldrick. I knew Jay since I was about 9 years old. I remember one time I lost my dog, and I saw Jay and I stopped him on the side of the street and Jay rode around for four hours looking for my dog. Ever since that day, I just wanted to be a cop like Jay. He was more like a hero to me, to be honest. Jay Marles will always be remembered in Ocean Gate.
Mr. Engrassia
Ladies and gentlemen, I would just like to address one more thing. As I stand back here and I look at the crowds, I see the effect that Jay had on the younger generation. I’d like to stress one thing for our young adults: you’re going to be getting your license soon, and if Jay meant that much to you, as he obviously did, please, please, let this be a lesson. No family, I don’t care who it is, no family deserves to have to deal with this because of drinking and driving. Please let this be a lesson to you. Jay obviously gave his life and this is one thing we can take home and maybe save many more lives and spare families the grief that we’re experiencing right now.
Mrs. Engrassia
I just want to say thank you for everybody coming. I had so much to say but I can’t think. A lot of you don’t know – I just buried my mom six months ago, and Jason was my strength. And I don’t understand why God does what he does, but I have to tell you people this, and I’m sorry, but I’m so angry with God today, yesterday, and I don’t understand. I do know he talked a lot about the town, and I know his chief, he really loved his chief. I have so much to say I don’t know how to say it. I just know he’s got two little kids, and his whole life was his babies. And I just gotta find out how they remember him because they’re so little. But thank you for everybody coming.
[Members of the crowd say "God bless you."]
Thank you, and god bless you and your families.
[Members of the crowd recite the Lord's Prayer]
[Mrs. Engrassia turns Officer Marles' daughter to face the crowd, the child begins wailing]
An obituary for the late patrolman has not yet been released by Carmona-Bolen Funeral Home, but it will be posted here when it is.
Posted in Jason C. Marles, 1977 - 2010, Ocean Gate | No Comments »
by Erik Weber
OCEAN GATE – The news, when it came out, didn’t make sense.
Early Thursday morning, Thanksgiving, Jason C. Marles, 32 years old and an Ocean Gate police officer for the past nine of those years, was killed in a grisly crash caused by a drunken driver on the northbound Garden State Parkway in Toms River. He had just finished an extended shift on a special holiday duty. His assignment: to monitor these borough streets for drunken drivers.
In the following 48 hours, family members flew in from across the country, Ocean Gate Police Chief Reece Fisher called a press conference, the police vehicle he last utilized for patrol was placed in front of borough hall to collect the accumulating flowers, candles, memory cards and photographs, phone calls were made, Facebook messages sent, and a candlelight vigil organized in his honor.
Caught in the middle of it were his children: a daughter, Taryn, 5, and a son, Landon, 4, their position as the cherished center of their father’s universe now perversely replaced by a position at the heart of all the pain and anguish that will echo through their lives in the ensuing decades.
All this because one local man, Manchester Township resident Erick P. Uzcategui, got behind the wheel of a 2010 BMW X7 after too much pre-holiday partying, turned the key and signed the death sentence for this beloved father of two.
Tonight, as hundreds of family, friends, officials, borough and area residents and emergency personnel swarmed the front of Ocean Gate Borough Hall to honor and remember his too-short life, the man that caused it all sat somewhere in the county jail less than four miles to the north, still alive, still breathing, still very much here even as his victim is not. Back in Ocean Gate, midway through the vigil, as stricken family members shuffled disbelievingly to the podium and a thousand points of candlelight illuminated an empty sky, this terrible reality was unleashed raw by a daughter’s angry, confused and devastated wails for a father that would never come home.
“This is for your daddy,” choked the crying child’s grandmother, Patricia Engrassia, gripping her close while facing her to the crowd. All else was lost among the responding sobs and wails that filled Ocean Gate Avenue.
For over an hour after, the crowd hugged the hall and the vehicle now adorned by hundreds of mementos, long after the last speaker approached the microphone, as though wanting to hold on to each other and the essence of Officer Marles for as long as possible. Soon, a lone bagpiper started into Amazing Grace and a procession of police cruisers made their way silently east, blue lights flashing, as the patrolman’s mother and daughter waded through the clutching throngs to sit within his vehicle, caressing and embracing its interior as if holding him one last time.
A full transcript of the vigil, along with funeral arrangements, will appear on the Signal early Saturday morning.
Posted in Jason C. Marles, 1977 - 2010, Ocean Gate | No Comments »
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