Politics & Government
Barnegat Mayor Says Township Would Match Up 'With Any Other' In the State
Mayor reacts to USA Today analysis that suggested Barnegat had a poor FEMA rating for flood preparation.
Despite a report that suggested Barnegat Township has one of the worst FEMA ratings for flood preparation, the township was as ready for Sandy as it could have been, according to Mayor Al Cirulli.
According to the USA Today analysis, Barnegat and Lacey Township "ignored federal incentives" to reduce flood damage, "even as they have been flooded repeatedly." This inaction may lead to lost discounts for property owners.
Cirulli told Patch that he would "match up with any town in this state," in terms of preparedness for Sandy. "We had our shelters open, did our evacuation. No fatalities, no serious injuries. The rest was on nature."
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He said early estimates are the township "lost one home" on the bayfront, and others need some work. But Cirulli added, "when you live on a lagoon, and the tide comes in over 9 feet, of course there are going to be problems."
The USA Today article noted that towns often ignore federal flood-mitigation plans "because they fear restricting development and don't want to spend the money."
