Council OKs new police cars

VERONICA YANKOWSKI Firemen lift the casket of fallen Long Branch firefighter Robert W. Feeney off a fire truck before funeral services Monday. Feeney, 41, collapsed Jan. 16 while responding to a house fire. He was a 25-year member of the Phil Daly Hose Company. Funeral services were attended by more than 400 firefighters, including 15 members of Red Bank fire companies. A borough fire engine and ladder truck were part of the funeral cortege.

RUMSON — Borough police can expect to have two new patrol cars available to them in the not-too-distant future.

At last week’s meeting, the Borough Council passed a resolution authorizing the purchase of the two new vehicles.

The two 2002 Ford Crown Victoria models will be purchased from Winner Ford, Cherry Hill, at a cost of $20,058 per car, according to J. Gary Sammon, borough clerk and administrator.

The borough acquires two new police vehicles every year, Sammon said.

The department has a total of nine vehicles, which includes marked patrol cars, the vehicle assigned for use by the borough’s chief of police, and a Ford Suburban utility vehicle, according to Chief Edward A. Rumolo.

On average, the officers put about 50,000 miles a year on the vehicles. Once the department is finished with them, the cars are rotated to be used by the borough’s first aid squad, fire department and other borough officials, the chief said.

"Basically we have a car for four or five years," Rumolo explained.

In other matters, the council approved a resolution authorizing the borough to enter into an interlocal agreement with neighboring Red Bank.

Red Bank would provide health services for the borough for a $31,727 annual fee.

Red Bank’s health officer, Fred Richart, would function in the same capacity for the borough, explained Sammon.

"All the services are excellent and have been since we started in 1978," Sammon said.

Those services include conducting inspections of restaurants and other food- related businesses; operating flu shot and rabies inoculation clinics; testing the area water; and investigating any health-related complaints, according to Richart.

Richart’s responsibilities also include "any of the state mandated things we are required to do," Sammon said.