Toms River to Scale Back Sandy Appropriations by $10M

Toms River officials are set to scale back the amount of emergency appropriations approved in the wake of Superstorm Sandy by another $10 million, officials said.

The township council is expected to vote at a meeting scheduled for Monday to reduce an emergency appropriation passed after the storm from $21 million to $11 million.

The latest reduction in storm-related expenses is the most recent in a line of cuts from an initial outlay of $35 million passed at a Nov. 16, 2012 meeting, just over two weeks after the storm hit. That amount was then reduced to $25 million by resolution adopted Dec. 26, 2012 and further reduced to $21 million on March 12, 2013.

"Now, upon further assessment of the fiscal impact of the storm, the township has determined that expenses can be covered by less than the additional $21 million appropriated," said Council President George Wittmann. "It’s a $10 million refund back to the taxpayers."

The meeting where the reduction is set to be approved will begin at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23 at Toms River Township's municipal complex.