You must have a photo ID that must be surrendered to an official and stored on site in order to go see your property and collect some of your belongings? I wouldn't surrender anything to these people after two weeks of not answering reasonable questions. The other sections of Toms River didn't have to surrender anything.

Dan Polifroni, the past President of the Ortley Beach Property Owners Association was right when he said... "Toms River officials treat us like unwanted step children, except when they collect our tax money and supply us with nothing in return except disrespect".

Ortley Beach is lucky to get a look. OBIII is still guessing when we will. If the incompetent Mayor and Chief can not come up with a plan real soon I am going to put a plan into motion to deny them access to their homes. Fair is only fair. They both need to resign because they can not think on their feet and outside the box. We can not even vote the old fool of a Mayor.

All other area residents had to leave their IDs too. When you sign in, you give them your ID and they give you an ID to hang around your neck that must be worn.
Where is the Ortley Beach Property Owners Association now? With some of our $$$ they are holding in escrow they should have filed a suit against TR and the State.

When will the non-residents be allowed access?
I know it is more of a hardship for residents, but I spend 50% of my time in Ortley
and pay the same taxes!

It's bad over there, they don't want people over there that don't belong and by giving you ID to hang around your neck makes it easy to recognize that you do belong there. Contractors can't be more than 50 feet from their trucks otherwise they are escorted out, stop making a big deal out of nothing, this is to protect you and your property. This is extrodinary times

This whole mess is disgraceful from the mayor on down.
More homes are ok than damaged many streets are passable. The. Ocean blocks did take a bad hit but most of Ortley is ok. This will never be forgotten, how the politicians and Police Chief have managed the Ortley situation. We will remember at election time.

I disagree with J that Ortley is OK. Ortley between rt 35 S and east side of Bay Blvd is basically ok but the side streets were still ravaged by flood waters creating unsafe sink holes. I do agree that the situation has been mismanaged. The scope of the TR damaged areas outside their beach communities is also huge. Across the bay took a big hit. Fortunately, they have road access.

So much for dragging garbage to the street,huh?

Any homeowner whose home is intact and their street is passable should have been allowed to go in at least the first week to begin the cleanup process. Many people have been in and out of the affected areas who had no business being there. Homeowners/ TAX PAYERS should have had TOP PRIORITY. Not sightseers, crony friends.
The only word that comes to mind is DISGRACEFUL

Our taxes pay their salaries, and then some, but prisoners of war get better treatment.

This is moms secondary home too. I'm trying to take care of everything I can , but I've asked so many people di I reg before hand or the day they open bay blvd? Are wr getting 48 hour notice? I don't live around the corner and work. This has been such a nightmare and it seems no one want to give us clear answers

All official instructions for re-entry will come from
Www.tomsrivertownship.com
Good Luck to all Ortley people and all affected by the storm....

Ask tony saragusa to get you in he gets police escort to go in

I hope they have mental health professionals available for the residents who find their houses gone and then realize that they were sitting in the 75 foot tall pile of debris that is staged in the temporary recyling yard at the foot of the bridge in Seaside Heights. Good Luck and God Bless the residents of Ortley Beach.

First of all dont try to defend incompetance That's part of the reason they didn't want us over there because they were doing what they wanted without anyone's interference
Our property taxes are paying for people's pensions and benefits. We should have been allowed to our homes a lot sooner and not be treated like dogs by submitting our drivers licenses like we are in a communist country. Ortley residents will never forget and we will see at election time. It's time for major changes in this corrupt Toms River and Ocean County....

CHUCK, I agree with you. There are going to be quite a few emotional people around.

ROBERT, I bet you're one or the other. An attorney or have a job collecting taxpayer money.

Taxation without representation. Long live the king.

Property tax revolt is a must. Take away their pensions.

I can assure you all of the politicaly connected public insurance adjusters floating around Toms River have seen your home and are just waiting to pounce.

If they ask for a ID so they can have a list and picture of the people going over it can only be to help them keep track of everyone. The picture would help in trying to find the right person in case something happens and that person does not return. Read the article, don't read into the article what you think will happen. If you don't want to do as the have set up don't and you'll leave room for those who do wish to see their homes and get important papers so they can make the calls they need to do.

I just called TR to ask a couple of question about tomorrows reentry.
We are allowed to remove a suitcase on our lap like everyone else was doing. The difference is we we can spend the day, drain pipes and pick up a little.
She said that we CAN NOT start cleaning out our homes. Wet carpet and couches have to stay. That will be for phase 2. When I asked for the persons name that was giving me the answers, she said she wouldn't. When my area is brought in on our bus ride. I will be putting all my carpet and couches in the yard after I video it.
E Liz; Thanks for the update. And we believe what your saying. But 2 weeks is long enough to keep people from their homes. PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE is what will help more. Than the POLITICIANS FEELING THAT THERE PROTECTING AND HELPING US!!!!!

I own a home in the most damaged part of Ortley Beach. I called the Toms River Police to find out when we can have access to our homes. I was told that we will have
to wait until our homes are inspected and deemed safe to enter. When I asked how these inspectors will gain entry to the interior of our homes, the person told me they weren't privy to that information. Does that mean they will be kicking down our doors? Will our homes then be left open for just anyone to walk in? Does anyone else find this just slightly outrageous, or is it just me?

The people/ homeowners will rebuild Ortley not the politicians or police....when all is said and done neighbors and friends and family will come together. I agree people helping people will ultimately prevail. Homeowners will be the ones doing most of the work. I don't trust any politicians not one iota...and this event just proves how full of #%$@ they are. There only concerned with there image and photo ops and there pensions and benefits. There will be many people who will not get paid by insurance companies and FEMA then where will the politicians be
We'll see....

So wait, this is not for all of Ortley? Only the small section between Rts 35 N & S? And is this for full-time residents only? I don't see that explicitely mentioned, it only says residents. Is that determined by what is on your license? We spend more than 50% of our time at our Ortley residence but our drivers license states a different location. If I have to make a trip to motor vehicle today I will.

Thanks Jim - very anxious!

http://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/sandy/

This link will take you to satelite photos post Sandy. Enter your address in the search box and hit "enter"

Good luck and God Bless!

So i did some reserch....fema knows nothen about homes being knocked down.....they say call 211 and long behold they know nothen...and they say call tomsriver and or seaside....and YOU CAN ONLY GUESS what there gonna tell you.....like i said if i get there and my home is gone they can just give me a bus ride to TRENTON STATE !!!!!!

My Freind us a permanent resident if Ortley beach. She's asked me to come with her to help her - will I be allowed in? Is it only spouses they're letting in? She can't do this by herself. Does anyone know?

No electric, no gas, no sewer, minimal usable roads. Yet people still don't understand why they aren't allowed to stay in their homes.

Idiots

There are so many people working to clean up and restore the island that the workers are getting in each others way. If they let people drive in the workers would not be able to get anything done.

Silver Beach only had 1 hour to visit their homes. Almost all other associations had at least 6 hours to clean up their refrigerators and throw out the three week old rotten garbage. Why were we limited to such a short period of time. We all had substancial damages, yet Silver Beach residents had a very limited time. Why ?

Silver Beach Resident

folks....please.
i know this is tough but as hard as it may be for you to believe the cops and first responders are doing exactly what they are supposed to do.
i grew up with you and wound up reporting on other people's tragedies...most notably hurricane katrina. i spent six weeks there. what you have...two weeks in...is, in many ways, incredibly good. this takes time and it's heartbreaking...but it will get done.
nothing will ever be the same but you'll be stronger. PLEASE, friends...take the long view as hard as that may be.
i love you all.

Let me see if I have this right. Under PHASE 1 and 2 all residents of Ortley Beach are allowed in when they list their location for that date. In addition you can spend as long as you want there but must be on the 2PM bus.
Phase 3 will allow you to start cleaning out your house.

Why cant we start cleaning out our homes under Phase 1and 2 if we are allowed to stay until 2PM. This makes no sense.

Papers please, comrades

I am a phase 2 Chadwick resident that pays a mere $25K a years in taxes and though Phase 1 is now complete, nothing has been said about when Phase 2 will begin. The lack of communications is what has everyone frustrated. I understand there were very long lines to register. Why not register on line and be assigned a time and a bus and eliminate more frustration? This was a disaster but figuring out how to move people in and out is not rocket science.

I hope there is a large turn out for the council meeting.

Anybody not questioning or attacking the township is the fool,my friends

Man all you hear on here is a bunch of whining from a bunch of people who have absolutely no CLUE as to what is going on. Come on people instead of thinking of yourselves and your summer homes try thinking of these few things. ONE-there was a FLOOD 6ft in some areas that means HUGE potholes, destroyed houses off their foundations into the road and up until recently Un-passable roads. TWO-Full time residents that live there everyday who need to get their personal belongings were given preference! That means those that have been living in the same clothes for the past two weeks should be allowed first before someone who wants to check on their summer home that they use all but 9 months of the year (SELFISH) THREE-If the Town officials allowed everyone to go over with their cars in the beginning there would have been mass looting and all you above complaints would have found another issue to complain about (Again selfish and use common sense!) FOUR, The State Department of Transportation Closed the Barrier Island as directed by the Gov Office FACT which then allowed the hundreds of State workers to work AROUND the clock to dig out Ortley and the beaches and make the roads safe so that you could return to your Homes SAFELY!! So before you go complaining like spoiled children think of some of the things I have stated here and maybe, just maybe after you see the devastation first hand then you will realize just how foolish you all sound.

First of all everybody knows you can't live without electric, water, sewer, and gas. And especially TV so we can watch the FOX News channel and listen to the same communist Republican propaganda you listen too. Homeowners / tax payers should have been let over after 2 or 3 days when the gas was shut off not 2
weeks. The town should have taken the tax records an then they could have matched homes not damaged with owners for identification. Bused over would have been ok
So we could have worked on our homes. Some of us are full time residents anybody not questioning the antics of the Toms River authorities is either a crony or has drank the Republican cool- aid. Your Republican days in Ocean County are coming to an end. Put that in your cool-aid cup

Thus us not extraordinary times. It's incompetence . We need Mayor Bloomburg here. The world is laughing at us. Let the people back to their homes . When government thinks they can do it better than people, we are no longer a democracy .

Why is everyone worried and maken big deal about getting stuff out to curb.....when i met with fema insp all of the houses u see with a green sticker in just about all ortley including mine are for demolition and we have no say.....and alot of the hones are savable......so you wanna knock my home down you can take all the stuff in it also......i will take my cloths and what little is left anf let them knock themselves out....NOTHEN WILL GET DONE UNTIL YOU GET THE "ORTLEY MAN MARCH " GOING.....WALK THE BRIDGE , GET THE CLASS ACTION GOING !!!! come on people nothen gets done till your on shame shame shame.......lol

well past time for the island becomes its own township !!!!!....too bad it takes a disaster for most people to wake up to this

Lavallette residents, property owners and business owners will all be allowed in tomorrow, Thursday and Friday IN THEIR OWN VEHICLES!!! So no more CRAP about DOT restrictions or roads not being safe, when they'll be using the SAME road the rest of us would have used, if Toms River overlords had half a brain amongst them.

Lavallette I meant......lucky them they are not part of toms river

letsgetreal, MAJOR LOSER!!!!!!!
One, like you said, until recently. Two, I'm a full timer and I feel my neighbor is 5 months and weekends and pays his $18K taxes a year. (even if he paid $5K) He has just as much right as me to be there. Even is 1 month a year. Three, Its not the beginning, its 2 weeks later. And as far as looting. ID check, genius!! Four, FACT IS BASED ON what TR officials report to him. The foolish little child is you. So now you can go back to your taxpayer collecting job and write some more child and foolish nonsense, of what no one even cares what you have to say. LOSER

WHERE IS THE ORTLEY BEACH ASSOCIATION RIGHT NOW? AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING FOR US WITH THE MONEY WE HAVE SITTING IN ESCROW? NO EMAILS, NO NOTHING. JUST COFFEE AND DONUTS ONCE A MONTH!

I can't wait until Thursdays comments when you all realize why things were done this way. Complaints about frozen pipes and mold should be the least of your worries. The suitcase rule is due to the fact that that's about all that is salvageable in most homes in ortley. God bless.

cant get any answers. my in laws parked their car at a&p lot where is it? who has it? any info would be appreciated. pd does not know, mayor does not know. please, any info. heard a rumor that guards towed the cars parked there, but where

Im a full time resident as most of you are. I was there 3 times. once in my boat after the storm, (can't do that anymore) another time on the bus to go to my business, and again on the bus to go to my house. (2 different areas). I agree with some of the angry comments in these post, but not all of them. It is frustrating I agree. Especially when a certain (SH) police chief is making comments and assumptions about the bridge being compromised, and people not being able to get back to their homes for 6 to 8 months. He has no business making these statements. Its comments like his that no one needs to hear 3 or 4 days after the storm. . (My point is this; The bridge is repaired already/ and were getting back to our homes)
Do police work chief......NOT PR Work. Let the DOT decide when its safe. I think they know a little more than all of us about this right now.
I do know this.......because I've seen it with my own eyes. Police, local and out of state, construction personnel, Linemen from all over the country, and many more types of first responders are all over that island, Helping every one of us. Locally, I have to say...Every TR cop I've dealt with either at the school bus location, on the buses, at check points all over town....has been a gentleman, very helpful, and patient with everybody. Now.... go help somebody out that needs a hand! It might change the way you feel about things right now. As bad as it is for you, somebody else has it worse.

The state & local government are making things worse!

Let me ask you this Michelle. Who should be doing their job? The Boy Scouts? Their the first people we call when we need help. Their all doing their jobs. This problem is not just in our neighborhoods. It's statewide and all over NY, and it's not going away soon. If you think it's the mayors fault, next time you vote you'll have your chance to vote for the other guy. Have you even been over there yet? Sounds like you haven't to me. It's frustrating for sure. Take 2 steps back....and we will all be able to take a giant step forward.

Michele, there are cops on every corner over there. I don't think the looting is as bad as m

.........Everyone thought.

@Letsgetreal... Like I said MAJOR LOSSER
First, Very sorry about the loss of your home, and mean it. But still stand by my comment above. Just because someone doesn't agree with you or you don't like what they're saying you go off on your high horse.
YOU KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT ME. But I'll enlighten you a little. 1st, I do have 2 homes. And today I found out my that my fulltime home at the shore is totaled. And its no big deal to me. I'm still stand. I have lots of memories of that place. I'll either rebuild or sell. Don't know yet. And my 2nd house, yes I do have one. Is a rental that is rented out. And that's where I stayed for 10 days without power with a kind friend you rents it. And yes THANK YOU, for 10 day I was off of work and driving around, handing out water, ice and cooking food for neighbor on the block. We were also going into stores that were open, buy food and giving it out to those who need. Since most didn't have heat, we were inviting them over to my place that my buddy rents from me because there is a gas heater that we hooked up that heated the house. So I guess you were wrong on that assumption. Also, you need to reread before you make comments. I never said that I pay more taxes. I said that my neighbor pays 18K for 5 months and weekends. And even if he paid 5K he had as much right to be there as does a full timer. So now, you can stop your whining and your Wahhh Wahhhing and letsgetreal. Good luck with your home and hope all works out for you.

Well, I took the TR bus ride over to the Island yesterday to visit my property, TOTALED. And thats ok. I lived at the shore and hurricanes happen. Though very sad to look around at the devastation, it has many memories to compensate for my loss. The Island on the beach block must have looked like 'HELLS HOLE", But that happens during major storms. It happens all over the world everyday, just not to OB, WRONG, it dose. It was amazing seeing it OVER 2 WEEKS after it hit, MUCH TO LONG I still feel for us to have gotten in. THEY are doing an amazing job cleaning up and busting there asses. Thank you to ALL the workers from near and far. I've walked thru hurricane hit areas before, the day after. BUT this was VERY SURREAL, with it being my home. PEOPLE of the faint of heart, be ready. Good luck to all. And if your reading this were the lucky ones who made it to live another day.

I was in Ortley on Wednesday and I thought that the plan was well thought out and executed. The police, from many different states, on the buses, in Ortley, and at the registration site were great! Very caring and helpful. They did everything to make sure that we were safe, and helped many of us get into our places when the doors or the locks were unyielding. They carried luggage and offered water and hand sanitizers to a weary busload at the end of the day. The Red cross volunteers were also cheerful and tried to help out where they could. My first floor was flooded but I still have four walls, a roof, and a good second floor, so with a little sweat and TLC I expect we will eventually be okay. I would like to thank the OEM for returning my phone calls and patiently answering all my questions. I think they have done a super job. Kudos to all involved!