Mayor: All Township Services Open, Responders Addressing Issues 'Round the Clock' [VIDEO]

widespread power outages, fallen trees and flooding in Toms River, said Mayor Thomas Kelaher.

“It was a very bad storm, but as bad as it was, it could have been a lot worse,” Kelaher said.

Yesterday, of township operations after Hurricane Irene, the mayor said township offices were without power and operating on back-up generators. Township offices fielded lots of calls, often about whether the beaches were open.

“One of the main inquiries we’ve received is if our beaches are open — yes, our beaches are open,” Kelaher said.

Township Administrator Paul Shives said he was surprised the township pulled everything together for Monday beach hours. The Ortley beach and Shelter Cove beach, as well as the township pool in Snug Harbor, were all open Monday.

“The employees have been great. They stepped up and came together to accomplish a lot,” Shives said.

Kelaher said that clearing debris and other maintenance tasks are ongoing, as public works, parks and recreation and other departments secure areas, sweep sand tossed by beach winds, and remove fallen branches.

Kelaher said he spoke with JCP&L yesterday and received assurances that their crews are working “round the clock.”

“A number of their substations are under water,” Kelaher said. “They are waiting for water to subside.”

In addition to tending to road closures and detours on local and county roads, traffic needs directing at key intersections as a result, said the mayor. He said there are 14 police officers now at intersections, directing traffic.

Residents with brush or tree limbs should bring the debris curbside.

“We are in the process of collecting them,” said Kelaher.

He added that to help with efforts, 20 prisoners from Ocean County Jail as part of the Work Release Program are providing manpower.

Kelaher also offered praise to the cooperation between agencies and township departments.

“We are very grateful,” he said of the coordination with Toms River Regional Schools to get shelters running over the weekend.

Also: “Our volunteer fire department and first aid folks did an exemplary job,” said the mayor.