By Anne Geggis
The cost of staffing a private security guard at the entrance of Point Manalapan has the town considering dialing the detail back to one 12-hour shift instead of around-the-clock coverage.
The bill for 24-hour coverage for next year is going to $270,000, a bump of about 2% from the current year. The cost for the Point’s security detail increased 30% in 2022 when the commission selected a new company in order to improve guardhouse security visibility.
The publicly funded amenity is a unique one among South County municipalities.
Having a security guard at the entrance of the Point only overnight would cut the bill in about half: $134,000. But it might also mean an increase for residents’ insurance bills.
“We’re trying to figure out if it’s a benefit the community needs and wants and can the police supplement that benefit a little bit without having to spend an additional $134,000 a year?” said Eric Marmer, Manalapan’s assistant town manager. “So that’s the question.”
Town Manager Linda Stumpf said, “The chief and I have been talking about it for a while that we didn’t really know if we really need 24 hours” a day.
Police Chief Carmen Mattox noted that the guardhouse itself serves as a kind of deterrent to crime.
Commissioner David Knobel said he wants to be able to talk to residents in the area he represents before the decision gets made.
“It’s not a great time of the year to get public comment,” Knobel said, noting that many residents are out of the area during the summer months.
Mayor John Deese, who lives in that section of town, said that it’s been mentioned to him.
“I’ve heard a lot of positive comments from people about the fact that we have someone there,” Deese said.
A police cruiser parked near there might be just as effective as paying someone to stand there, it was suggested.
Stumpf said she would budget the full, 24-hour cost for now and perhaps roll back that line item if Point Manalapan is amenable.
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