Officials to pursue sale of retail liquor license
BY KATHY BARATTA
Staff Writer

MANALAPAN - In a 4-1 vote, the Township Committee decided on July 25 to work on developing the sale of a plenary retail consumption liquor license from the municipality to a winning bidder.

That specific license would permit the holder of the license to serve alcohol on site (i.e. in a restaurant).

In a discussion before the vote, Com-mitteeman Richard Klauber said of the dormant liquor license, "It's an asset we have sitting on the shelf. I'd like to see it used as another asset."

Voting in favor of going to bid on the license were Klauber, Mayor Andrew Lucas, Deputy Mayor Michelle Roth and Committeewoman Susan Cohen.

After commenting that he wanted to review some documents first, Commit-teeman Anthony Gennaro voted no.

Township clerk Rose Ann Weeden said she will prepare a bid package proposal that will be presented to the committee members for their approval and then the license will be put out to bid.

Klauber said he would like to see the money received from the sale of a liquor license used to offset the cost of an energy saving offer to Manalapan from Jersey Central Power and Light.

The township was recently presented with a cost savings option from JCP&L in the form of a purchase agreement proposal.

At present, Manalapan pays JCP&L $12.90 per bulb, per month for more than 2,000 street lights in the municipality (approximately $25,800 per month). The fee covers the cost of energy, maintenance and the installation of bulbs as needed.

JCP&L is offering a payment option known as a contribution rate plan. With such a plan, officials would have the option of paying a one-time fee of $404.44 per street light bulb.

The $404.44 one-time fee would reduce the monthly cost for a 100-watt sodium light bulb from $12.90 to $8.23 per bulb. That would yield a monthly bill of about $16,460 for the 2,000 light bulbs - a savings of $9,340 per month ($25,800 - $16,460).

According to JCP&L, it would take 86.6 months or 7.2 years for Manalapan to start realizing a $100,000 annual savings. Some municipalities do all of their lights at once and others stretch it out over a five-year period, according to JCPL.

Klauber said using any revenue from the issuance of the liquor license for the JCP&L energy proposal would mean that the money is not just being spent, but used wisely.

"I look at it as an investment. The money doesn't just lay there," he said.

Lucas called the JCP&L offer "quite a substantial program for saving taxpayer dollars."

Roth also agreed with Klauber and said issuing the liquor license would "create a new revenue source."