By Tommy Waters

POINT PLEASANT — The mayor and council are pushing for all major projects in the borough to be done by local contractors, as evident from an ordinance adopted at the last council meeting.

At the council meeting on March 10, an ordinance was unanimously adopted amending Chapter 2 of the borough code titled “Administration,” to include a new section called “Project Labor Agreement” (PLA).

The ordinance states, “The borough is committed to entering into fair agreements with contractors who perform projects for the Borough of Point Pleasant…(and) believes that it is appropriate and necessary to ensure that experienced and talented persons perform services on borough projects.”

It states, “The borough therefore mandates that all contracts entered into by the borough for work for and on behalf of the Borough, which contracts are awarded and in compliance with the provisions of the New Jersey Law…with a minimum contract cost of $5 million shall be subject to a Public Labor Agreement.”

Mayor Robert Sabosik told The Ocean Star, “This is guaranteeing that we employ local people for projects over $5 million. We are going to be using a PLA for the new recreation and senior citizen center.” He confirmed the borough defines “local” as individuals or companies from Ocean or Southern Monmouth County.

He said, “This creates a better environment and, what I firmly believe, a better building for the town of Point Pleasant.”

At Monday night’s meeting, the courtroom was packed with contractors, apprentices and union representatives, all in favor of the ordinance, with a few representatives speaking out during public comment.

Sergio Verdesco, a representative of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, specifically representing the floor layers for that organization, said, “I wanted to thank you guys for this project labor agreement ordinance that will ensure that our members who live in the area, work in the area, spend their hard-earned money in the area, to do that work.”

Wayne Martiak, a Point Pleasant resident, said, “This is one of the finest things I think this council has done here in Point Pleasant,” before asking all the apprentices to stand up in the room. He commended the council for ensuring that large-scale projects are done by locals and that local apprentices have opportunities to work on these projects.

Christina Montorio, business agent of Teamsters Local 469, said she has the “distinct honor” of representing four municipal units in Point Pleasant, such as the department of public works, crossing guards and police dispatchers. Teamsters Local 469 is a labor union.

“We also represent construction workers and we have a Teamsters apprentice program, so we are here tonight in support of this important bill,” said Montorio. “Thank you so much for proposing it. Nothing costs more than trying to do it cheap and finding out you have to do it over, so you are really protecting taxpayers with this one.”

She also thanked the mayor and council because, she said, Teamsters bargain in many towns, but Point Pleasant is the only town where the mayor and two of the governing body representatives sat in on every bargaining session.

“It shows how much you care about the workers, and this bill is the next chapter of that,” Montorio said.