💰 BELMAR FACES POTENTIAL LOSS OF $250,000 STATE EMS GRANT 💰

BELMAR, NJ — The Borough of Belmar could lose $250,000 in state funding intended to support emergency medical services, raising new questions about the future of the grant and the borough's EMS expenses.

The funding was included in New Jersey's Fiscal Year 2026 budget for Belmar EMS and is administered through the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA). According to multiple sources, the borough did not complete the necessary steps to put the awarded funding to use within the applicable timeframe.

Belmar had previously approved a resolution incorporating the grant into its municipal budget, but the money was ultimately not utilized during the state fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2026.

🏛️ The funding may not be lost permanently. Belmar could request an extension from DCA, potentially allowing additional time to access and use the $250,000.

There are also competing ideas regarding how the money could be used if the grant is preserved. One possibility is making improvements to the Union Fire Company building on Ninth Avenue for EMS operations. Another proposal involves the borough-owned property at 12th Avenue and Main Street, which was purchased for public safety purposes but has encountered environmental contamination concerns.

💵 The grant issue comes as Belmar residents have faced significant increases in local costs. Municipal property taxes have reportedly risen by more than 21% over the past two years, while water and sewer rates have increased by approximately 25% during the same period.

Belmar currently operates a shared EMS service with Lake Como, costing the municipalities hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.

Meanwhile, Monmouth County Sheriff's Office has offered to provide EMS coverage to Belmar without a direct cost to borough taxpayers. Manasquan and Sea Girt have already moved away from the previous regional EMS arrangement and now receive county EMS services.

🚑 If Belmar were to transition to county-provided EMS, the borough could potentially reduce its annual EMS-related expenses by hundreds of thousands of dollars, although the exact savings would depend on which costs would remain with the municipality.

For now, the immediate issue is whether Belmar can secure an extension from DCA and preserve the $250,000 state grant.

📲 Garden State News Network will continue to follow developments surrounding Belmar's EMS funding, municipal finances and public safety services.