Board of Commissioners greenlights public safety upgrades, municipal service contracts, and housing rehabilitation support for 2026.
Toms River, NJ – The Ocean County Board of Commissioners has approved a wide range of spending and administrative actions for 2026, including new public safety grants, infrastructure partnerships with municipalities, and the establishment of a dedicated Veterans Service Bureau.
Key Points
- County accepted over $1.1 million in state and federal grants for law enforcement, victim services, and emergency telecommunications.
- Approved multiple shared service and Schedule “C” agreements with local municipalities for road, engineering, and vehicle support, totaling more than $2 million in local infrastructure commitments.
- Established the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau as a standalone division, separating it from the Department of Human Services.
- Adopted a new flag display policy and dissolved the Ocean County Transportation Advisory Board.
Major public safety and justice initiatives
The Board authorized participation in the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program for its Multi-Jurisdictional Gang, Gun and Narcotics Strike Force, covering July 2025 to June 2026.
Ocean County also accepted a $260,083 VOCA grant for Sexual Assault Response Team and Forensic Nurse Examiner services, and nearly $544,000 in Next Generation 911 funding to upgrade emergency communication systems.
Additionally, $350,000 in ARRIVE Together funding will support alternative response programs aimed at de-escalation and violence prevention.
Shared services and infrastructure
Dozens of intergovernmental agreements were approved under the county’s Schedule “C” program, authorizing county departments to provide roadwork, engineering, and vehicle maintenance services to towns including Lakewood, Seaside Heights, Beachwood, Bay Head, and Barnegat, as well as Toms River Regional Schools, Ocean County College, and the Vocational Technical School.
Notably, Seaside Heights’ agreement authorizes up to $500,000 in county-provided road services, the largest among the listed contracts.
Housing and community development
Two HOME Housing Rehabilitation Program deferred loans—totaling more than $72,000—were approved to assist eligible residents with housing repairs and upgrades. The Board also approved a Declaration of Encumbrance to formally update the county’s Recreation and Open Space Inventory.
Administrative actions
Other notable measures include:
- Renewal of a lease for 16 Madison Avenue, Toms River.
- Adoption of a Flag Display Policy for county buildings.
- Clarification of membership terms for the Homelessness Trust Fund Task Force.
- Establishment of the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau as a new standalone department dedicated to veterans’ affairs.
The full list of 41 resolutions is available through the Ocean County Board of Commissioners Office, 101 Hooper Avenue, Toms River.
Tags: ocean county, local government, public safety
