Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 18

A18 Asbury Park Press Sunday, March 26, 1995 LOCAL NEWS School fixup orders anticipated Shelter with deaths in quandary "That's the tough part. You can have all these things in place and still not catch everybody," Brady said. She said shelter staff did everything they could. The deaths left residents and staff of the county's only shelter for homeless single adults shaken and groping for answers. The county's human services department contracts with the nonprofit Check-Mate social service agency to operate the shelter and will give it $312,000 this year.

Brady said the shelter, by its very nature, deals with people that sometimes are troubled. "You do have difficulty dealing with a very vulnerable population," she said. erybody to look around and say, 'Could we? Should we? Did said Kathleen A. Brady, deputy director of the county's division of social services. The shelter offers several programs to help identify and treat residents with problems as soon as they arrive, officials say.

A visiting nurse and counselors evaluate each resident, and social workers are available to assist. Staff members also are trained as counselors. Beretta went to the shelter last Saturday and was quickly seen by a nurse and a social worker. He had even made arrangements for the shelter's van to take him to work on the morning he killed himself, and he showed no signs of distress, officials said. By WAYNE PARRY PRESS COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU FORT MONMOUTH Despite the deaths of two residents of the Monmouth County Shelter for the Homeless within a week, officials say the shelter is prepared to identify and help troubled residents.

But they said everybody can't be reached. Wednesday morning, Felix Beretta, 19, committed suicide by kneeling in front of an oncoming train at the Little Silver train station. Last Saturday, Robert Mathis, 21, who Red Bank police say held up a liquor store the night before, was found dead in a Swimming River marsh. The incident is under investigation. "This sort of tragedy causes ev When officials prepared the list, they were not aware the state would find serious problems during the inspection tour, Merluzzi said.

When voters go to the polls April 18, they will be asked to approve a tax levy of about $62 million for general expenses, and a cap waiver of $5.6 million that includes the repair money. With approval, the school purposes tax rate would jump 15.3 cents per $100 of property value. Stokes also asked how soon administrators could estimate the cost of the mandated repairs, and suggested that the board consider asking voters to approve a "mini-referendum" for April 18 that would cover the fix-up costs. Merluzzi said he did not think he could get accurate repair figures in time for the April ballot. Amtrak By JEAN MIKLE PRESS MIDDLETOWN BUREAU MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP A review of Middletown school buildings by the state Department of Education could lead to big money problems for the Board of Education, Superintendent Peter L.

Merluzzi believes. "I do not have the results of the review yet," Merluzzi told the board last week, "but from what I hear it was pretty serious. We will need to do some major work here over the summer." Officials from the department's Bureau of Facilities and Planning Service spent several days in the schools earh'er this month after the board requested a state inspection. The request was made after several board members questioned the severity of hazards in school buildings. The state's report is expected this week, Merluzzi said.

the major problem facing the district seems to be about 80 classrooms considered substandard. The list includes classrooms in closets, trailers and, basements. Merluzzi said the district received waivers in the past that allowed continued use of some of the rooms. But he said the state is unlikely to permit Middletown to use many of the rooms in September unless modifications are made. "Some will have to be fixed this summer," he said.

"They will not receive continued approval." Among the possible problem spots are closets in several elementary schools that are used as classrooms and resource rooms, along with sec-. tions of High School South where students must walk through one room to get to another. He said the budget does not contain any money to make modifications, which could be a problem. Board member Thomas F. Stokes asked if the mandated repairs could be made by using part of the $5 million already slated for other repairs that is included in a $5.6 million budget cap waiver.

Merluzzi said no. Once the education commissioner approves the cap waiver amount, along with the list of items to be fixed, the money cannot be diverted to other projects, he said. 1 Announcing The Opening Of Our Newest Location. ticket rebates. The market is there, they say if only Amtrak could have reached it.

Going back home Longtime passenger Marianne Hewitt of Pasadena, doesn't understand why Amtrak's Atlantic City-service failed. "This train was always crowded," she said. The casinos' neon lights faded fast as Amtrak's 7:15 p.m. train on March 18 rolled home to Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. Hewitt sat in the dining car with her sister, Sally Knisley, and their father, Joseph Wickless.

They've ridden Amtrak to Atlantic City every other week for three years. They're on a first-name basis with conductors. "I think it's terrible," Wickless said. "Without this train, they won't see very much of me." Wickless got up to buy a hot dog. Knisley leaned over and whispered: "It's going to destroy him.

He loves Atlantic City." Hewitt agreed, adding her father has become a regular at the Sands Hotel Casino. "He has his own slot considering shutting the service down. That's very worrisome," said Louis Toscano, policy adviser to Atlantic City Mayor James Whelan. Proponents take heart If NJ Transit eliminates service, at least 500 Atlantic City workers who ride the train could be left without transportation. And it could hurt convention business, Toscano said.

The city's new $250 million convention center is being built next to the rail station. Hopes that NJ Transit would preserve the route increased late last week, after more than 100 rail supporters attended an Atlantic City hearing on the line's future. "There's a groundswell of support to keep the line," said Greg Bender of Dover Township, vice president of the New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers. "It's not a done deal, but I would bet on it." NJ Transit board member Patrick W. Parkinson of Middletown Township said he'd like to save Atlantic City commuter rail service provided NJ Transit and Atlantic City leaders create initiatives to increase the number of riders.

Launched in 1989, Atlantic City service has been one of Amtrak's biggest money-losers in the Northeast. Amtrak has spent more than $8 million annually to run its trains; it has generated less than $4 million in revenue a year. From 1991 to 1994, Amtrak passengers to Atlantic City dropped 46 percent. Two possible reasons: NJ Transit increased rail service to Atlantic City in 1993. Rail riders to Atlantic City aboard NJ Transit jumped 48 percent in the past four years.

NJ Transit charges $12 for a round trip between Philadelphia and Atlantic City compared with $18 charged by Amtrak. Despite the increase in passengers, Atlantic City service also remains NJ Transit's biggest rail money-loser. Amenities appreciated Even if NJ Transit continues running trains, some Amtrak passengers say they won't ride them. They don't want the hassle of changing trains in Philadelphia. They'd also miss Amtrak's dining cars and other amenities.

They say riding Amtrak is cheaper than flying and more convenient than driving or riding a bus. "I like the comfort and the scenery and you don't have the stoplights," said Lillian Epps of Landover, Md. Epps and friend Emilie Williams paid $36 apiece to ride Amtrak to Atlantic City from Maryland. Passengers slept around them. Epps and Williams had traveled to Atlantic City more than a dozen times each but never by train.

"This is better. Why? Relaxation," Williams said. To veteran Amtrak passengers and employees, losing Atlantic City service is like the death of a friend. "It's disheartening," said conductor Steve O'Rourke, who's worked the Atlantic City run for five years. "There's a significant difference between the people that ride this train and your commuters.

It's more leisurely. People are personable." O'Rourke, a South Jersey native, looked out the window. Pine trees and suburban homes blurred by. "I've seen the encroachment of development into a lot of rural areas," he said. "I've seen the railroads deteriorate all through South Jersey Considering the development that's going on down here, you'd think mass transit would increase." Passengers, employees and Atlantic City leaders say Amtrak didn't aggressively advertise the service.

Others complain most of the casinos don't give Amtrak riders the same financial perks offered bus passengers, such as From page Al "I thought we could do this once a year. Not anymore." Near the end of the line Amid the casinos, cash-for-gold shops and frozen custard stands, more than 500 of the tourists walking Atlantic City's beach and boardwalk eight days ago had ridden there from as far away as Massachusetts and Virginia aboard Amtrak, the nation's passenger rail service. Amtrak has been running at least three round trips a day to Atlantic City. Only until next week, though. Money woes have forced Amtrak to cut routes around the country, including the 67-mile run from Philadelphia to Atlantic City dubbed the "Gambler's Express." Next Saturday's runs will be the last.

Amtrak officials expect NJ Transit to pick up the slack by expanding commuter rail service to Atlantic City from Amtrak's 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. NJ Transit now runs six round trips between Philadelphia and Atlantic City. But a financial snag could cut Atlantic City off from train service altogether. vTo continue service, NJ Transit must absorb Amtrak's share of the cost to run the rail line. NJ Transit also must build a diesel fueling facility in Atlantic City.

The fueling site would cost $1.3 million. Running the line would cost NJ Transit another $1.26 million in higher annual subsidies, officials estimate. NJ Transit's board of directors is scheduled to decide the fate of Atlantic City rail service Tuesday. "The indication we're getting from NJ Transit is they're very seriously a i EXCLUSIVE DALEA Of LOOK Take Advantage of Pre-Season Pricing and Bonuses! SUPER STEEL INGROUND tu, ff, I BEFORE YOU BUY! CALL FOR OUR MONTH I SI POOLS WNV0ESI YOU CAN HAVE A DOVER INOROUND POOL THE EST POOL YOU CAN (UY WITH ALL THE EXTRAS THAT MAKES A DOVER POOL A DIFFERENT AND SETTER POOL WITH YOUR CHOICE OF SIZE SHAPE. VIDEOTAPE nuaicaa.

iicy iuuiy cuici mm "It's something to do for a lot of older people," she said. "He's 81. His wife is dead. He lives alone in a big house. It's just fun for us.

It's one of the few things we can do that's relatively harmless." Conductor Jerry Bramble walked up. EXCLUSIVE DEALER Of EXTRUDED ALUMINUM INGROUND POOLS Wa'll BMt Any Prtc With A Better Quality Inground Pool ClMOM Pram TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION Qahranued Steel Stamfaw Steel Concrete Rbergtaia SupereM Structural Polymer Exvuded AJumtrun St4er Plue Port Planning Guide WINNER OP 123 AWARDS I FOR EXCELLENCE IN 1ST Our Pool Proteoabnob DESIGN, ENGINEERING AND CRAFTSMANSHIP! WHGukh You Every SfpolTtfWy CONSECUTIVE VEM DOVW "OOU NAMED TO ASUA 1001 (Tea Pool ContaatlM In ta UA) "Jerry, where have you been?" Hewitt asked. Bramble told the sisters he might work Amtrak's Philadelphia- In tha world can claim the) rtcordt! Whv tmuM you ma conaMor cflNIng flnyofw ihc wnwi Oow can buMd youtntDaai pool at a prtca lower man onarwy doom OCEAN COUNTY OUR NEWEST LOCATION MONMOUTH COUNTY to-New York run once Atlantic City service ceases. "Then we'll never see you again," Hewitt said sadly. Bramble shrugged and walked to the next table to greet another regular.

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