BELMAR - Borough officials are reversing a new policy that denied free beach badges to non-disabled veterans after discovering that the state statute it was based on was misinterpreted.

“We are going to change the ordinance,” said Borough Attorney Jerry Dasti. “The statute allows that as an option, to give towns the discretion whether they want to give free or reduced beach passes to active military personnel, disabled veterans or all veterans.”

A new beach badge policy took effect this season reversing a previous rule that allowed free access to all current and veteran military personnel. But under the new version, only current and disabled veterans were granted free entry. Non-disabled veterans had to pay the $9-per-day fee.

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Belmar Business Administrator Ed Kirschenbaum said the initial policy change — unanimously approved by borough council in February — was aimed at conforming to state statute 40:61-22.20, which regulates municipal control of beaches and was updated in 2017.

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“The mayor and the council want to help the veterans, but while doing the research on the beach fees (we found) there is a statute that does not allow it,” Kirschenbaum said last week.

He said the borough attorney had concluded that the state law allowed free access only to active military personnel and disabled vets.

But a review of the statute by the Asbury Park Press found it also allowed free access for veterans who “served at least 90 days in active duty.”

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“We interpreted it to be that they had to be on disability, disabled vets,” Kirschenbaum explained when told about the mistake. He added that he would reach out to Dasti to seek a change.

Dasti confirmed that Kirschenbaum contacted him over the weekend and directed him to write a new ordinance rectifying the situation and granting free beach access to all current and former veterans.

“We are correcting it now,” Dasti said. “The ordinance I have been directed to prepare will provide that no beach pass fees will be required for any veterans from the armed forces.”

Kirschenbaum said beach crews were directed on Saturday to implement the new policy and give free beach access to any veteran.

“We’ve researched everything and after we looked at it again and had our attorneys revisit it we corrected it,” Kirschenbaum said. “We made sure we educated our beach crew and started it first thing Saturday morning. We value our veterans.”

The issue first arose during the Feb. 5 borough council meeting, where the original beach badge policy was approved. During the meeting several residents questioned the reasoning behind the denial for non-disabled vets.

At the same meeting, the council also voted to raise the age for senior citizen discounts from 62 to 65, which conforms with the state statute.

The idea of limiting free beach access for veterans did not sit well with some veterans groups.

“All veterans should have free access to beaches. It should not be limited,” said Edward Robinson, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2639 in Neptune and an Army veteran who served in the 1991 Gulf War. “If you served your country you shouldn’t have to pay. It should be free for veterans to have access. We fought and served this country.”

But the policy varies widely among other Jersey Shore towns, with some mirroring the original Belmar approach and others offering veteran discounts.

In Asbury Park, only disabled vets and active duty military personnel are given free badges to the beach, according to Beach Office Manager Garrett Giberson, who estimates about 400 to 500 visitors out of 470,000 annually utilize that perk.

Others pay $5 per person per day, $7 on weekends from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day in Asbury Park. Children are free.

In Seaside Heights, however, all veterans and active duty military personnel are given free access, along with their spouses and dependents, according to Deputy Clerk Vickie Coppola.

Still other towns, such as Avon, give no discount to veterans, offering free baes only to active duty military personnel and their families, said Borough Administrator Kerry McGuigan.

The rewritten Belmar ordinance is expected to be ready in time for an initial review at the Borough Council’s next meeting on June 18.

Joe Strupp covers education and Monmouth County for APP.com and the Asbury Park Press. He can be reached at jstrupp@gannettnj.com or 732-643-4277