Yeah. Good evening and welcome to the Beach Haven Burough Council meeting. It is 6 p.m. Please join us in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, adequate and electronic notice of this meeting has been provided by posting on the bulletin board in the
Beach Haven Municipal Building and on the Burough website and mailing the same to the Beach Haven Times, the Asbury Park Press, and the Press of Atlantic City. Mrs. Anderson here, Mrs. Biller here. Mr. McCaffrey here. Miss Snder here.
Mayor Lambert here. Cash receipts in the current fund account for the period of July 1st, 2025 through July 31st, 2025 were $779,112.15. Cash dispersements in the current fund
account for the month of July totaled 1,682,739.33. Cash receipts in the water utility account for the period of July 1st to July 31st were 26,1144. Cash dispersements in the water utility account for the month of July totaled
$393,422. Cash receipts in the sewer utility account for the period of July 1 to July 31 were $17,712.96. While cash dispersements in the sewer utility account for the month of July totaled 237,67283
submitted by our treasurer Sherie Bowler. Ordinance two 22 two Ordinance 20 22515C an ordinance amending and supplementing chapter 137 outdoor dining of the code
of the Burough Beach Haven to comport with PL 2024 C95 final reading. Since it is the final reading, we'll open the floor to public comment. Anybody out there like to say anything about this? No. Anybody on Zoom?
No. All right. Seeing no hands. Oh, excuse me. First up, council. Anybody have anything to say about this? This one, I think, pretty. Okay. Is there a motion to approve 2025-15C? I'll make the motion.
Second. Second, sir. Thank you, Miss Anderson. Yes. Mrs. Ball Miller? Yes. Mr. McAffrey? Yes. Miss Snder? Yes. Mayor Lambert? Yes. Ordinance 202518C, an ordinance amending chapter 199,
vehicles and traffic in the Burough Code of the Burough Beach Haven, County of Ocean, State of New Jersey, to designate a portion of 8th Street one way. Final reading again, final reading. So, it's open for discussion. Anybody care to No.
Zoom. Oh, I'm sorry. Please come up. Um, identify yourself and hold it to three minutes, please. Sorry. Um, identify yourself, name and address, and then just ask hold of the three minutes. John Dorian, 324 6th Street.
Um, just a question about the uh the direction of the the traffic and were there any considerations about how the flow of other traffic was going to go around? Like up I'm at the corner of Sixth Street, right? So, uh, we already
get a lot of cars going up there. So with with the changes there, was there any uh like studies on terms of what potential impact of traffic was going to be with this making of it one way? I guess uh I had just seen the thing announced in the in the paper, you know,
a few weeks ago or something like that. So I guess I was just wondering about the you know what was done to look at this. And what what they're doing is because uh cars are coming out onto Bay Avenue from uh 8th Street from 8th from Bay Avenue
to Delaware Avenue. It's going to be going west. So you'll have parking on both sides. At the end of there, there'll be two lanes which will one will go uh south on Delaware. The other one will go north and they can catch the lights at um
Taylor and they get down and catch the lights at six because they were having a lot of problems with people looking north and taking off this way and there were people walking across the street. So, it was getting up to Bay Avenue. Yeah, it was getting a little dangerous there. And now that Delaware Avenue is a
little wider, you can get those cars down there and they could go down and go either way and get to a light to get across. Okay. I I wasn't sure if there was any consideration of how it was going to impact because I see traffic on Taylor backs up pretty far too and everything.
So I didn't know if there was a consideration. Yeah, it should should alleviate a lot of problems in that in that area. Okay. Especially the boulevard I think was the biggest concern. No, I understand not wanting people making that left, but I just was wondering if there was any
other studies on it as opposed to just we thought this was going to help or something. So, all right. Thanks. Thank you. Anybody else? No. No. Okay. Seeing none, is there a motion to approve 2025-8 C?
I make a motion to approve 2025-8 C. A second. Who was that? Miss Anderson? Yes. Mrs. Ball Miller? Yes. Mr. McCaffrey? Yes. Miss Snder? Yes. Mayor Lambert?
Yes. Ordinance 202519C and ordinance amending chapter 199 vehicles and traffic in the burough code of the Burough Beach Haven County of Ocean State of New Jersey to add a stop sign at 9th and Delaware Avenue. First reading.
Okay. Since this the first reading, it's not open to the public. Um, council, would you like to discuss this? I mean, the chief gave a pretty good explanation and, um, we had members of the business community up there say that they backed it up also and uh, so I was
fine with it. Yeah, the chief really supported it. Um, you know, it's always change is always hard, but I we, you know, in the best interest of safety and uh resident request, so I think I'm I'm
fine with it. I think what they're doing there is just trying to make some um regiment of the traffic that's down there. Just I went down there and I sat there for a while and people are stopping there anyways. They have no idea what to do. Yeah. So, might as well just put a stop
sign there and remediate. Yeah. And as I said last month, last meeting, our biggest problem is people not stopping. I mean, people I mean, they're just running them, you know, they're just So, yeah. My biggest stop sign or no, just my biggest concern was the back up on the boulevard from the light, but I like
I said, I sat there, you know, observations and it's not it's not I don't Yeah. Okay. Um any Well, no, that's right. There is no final account on that. All right. Is there a motion to approve
2025-9 C? So, make a motion to approve 2025-9 C. Was that Katie too? Is that you, too? I Miss Anderson. Yes. Mrs. Ball Miller. Yes. Mr. McCaffrey? Yes. Miss Snder? Yes. Mayor Lambert?
Yes. All matters listed under item consent agenda considered to be be routine by the municipal council and will be enacted by one motion in the form listed. Any items requiring expenditure supported by a certification of availability of funds and any item requiring discussion will be removed
from the consent agenda and discussed separately. All consent agenda items will be reflected in full in the minutes. Resolution 196 returning piling bonds. Resolution 201 awarding a contract to code 96 Spartekch for
managed care IT services 202 approving change order 2 final dated July 8th 2025 for the 2023 road improvement project Fifth Street from Bay Avenue to the oceanfront and burough
utility replacement project 204 setting compensation for Adam Ellander as deputy emergency management coordinator 205 authorizing a refund of a tax overp payment. 206 adopting an administrative services agreement with Empower
Retirement LLC. 207 authorizing the execution of a cooperation agreement with Velco Investments LLC and 208 2025 adjusting the salaries for employees number Pavia O5 and Censey O5.
Okay. Would anybody like to discuss? I know there has been concern and I think we should address that 204 the compensation for Adam Ellander and um there was concern but I think when we
find out there's actually a savings to the burrow Sherry would you like to share those figures? I should also note that we did get a letter from our emergency management coordinator um praising the work that Adam has done and all the work he will
be saddled with is part of the uh new codes and everything that are coming down and he recommended also that this take place. Is it really to talk about our personal just um just about the savings that we're going to make?
Right. to name someone by name. Well, the resolution is by name. Um, so we will save about 32,000 33,000. Um,
let me see. So it's more like 25,000 after you consider this increase from 3 to 10, right? Okay. So 25,000. Okay. Thank you. Anybody have anything to say? No, I mean also great colleague had a
couple of inquiries about this and I you know we look I looked into it myself as as we always do. I can't really hear you kitty. Sorry I have something in my throat. I looked into it of course spoke to Sher and the explanation. Um, and just on the
salary. Um, so I'm fine with that. I think it it makes sense as far as since Adam is named. I mean, I fully support his I fully fully support him for this job and the justification for this salary adjustment is I mean just
very clear and I it makes perfect sense and he has a lot of responsibilities and um I know you've been accused of having a lack of transparency but I I I'm confident that the reasons for this
for the salary increase are valid and necessary and I also think that um Adam will do a great job. Thank you. Anybody else? No. Uh we uh we received, you know, a letter from uh Bill Trump who is our
emergency management coordinator and he is without a doubt justified for this salary adjustment. And some of the core responsibilities of a deputy coord coordinator include um attending 8 to 10 regional, county or
state level emergency management meetings, mandatory quarterly training, emergency operations plan maintenance, community rating system compliance, and that's really important for flood insurance. If we don't keep our community rating system compliance at a high level, our flood insurance rates
will skyrocket. So, it's really important that we have the right person that knows what they're doing for this um public notification via NIXL sodium media coordination, disaster damage assessment and reporting and 247 365
days availability. So, for $10,000, which is pretty much the same stipen that a football coach gets, um I I definitely want the right person in charge of that and I feel that we have the right person. So, and it's all the discussions we've had with the best and
everything else. I mean, Adam has been to so many special meetings that nobody else has ever been required to go to, and he is always there and he's been very helpful. So, I think it's welld deserved. I don't have a problem with it at all. I think the borrow is very lucky to have him.
Okay. So, is there a motion to approve the resolutions within the consent agenda? I'll make the motion. I will second it. Miss Anderson, yes. Mrs. Ball Miller, yes. Mr. McCaffrey, yes. Miss Snder, yes.
Mayor Lambert, yes. We have a bill list tonight in the amount of 1,210,93146. Everybody have a chance to review the bills? Yes. Okay. Is there a motion to approve? I make a motion to approve the bill list.
I'll second. Miss Anderson, yes. Mrs. Ball Miller, yes. Mr. McCaffrey, yes. Miss Snder, yes. Mayor Lambert, yes. For general discussion tonight, we have the EOCC renovations and the receipt of bids. Um, can you unmute Frank Little
for me? Hi, Frank. Thanks for joining us tonight. Um, how do we want to kick this off? Do we want Frank or Mr. Mi or how do we want to play first? I think we should start with Frank to go over the bid results and that type of
thing. Um Frank, can you hear us? Yeah. Can you hear me? Yeah, we can hear you. Okay. Where would you like to start? We took the bids. The low bidder was, I believe, 6 million86,000
in that range. Uh the second bidder I believe was above 6 million2 which was Santorini Construction I believe that actually built the burough hall. Um I talked with um our architect and uh our
structural engineer and they have worked with the low bidder before um and you know he's a cont a major contractor that could definitely handle the project. So, the issue at this point is money. Um, we
don't have enough to award it. If we do award it, we would have to amend the budget to add funds to it and request an extension from the contractor um to extend the time we're allotted to award the contract. Typically, 60 days
from the date of the bid uh would be the timeline to award. Obviously, we would need a first and second reading uh on an ordinance to increase the funding and um you know that would that would more than likely put you into a award date of your
meeting in October uh if you're able to do a first reading toward the end of this month. Um so that's kind of where we are. Um there was discussion about what would happen if we demoed the building, but I I know Mr. Mi was
working on this, but my understanding was with the agreement you had, if you don't have a building, you have to buy the property at far fair market value, which could be to the tune of 5 million and then you could be looking at by the time you went out to bid again for brand new construction, you're going to be a
year or more down the road. Costs are going to go up. So, you're probably looking at more like 8 million for something new that be fortified enough to withstand the storms that this building previously was exposed to. Um, we did talk to our structural engineer
and I sent an email to Sherry earlier uh with his comment, but you know, he felt that the building after his u review of it is going to meet um the code requirements and everything as far as structural stability and um would not be
an issue as far as you know the current structure. Um, so the addition, we would be putting the addition on with piling and uh, you know, continuing the construction in accordance to what the codes were and what the original building uh, was constructed to.
So I have that much for you right now unless you have specific questions. Anything for Frank? I don't think at this point. Jim, do you want to join us on this one? Sure thing. Good evening. Just for the record, Jim Mey, redevelopment council for the burrow. Um, just to update and
tag tag on to what Frank had to say. Um, our work on this building began actually a few years ago and really was triggered at the time that we got involved. Uh, the burrow was moving was considering purchasing the building, just an outright purchase of the building. There
were appraisals that were getting underway because the federal government's position was that if there was any portion of the building that was not being used for public safety, then it would revert back to the federal government and the burrow would have the
option to purchase the property at fair market value. uh we got involved in a in a lot of back and forth and a lot of arguing with the federal government to demonstrate that indeed the building had been being used 100%. Not necessarily every day, but
part of the public safety in this neck of the woods is being prepared when bad things happen to have places to relocate people to and to help get them off island. So, we had to go through a process on that. never none of the
documentation the deed is the major document that contains the restriction for use of this property. The property is the building and the land. It's not just the building. It's not just the land. It is the building and the land.
It's not contemplated at all raising it and taking it down. Since this inquiry, some members of the public have raised this. We've reached out uh GSA. Well, the one fellow we dealt with has retired. Um, or at least he's not in his job anymore. I'm not sure how or why,
but the other fellow that's there has passed it on to uh the Coast Guard for them to evaluate it. Our experience in all of this process is the federal government has taken a very hard line on
it in terms of use of that building. And if you're not using that building, they a few years ago took the position, it reverts back to the feds and if you want it, you can purchase it. So, we don't
expect that answer to be any different. Um, and that's the legal side of this about the use and the restrictions that are in place there. We getting where we are right now has taken a lot of doing that. the use that's proposed is is okay
with GSA. They're not invoking the the um the the transfer provisions. So, we're in a position where you're legally you're in shape to move forward with this property without having had to pay for it. Okay.
Thank you. Um costwise we had a couple things but basically to knock the building down and rebuild would be considerably more than what we're looking at because we're not purchasing the property per se or getting deed. So it would be a big savings to renovate
what we have and the structural engineers everybody came through with the statement that it is a fit building. I mean it's not like your usual 60-year-old structure. I mean, this thing was built to a Cat 5 standard, and from what they found out, it is still in very good shape in that regard. Needs a
lot of cosmetic and interior work. And unfortunately, when I first ran for office 5 years ago, we were kicking this football around. And the price then was 2 and a half, almost three million. Now we're double that. So, personally, I really want to get moving on this project. And thank you for your input,
Frank. Thank you for yours. No, I mean it seems to me that at this point in time our best option is to go out to bid to rehab the building comments. Yeah, I mean again this football's been
kicked around a long time and it's a lot of money. I mean it's a lot of money. uh but everyone is on board to renovate it for the purpose of emergency management which is important to the town. Um and
the the our professionals and the legal language is seems clear and so I think as much as I would love to own it and be able to do anything I want with it, I don't see how we're, you know, then we're looking at $10 million more or less. We don't even know what fair market value is. It could be 10 million
at this point. Who knows? So, um I just think we I think this is the right choice and the right decision. I think that we've we've kicked it around long enough and it just keeps getting more and more expensive. So, I I would say go with it now before it cost
us 10 or 12 million. Yeah, I agree. But which bid, Frank, are you leaning towards? Well, you have to go with the low bidder. The low bidder 6,86,000 and they posted bonds. So, unless they
turned around and said, you know, wouldn't grant you the extension, then you would ask the second bidder, but then you're adding another 200 grand. So, technically, you know, I'm Mr. Malie will tell you when you take a bid, a public bid, you're stuck with a low
bidder um because they posted bonds and met all the requirements of the bid. So, from what I can tell from the bid, it's um you know, it it fully complies with what the bidding requirements are, and you'd have to offer the award to the low bidder.
Yeah. Well, it sounds like you got someone has confidence in them. So, hopefully they're right. Well, when we need that when we need that building, we're really going to need it. So, we got to move forward.
All right. Thank you everyone. Thank you, Jim. Thank you. Thank you very much. Good night. Good night. Then I will work with uh Sher Bowler to get um an ordinance to appropriate some additional funds. We'll get that moving as quickly as possible. A lot.
That's all I have. Okay. Um it is now to public comment. So, if you'd like to come up, please raise your hand. Don't forget to ID yourself and please hold it to three minutes. in the audience. We start the first. Good evening. Hi, my name is Anne Flynn.
I live on 1610 South Bay Avenue, Beach Haven. It is my legal residence. Um, I've lived in Beach Haven for six years. I've been on the island since 1983. Um, and I am just a little bit upset and disturbed about the change of the
emergency management policy. Um, I feel that we as condominium owners, we have a six-unit townhouse condominium, two of which units are lived in full-time all year. Um, the other the other uh four units do not rent. It is not a rental
property. Everyone lives in that apartment those those uh places not for the full year but through the summer. Um, in the past, we have always gotten a pass. I was the fourth car on the island after Sandy. I was able to tear up my carpeting, remove all of the wet
furniture to mitigate damage that would have occurred further if I wasn't able to get there. Um, when the National Guard said it was time to leave, I left as and follow the rules as it was stated. Um, I feel very very imposed
upon that my rights as a t a taxpayer and a property owner are being subverted by the new policy. Um, I understand that there is a concern about the number of people coming on the island and so forth, but also what gets me is that leases, someone who can show a lease for
a year can get a pass or a placard, but someone who's lived here who's a resident cannot get a placard to come onto the island. I find the policy a little bit discriminatory. We feel like secondass citizens. And I'm speaking for my unit, my my complex, and I'm also
speaking for units in Shelter Harbor um and other ones in the uh in the area. People are very upset about this. Um and we just feel slighted. Um we feel like people with the mega million houses um get to come. They have no regard for the
island. They don't care what happens here. We care. We do everything we're supposed to do. We we recycle. We clean the sewers. We do whatever it is necessary because we're residents because we love the town and we love we love the island and you know people come
here they get $55,000 a week in rent or $35,000 they have no allegiance to where we are but we do and I think that there is a situation where one size does not fit all and I think maybe there should
be some kind of board that looks at the different people and say we don't have 40 units We don't have a manager. We don't even have basically a HOA association. We say we need this done. We get together, we pay for it, and it's done. Um, so I I think I just would like
for you to re-evaluate to understand a little bit about how we feel. And there are people that are very angry that want to take it to litigation um because it is a discriminatory policy. Long Beach, I mean, Long Beach Township does not have this policy. So the the ironic
thing is is that they will be able to drive through Beach Haven to get to the condominiums in Holgate, but we can't come to our own homes. Everything we own is in that home. It's our home. And I I really would love for you to reconsider or to at least take an a a
persontoperson basis to see if you know maybe somebody is legitimate in asking to come into the um to the island as in the past. Can I ask you a question? Sure. I know it's not a back and forth, but I hope you don't mind. I'm going to ask questions. So, you said you don't have an HOA. You don't have
We do have a legal I mean an HOA on paper, but I'm the president of the association and we have a treasurer. And then whatever we do, we say, "Hey guys, we need this, we need that." I mean, we're all we're owners. We're not renters. We're not people trying to make a profit. We all love where we live. Um
one 20 years been there. I've been there since ' 84, but others have been there since, you know, 20 years, another 15 years, another, you know, it's it's a it's a stationary. It's not a a for sale or a transient kind of place. Um, and
and I know that I know that you would have concern if it were you. How would you feel if you were singled out because you own a condominium and not be able to see your property? I I think I think it is really unfair.
And I'm trying I'm staying calm because I I I think that they're reasonable people who can actually look at this and say, "Look, I understand it's not an easy choice. Sandy was a disaster. It's a disaster on the island, but I as a as a taxpayer came here, did what I was
supposed to do. I didn't go down to Wholegate to go see what it looked like. I didn't, you know, I did exactly what was asked of me. And if others are not doing it, then they're the ones who should be penalized, not the people who follow the law and follow the rules. Thank you. Thank you very much. I really appreciate
you listening. Thank you. We have, excuse me, we have gotten quite a few comments about this. Um, so I was not aware of the policy to be very honest and I reached out and our emergency management coordinator, Bill Trum, is online and he wrote another
statement. I think he did send it out to a lot of the condo owners. Um there are valid reasons and I know that there's a lot of disagreement about what constitutes that but um Bill is online. Would he like to comment on this?
Hi Bill, emergency management coordinator. How are you guys tonight? I think all the municipalities that use the placard system do have different policies on who they let in. I know I also know reverting back to Sandy that
if you showed when you got to the bridge to the checkpoint if you showed that it was your permanent residence that they would allow you access they allowed access back onto the island.
Uh, as far as the way we wrote the policy is we just want to be fair and get things cleaned up so we can get everybody back on the island as quickly as possible. I mean, we have to deal with, you know,
the utility companies, public works trying to get streets clear, uh, debris off the streets and, uh, you know, get start getting cars with flat tires and things, then it just
ties things up more. And also if you we can re-examine this at our November meeting, our November planning leapc meeting. Okay.
Okay. And the current placards for those who haven't because it was my understanding that some people were mistakenly given placards last time around and that's part of the situation. They're like, "Hey, I already have one." Now you're saying I don't get one. Well, apparently you are supposed to get one. Um so those placards are still good through the end
of the year. Correct. Yes. So then if you met in November and there was a discussion then that would cover next year. Correct. And can I just I I hear what you're saying and I I've heard from quite a few
residents as well and I I would not want to be told that I couldn't have a placard. I wouldn't and I've really struggled with this because I thank you for speaking Bill and of course I respect your opinion and um chief's opinion. We've all talked about it and
um it's a tough decision. We have close to 700 or more condos in Beach Haven. Yours is unusual and different. I'd like to see um you know permanent residents able to get a placard. I really would. I don't think it's fair not to give them a placard. I'
I've gone back and forth with this and even earlier today I was thinking we just follow um emergency management's advice and the chiefs but I really think thought long and hard about it and I'd like to again you have your placard until the end of
the year and when you meet again Bill I'd like you to give special consideration to if it were you and it worked out after Sandy and you know we didn't let people back on until we had you and they and they got in and out and I think people were respectful.
Some people did get bumped tires and some people didn't you know did go to whole gate and look at the damage but not that many. I think everyone really banded together and it was I mean I was here um I hadn't left and I just think it's I don't know it's a tough situation but I really think as a human and a
council woman and a long time resident I would want to have a placard. So I think just this meeting I've changed my mind and I'd like to see them get placards. Also, I just want to say my husband. Well, then he will get one anyway. He'll get one anyway.
Yes. Right. But his his status his status would just be service and res well I to speak to that too. I think
you're on a slippery slope there and I don't agree with that at all. I don't agree with what you said about people with the million dollar homes but you you know we hear that a lot like you're not a voter. You're not you know residents and homeowners and taxpayers all are equal. of equal standards and so I respect you as a taxpayer and I
respect you know the $5 million ocean fund as well. So or the house across from me that's you know $5 million. So anyway I have respect for all of you and I don't no one has resentment or you know so I I totally disagree with you there but I understand where you're coming from. Thank you.
Anybody on council want to jump in here? I mean, I think Bill stated it very well that for now we're at status quo and we will reexamine it in November. Hopefully, hurricane season, which is upon us right now, is going to be kind to us and it won't even be an issue, but
we can never take that for granted. Is there anybody on Zoom that wanted to speak to this? I don't see anyone. Okay. And nobody anybody else in the room, I should ask. No. Okay. Um,
anything else for public comment? Yes, sir. Once again, uh, John Dorian, 3246 Street. um uh question about and I'd looked in the minute meeting minutes from last month. Uh so this is a little
bit of an older issue but um that uh the severe flooding that occurred in early July when you know we had the downpour I five six inches of rain whatever it was um and I live at the corner of uh Delaware and 6th and you know so as we
know there was a uh a project put in to try to you help some of the flooding there and everything and actually this was probably one of the first time we had you know flooding since all the work was done there and everything. However, um one of the things I I was think was wondering is if there was consideration
for um you kind of directing the traffic flow, especially as as it pertains to Delaware Avenue from like I said, I'm on sixth, you know, from like Fifth A, Fifth Street to up towards like Bay Village and everything. That whole stretch gets really flooded out and
everything. And we saw cars, I mean, I saw probably four or five cars towed just from that area, right, between uh, you know, Delaware on Sixth Street and everything else. Um, and and you can see people are trying to get around traffic and everything. So, uh, in terms
of this kind of emergency, you know, management type of thing, is there any consideration of, you know, putting in temporary closures like they do on Long Beach Township, you know, on Bay Avenue, they direct people to Beach Avenue on on Delaware? They should be keeping people from I mean, we see people coming up
Delaware going towards Bay Village in the middle of a flood. I don't know why, but they're going that way. Um but closing really Delaware Avenue from like Fifth all the way up to Bay Village when there is severe flooding like that, putting up signs or whatever it is because um we saw number one a lot of
cars doing that. Number two, a lot of cars going through there and they're flying through, right? And they're creating wakes, right? So, you know, kind of no wake zone type of thing. And my neighbor's car was parked in all that brand new parking that they put in there with with the curbing and everything
else that they put in there. And and I said when they put that in there, I go when there's flooding, there's cars, there's all these cars going to be in that little zone there, and that's where all the water collects. And sure enough, my neighbor's car because of all the wakes and everything else, the the water
seeped in and and ruined their electric seat. And she had to move, she was moving her car and all of a sudden the the seat just kind of pulled up like mechanically and almost squeezed her into the thing. She couldn't stop it. Right. you know, type of thing. But
anyway, but that was all caused because I was watching it. I was literally out there like yelling at people. Yeah. You know, to slow down and people are like flipping the bird and, you know, all this kind of stuff. And I saw people doing that on Bay Avenue as well. And I know I've heard from I've heard, you know, uh, merchants on Bay Avenue
complain about it because people are flying down Bay Avenue and they're creating water that's like going literally in their in their storefronts. So I guess you know when those things happen is there consideration to try to you know uh you know adjust the traffic
flow at least temporarily like they do in township. When you do in Long Beach Township most of their flooding that they have that they do that for is tidal flooding. What you're talking about where we had here was rain six inches of rain in two hours. So what basically
what happened was you have six inches of rain on Bay Avenue. You have six inches of rain on Beach Avenue and you have six inches of rain on Atlantic Avenue and it all drains down to Bay Avenue. So it takes time for the pumps to get all that pumped out of there.
No, I Yeah, I understand that. But you know, but this it happens enough here that if there was a plan put in place like oh gee, we have flooding and I saw the the Beach Haven Police Humvey walk driving around trying to you know help people or assessing whatever it was. So
obviously if you're getting the humvees out the police know that there's you know a situation for flooding. So even just putting up temporary signs at Fifth Street and you know towards you know just keeping people from going down to you know and you talked about the you
talked about 8th Street being you know going one way. Well now if people go to A Street they're going to be going onto Delaware Avenue and now they're going to be right into the middle of the flood zone and everything. So, people are directing themselves and they should be directed up to Beach Avenue because there's no flooding on Beach Avenue.
I mean, we we go back and forth uh with the chief every time that it floods and the flooding has significantly decreased since we have the pumps. However, with four, five, six, six inches of rain within an hour time, no pump system is going to work. Yeah.
The problem that we have here in Beach Haven is that it's so it's more congested than Township. township, you know, has two cops in those two locations to close the road. We don't we would have to have a officer at every single street because people are going
up and down every single street. So, we're in such a smaller vicinity that we we don't have the manpower to block every single street and and we're not chasing people through the saltwater because we're not going to ruin our $70,000 vehicles. So, I wish that we did
have some type of, you know, better answer. I seek it out all the time because I also live on uh Sixth Street and I see the wakes and I know a lot of the business owners that are constantly calling me and complaining about it as well and there's just no I haven't
thought of an answer yet. We can't close we can close the boulevard, but we don't have enough manpower to stop everyone at every single street. I'd like to put a big buoy in the middle of the boulevard and you know no wake zone but we haven't thought of something that we can
put into place successfully yet but every year we're trying to come up with a plan but we do not have enough consider even for just because I I we don't have enough officers at that time to bring we would have to bring in
every single officer for overtime to block every single road. So, we still wouldn't have enough. We still wouldn't have enough. And I'm not even saying I understand the manpower issue, but even if you just say at Fifth Street and up by the Taylor Avenue or wherever it is, you know, say
road flooded or something like that. So, people because I don't think people realize, right? They come out, they see the roads flooded and they say, "Gee, I'm going to go down this way and everything." We year rounders all know like, you know, immediate that was just a crazy storm and that was unusual for us. There's always a lot of standards,
but once you're on the west side of the boulevard, Yeah. you're stuck anyhow, you know, because they don't know stupid and they drive like find a high point, put your car on it and wait for the water. Yeah. And where my driveway is, I'm
fine. I usually, you know, don't have any issues, but I'm just saying there should be at least some because just to say, well, we can't do anything about it. Well, you know, I was talking to my neighbors and they're like between Fifth and and Bay Village. Just keep the cars from flowing because people are coming up and down and they don't, you know,
they don't realize it, right? So, even if you just put signs there, just say road flooded and maybe they'll turn around or head up to Bay Avenue and try to cross to do that. Well, I mean, the whole road floods. I mean, it's flooding all the way down. It's flooding from Taylor all the way to in front of this building. Yeah.
And then it floods from Murphy to Taylor. Anyway, that that was, you know, one of the thoughts I had was it is very frust. I had countless calls. Are those pumps working? The pumps were certainly working. And if you live there, you can probably see if the red light is flashing. It means they're working, but they're not able to.
Yeah. Like I said, two years or however long it's been. This is the first one. And I realize it was an abnormal storm, but we've had a couple unfortunately, but that was really the first one that happened. So, that's good. But yeah, but they do get overwhelmed and the flooding comes up quickly. I think
the the statistic is uh the boulevard is one inch the grades are one inch above median high tide. It does not take much. You know that living here and when you get that kind of rainfall on top of it it's we just came out the last meeting. We came in at quarter of we all had to take our and there was six
inches of rain out here in less than an hour. It it's just it's a crazy situation. It's part of our unfortunately island life. And just a question, is there a regulation about like people shouldn't, you know, couldn't be flying through the water type of thing? Because I mean, I was
watching people on Bay Avenue and they're like flying down there. Yeah. And people are like thinking that, oh, that's a great thing. You know, the problem is catching. We all know because now you're going to have to run your car faster through the water and destroy your car to catch them. And everyone knows you kind of you wait
till they go, then you wait till, you know, we all know, but then it's just Well, we've got the hum so they can catch them. So well they forget it's so order too. So thank you for your comment and yeah we appreciate that and we frustration. Yeah.
Okay. Anybody else in the audience? No. Anybody else on Zoom? Deb Wcraft. Hello. Yes, we can hear you. Yeah. Okay. I'll I know you said three minutes, but we seem to keep going over three minutes, so I'll try to stay
within three minutes. Um the questions that I and others have raised about the emergency state your name and address first for the record. Deb Wickcraft, 528 Dock Road, Beach Haven. But um the question that I and others
have raised with regard to emergency management positions isn't about the individual's qualifications. It's about the fact that an individual's stipen has more than tripled when others in the same exact position in larger
municipalities such as Long Beach Township um are paid between $3,000 and $3500 for that position. So, one just has to wonder with other people in the same position as that individual who is now
getting a $10,000 stipen on top of his regular salary. What about other individuals such as our chief of police who is also a deputy emergency management coordinator who is receiving
$3,000. Will he be jumped to $10,000 on his salary? That was one question. I'm trying to stay within the three minutes, which I know is not necessarily held. But the other issue I wanted to bring up is the GSA. Mr. Mi and others
have said that the GSA will not allow us to demolish the building and build a new emergency operations center. Well, there's no opinion from the GSA on this. I've asked Sher to contact them and get
a written statement from them because I have two different legal opinions that reflect their belief that as long as the property in total is operated as an emergency operations center, there is
nothing in the deed that I signed 20 years ago that prevents that portion of the building that you're seeking to renovate. There's nothing in the deed that says that it cannot be replaced with another building operating as an
emergency operations center. So, you know, Mr. Mi and others who are talking about the necessity for us to purchase the property if we were to demolish and build a new EOC is absolutely unfounded.
Nowhere does that agreement that I signed 20 years ago state that two different legal opinions that I have shared with Sherry reflects my belief that we can in fact demolish and rebuild
an EOC for less money than what we're proposing to do in building a new facility and keeping that ugly east end building that serves no purpose whatsoever. cover. So I would just like to ask that before anything else go on
with the EOC, I would like to ask Sher once again to get to in contact with the GSA and ask them if we are permitted to demolish a portion of the existing
building to build a new EOC to take its place. I've asked this before and it has not been done. Thank you. I hope I stayed within my three minutes. Thank you, Mr. M. Sure. So, so I I addressed this earlier
said that uh we had made contact with the GSA. One of the two individuals we had worked with is no longer there. Uh they um they did not would not give an opinion on it and reached out. We're reaching out to the Coast Guard. Uh
Landon, if we get a response on that, I have no clue. Um I have given our opinion based on the work for the last several years on this dealing with the GSA. Their position on this has been
100% of the existing building needs to be used for public safety. that if any of it is not, then that triggers the um the the clause where it's transferred back immediately to the federal government and we had to purchase it.
When we first got involved in this several years ago, the the the burrow was at a position where they had been told that they um they had to purchase the building if they intended to make any further use like they were at the
time. So I I and I've seen the emails where two different lawyers agreed with you, Miss Witchcraft, that it it there was it didn't say in it that you can't tear it down. That's correct. It doesn't say that in it. It also doesn't say in
it that you can tear it down and do make whatever use you want of it. And the interpretation that the feds have taken through our years of working on this have been very strict, very hard, not allowing anything but 100% use of that
building for public safety. That's what supports our opinion, having worked on it, that we don't expect that they're going to say yes, it's okay. Tear it down. And if they were to consider it will be years uh because there's no timeline. They're
not worried about any any timeline to get here. It has taken us years to get this approved. So that's that's what I have to say. Thanks. Thank you, John Hail. John Hail, 319 Fairview Avenue,
Beach Haven, New Jersey. Uh getting back to what Miss Whitcraft said about the resolution 204, I I really don't have an issue uh with uh the qualifications
of of the deputy. I really don't have an issue uh with with Sherry's representation that there that there's going to be over $30,000 in cost savings. My my only
issue is if we have a resolution and resolutions are supposed to be either regular uh routine or mundane in nature. we have a resolution that's going to change our finances or or demonstrate
savings or uh we have to demonstrate some sort of cost benefit for the position that that sort of that sort of resolution should be transparent in the sense that allowing the public to comment before uh
council would approve it. That that's my only only point there. Um, my second comment uh relates to uh ACE and the and the battery energy storage facility. I I
sent an email to council based on information I received from Bob Jacobson regarding a company called Bioar who who really is has a lot of experience in extinguishing
uh lithium ion type type uh fires and explosions. And I'm just wondering, and Bob made a good point, if that sort of thing does happen, what kind of exposure and risk
does the burrow h undertake uh due to insurance and and whether or not uh we are exposed at all from insurance and liability perspective if an explosion did occur. Thank you.
Thank you. Um we have discussed that and our attorney who is helping us. S are you available right now? Yes, I'm available. Sorry. Can you answer I mean we we've talked about the insurance and basically we
haven't gotten an answer from ACE is the answer to that question but you just want to kind of let people know where we are. Yeah, no problem mayor. So, as as uh as the council's aware and the mayor's aware, uh when the when the burrow was first uh when this really was brought to
the bureau's attention after the approvals were granted by the land use board, the burrow's been working diligently to get a grasp of what this best station is, how it affects uh its residents. And uh to that end, they've they've engaged in the independent uh
consultant to perform a ri risk assessment. Uh we're awaiting the results of that. So we can really understand uh how this facility might I guess the pitfalls and the dangers associated with it. Um as to the uh the insurance question and whether the
burrow is covered. This is a private facility. The bureau does not own it. They do not own the land. They don't own the facility. Um, so ultimately if there's a issue with the facility, if there's some sort of uh catastrophic event over there that causes damage,
that's going to fall on the owners of the facility to provide uh recourse. that be it through insurance through uh ultimate uh if the burough if burough property is damaged if private property is damaged you're going to go towards
this Atlantic City Electric's insurance and or Atlantic City Electric generally now I think there's a question as to whether or not the bureau would be liable for something like this they would not be liable for something uh if something were to occur there they don't run the facility they don't manage the
facility they do not uh they don't they don't oversee it it these are things that are done private. It's all done through Atlantic City Electric. So ultimately the onus is on them to run a proper facility. With that being said, the bureau obviously is concerned and that's why the bureau is taking as every
step it possibly can, including multiple letters, you know, community outreach, site visits, uh, you know, everything they can to get as much information from from Atlantic City Electric to the residents while also trying to drive Atlantic City Electric to an
alternative, something that people might be might be more palatable to the public generally. So, I don't know if that answered all your questions. I'm sure if there's more, just feel free to to ask them and I'll and I'll try to address them as we go. So, I have a question. If if Atlantic
if, god forbid, the worst case scenario happens and their their insurance kicks in as the property owners, are they going to pay our legal fees when we get sued? Because, you know, everybody gets sued in those situations. Well, they would get sued. we would file counter claims for them that that we
don't have an indemnification from them. But ultimately there from my perspective as long as the bureau checked all of its boxes i.e. it you know it issued permits after proper inspections things like that right on the ground level then this is this is a private facility. So the
claims against the burrow are non-existent. That's something that, you know, we would, in my opinion, we'd be able to get out of these cases pretty summarily because the claim is going to be, well, something went wrong at this facility. Okay. Well, who owns the facility? Beach Haven? No. Does Beach
Haven run the facility? No, they do not. Does Beach Haven, you know, manage it the day-to-day? They do not. So, ultimately, it's not Beach Haven's responsibility from a legal perspective to uh to ensure that things are running properly. Now again, that goes back to
my point where it's the council is aware. You're not sitting back idally and just letting this happen. You're you're trying to understand and drive this in a way that's the safe safest way possible. So it's not just that it's not it's not the bureau's responsibility. They're doing every the bureau is doing everything right. Of course not. Yeah.
But from a legal standpoint, it's this is a private facility. So if something goes wrong at a at a private facility that it's their obligation to uh to deal with the repercussions of that. Great. Thank you. Thanks. Does anybody else have a question that they would
like to ask? Mary Ellen Khazar. She's meeting nine street unit number seven in Beach Haven. Um I meant to raise my hand during talking about the re-entry, but I didn't know how to raise my hand, so I
had to figure that out. So, um um being a condo owner, I was uh shocked that we wouldn't consider homeowners uh in order to be able to come back on the island. Um, I looked at the um uh the bureau's
website and uh on the re-entry procedures uh and nowhere does it identify condos as not being eligible. It says every effort will be made to allow evacuees to return to their homes
and their business. Well, condo owners have homes. Uh so um and then on page eight of 10 it talks about property owners will only be allowed uh into the area for which their plaque art is
issued. Property owners must assess damage and secure their property only. They may not be allowed to assex damage and secure property of others. So, I saw a letter of someone who tried to get a
placard that had a page about condos that only one person, either the president or a um a property manager. From what's written here, they should not be allowed uh to get a into
anybody's uh unit except their own. So I'm happy to see that maybe this is going to be addressed uh again in November. Is that meeting that you all are talking about the planning meeting is that going
to be something that um uh anyone can attend right now. I believe the meeting that Bill Tron was referring to was among emergency management coordinators only and then I assume that he would come back to the council not necessarily
in a public meeting but certainly that would something we could discuss later once we find out what direction they wish to take. Okay. I I just I just need for you to know that there's I'm one of eight and
everybody is furious. Okay. I live here full time. Um, you're telling me I can't I This is the only place I live. Everything I own is here. It's um It needs to be rethought possibly
instead of having everybody allowed on the island in one day like what happened after Sandy. Maybe you separate it by the north can come one day and the next day the south can come or I don't The placards are colorcoded for that
purpose, right? But you what I read is that you're trying to not have everybody at one time allowed in and and I get that, but I don't think 800 condos are going
to make that much of a difference about overtaking the island, not having everybody have enough time to get in and get out to look at their damage. Okay. Thank you for your call. We understand what you're saying. Thank you.
Thank you. Anybody else? No. Okay. If there are no further comments, we will close the meeting to public comment and go to final remarks by council. You want to entertain? Yeah. Go ahead.
Stacy O' Conor. Hi. Yes. Um I'm Stacy Oconor. I live at 100 Ocean Street. Um I I have a question. Um I'm not sure at what point you're in at the meeting. I joined late. Um I have a question about the
permitting process for the surfless lessons given by Surf and Paddle on Ocean Street. Um I understand that um from the city that for the past three
years the permit has been issued for the lessons to be given on Ocean Street and I wanted to um understand how um I could participate in that permit process and give you some feedback from our street
and respectfully request that perhaps this permit should be um cycled on a few different streets over a few different years because it it does cause quite a bit of traffic and
blocking of driveways and just um you know extra use that is not just uh normal residential use. It is commercial use. So I I if somebody could speak to that so that I can know when to come to
meetings and who to talk to. Um I would appreciate some feedback on that. At the last meeting we had um the proprietor um Matt Pelia come to the meeting and he notified us that he is
more than willing to work with you or any resident that has concerns. He directs the participants not to park on the beach block. So that should help. He directs the participants to um go to the north side
of the walkway. Um so he is trying to implement some changes. Um so I think if you could stop by and see Matt at Surf and Paddle and raise your concerns, he would be more than willing to work with you. Okay. So I guess my question then is why
Ocean Street has been identified as the residential street for which this is the appropriate you know surf surf lesson spot. Um I think Mary Cla might be able to answer that and I I do know that I'm that's my
street too. Um Stacy I live on Berkeley and I was up there on um was it Saturday or Sunday? I forget Sunday, right? And um I mean it's a surfing beach so maybe that's why. I don't know. Berkeley's a surfing beach. I don't know. I No, there are certain I don't know. And I think it's How often
is it Mary Cla? Do you know it's every day? Every day. And it's every day. It's every day. I did not know that. There can be upwards of 15 to 20 surfing students out there on any um you know,
given day. And I will tell you that the the surf and paddle truck is up and down our street many times. often the uh driver of the truck is unloading the surfboard so there's an unintended truck sort of you know parked at the beach wet
beach access entrance so I you know I I can direct some comments to the propriety you know the owner of the business but I I don't really feel like I feel like there should be some more surveying done and some more like
observations done as to actually how much is happening. Um, well, I I would tell you that we I I personally would like to look into this and just just get the facts. I talk to Matt as well myself just to find out and
yeah, so it's I had a very thorough conversation with um our beach patrol chief, okay, about this and she has been down there several occasions. She has life forest station down there. there have been no issues at all involving this camp. Um
she finds all of the camp counselors to be um wonderful to work with, extremely compliant. Um she we discussed the the their van idling and unloading and un um loading and unloading um surfboards.
That happens on most beach entrances with people bringing up their cars to unload and load their chairs. Um, I I would encourage Miss Okconor to listen to the meeting on YouTube from
the last um regular meeting um to hear everything that Matt Beckelj had to say. Um you can also reach out to Megan um Scala, our beach patrol chief um to hear her input. Um but that is the beach that
um he applied for. Megan Kelly, our beach patrol chief, is a part of the application review and he was permitted to have his camps at that location. Okay. So I understand all of those
things. I guess I would say that Ocean Street has now hosted this camp for for three summers. Um, it is not a commercialized street and I would strongly urge the council to consider rotating this to different surf beaches
because, you know, this is this creates a lot of traffic. A lot of the instructors drive their own vehicles. So, if you have five five instructors and 15 surfers, you have potentially 20
extra vehicles parking on Ocean Street. Um, you know, I I understand that that he is entitled to run this business and I I'm sure it's run very nicely. I can tell you that it it creates a lot of
congestion on our street and it feels like it it would be fair to rotate it among other residential surfing beaches. Um, okay. Well, thank you. We will um take that under advisement each year. Every uh um application I should say gets
reviewed and you know I said Matt is a very reasonable guy and and we'll see what they come up with but it is a combination of our uh chief of our beach patrol which is you know the best location as well. It's not just a random choice. You know I know you may feel it
be an unlucky one but like I said it it will be reviewed but we understand what you're saying. I have another question. I mean, this particular business is making a lot of money from this surf camp. If you look on the website, they're charging anywhere from a hundred to $150 per
student. Um, you know, I'm just wondering what the benefit to the town is on all of that and if that's being looked at as well. um you know actually um yes they do pay their fee as
they're required to and just as a point of interest um I went down to talk to him after the meeting and they are running he mentioned it here they are running several very you know kind and beneficial uh benefits for like disabled
veterans and people like that he is giving back to the community it's not just I'm charging all this money it goes right in my pocket so Um I can put your mind that he's there. He is giving back to the community. One more point is that yes and he's a brick and mortar. And also let's remind you sorry Miss
Okconor I you know with all due respect this is just a comment period and we don't typically have a back and forth. We have sort of extended that this evening and as out of respect to our our speaker. So just ask you you know over three minutes so please
wrap it up. Okay. Ocean Ocean Ocean Street is designated as a historic as part of the historic district yet, you know, the the city is choosing to to approve a commercialized activity. It it just
seems like those two things are sort of juxtaposed in some in some way to I disagree with you. I wholeheartedly disagree with you and I think you've had more than three minutes and I with all due respect again, I think that surfing is historic in Long Beach Island. It's
very historic and no one wants to see surfing stop go away. Also, we have lacrosse camps, we have soccer camps, we have the beach and everyone pays a fee and everyone makes a profit and we are aware of that, you know. So, so I thank you for your comment and um we I
personally will talk to Matt and have a conversation to make sure that it is equitable, but let's just see. But as far as the historic district and it not being historic, I that's just not true. Thank you. Okay. Um, so that will end public
comment and we go on to final remarks by council and we start with you tonight, Mr. McAffrey. Uh, basically the only thing I have to say is they talked about the flooding and everything else. If it floods, don't
drive through. If it's flooded on Bay Avenue, go up to Beach Avenue, go up to Atlantic Avenue, and drive up there. It's usually drier up there and nobody wants to ruin their car anyway.
Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Snder. Um I just wanted to um have say have a special say special thank you to um Ava Patti who ran for free um a mommy and me
music class last uh I think it was last Sunday, August 3rd. was adorable and quite a few kids came out and their moms and it was it was just it was really sweet and she did a great job and she didn't charge any money and she she didn't take a fee. Um and also our new
newly hired rec director uh Jensen for coordinating our first uh sunset painting class which was really well attended. She had a great turnout. I wasn't able to go. I don't know were you able to go and um so I just think it's wonderful to see more um events that support the arts. Thank you. Thank you,
Mrs. Anderson. This is the hardest. Thanks for everybody who attended on Zoom and in the building to voice their concerns. They don't fall on deaf ears. It's not an easy task that we have uh
weighing everybody's opinion, but hopefully we can come to some nice resolutions and uh and uh and uh that's about it. That's about it, Mrs. B. Thank you.
Um thank you for everyone that made comment tonight. I do take note of it and those are the things that we do work on in the wintertime. And Miss Flynn, I do feel for you. Uh last um during Sandy, I was a renter, not a homeowner. So I had the same problem all my, you
know, my whole life was here and I wasn't able to get on, but I actually was because I showed my license, but it was so chaotic. I think that they were trying to figure out another plan that was a little bit better the next time around. They're always trying to improve things. But I mean, I I have to agree,
you know, with a a homeowner here that's, you know, a resident here. We have to like I think we need to reconsider that, you know, as well. And that's something that we'll talk about in November with with emergency management. So, don't feel like you're, you know, we're definitely listening to
you to you. um as far as uh you know surfing beaches and like I said at every meeting there's a fine line that we keep between our our business community and our our residential community and we tried to keep everybody happy and pleasant in the summertime you know
sometime there's more patience that you have to have especially in August you know maybe rotating beaches here or there that's something that we we can take in consideration ocean is not the only street that we have surfing beaches that we have surfing camps on. We have surfing camps on Taylor and um other
other beaches as well. So, you know, it is something that again we can take into consideration over the winter time, but um South End Surf and Paddle does amazing things for the community, not only during the summertime, but on the off season as well, especially staying open for extended periods of time,
hosting events for kids, and everybody complains about the kids and then we have events for them and they complain about that too. So, we have to, you know, keep them running in the daytime so they're not causing havoc at night time. So, again, we're listening to all your comments. Thank you again. We
always, we'll work on this during the off season and we're almost there. There's a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you. Uh, everybody's pretty much said it all. I do want to thank Mr. Mi, Mr. Little, and M. Rafi for coming tonight and helping to answer questions
that we've been trying to answer ourselves for a long time, but we need your professionalism to back us up and to drive the point home. And we do appreciate the comments. Um, as they all said, we will discuss it and work on it forever. So, with that, is there a
motion to adjurnn? I'll make the motion. Second. Thank you very much. Meeting adjourned. Thank you.