and the Asbury Park Press and notice of this meeting was posted on the bulletin board of the municipal building. Take roll call. Councilwoman Kenny here. Mayor Buck Fusco here. Councilman Rdero here. Councilman Levis here. Please stand for the pledge of
allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation andice for all. Please remain standing for a moment of silence for our troops, their families, and our first
responders. Okay, thank you. We're going to start off with uh three proclamations. Uh the first one, building safety month, topic I was just speaking about. Uh building safety month May
2025. Whereas the Burough of Belmar, County of Mama, state of New Jersey is committed to recognizing the growth and strength depends on safety and economic value of homes and buildings and infrastructure that serve our citizens both in everyday life and in times of natural disaster. And whereas our
confidence in the structural integrity of these buildings that make up our community is achieved through the devotion of vigilant guardians, building safety and firerevention officials, architects, engineers, builders, trades people, design professionals, laborers, and others in the construction industry
who work year round to ensure the safe construction of buildings. And whereas these guardians are dedicated members of the International Code Council, a US-based organization that brings together local, state, and federal officials that are experts in built environment to create and implement the
highest quality codes to protect us in buildings where we live, learn, work, worship, play. And whereas these modern building codes include safeguards to protect the public from hazards such as hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, tornadoes, wildfires, floods, and
earthquakes. And whereas building safety month is sponsored by the International Code Council to remind the public about the critical role of our community's largely unknown protectors of public safety, our local code officials, who assure us of safe, substantial, and affordable buildings
that are essential to our prosperity. And whereas get in the game and celebrate building safety as the theme of building safety month 2025 encourages us all to raise awareness about planning for safe and sustainable construction, career opportunities, and building
safety. Understanding disaster mitigation, energy conservation, and creating safe and abundant water supply for all of our benefit. And whereas each year in observance of building safety month, people all over the world are asked to consider the commitment to improve
building safety. resilience and economic investment at home and in the community and to acknowledge the essential service provided to us by local and state building departments, fire prevention bureaus, and federal agencies in protecting lives and property. Therefore, the mayor and council of the
burough of Belmar County, county of Mammoth, state of New Jersey, do hereby proclaim the month of May 2025 as building safety month. Thank you. Our next proclamation is for public service week.
Public Service Recognition Week. Whereas Americans are served every day by public servants at the federal, state, county, and municipal levels, these unsung heroes, do the work that keeps our nation working. And whereas public employees take not only jobs but oaths.
And whereas many public servants, including military personnel, police officers, firefighters, border patrol officers, embassy employees, health care professionals, and others, risk their lives each day in service to the people of the United States and around the world. And whereas public servants
include teachers, doctors and scientists, trained conductors and astronauts, nurses and safety inspectors, laborers, computer technicians and social workers, and countless other occupations. Day in and day out, they provide the diverse services demanded by the American people
of their government with efficiency and integrity. And whereas without these public servants at every level, continuity would be impossible in a democracy that regularly changes its leaders and elected officials. Now, therefore, the mayor and council of the
Burrow of Belmar do hereby announce and proclaim to all citizens that May 4th through the 10th is public service recognition week. All citizens are encouraged to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of government employees at all levels,
federal, state, county, and municipal. Thank you. And last but not least, Municipal Clerk's Week. Councilwoman Kenny. Thank you. Okay, so the 55th annual Professional Municipal Clerk's Week is May 4th to May 10th. Whereas the
office of the professional professional municipal court, a timehonored and vital part of local government, exists throughout the world. And whereas the office of the professional municipal clerk is the oldest among public servants. And whereas the office of the professional municipal clerk provides
the professional link between the citizens, the local governing bodies, the agencies of government at other levels and at other at other levels. Whereas professional municipal clerks have pledged to be very ever mindful of their neutrality and impartiality,
rendering equal service to all. Whereas the professional municipal clerk serves as the information center on functions of local government and community. Whereas professional municipal clerks continually strive to improve the administration of the affairs of the office of the professional municipal
clerk through participation in education programs, seminars, workshops, and the annual meetings of their state, provincial, county, and international professional organizations. Whereas it is the most it is most appropriate that we recognize the compliment compliments
of the office of the prof professional municipal clerk. Now therefore, the mayor and council of the Burough Belmar recognize the week of May 4th through 10th, 2025 as professional municipal clerks week and further extend appreciation to our professional
municipal clerk April Claudio and to all professional municipal clerks of New Jersey for their vital service they perform and their exemplary dedication to the communities they represent. Okay. Are there any um discussions for workshop
tonight? Hearing none. Seeing none, let's move on to petitions. May I not receive any petitions? Okay. Then we're up to the approval of minutes. I have a motion to approve the minutes
of the April 15th meeting. Motion. Second. Counciloman Kenny, yes. Mayor Busco, yes. Counciloman Monero, yes. Councilman Lemus, yes. Reports of council uh counciloman Kenny.
Yeah. Great. So, um so Sha Tree Commission and the environmental commission are going to be doing a joint meeting next week. Um and that's going to be the uh second Thursday, which I think is the 8th. I didn't write it down, but I'm pretty sure it's a week
from Thursday. and it's gonna be at 6:30 right here. So, if you would like to join and see how we work together, please join us at 6:30. Um, the Belmore Lake Home Environmental Commission is doing a large a gardening and landscaping workshop this Saturday,
May 3rd, at Taylor Pavilion from 10 to 12:15. The Shade Tree Commission just wanted to put it out there if anybody would like to come to the Taylor Pavilion and learn about gardening and suction and landscaping. The next ADA meeting is this Thursday the 1st at 6:30 at the library. Uh recreation, summer
basketball, summer tennis, and running club signups are still open. And Barry from recreation just wanted to thank everyone who participated in the Easter egg hunt. Said thank you to all the volunteers who helped direct the children and hide the eggs. It was a huge success. Everything ran smoothly
and he was just grateful that that all went well. Um, real quick around the skatepark. The skatepark's going to be having a tent at the seafood festival. We're going to be selling t-shirts. We're going to be selling bricks for sale. Like you can engrave your own brick at the entrance of the skate park. U, we're also going to be having a local
artist paint, skate decks, blank skate decks, art that you can use for your own skate park, skateboard, hang in your, you know, house, whatever you like. And our spend to shred event. All businesses who wish to participate, portion of sales are going to be donated back to the Belmar skatepark. If you would like
to participate or know a business who would, please contact me at jkinybelmar.com. Couple things around school. St. Rose Grammar School, First Holy Communion is this Saturday, 9:30 at St. Rose uh High Church and 8th grade
confirmation is May 13th at 5:30 p.m. And May 20th is Carnival Day. So that's always a big fun day for the whole school, grammar school over in their blacktop. Belar Elementary School, May 21st, um the Belar entry elementary school kids are going to be presenting a
$4,000 check which they raised during their neurodeiversity week to community farms. So they're really excited to go there and present the check. And then St. Rose High School. Two weeks ago, um several students, including my own kids,
participated in the sleepout. That's where the kids sleep out for homelessness for to raise money for Covenant House, which is for homeless teens. And the kids who participated raised $13,000 for Covenant House, which is pretty impressive. And then the last thing I have is this birding at the
Jersey Shore. It's uh Tuesday, May 6th. If anybody wants to learn more about birding at the Jersey Shore, it's at Taylor Pavilion. um starts at 7 uh sorry 6:30 doors open 700 p.m. and you can learn all about birds on the Jersey Shore. So leave that. Thank you. That's
all we have. Thank you, Council President Ronda. Thank you, Mayor. Um, I just want to first thank um our incredible hardworking employees um since it is um public service recognition week. Um, and we won't be
here for it because our our um we don't start I think until the 12th our next meeting 12th or 13th and that is the 4th through the 10th. Um we really they are our employees are the lifeblood of our bureau. Um we and we are just so grateful. So thank you. Um, also wanted
to thank our CFO, Lorraine Karafa, for working so hard on the budget this year and our auditor, John Swisser. Uh, considering inflation, uh, the large increase in pension and health insurance, I'm really impressed that this budget isn't much of an increase for taxpayers as it could have been. Um,
so thank you and thank you for the mayor and all who worked on the budget. Really fabulous work. Uh, our next uh, Belmar Housing Authority meeting is next Monday the 5th at 5:15. It's open to the public. I want to thank the chief and the police department for checking in on
the BHA building when we had our power outage on the 16th. Uh last weekend, the library held a great local author's uh book sale, which was wonderful. Um the library does have a copy of each and every one of these books. Uh so if you missed the
book sale and you want to check out some of the authors, please go into the library and check them out. The next library board meeting is May 12th at 6 pm and that's open to the public, too. Uh just a reminder that the Belmar Women's Club scholarship forms are on
belar.com and those applications must be in by May 13th. So if you know of a high school senior um who needs a scholarship, uh please have them look into it. Uh the month of May is chalk full of weeks and days to honor those who serve
and protect us locally. um public service week, police week, EMS week, water safety week, international fighter fighters day uh day. Uh so once again, Belmar is going to have a flag raising ceremony for our first responders. Um and uh we'll have some first responders
speaking. We'll have the tough uh touch truck for the kids. Um which I thought like maybe they don't want to do that this year. Meeting the first responders, it's a lot of work. And as soon as we put it out there, we got emails back saying, "Oh no, we want to do it. We'll bring the trucks. Well, go bring the
kids. Like, thank you. You know, and that was just really really refreshing and nice cuz even in their time where they're we're trying to appreciate them, they're thinking about our community. So, that was awesome. Uh that is going
to be May 9th, Friday, May 9th at 400 p.m. right outside of um these doors here um inside of Bur Hall. So, please join us. The yard sale is Saturday and Sunday. And then lastly, the day we've all been waiting for, the mayor's going
to talk about, so I'll leave it to him. Thanks. There is no mayor's week. Is there any? No. Okay. Just thought I missed it. Councilman Lewis, thank you, mayor. Uh just some updates on the marina fuel dock. Uh progress is going well. The
dock is there. The electrical workers were down there today uh getting the electric stuff ready for the pumps. Targeting May 14th to have it open for business. Sooner if the weather's good, but May 14th is sort of our our target
date. Um after that they're going to start looking at some of the repairs on H dock. Um that's in pretty bad shape so we can get that cleared and improved. Um and then you'll see on the agenda today we have the rates for the rain. Again, we're not changing any of the rates.
It's just we're taking some of the ASIS slips off of those discounted rates because that now we've fixed the pilings. We don't have to charge a discounted rate for those anymore. So, should be looking in good shape now with the marina. Very good. And that's good news about
the fuel tuck for Boers in the area. Um, and I have one thing. The last that they left me was the announcement. Oh, you finale, right? Can I just I would also just like to mention that the Unity tour kicks off in Spring Lake, right? Uh
Chief Scott, you want to tell is that the 8th? May 8th. It's May 9th. Oh, May 9th in the morning. Friday morning. And what time? 7 a.m. Oh, 700 a.m. Okay. If anybody would like to go, it is really kind of inspiring and cool to see. So, if anybody would like to see the Unity
tour kick off and can you tell us where in Spring Lake, Chief? The North End Pavilion. North End Pavilion. Thank you. What is it? The Unity Tour is a police tour for all fallen police men and women service men and women and they go from now they're starting here in Spring
Lake. They've started in Belmar in the past and they go to Washington DC. So, it's actually pretty inspiring to see that. So, thank you. On bicycles. On bicycles. Yes. I'm sorry. Did I forget to mention that? On bicycles. They don't walk. They are on bikes. Sorry. Okay.
And finally, uh as we've said, May 3rd is a very busy day in town. You know, we have the the town white garage sale. St. Rose has their communion. And we have the dedication uh ceremony for the piano in Piano Plaza
for David Sanchez and his mother Stelma. And David is actually going to be in town that day and will be at the ceremony and is uh will be playing I believe six uh compositions that he
wrote uh for all of us to attend. So, I think it'll be a very nice ceremony and uh you know, almost like we had kind of like a brief ceremony. What was it a couple of months ago? And but this is the this is the main event. So,
if you're available, I would say come out. It's going to be starting at around 2:00 and uh and it it should be a good time. And just everyone pray that the rain passes us that's supposed to be
coming on that day. Okay. Anything else? Nope. Okay, that's it. Guess we'll move on to the 2025 budget hearing. As many of you know, the the budget process is is long. um tedious process
that we um we have to comply with certain requirements of the state before we can actually adopt the budget. So the the process is we introduce the budget, we send it off to the state doing our best to make sure that we are totally in
compliance with the state rules and regulations before the budget is introduced. Sometimes given our best efforts those things don't happen. So we had a little glitch this year which requires us to amend the budget. So throughout this presentation you're
going to see figures that relate to the original budget as it was introduced because that's what the public hearing tonight is about the the original introduced budget. And then what we will be doing is amending the budget. The
council will approve a resolution to amend the budget which makes certain changes that were required by the state that will bring us into compliance with state rules and regulations and it gives us a basis for going forward for the
final adoption of the amended budget on May 13. So this is a little tedious and I get that but um it's all important information that you should have as residents of the burough. So, our total municipal budget when we introduced the budget was
$24,138,64 and a penny. After the amendment, which will be approved tonight, the total budget will be 23,940, I'm missing a number. Sorry about that. Oh
boy. I apologize. 354 354. We're missing a 51 and that's just the the current fund. The burrow is comprised of four separate funds and we have the current fund which
is the the major fund that that funds the operations of all of our departments uh with the exception of each of the war sewer utility. So each component has its own budget and um the budget for the
current fund initially was 24 million13860401. It's going to be after the amendment 23,9435401. The water sewer utility is 4,220,882.72. The beach utility is 7,72,97322 and the parking utility is 132,500.
So the the current fund is made up of appropriations and revenues. So overall the 2025 proposed budget as amended is under the 2% leic cap utilizing the exceptions permitted by the state pursuant to the 2025 budget guidance.
The original 2025 introduced budget was over the two the 2.5% appropriations cap and the borrow is required to amend the introduced budget to be compliant with state statute. The proposed tax rate for municipal purposes only was estimated to
be at 58 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for a home assessed at the burough average of $596,870. This represents represented an annual increase of $39703. Um after amendment, the proposed
tax rate is estimated to be 56.6 per $100 of assessed valuation. And for the home assessed at the burrow average, it represents an annual increase of $37521. Um inflation is still a concern although
it has moderated and uh the overall year-over-year increase is 2.8%. The expenditure portion of our budget um there were some significant increases that we were required to address within the budget document
itself. So debt service increased to 2,230,388 from 2,058225 or 172,163. Uh this increase is partially offset by realizing revenue received from FEMA during
during 200 2023 and 2024. Um, these are for projects that mostly occurred during Sandy that had never actually been closed out. So, we never actually
fully realized all of the revenue that that the bureau should have received at that time. So, we have collected a sign a significant money back to the bureau and we're using that to pay down our debt um on an annual basis. So we'll
we'll be appropriating some money in in each of the succeeding fiscal years. Um our pension uh pension cost increase um this is a figure that we have no control over. It comes from the state and they advise us what we have to
appropriate. And unfortunately this year, although pension increases over 2% of the prior year appropriation were a permitted an exclusion under the levy cap, but they were not an exclusion under the appropriations cap, which
makes no sense, but this is the state. So this is what we're dealing with. Um, our health insurance costs increased approximately 25% to 3,096529 with 302,628 appropriated outside of the
2.5% appropriations cap from prior year 2,484781 when there was no outside the cap appropriation. Um, EMS operational costs were reallocated due to the expiration of the shared services agreements resulting in
an increase in cost of approximately $113,000. The expenses are offset by anticipated revenue to be realized from pay from payments for services render. uh the contractual costs of trash removal and recycling services increased
to 435,800 and 232600 from 415800 and 212600 respectively. And by creating cap exceptions, the state allows temporary increases in appropriations above the
2.5% appropriations cap. However, there is an associated increase in the tax rate to fund the increased appropriations. So, this is the um this is a challenge that the state presents us every year and every year it gets a
little bit more steep um based on and there there are two sets of figures up there. The first figure is the far is the figure that was within the budget as it was introduced. The second figure is where the amendments
come in. So for other expenses the excuse me the appropriations were 10,991228.94. They are going to be 10,89297894. Salary and wages were 7,019376 and they're going to be
5,894376. Debt service stayed the same at 2,05 38750. Shared services is going to increase and that's because as part of this whole budget review process, we are moving the police services contract from
um and inside the cap and I'm getting down into the weeds here. So you understand it's inside the cap. We're moving it outside the cap as a shared service. So that gives us some room to uh as an exception to the uh
appropriation caps that we've been facing uh the issues that we've been facing. Um so shared services is going to increase from 56809815 to a million 59309815. Reserve for uncollected taxes
remains at 800,000. The library appropriation remains at 9735 580 and deferred charges and statutory expenses which includes our pension contributions uh will be uh as previously presented at
1 million 3893342. The second part of the the second component of our budget is the revenue. So the bureau proposes to apply 3 million well originally the bureau proposed to apply 3 million 383 from fund balance for the 2025 budget. In
2024 the burrow applied 3,035. Um but as amended the b the um the proposed use of of uh fund balances drops to
3,236750 and uh that would be an increase over 2024 of 201,750 and we are anticipating the same amount in state aid that we received in 2024. The um the figures on the revenue side. The amount to be raised by
taxation is going from 1142775692 to 11,17575692. Local revenues are decreasing from 5,622501 to 4,772501. Fund balance is dropping 3
from 3,383 to 3,236750. Marina slip rental stays the same. We're anticipating the same amount for the following uh revenue sources. Marina delinquent taxes um state aid grants and
construction code. The only change will be in shared services, excuse me, which will uh reflects a similar amount of increase from the um as on the appropriation side
to million59309815. As far as the municipal tax rate goes, as proposed, the original budget uh presented the tax rate was 58 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, which would have been a 6.7 ccent increase. As
amended, the um the rate it will be 56.6 cents per $100 of assessed valuation or a 5.3 cent increase. The average residential assessment is
596870. The average municipal tax rate per residential property as originally proposed was 3,46144. As amended, it will be 3,3759. The total average total res residential total tax per for
residential property is going from 9,1435 to 9,05967. And this figure includes estimated county and school taxes and the library tax. Next is next up is the border sewer
utility. The um the categories are the same. We have revenues and we have uh revenue and and appropriations. The other expenses are 2,740 71088 capital and debt 966
96184 salary and wages 513210 and there were no deferred charges in this budget. The revenues are broken. Basically the revenue comes from sewer billings and that's estimated to be 3
million6883272 and the use of fund balance is uh estimated at not estimated it's proposed at 532050. The beach utility appropriations um are broken down salary and wages obviously that's our our most
expensive component of this budget 3,87305 other expenses a million793330 capital and debt service 1,34750 and defer charges which in this
case is payment for um debt that was authorized but not issued. So that's that totals a million18822 and to offset that we're anticipating additional revenue from the
proceeds from the FEMA receipts. So this way that that's an offset. Um the revenues of course the biggest component of our of our revenue for the beach utility comes from beach badge sales which is estimated to be
3,956085. We're using 2,ion385 in in fund balance. We have other miscellaneous at $360,000 and reserve for debt service payments is a million18822 which is consistent with
what was appropriated in the budget on the expense side. A parking utility is very simple $60,000 in salary and wages 15,000 in other expenses and $50,000 in capital and debt. There is no debt in the
parking utility, but that's those are the categories that we're required to use by the state. And obviously parking revenues comes from parking fees, which we're estimating at 13,2500, which is consistent with what we expect to spend
in the parking utility. So that concludes our portion of the presentation. I will defer to mayor and council at this point. Let me start by just asking uh the council if any of you have
questions on the presentation. If not, I'll uh I'll open it up to the public and see if they have any questions. Now's the time to ask the questions because we have the experts here. Please don't wait to the end because I'll just be punting it to to
them and I'll have to tell you at the next meeting. That should be able to anyway. What uh what monies from parking go to the
general revenue of the burough and what goes to the beach? Not sure I understand the question, but I'm asking if all the money in the town is collected from the parking meters, right? How much of it goes to the beach?
I can't tell you the dollar amount, but the principle in general is the the parking along the boardwalk in the Park mobile that people pay during the hours that the beach is open, that revenue goes to the beach. Okay, that is not
going into the general fund. All of the other park mobile hours like after what is it? 6 o'clock that the beach closes. Anything collected after 6:00 up until was it 2:00 a.m. that goes
into the uh into the general fund, I believe. Well, it goes into the parking it goes into the parking fund and then it it can be allocated from the parking utility for purposes necessary to the operation of of the parking utility or at council's discretion. it could be
used to offset some uh the the needs of the the current fund, the general fund. But if you would if you like to know the exact breakdown, I can give you the 2024 figures. I ju just don't have that information with me tonight. I think the
I think the parking the parking figures are are they on the website? I thought I don't know if they're actually on the website, but we do have a report which gives us a balance of where the allocation is and what is broken down for the various zones that we Right.
Yeah, we have a a spreadsheet that breaks them all down and it shows exactly what goes to the beach and what goes to the town. Okay, any other questions? Okay, seeing none, I have a motion to
close the budget hearing. I'll make that motion. Second. In favor? I have a motion to adopt resolution 202575, resolution authorizing the amendment. We're actually introducing the amendment. will adopt the amendment
at the next meeting as well because there's going to be an there's going to be a budget there's going to be a hearing on the amendment only at the May 13th meeting. So, it's basically approving council is approving the uh amendments tonight and we're going to
have they have to be advertised. So, they'll be advertised in the poster on May 1st and they will we'll have the public hearing at the May 13th meeting and then you will adopt the amendments which creates the full the full approval
of the budget document. So we need to do this resolution. So we can Yes. So can I have a motion to approve resolution 202575 resolution authorizing the amendment of the 2025 budget? I'll make
that motion. Second. Councilman Donovan. Yes. Councilman Kenny. Yes. Mayor Busesco. Yes. Council Rano. Yes. Councilman Levis. Yes. Okay. Uh, next we have the public session on the other resolutions on the agenda. If anyone would like to speak
about one of them, please step forward, state your name and address. And I have a motion to close the public session. I'll make that motion. Second. All in favor? I. I have a motion to approve the
resolutions as listed on the consent agenda. I'll make the motion. Second. Councilman Donovan, yes. Council McKenna, yes. Mayor Busco, yes. Council Rando, yes. Council Le, yes. Next, we
have ordinance 20259. This is an ordinance amending supplementing chapter 29 water sewer utility, specifically section 7.1 water sewer rates. Do I have a motion to offer ordinance 20259 for first reading and
introduction? I'll make the motion. Second. Councilwoman Donovan, yes. Counciloman Kenny, yes. Mayor Busco, yes. Counciloman Randiro, yes. Councilman Levis, yes.
Now we're on to the regular public session. Sure. Neil Shack 410. Uh because the joint meeting of environmental and shade tree isn't happening till May 8th, I uh felt I had
to bring this up now uh regarding the honeyloust trees in town just in case uh someone is planning the burough is planning on planting any between now and May 8th or ordering any to be planted
between now and May 8th. That's why I'm bringing this to attention of the council because on May 8th I might go to that meeting and they'll say you're too late. We we ordered them or we planted them. So that's why I'm bringing it up now. I don't think the honey locust is a
good tree. Now according to my source book, Identifying trees and all seasonason guide to Eastern North America by Michael D. Williams. Natural range for honeyloust. The natural range for honeyloust is the
central United States. The eastern edge of the range ranges from western Maryland down the western side of the Appalachian Mountains and continues at the same angle to southern Louisiana. In other words, it is not native to anywhere near New Jersey. You have to go
as far west as western Maryland. But I've been told that it's a native tree. And the people in the Sha Tree Commission may believe it is a native tree. And if they're if they have other information, I'd be happy to see it, but
I if part of their justification for planning it is that is a native tree, my source says no, it is not. Now, as they describe the tree in this book, uh they describe the large and long
thorns grown from the tree. Now, last year I brought in a branch to show and the uh environmental liaison Caitlyn Don wasn't here, but I showed off the thorns in case the council was interested in seeing it. Nobody seemed very
interested, but I think they're dangerous. I think they're dangerous, and there's going to be a a cleanup at Silver Lake inviting children there. And these I when I walk my dog around the lake, I regularly pick up trash. is something that makes me feel good about
myself. It's something that I think everyone should do and I'm saying it in public that I do it because it does make me feel good and I think other people should follow my example and when you walk down the street and there's a piece of garbage and you come back walk down the same street the next day and the
same piece of garbage is sitting there. I feel ashamed of myself I didn't pick it up yesterday. Okay. So that's why I like to pick up garbage around Silver Lake, but I don't go anywhere near those honey locusts because of the thorns. And you might notice there is more garbage
along those stretches because there for long stretches along Silver Lake there are these forbidding dangerous thorns and I don't know why they are tolerated. Now, the burrow, I was told when the
trees when the trees grow large, they don't have the thorns anymore. Well, why are there hundreds? There are hundreds of these sprouts. I'm sure the burough isn't planning on having hundreds of large honeyloust trees there. So, why
what is it? To keep people away from the lake. Is that why they're there? Because I can't see any other justification. Now the other matter is that the burrow actually has been planting these trees, paying for them and planting
them. But according to my source book, sever several thornless varieties of honeyloust have been developed for herb. So I assume the ones that are being planted are thornless. I hope. and uh I still don't think it's an
attractive tree when there are so many great trees that could be planted. So my my immediate concern is the triangular park. Thank you, mayor, for addressing the concern about the curbs at the
triangular park at uh Fifth Avenue in D Street. But the three Bradford pear trees were taken down last week, which is a good thing. Those are we all know those are not good trees to plant and uh
I'm concerned that more honeyloust tree are going to be planted in the park before I have a chance to make an objection. So that's why I'm stating my piece now in front of the burough council. Thank you. Okay. I think what what I can do is I'll
reach out to um uh Jim Jim Sherik and I'll ask him to just advise me and the council as to what plans they have in terms of trees that they're going to be planting and uh this way we'll be able
to be on board and I'll pass along your comments to him about the honey locusts. Okay. Thank you, mayor. Thank you, mayor. You're very welcome. One more matter. I was I was told that
uh the burough council could not discuss the matter of beach fees because of ongoing litigation. Now I don't know if that litigation is still ongoing and if the burough council is free to discuss beach fees but I haven't been mentioning it because of that for some time. Uh now
at the last meeting councilwoman Donovan brought it up. So it seems the bureau of council is discussing it. Is there litig litigation ongoing? I'm not sure I understand. You're referring to beachfer a surfer who was
arrested. Oh, in terms of who can pay a beach fee and who supposedly can't based on the public trust doctrine. That's the area you're you're talking about. Public trust doctrine and the uh 2019 state law
that enshrined the public trust doctrine. So, it's not just a public Hey, it's not just a public trust doctrine. It's state law. I believe we we council has advised well that we're in we're in compliance with
with the law as we you as we run the beach currently. You can't you can't get into any specifics as to what happened last year. So, it's been my position that the public trust doctrine has been the law um forever and there's a case
law that um deals with it and that case law basically says that we have to provide equal access to everyone um on equal terms and that's what we do. Um there's also the statute that allows
us to charge beach fees. So that comes into play with how we provide access to people. So it's my opinion that everybody um that wants to access the beach needs to uh pay a beach fee. Now that
statute also the law of the land has exceptions. So um we do follow the exceptions. We um have we don't charge children fees. We charge discounts to
seniors. There's a number of others, but that statute doesn't mention surfers or fishermen. And it certainly could, but it doesn't. So, when the bureau has to operate the beach, the state allows us
to charge a fee. It tells us how to charge a fee, who we have to charge a fee to, and then the public trust doctrine requires that we do it all equally. So that's that's basically my position. I understand the 2019
um statute, but that references the public trust doctrine really doesn't require anything except for the DP to take certain actions when certain permits are applied for. So when we say the public do public trust doctrine has
been enshrined, it's always been the law. So that that statute does mention it. doesn't create it and doesn't require it any further than the uh Supreme Court has already required us.
And I I think we're in compliance. Uh, I think the public trust doctrine says that we have the right, it quite plainly says that we have the right to cross the beach and use the ocean and the beach below the historic mean high
tide line. So, uh, maybe I got to go to law school because that to me that's what it says in plain English. And uh well, I'll say one more thing. I could talk all night on this, but you
know that we don't do that here. Uh immigrants are under attack in this country because there's a mad man in power in Washington trying to take away all of our constitutional rights and every citizen should speak up against
it. But while immigrants are under attack, I have spent a lot of time at the boardwalk and I have seen many people, many people turned away, refused the right to go and take a swim in the ocean because they couldn't
afford the $12. And many, many, many of those people are immigrants. And I've seen many of them wait until the end of the day when the lifeguards go home and the badge checkers go home and then they go
swimming in unsafe unguarded waters and people have died. So just like the budget cuts in Washington are killing people today, people have died because the beach badge system is wrong. the burough
council could suggest to the administrator that he submit a bill to the state for all the costs that the b the bureau in has to incur to operate the beach and the state could provide that money to the burrow and the local
control would be maintained but people would have the right to use the beach un unobstructed by any level of government. Thank you. Thanks, Neil. I appreciate your comments. Any other comments from the
public? Greg Mitchell, 1304 Ocean Avenue. I guess this is directed to uh DPW. I want to say thank you very much. The gentleman was up. Maybe I'm a little bit late to this party. There was a gentleman that spoke about the um stickers on the mast from the Malta by
7-Eleven and it was it was it was an eyes saw and it's that seems to be uh taken care of. So, thank you very much. Very welcome. Any other comments? Okay, I have a motion to close the public session.
Motion Hi everyone. I'm sorry I'm jumping in late here and I apologize for being late. I had an unmovable appointment but I got here as soon as I could. Um I just wanted to let everyone know there are two um environmental commission cleanups coming up. Um the first one is on May well the first environmental commission
event will be held in conjunction with the Lake Ko environmental commission down at Taylor Pavilion May 3rd. Jody and the Silver Lake cleanup that Mr. check alluded to will be held on May 10th. Now, it was rained out the first time. So, I just want to let everyone
know that. And the Belmar, the Belar Women's Club is having a luau on May 15th. So, I wanted to get that on everyone's radar as well. Did I get that the right time? Yeah. I think uh we've closed the public.
Okay. Sorry, I always seem to come up last, but Johanna Robinson, 4069th Avenue. Um, I just want to mention I noticed when I was at the beachfront by the pavilion, the flag that we have there is tattered,
so it probably does need to be replaced. So, and maybe we can look throughout the town where our major public areas that we do have the right flags that are put together. All right. Thank you. We will take a look. We have to be placed order
today. So, it'll be short, April. I know we should have closed the public session before. I thought we had actually, but we'll make an exception. May 10th, while you're getting ready to clean up the lake, stop
by Jersey Mike's, grab a sub. Belar Women's Club is getting 25% donated back to them so that we can help the community. May 10th or treat mom ahead of time or get ready for porch fest. A lot going on that day. You got to eat. Stop by Jersey Mike. Thank you. That was
a very good comment. Thank you so much. I'm glad we had I'm glad we took the time to listen to it. Okay. Motion to close the public session. I'll make the motion. Second. All in favor? I.
Okay. One more item is a resolution authorizing the council to adjourn into executive session where it has been determined that the burough council it is necessary discuss the following specific matter at its regular meeting in the absence of the public pending
litigation and contract negotiations whereas the open public meetings act permits the burough council to exclude the public from that portion of a public meeting during which such matters are discussed. Now therefore be it resolved that the burough council shall recess into a private executive session from
which the public shall be exclusive excluded to discuss the above reference matters. That the scope of the executive session shall be limited to the above matters as stated. That those matters discussed in executive session shall remain confidential until such time as the need for confidentiality no longer
exists as determined by the burough attorney. that minutes of the closed session shall be taken by the clerk and kept free from public view until such time that the need for confidentiality no longer exists and that the regular meeting of the burough council shall resume after the executive session at
which time the burough council may take action in reference to the topics discussed. We have a motion to offer this resolution. Botan.