Regular meeting of the Lake Ko mayor and council to order. Please rise for a salute to the flag and a moment of silent reflection. 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. Please remain standing for a moment of silent reflection. >> Thank you. Sunshine law please. >> Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by the adoption of resolution by the mayor and council on the seventh
day of January 2025 and resolution the time and place of agenda and regular meetings commencing with January 7th or set 4th. Notice the same was delivered to the park press and tap into a copy of the notice is posted on the burough website and on the bulletin board and bur hall. All meetings are open to the public. >> Roll call please. >> Council member Witty
>> here. >> Skull here. >> Antoano >> here. >> Councilman Demoro is not here tonight. Uh, council member Ventric >> here. >> A valid oil >> here. >> Thank you. Can I have a motion to approve the minutes from the October 7th meeting? >> So move. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I
>> opposed. Abstensions. Okay. Uh, first item uh on our agenda under communications proclamations and presentations. We have a proclamation from the council, mayor and council to uh our first responders, many of whom
are with us tonight. Uh on October 28th, 2025, it is National First Responders Day. Uh we thought it was very important and a part of our responsibility as a mayor and council to not only show respect, but thanks to all of our first
responders. We have had discussions on this council over the years on the value of all of our first responders. And I can tell you sitting here as a member of the Belmar Water Rescue Team and next to a gentleman who was on the South Belmar Fire Department for 44 years, twice a
chief, that we all understand the value of our first responders. We've had conversations in private and in public about that value and how it is almost impossible to put a price tag on what you provide to our community and
communities. So be it resolved. Whereas on National First Responders Day, we recognize and celebrate all the brave and dedicated first responders who risk their lives standing on the front lines of our community, selflessly serving and
protecting the citizens of the burrow of Lake Ko in times of crisis. Our first responders represent the best of who we are as people. They are the police officers and dispatchers who answer our calls with honor and resolve, working
tirelessly to protect lives, uphold the law, and ensure the safety and well-being of our residents, and ready to help no matter the situation. They are the firefighters courageously running towards the flames, putting themselves in harm's way to protect our
lives, properties, and the safety of their communities. They are the emergency medical technicians, responding swiftly and skillfully to every call for help, providing life-saving care and compassion in the most critical moments of need. They are the water rescue team with unwavering
courage and selfless dedication, risking their own safety to protect and save the lives of others in times of peril. They are the public works departments, often silently there providing vital support to their emergency response partners, helping protect essential
services and restoring those services following an emergency. And whereas whether in natural disasters, accidents, medical emergencies, or public health and safety threats, first responders stand ready to act with courage, compassion, and commitment, providing
vital aid and protection where their communities need them most. And whereas it is the public interest for the citizens, government leaders, and the youth in the Burrow of Lake Ko to gain knowledge of and maintain an ongoing interest and understanding of the importance of our first responders
efforts in their respective communities. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that we, the mayor and council, do hereby designate October 28th, 2025 as National First Responders Day in the Burrow of Lake Ko. We urge all our residents to
join with us in paying tribute to our public works, water rescue, EMTs, firefighters, police officers, and dispatchers, and other emergency personnel to recognize the substantial contributions they make to protecting
our health, safety, and advancing the quality of life for all. all of you in attendance and all of that you that are not here. I thank you all very much for your service and your dedication to our communities. I applaud you. Thank you.
[Applause] So, um just a just a couple of quick thoughts. Uh and I I spoke a little bit before and I'll ask anybody on the deis to speak. Um, we don't usually get this many people at
a meeting here. So, this is this is not just unusual, but for me it's a little special because I pretty much know each and every one of you. Some of you I've had relationships with for over 20 years, some over 30
years, and you are what makes this community a community. Not just Lake Ko, but Belmar as well. Uh, we are uh we are sisters. We are brothers. uh in both communities and we thank you for everything that you do and it really is
a nice warming welcoming feeling to see you walk in here tonight uh and be with us uh at this meeting. So I thank you all from the bottom of our hearts um not just uh not just mine but also from from the council to our police, our
firefighters, our EMTs and dispatch, our public works and most importantly our water rescue Uh, but thank you all very much. I'm I don't know if the council has anything they want to say before we get some pictures in. And we do have a copy of
this proclamation, one for every >> department. Okay. We don't we can't waste paper. Sorry. Um, I don't know if council has anything they want to say before we move on. >> Just thank you. >> You said it all. >> Thank you. So, what I'm going to do, I'm going to ask for two things or a couple
of things. One, I'm going to ask all of our first responders to come stand up here in front of the deis so the council can stand behind you and somebody can go in the back and take a picture of everybody and then I would like to take a picture with each department individually if that's okay. All right, we good with that?
>> All right, so first I'm going to ask everybody to come up and stand in front of the deis council can stand up behind you. I'm sure you can broken. You did. You go.
[Music] >> That's a good thing. That's a good thing. probably taking a picture of himself. I did. >> Um, I guess we can start with uh P. They were here first. >> I think he's talking about you. Oh, no.
[Music] You guys getting in two pictures? safe in >> old school. >> All right. Thank you all very much. Cheers. Thank you. >> Uh fire department.
We should just battle it out. Come on in. >> All right, you guys. Watch out. Yeah, I'm trying to think of >> Yeah, you got to do water res now. afterwards. >> Thank you. >> Folks, want to rescue? You guys want to come on over?
>> Sure. >> Anything else? Yeah. >> All right. Appcate. >> Now, last but certainly not least, >> Iron They're not fluorescent.
[Music] >> They're not glowing in the dark. All right. Awesome. >> Thank you, sir. Congratulations. >> Thank you everybody. >> Thank you. You want this microphone >> and back to normal.
>> That was fantastic. Can't say I'm much of a photographer. >> No, you're not. >> Take a bunch of selfies first. >> I want to do one or two. >> Um, okay. Under communications, we have a letter
from the Lake Ko Planning Board. Amy, can you um read that out for us, please? >> To the mayor and governing body, please be advised that at the September meeting of the Lake Ko Planning Board, we reviewed the Lake Pomo municipal storm water management plan. Our review was for the purpose of ensuring consistency
with the master plan of the burrow. Present as the discussion uh with the members of the board were burough engineer Al Helen Jr. and me as the burough attorney. The board found that the report was consistent with the master plan and did not in any way have a negative impact on the burough's
master plan respectively submitted Adam Schneider plan attorney. >> Thank you very much. And we um do we need to take any more action on that? Under new business is the resolution adopting the revised management plan. >> Thank you very much.
>> Okay. At this time, um I will open I will take I'm sorry. No, we're going to go to reports of the committee and we will start with Councilwoman Alador. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um just to let everyone know that our small business Saturday treelighting is coming up on
November 29th. Um so mark that down on your calendars. We are looking for vendors and I was assured that the application for vendors would be up on our website after the meeting today. Other than that, matter. >> So, thank you, Councilman Ventrice.
>> Thank you, Mayor. This Saturday from uh 9 to 11 in the morning is the annual uh fall late cleanup. We're going to be meeting over at the cazebo. 9:00. We expect the uh students across the street to come out and help us like they always do. They they're very helpful. There's
always a very big turnout on their part. Uh otherwise, all matters are in order. >> Thank you very much, Councilman Dan. >> Thank you, Mayor. All matters are in order. >> Councilman Skull. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um just have some updates on Barman Park. Uh the pickle ball court is officially open. Uh yay.
Um the dog park is also open, but there's still some construction taking place, so it will close from time to time when construction needs to be performed. Um and then the baseball field lights will be operational by tomorrow night. Um >> uh and then just a reminder that um
trunk or treat in Belmar is taking place this Friday from 5 to 7. Um it's 16th a uh across kind of across from Bar and Chaly Park is the location. Um so happy holidays and that's all I >> Thank you very much, Council President
Whitty. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. All matters in order. Uh, police department, you have anything you want to bring up. >> Thank you. Other than that, matters in order. >> Thank you very much. I have a couple of things on my report that I would like to go over tonight. Uh, first, I would like
to thank everyone in our town and our neighboring town of neighboring towns of Belmar and Spring Lake for their response to the latest Noraster that came our way. I know that we did not get hit as hard as we could have, which we
were very fortunate. But if you were following the news, you know that uh the outall pipe of Lake Ko does have an injury to it. We do have a valve that is broken has been broken for some time,
but the DPW of Belmar with close we were keeping a close eye from the DPW DPW in Lake Ko on the water levels and they were monitoring that outfall pipe throughout the storm for about three days. they were able to lower the level
of the lake and then the lake filled back up again with the storm surge and the DPW is then able to lower the lake. So, I really appreciate all of the work from both of our DPWs to um to monitor the the level of that lake. We did see
an increase. It did come over the banks probably about two feet, but it's a lot better than what it could have been if we were not monitoring it. So, I want to thank you. Last Saturday I had my uh installment of coffee with the mayor this month. We had a c we talked about a
bunch of different things all positive. There were a lot of questions about um code enfor code enforcement issues that were passed along to our code enforcer and he will be taking a look at that. Uh we talked about the updated plans for the first aid uh property and other
buildings in town and then we also talked about the upcoming construction projects which we've talked about at past council meetings. But like I said, these coffee with the mayors are or coffees with the mayor are for those that really can't attend these meetings
on Tuesday nights. So I want to thank everybody for attending at that time. Uh, also I I received a couple of questions from members or residents of Lake Koma. There was an article in last week's co-star in where mayor of Spring
Lake, Mayor Norton, discussed her take on the upcoming election and the question that is being posed to Mammoth County residents on the general election ballot. And that question is
about increasing tax burden on uh from the county on the residents for open space money. Uh currently the county taxes its residents at $2.7 cents per $100 of assessed value. And that money
goes directly into an open space uh fund in which they return grants to municipalities throughout the county. that rate or that um price was set in 2017. That price that rate also stays the
same. It does not change. It does not uh adjust like a municipal rate does. Here in Lake, we're able to reduce our rate due to the fact that our assessments are growing. However, the county keeps that rate the same. Therefore, as assessments
grow throughout the county, which we know they do every year, then they will collect more and more money into that open space fund. In 2017, the county collected $17.7 million in open space
open space funding when um that was just before the rate changed. In 2025, with the rate at 2.75, the county collected $55.8 8 million in open space funding. Uh during that time, Lake Ko has and
received grants from that open space account, from that open space fund. In 2025, we received $28,949. That is not far off what we pay into that fund as a town. It is definitely
less than what we pay. We pay we pay about $260,000 a year. If that question were to pass and that rate went from 2.75 to 3.75, the residents of Lake Ko, their funding
to that fund would increase by $75,000 or about 70, it's just under $75 per household. Um, so I wanted to get that information out. I think um the fact that that rate is stagnant that
stays the same that 2.75 there the money that the county has been collecting in that fund has grown substantially every year. The county is now asking for a higher rate which will then increase that funding. Um, the one
thing I think is very important to point out is that open space grants that go to the township towns or townships or whoever in Mammoth County, they are all matching grants. So, we
received $28,000 last year from open space grant. We have to match that with $28,000 of our own money. So, we are paying money into that open space grant. we are getting some of that back and then we have to pay additional money to match that grant. So I think that
information is important for our residents to have to make the best informed decision that they can make when going into that voting booth on November 4th. Um with that all other matters are
any questions on my report? ask a lot of information that at this time I'll take a motion to open for public comments on new business. >> So move second. >> All in favor? >> Anyone wishing to comment on any item listed under new business can come to
the mic and do so now. Seeing none, I'll take a motion to close. >> So move second. >> All in favor? >> I. Thank you. Under new business, we have a first reading of ordinance 2025-14. This is establishing a shade tree
commission after weeks of discussion. Um offered by Councilman Ventrice. >> Thank you, mayor. So offered ordinance 2025-14 ordinance amending chapter 2 article 5 boards, committees, and commissions of the revised general ordinances of the bur of Lake Ko establishing the B of
Lake KO shade commission. Uh this was workshopped in a couple of sessions before and the purpose of this ordinance is to establish the uh burough of Lake Ko shade tree commission. Uh the in general the purpose of the tree tree commission will be to uh advise and make
uh recommendations to the burrow about planting trees, maintaining the trees, selecting the types of trees, selecting the locations for trees uh and throughout the burrow. Thank you. Um I just want to add to that discussion that this is something that
we've talked about as a council over the last two meetings in a workshop. Um at the last meeting we had a question about whether or not trees were going to be planted in the verge and could home owners refuse those trees being planted
in the verge. Um, I can assure you that after reading this and working with council that this version of the ordinance, um, trees will be planted in the verge at the owner's request. >> And and mayor, if if um the commission
wants to plant a tree in the verge in front of someone's house, they have to get consent from that property. >> Correct. >> Um, I have a motion on a second. >> Second. >> Roll call, please. Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Thank you. We have resolution 2025-130. Offered by Councilman not tomorrow. He's not here. >> Doug, you want to tackle this one? >> Sure.
>> Offered by Council President Woody. >> So offer resolution 25 2025-130. resolution authorizing American Council to declare Halloween curfew. This is something we do every year, starting a curfew
uh from 6:00, I'm sorry, from 8:00 at night to the uh to the following morning at 6 o'clock in the morning, starting on October 29th ending November 1st. >> Thank you. And this is for those
>> under 18. Do we have a first? Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Winnie, >> yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Ventric. >> Yes. >> Alado. >> Yes.
>> Thank you. We have resolution 2025-131 once again offered by council president. So from resolution 2025-131 resolution confirming the submission of the best practice checklist in the director of division of local government
services on behalf of the burial they come. This is is a housekeeping thing we do every year that the the division of local government requires us to do create a best practice checklist. >> Amy, can you answer that a little bit?
>> Uh yeah. So it's a is a basically a survey that comes from the state and going um off of how many points the bureau receives uh determines the funding that we can get from the state. Um so this year we scored 40.5 out of a possible 45 points which means that uh
Leo is entitled to 100% of uh eligible state aid. >> Okay. So we have to work on that four and a half points. >> Uh motion do I have a second? >> Second. Roll call, please. >> Council member Whitty, >> yes. >> Skull, >> yes. >> Yes.
>> Ventric? >> Yes. >> O Valador? >> Yes. >> Thank you. Resolution 2025-132 offered by Councilwoman Skull. >> Thank you, Mayor. >> So offered resolution 2025-132 be resolved by the mayor and council of the Burough of Lake Como that the proper
officers be directed and authorized to make payment from the following accounts. Current account 15,34960. Water account $247. General capital fund $9,688.95. Trust other account $299.3
a wire payments $524,5121 for grand total of $550,9659. >> I have a second. >> Second. >> Roll call, please. Council member, >> yes. >> Skull, >> yes. >> Yes. >> Vice, >> yes. >> Al Valador, >> yes. >> Thank you. Resolution 2025-133
offered by Councilman Danto. >> Thank you, Mayor. So, offer resolution 2025-133 is a resolution of the Burough Lake memorializing adoption of an amendment to the burough master plan municipal storm water management plan element. Whereas the mayor and council has been
advised necessary to adopt an amendment to the burough master plan, municipal management plan element. Um the amendment was prepared by Leon S. Slovakian B County Planning Board condition approved the annex amended plan on September 2025.
Now therefore be it resolved by the mayor and council to adopt this annex amended. >> Thank you. And for the record, it has been reviewed by our planning board and uh found to be adjacent to the master
plan. Thank you. So I have a motion. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Council member, >> yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Resolution 2025-134 offered by councilwoman Albal.
>> Thank you, mayor. So offering resolution 2025-134. This is a resolution for the renewal of the membership in the Mammoth Municipal Joint Insurance Fund, otherwise known as the GIF. Um, the Burough of Lake KO is a member of the Mammoth Municipal Joint
Insurance Fund. Um, the membership terminates as of December 31st of 2025 and we as a municipality would like to stay and renew our membership. Um, and if this resolution is passed, Lake Como agrees to renew its membership in the Mammoth Municipal Joint Insurance Fund
and to be subject to the bylaws, rules, and regulations, coverages, and operating procedures thereof as presently existing or as modified from time to time by the law lawful act of the fund. And the mayor and clerk shall be and hereby are authorized to execute
the agreement to renew this membership um and deliver the same to the Mammoth Municipal Joint Insurance Fund. evidencing in the municipality's intent to renew its membership. >> Thank you. I have a motion to have a second. >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Member Woody.
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. Resolution 2025-135. This is awarding a contract for road improvements offered by Councilman Dan. >> Thank you, Mayor Solford. Resolution
2025-135. Resolution awarding a contract for improvements to Firmwood Road, Rywood Terrace, and Pine Terrace Terrace. Where's the Burough of Lake Home, the recipient of a fiscal year 2025 NJOT municipal aid grant for improvements to the above mentioned streets? On October
17th, 2025, four bids were received for the project. The apparent low bid was submitted by Fernandez Construction of Monro, New Jersey with a base bid of $519,538.33 and is the recommendation of the Burough engineer to award them the contract.
Um, so be resolved by mayor and council that the contract be awarded to Fernandez Construction Incorporated. >> Just for the record, council, in your packet, you do have a spreadsheet of the four bids that were provided. Uh, Fernandez Construction has done work in
Lake Ko. Sorry, I'm reading the address and I saw Monroe and I got confused for a second. Um, they have done work in Lake Ko in the past. I believe they did all phases of 17th Avenue um many years ago and we have I don't remember any issues with them and they have come in
significantly lower than other companies. Drew, you have anything you want to add? >> A question. What kind of work are they going to be doing? Painting or they do curving sidewalks? >> Curving sidewalks. >> Curving and >> aprons.
first before you paid. >> I'm sorry. >> Are you going to build the road? >> Oh, yes, sir. >> Yeah. >> And when are when are you going to start? >> We have a precon coming up soon after approved tonight. We still have precon.
He really wants to get in start the drainage and possibly some concrete work this fall over the next couple weeks. So, just for the record, uh I recently sent out a letter to the residents on these three streets letting them know that this was happening um that it was
going to start this fall hopefully and then stop for the winter and then continue again in the spring. Uh it is important to note that there will be significant disruption to homeowners during this time, especially during the day when milling and paving is
happening. the street will not be able to be accessed. Um, after work is done during the day, it will be you can access local traffic can access it, but by doing aprons of driveways, there may come times where they residents cannot
access their driveways either. So, that was spelled out in the letter to the homeowners and hopefully uh I was asking homeowners to be respectful of their neighbors that may not be able to walk at great distance from parking on a different street. I suggest that many of
the residents park down by the lake or um they would be able to park on a different street on on this side of Fernwood Road and especially I'm I'm specifically talking about Fwood Road right now, but with the the dead end streets as well. um to have some type of
recognition of those that would not be able to walk a great distance. Uh I would just to be transparent, one of these roads that is being done is a road that I live on. Um and I plan on parking around the corn. >> Uh do I have any other questions?
>> Will there also be parking up >> where? So, there was discussion at one point that we were going to be able to blue stone that and use that as a parking lot. Uh, it turns out that that is going to come at a great cost. >> Um, so it would cost us about $10,000 to
do that. So, we're going to try to avoid that. Um, but it's definitely something we can talk about if we ever find the need to do it. >> So, I lived through this on 17th already and just it's helpful to do your grocery shopping when you don't have to park far
away. because I learned that the hard way. >> So, I will tell you that um from what I understand from our engineer is that at night, most of the road you will be able to park overnight. Um you will have to
have your car moved by a certain time in the morning and then you will not be allowed to have your car back uh until after a certain time in the afternoon, but you will be able to park overnight, which is a good thing. Um and the construction company and our engineer will be on site every day. Police will
be there um for traffic as well and they hopefully will be very communicative to our residents. >> Yeah, they were. >> Mayor, you said you sent out a letter. Have you heard from any of the residents? >> I haven't heard any negative feedback. Pete, did you get the letter? >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Um I got the letter, too, but I wasn't going to give myself negative feedback. Uh so no I haven't heard I don't know if you've heard anything >> I think being transparent and being proactive and uh communicating with the residents is going to go >> that's a great
>> we do just as a note we do have projects coming up in the future that will do the same thing in different areas of the town. >> Um do I have a second? >> Second >> roll call please. >> Council member Witty >> yes
>> yes. >> Yes. >> Ventrice. Yes, >> Doyle. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Um, that concludes our new business. >> At this time, I'll take a motion to open up for public comments.
>> All in favor? >> Anyone wishing to come to the mic? Uh, with any comments of all for the council can do so now. >> Seeing none, I'll take a motion to close. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. Next meeting, please. >> The next regular meeting of the mayor
and council will be held on Wednesday, November 5th at 7:30 p.m. in the late meeting room. All meetings are open to the public. >> Are we going to change that? Cuz we're all going to be Oh, no. That's the one. All right. >> That's the only one in November. >> All right. So, this is the day after
election day, right? Okay. Thank you. November 5th. I appreciate it. >> Um, I have a motion to adjurnn. >> Someone second. >> All in favor? opposed. >> You're returned.