I'd like to call uh this meeting of the mayor and council to order at 7:30 p.m. Uh please rise for salute to the flag and a moment of silence. 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. Okay, thank you. Sunshine law, please. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by the adoption of a resolution by the mayor council on the 6th day of January 2026 in which resolution the time and place
of agenda in regular meetings commencing with January 6th or set 4th. Notice same as the Asbury Park Press, the co-star and tap into and a copy of the notice is posted on the burrow website and on the bulletin board in Burough Hall. All meetings are open to the public. >> Thank you. Roll call, please. >> Councilwoman Skull >> here.
>> Councilman Danto >> here. >> Councilman Ventry >> here. >> Councilwoman Alvado >> here. Councilman Riners >> here. >> Councilwoman McIntyre >> here. >> Um just to be clear, uh Mayor Higgins is out of town tonight. Something has come up. So, I'm as council president serving
as mayor. Um, acting mayor tonight. Um, can I have a motion to approve the minutes from the April 21st, 2026 meeting? So, moved. >> Second. >> Thank you. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Um, there are no communications,
proclamations, or um, presentations for this meeting. So, we'll move on to reports of committees starting with Councilwoman McIntyre. Um, nothing to report. >> Okay. Thank you, Councilman Riners. >> Thank you, Council President Skull. Um,
two things. The seasonal one-way streets are going to go into effect on or about May 15th, so everyone just needs to be aware. And from May 11th through May 15th, DW will be flushing fire hydrants. Uh, the water may be a little discolored, but it is okay once you give
the couple minutes to get the discoloration out. Otherwise, all matters are in order. >> All right. Thank you. Uh, Councilwoman Alvala Doyle. Thank you. Um, so as far as the Sha Tree Commission, we had our first inaugural meeting, which is
redundant to say first and inaugural. Um, and realized it as I was saying it. And it went really well. We're trying to establish um what our goals will be as the Sha Tree Commission. looking at possibly looking at a one-year uh you know a three-year and a five-year goal
planning. We were able to nominate a president and vice president. Um we have a secretary and they will take their oaths of office uh at our next meeting and our next meeting will be held in June. We haven't established exactly what date that will be, but I will
announce that once that happens. Um we did have some members of the community come to kind of welcome us and say how excited they are for the Shade Tree Commission. So that was really nice as well. Um as far as tourism, we will have our next meeting. It will be on the 18th
of May where we will be um giving an oath of office to a new member um which will be uh Kim Wall from Moond Dog and we're very excited to have her and start uh coming up with some plans. Uh right now, Wednesdays on the Water is still
hoping to start the month of May. Um right now it's to be determined though, so we'll update as soon as we have any other information. Other than that, all matters are in order. Excellent. Um Councilman Ventrice. >> Thank you, Council President. Uh all matters are in order.
>> Excellent. Councilman Dano. >> Thank you, Council President. So, under the finance committee, uh today on the agenda, we will be doing a uh introduction and first reading of the 26 budget. Uh, first I'd like to thank everyone who had hand in getting the budget to this point, particularly Sam, Amy, and Drew. It's a lot of hard work
and for a small municipality like like ours, it's not easy. So, um, I really appreciate it. So, based on the proposed budget being introduced tonight, what you'll see, um, our overall municipal budget is going to be approximately 5.1 million in 2026, an increase of about
$250,000 from the prior year. uh the amount raised by taxation the municipal share would be approximately $3.5 million. Uh we will be bringing the tax rate itself down slightly. Right now in 2025 it's 388. It's going to be reduced
to 387. Um so what that means for the average residential homeowner this would be an increase of about $220 for the full year. Remember that every resident's individual assessment uh plays a role in that too. So some will naturally see larger increases if assessments went aboard than average and
others in town are going to see a smaller increase if their assessments did not increase. Um, as another reminder, the municipal budget and amounts raised by taxation is around 35% of every resident's overall tax bill. Uh, the remainder is made above the school taxes and county taxes.
We don't have the final numbers from the county yet. Uh, but we do we have heard we expect the school uh taxes to remain flat to prior year. It's good. Um, another thing to remind residents is that Last year uh there was a battle question if you all remember um on the
um Mammoth County open space program. So Mammoth County residents voted on that that referendum passed which will increase the county open space tax rate from 025 032. So this is going to be reflected on residents tax bills going
forward as well. Um in Lake Ko the the margin for that vote was about a two to1 margin to pass with 500 yes votes to about 259 no votes. Um and that was we looked at was very close to the margin of the referendum passed by county.
>> Um so if anyone has any questions um I'll h happy to try to answer the best I can. Um as I said this is only the first reading tonight. Um so anything I can't answer back to you. I can check with Sam. Um, we're not going to be adopting the budget till two meetings from now. So, the budget adoption meeting will be
the June 3rd meeting. That's the one. >> Excellent. Very informative. Anything else? >> That's it. Any questions? >> All right. Thank you. All right. So, for my report um as council president um from uh the wreck committee um there's a
lot actually, so I'm not going to go through all the details, but I'll be adding some flyers to our Facebook page and perhaps to our website. We'll um figure that out. But just to give like a little heads up, it's going to be about basketball camp this summer, marine science camp, um a special yoga and
meditation event, excuse me, um wreck basketball for the summer, um summer test tennis lesson sessions for the kids and summer tennis lesson sessions for adults. Um so that so keep an eye out for that. I didn't want to go into all the details as I said but for our
mayor's report tonight from Kevin I'm just going to read this so I get it right. Um as you know in the past Amy Bony has been recognized on the honor role of burough clerks in the state of New Jersey. Tonight, it is our honor to recognize Amy as the number one
municipal clerk in the nation for 2026, receiving more appreciation votes than any other clerk across the country. Since 2019, when the honor role was reestablished, no other municipal clerk has received more votes than Amy has over that time. Thank you, Amy, for
everything you do and congratulations once again. Um, and I can also just quickly add that, sorry, this is the highest number of recorded votes since they've been doing it if that didn't if that wasn't clear. So, congratulations. Well, well, well deserved.
>> Thank you for weren't for you. >> I was pretty sure that was the case. Great job. >> Congratulations. >> You It's really welld deserved. You absolutely earned it. I mean, you go above and beyond for us and for this
town um every day, even on your days off, in your time off. So, I I mean, I couldn't think of a more deserving person. So, thank you for everything. >> Exactly. Exactly. Nationwide. And our little town of Lake Ko are >> Yes. So, congrats. And I'll stop putting
you on the spot. Okay. So, we're going to move on um to where >> to comments. >> There's no unfinished business on the agenda. Okay. Thank you. So, um I'm going to ask for a motion to open the meeting to the public for comments on
new business only. So, this is just new business >> on the consent agenda >> on the under the consent agenda. Thank >> and the consent agenda. Apologies. Okay. So moved. >> Second. >> Uh seeing none. Um
>> take a motion to close the meeting to the public. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Second. Thank you. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Move on to um the move on to a motion to approve the consent agenda. Anyone want to make a motion to
>> I make a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> Okay, passed. Um, so now this we're going to move on to new business. We've got ordinance 2026-4.
Um, this is going to be offered by Councilman Riners. Um, this is a second reading. So, uh, just want to make that a point about that. So, go ahead, Councilman Riners. I'll turn it over to you for the moment. >> Thank you, Council President.
Ordinance 2026-4 ordinance amending chapter 2 administration and chapter 17 the development regulations ordinance of the burrow of Lake Ko with the revised general ordinances of the bureau of Lake Ko County of Mammoth state of New Jersey creating a zoning office and the zoning
officer known prounk and designated designating administrative officers under chapter 17. >> Excellent. Um because this is a second reading um I need to ask if anyone wants to come to the m and Any questions? And >> mayor, I also want to just I mean,
acting mayor, council president, um I just want to I think it's worth saying that this is really a housekeeping measure that this um we have a zoning officer. We probably have a resolution appointing a zoning officer, but it can't be located because it occurred in 1979. So this we're doing this to make sure
that the record is correct, which is why it says nonpro, which mean now for then. Um so we're passing a resolution that or an ordinance that backs it up to whenever whenever it was last done, we're now redoing it and and making it a
legal appointment. And um I think oh we made a couple of other changes just because the ordinance even as written in 1979 made the administrative officer of the burrow for all business the clerk, which is really
unfair to Amy because Amy's not supposed to know everything about everything, although she may well know everything about everything. But this new ordinance will actually assign those duties to the appropriate people. So it would be the clerk of the planning board complaining decisions. Um and and so be you go through the list, you'll see in the
ordinance that we've just changed that to make sure that the people who are making the ultimate decisions are capable of doing it and and aware of their responsibilities. Want to make sure that that's clear to everybody because it's not like we're just appointing zoning off for the first time.
>> Um Open up the public. >> Okay, thank you. So, um, opening this up to the public for questions >> or comments >> or comments. >> Yeah, there's no public. So, I think they can just go ahead and ask for a
second. >> Seeing none. Um, is there a second for this? >> Roll call. >> Councilwoman Skull? >> Yes. >> Councilman? >> Yes. >> Councilman Vrice? >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Doyle? Yes.
>> Councilman Riners. >> Yes. >> Counciloman McIntyre. >> Yes. >> Okay. Moving on to ordinance 2026-5 offered by Councilman Dan Tuano. >> Thank you, Council President. So, offer ordinance 2026-5. Uh, calendar year 2026. It's an
ordinance we pass every year around budget time is an ordinance to exceed the useful budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> No. >> Roll call. Sorry. Roll call, please.
>> Council President. >> Uh, yes. >> Councilmano. >> Yes. >> Councilman Ventrice. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Aladoy. >> Yes. >> Councilman Riners. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Mader. >> Yes. >> Okay. Resolution 2026-68.
This will be offered by Councilman Trice. Thank you. >> Thank you, Council President. Uh so offer resolution 2026-68 be it resolved by the mayor and council of the boy combo that the proper officers be directed and authorized to make payments from the following
accounts from the current account $25,95348 the water account $87625 from the trust other fund account $28458 the escar account $174
the EC wire payments 27,77568 for a total of $163,750. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. Roll call, please. >> Council President Skull. >> Yes. >> Councilman, >> yes. >> Councilman Vrice, >> yes. >> Councilomano, >> yes.
>> Councilman Riners, >> yes. >> Councilman McIntyre, >> yes. >> All right. Resolution 2026-71 I'm sorry 69 payment of offered by council sorry councilwoman McIntyre
thank you council president um be it resolved by the mayor and council of the bur of Lee Ko that the proper officers be directed and authorized to make payment on the following Uh, New Jersey natural gas $599.35. >> Is there a second?
>> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Council President Skull, >> yes. >> Councilman Duano, >> abstain. >> Councilman Ventric, >> yes. >> Counciloman Abalad, >> yes. >> Councilman Riners, >> yes. >> Counciloman McIntyre, >> yes. >> Okay. Resolution 2026-71
offered by Councilwoman Alvalid Doyle. >> Thank you, Council President. So, offering resolution 2026-71, which is the Burough of Lake Como, Mammoth County 2026 budget resolution. Uh NJSA4-78B has authorized the local finance board
to adopt rules that permit municipalities in sound fiscal condition to assume the responsibility of conducting the annual budget examination. Um NJAC 50 I'm sorry 530-7 was adopted by the local finance board
on February 11th of 1997. Um and pursuant to uh section 7.2 through 7.5, the bureau of Lake Como has been declared eligible to participate in the program by the division of local government services and the and the
certified municipal finance officer has determined that the local government meets necessary conditions to participate in the program for the 2026 year. Um, we've met all the necessary requirements and therefore uh be resolved that the a certified copy
of this resolution shall be forwarded to the director of the division of local government services upon adoption. >> Okay. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Roll call, please. >> Council President, >> yes. Councilman, >> yes.
>> Councilman Vice, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Ambalado, >> yes. >> Councilman Riners, >> yes. Counciloman McIntyre. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, um next we're moving on to the introduction of the calendar year 2026 budget um offered by Councilman Dan Tuano. And I will say he sorry, he
already um did give a good explanation during this report. Um but if there's anything else you want to add or if any of the council members have any questions, just wanted to give everyone one last opportunity. But this is um a first like we will be the second reading and finalization will be in June. So,
There's anything else needed? >> Uh, nothing else outside of what I already said in the comm so offered the calendar year 2026 budget. >> Excellent. Second. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Roll call, please. >> Council President,
>> yes. >> Councilman, >> yes. >> Councilman Patrice, >> yes. >> Councilomano, >> yes. >> Councilman Riners, >> yes. >> Counciloman McIntyre, >> yes. >> All right, we're moving on to public comments. Um, can I have a motion to open the meeting to the public for comments on new business?
>> No, just on anything. >> Yes. On uh on anything. >> Second. >> Seeing none. Um, a motion to close the meeting to the public. >> So moved. >> Okay. All in favor?
>> I. >> All right. Next meeting. >> Next regular meeting of the mayor council will be held on Tuesday, May 19th at ATM in the late meeting room. All meetings are open to the public. >> Uh we have a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Great.
>> Good job.