WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=ZlIo5elMrZQ

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: ZlIo5elMrZQ):
- 00:00:08: Meeting Called to Order; Pledge of Allegiance
- 00:01:24: Proclamation Recognizing Joshua Bear Dennis's Athletic Achievement
- 00:05:06: Police Department Promotions: Mercury to Lieutenant, Scullion to Captain
- 00:15:53: Engineering Report: Ventnor Ave Lot, HQ, Tank, Roads
- 00:18:48: Department Head Reports: Beaches, Lifeguards, and Summer Preparations
- 00:20:10: Ordinance Provision Discussion: Merkantile Licenses, Osborne Ave Bulkhead
- 00:23:23: Paid Parking Expansion and Enhanced City Playground Lighting
- 00:24:46: Finance Reorg, Tequila Research, Popup Ordinance Discussion
- 00:28:58: Public Comment on Workshop: Ed Burgerer - Merkantile Licenses
- 00:37:15: Public Comment on Workshop: Steve Jazaki, Kathy Heitzman, Tequila Bar
- 00:40:28: Public Comment on Workshop: Liz O'Brien - Tequila Bar Concerns
- 00:47:18: Public Comment on Workshop: Mitchell Goldfield - Sunrise Dissatisfaction
- 00:57:50: Public Comment on Workshop: Janet McCarron - Sunrise Concerns
- 01:00:38: Regular Meeting Call to Order: Approving Meeting Minutes
- 01:02:09: Public Comment for Resolutions and Ordinance Adoption
- 01:02:42: Ordinance Adoptions: Traffic, Merkantile Licenses, Water Bond
- 01:04:22: Resolutions: CFO Appointment, Municipal Budget
- 01:05:14: Public Hearing on 2026 Municipal Budget
- 01:06:58: Public Comment on Budget: Kathy Heitzman - Police and Fire
- 01:12:45: Public Comment on Budget: Sam Lashman - Cash Reserves and Finances
- 01:21:56: Public Comment: Electric Vehicles, Cherry Blossom Festival
- 01:25:49: Meeting Adjournment: Sam Lashman on Margate Finances


Part: 1

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like to call the meeting to order, please. Johanna, will you read the statement of compliance? >> The notice requirements of the Open Public Meeting Act for this meeting have been satisfied. Copy of the annual meeting notice was sent to the press of Atlantic City star ledger posted on the

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Bolton board in the municipal build the municipal website and filed in the office of the municipal clerk. Please turn on turn off all cell phones. >> Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. Attention salute. I pledge to the flag

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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. >> Johanna, please take the role. >> Mayor Collins >> here. >> Commissioner Blumbberg, >> I am here.

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>> Commissioner Horn, >> here. >> Welcome everybody. We have a a few things to to start off here in a positive light. So, very excited about that. I'd first like to call uh Bear Dennis forward. So,

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we're going to honor Bear today. He uh is a national champion, as I'll as I'll say when I go through my proclamation. But I also want to add that Bear has uh been volunteering and he helped with our veterans program and uh our event that

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raised over $7,000 for our veteran banner program. So yeah, he's doing doing good things on the course and and in life as well. So whereas Joshua Dennis, finally known as Bayer, 17-year-old resident of Harvey

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and junior at Atlantic City High School, has demonstrated outstanding dedication, perseverance, and athletic excellence. And whereas Bayer achieved a remarkable first place finish at Ski Cross Junior Men's age 17 to 18 at the 2026 United

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States of America Snowboard and Three Ski Association National Championships held on April 6th, 2026 at Cooper Mountain, Colorado. And whereas the USASA National Championships represent the highest level of amateur age group skilled

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competition in the United States. And whereas fair Dennis earned his place at nationals by winning the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Race Series in Ski Cross for his eighth group. Proud he represents the Blue Mountain free riders at Blue Mountain, Pennsylvania, competing in the USASA Mid-Atlantic

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Series. And whereas his additional accomplishments include being two-time qualifier for the USASA National Championships in 2023 and 2024, achieving top 20 finishes in both appearances and previously qualifying

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twice for the Pennsylvania Alpine Racing Association state championships before transitioning to speed cross. And now therefore be it proclaimed that Bayer is recognized and honored for his athletic success. A member of the National Honor Society Atlantic City High School and

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participates on the ACS crew team, a lifetime member of the BFW auxiliary and is exemplifying leadership, scholarship, and community commitment. Now therefore, let it be resolved that the mayor and board of commissioners do hereby proclaim Thursday, May 7th, 2026 as

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Joshua Bear Dennis Day. Can you grab Can we grab a picture of that? >> Not often. Stock jersey has a ski champion, national champion. That is pretty good. Can you drop

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>> and Commissioner Horn is going to stay here because she has some promotions with the police department and she's happy. >> Congratulations. First, I'd like to thank everybody for coming out tonight. I always say it's a great day in the police department when I can do some promotions and the two

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promotions today are very welld deserved. They are from vacancies from a recent retirement. So, it's nice being able to uh replace staff and with these two award promotions, uh the future of the police department, I know is in good hands. Uh we're going to start with

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Sergeant Janette Mercury. Janette was hired in Margate in 2006. Forgive me if I get a date wrong here or there because I there's a lot of dates to remember, but Janette was hired in 2006. And I like to say when she was hired in 2006, she went right away because she

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was utilized with the Atlantic City Police Department and County Prosecutor's Office with their street crimes unit. So they went from the academy to kind of doing some solid police work right out of the gate. So I always say that there was a credit to Janette. Um she spent time in the dete

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detective bureau in 2013 to 2017. She was our first female detective in the detective bureau. So today's a lot of firsts. In 2018, she was promoted to sergeant. She was our first female sergeant. So today we'll have our first female lieutenant in the history of the

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police department. It makes me very proud that she has gotten this far. Janette is a lead instructor. So she's in the schools all the time. She's a hostage negotiator with the county, the critical incident team. So again, she comes wearing a lot of hats. She will be a patrol lieutenant. I know she will do

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a great job in her new duties. On a side note, it's very ironic that I knew Janette's brother because I was at the police academy with him a long time ago. So, it's full circle for me and I'm very proud of her and she's done a great job. So, come on up, JANETTE. I, Janette Arur,

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>> I Janette, >> do solemnly swear >> domly >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> and that I will bear true faith and that

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I will bear true >> and allegiance >> and allegiance >> to the same and to the governments established in the United States >> to the same and to the governments established in the United States >> and in this state under the authority of people >> and in this state under the authority of people

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>> I do further solemnly swear >> I do further solemnly swear >> that I will faithfully >> that I will faithfully >> impartially >> impartially >> and justly >> and justly >> perform all the duties of the office of lieutenant >> perform all the duties of the office of lieutenant >> of the Police Department of the City of Morgate.

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>> of the Police Department of the City of Morgate, >> New Jersey, >> New Jersey. >> According to the best of my ability >> according to the best of my ability. >> So help me God. >> So help me God. Don't cover the picture of yourself. >> Yes. more pictures today.

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>> Right here. They have to be looking at >> for the Instagram. It's gonna be >> police department social media, didn't you, Frank? >> Had to be. >> And for our second promotion, this one

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uh is another great promotion. It's funny because I have known Joe for for a very long time. We actually grew up a street away from each other. I grew up on Quincy. He grew up on Pemrook. He might not remember, but my father stole with his father, a Brim Oldmobile, and I'm pretty sure the trunk leaf. So,

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don't hold that again. Don't hold that against me. Joe was hired in 2002. Um, he spent the first >> seven seven years um on the road. He got put in the

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detective bureau in 2011. From 2011 until 2017, he was in the detective bureau, worked on a lot of very good cases throughout that time in the detective bureau. In 2017, he was promoted to sergeant. Went back on the

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street. 2021, he's lieutenant. And in 2024, he was moved up into the front offices to work on my staff as the administrative division commander. Joe has done a fantastic job. I tasked him with all of my accreditation work. um it

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can be very very uh involved. Um so again, Joe does great at that. Again, Joe through his time attempt, he's worked um he's worked multiple positions for us besides the accreditation manager, field training officer, internal affairs investigator, and his

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plate is just going to get more and more full. And a little side note, uh Joe is second generation in the Margate city police department. His father was a police officer in Margate until his untimekindly passing in 1990. So there's a lot of history with Joe in the police department with John. John was in the

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police department and Mary, you've been here forever. Like I said, like I said, so it's a great day. Like I said, it's it's great to have him and I know Joe will do a great job. So Joe and Resley, you want TO I, Joseph Scolian,

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>> I, Joseph Scullion, >> do solemnly swear >> do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> and that I will bear true faith and

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allegiance. >> And that I will bear true faith and allegiance >> to the same and to the governments >> to the same and to the governments >> established in the United States >> established in the United States >> and in this state under the authority of people >> and in this state under the authority of

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people. I do furoughly further solemnly swear >> I do further solemnly swear >> that I will faithfully >> that I will faithfully >> impartially >> impartially >> and justly >> and justly perform >> all the duties of the office of captain of the police department

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>> all the duties of the office of captain of the police department >> of the city of Margate New Jersey >> of the city of Margate New Jersey >> according to the best of my ability >> according to the best of my ability >> so help me God >> so help me God >> congratulations Start it. Start Johanna one more.

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Yeah. Sorry. What do you want? Thank you. Let's just say for you. >> Yeah. >> So again, congratulations to Joe, Janette, and Bear. Uh it's a big day,

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big day in Margate. Um, and while I encourage everybody to stay, if anyone would like to leave after that, you are welcome to to leave. >> And they don't want to answer this.

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How are you? >> Good. Yep. >> Hi. All right, Ed, I hope you don't take it too personally, but uh >> I don't >> not everybody on >> I I am not Bear Dennis. I am just Ed Dennis. >> Okay, you begin with our engineering

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report, please. >> Thank you very much. Good evening, everyone. Uh just a few updates for today's meeting. Starting on page one, jumping down to item E, which is the Vent Avenue parking lot project. So, um, as we recall, we did bid the project twice um, with unfavorable results, which allowed us to reach out to

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contractors and to negotiate directly, which we are wrapping up that process unofficially. I can report uh, that the quotes that we did receive are substantially the same scope of work with substantial savings approaching $100,000. Um, so big savings going through this process. um we just need to

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review everything and for the next you know meeting we'll have something uh potentially to take a look at. So um we seem to be heading in the right direction on that project costwise. Page two item K the lifeguard headquarters expansion project. We did have a kickoff meeting a couple weeks ago and we are in

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the process of putting together the initial concept plan for that project. The Gladstone Avenue water tank. We did complete our tank inspection on April 30th. So we are moving into bid documents. 26 road program surveys complete base plans are being put together and then we

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will be able to move forward with design. The uh same status on the Brunswick Avenue beach bulkhead replacement survey work is also complete. Working on base plans there. Um we did submit a grant application uh for the remaining street end bulkhead a

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uh beach block bulkhead access um throughout the city to the CDBG program. Uh we had applied to this program previously for this project and we're unsuccessful. So we're going to take another shot at it. Jumping over to our construction

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projects. The Well project is now substantially complete and I believe those are all the updates for today's meeting. >> Great. Thank you, Ed. We'll now move to our department head reports. Andrew, would you like to begin, please? >> Thank you, mayor.

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Uh, today I just wanted to remind everybody that beach tags remain on sale at the Bloom Pavilion for $10, the preseason price, through May 31st. Uh, after May 31st, the price will go up to $20. Um, we're preparing our pickle ball and tennis courts to be open on Friday,

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Saturday, and Sunday's weekends beginning May 22nd, Memorial Day weekend. Uh, in addition, uh, we plan to have our breach beach transport service available Memorial Day weekend, um, for those that need assistance in getting down to the beach. Uh, and then my staff

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is working hard after a, uh, long winter to get the our facilities prepped and ready for Memorial Day weekend. That's all I have, Mayor. Great. Thank you, Mayor Armstrong. >> Thank you, Mayor.

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Uh, yes, the uh lifeguard force is busy getting the lifeguard stands painted out there. And thanks to public works, the beaches look uh uh almost as nice as Longports. Um the fire department, we are getting ready uh to have our newest

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firefighters out there. uh you'll be welcoming him uh hopefully all certified by the end and mid of June ready for the summer season, but we're uh we're ready for visitors. >> Thank you, Scott. Mayor, we have a uh

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ordinance provision here tonight. It generated a lot of interest and discussion regarding amending our merkantill licensing. This is something that you may I'm sure we're going to hear comment tonight about it, but uh after dealing with uh Andrew Miles, myself, and Pat Moran, our city

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administrator, uh we came up with this proposal. This will address some of the concerns that have been raised regarding people coming in operating perhaps a second business. I saw recently one of our bar establishments, there's what they even refer to it as a popup

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business. This is a first step. I'm sure as things progress, we'll probably amend this ordinance again. Well, this will not be the end all, but it's it's a first step. There seems to be a lot of concern about different types of activities or businesses coming in the

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city. Plus, had the assistance with Chief Hackinson on this. Uh that's basically what I have there. There's another one, the uh end of Osborne Avenue. I want you to take a look at that. The owner, the man who built the bulkhead, is ready to put the stairs in, but he asked, "Do we really want the

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stairs?" That's something I think you guys were going to consider if we wanted to wave that or not because we have a beach handicapped access, which you you could walk right through there. So, discuss it, think about it. He does want an answer. If you'll recall, he

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purchased that uh strip of land between the city prop line where the bulkhead is and his property. Part of the deal was we would hold that deed until all construction work was accepted by the city of Margie. So he would like to finish, but he needs an answer and uh

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it's something for you to give some thought to. And that's it. That's what I have. >> Thank you, Pat. >> Thank you, Mayor. Uh just busy all around trying to get everything ready for the summer. We fixed uh two water leaks the last couple weeks, one sewer collapse on the air [ __ ] and uh we

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did the spring cleanup weekend. We filled about total three dumpsters, filled the trash, and now we're starting to work on the beach, getting the mats and the closures down and everything. That's all I got. >> Great. Thank you, Roger. >> Thank you, mayor and commissioners. Uh,

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last week was the purchasing conference in Atlantic City. It was uh very enlightening. Also, the uh planning board meeting was last Thursday. I think we had five cases uh one pulled, I believe.

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Next meeting is uh May 28th I believe after after Memorial Day. And I have Palma is not here. She had to go somewhere. Uh but just wanted me to report for her and that's actually a joint uh response. The mass email went

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out to contractors last Friday reminding them of job site compliance requirements including work hours, cleanliness, sidewalk safety, and general job site maintenance expectations as we approach a busy summer season. In addition to that, we also continue to receive

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demolition permits and applications as we get closer to June 15th summer demolition moratorum. In the last month alone, we have issued 12 demolition permits, which is still amazing to me how things are still going. Other than that, there's nothing new to report.

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>> Thank you, Chief. Thank you, mayor, commissioners. Just a few brief things on the agenda is the addition of paid parking to include the new city parking lot at 7901 Ventner Avenue. I've been working with our vendor, Park Mobile, to ensure it is ready by Memorial Day weekend. Per the

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ordinance, it'll be the same pricing as Amherst Avenue and our two other parking lots which are located on Benson Avenue and Washington Avenue will be $1 per hour up to 24 hours. It's a very nominal fee, but again, it's again, we're going

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to include the parking lot at 7901. The installation of new lighting at the city playground behind the police station is complete. Solar lights were put up to put a little more visibility on that playground. There were some complaints about the from the residents about congregating juveniles there. So, we put up some extra lighting to kind of

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kind of defer that. We've been working with public works uh to get the relief cabanas installed for the summer season along Ammerst Avenue. They seem to be successful last year and again, like I said, with with Pat's help, it it always uh runs pretty smoothly. Uh to dovtail

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off what Roger said, uh just a reminder and we're going to be reminding all the all the contractors that the dumpsters are off the street starting Memorial Day weekend that Friday before Memorial Day. If they don't move them, the police department will move them. And again, sometimes a little bit hard to get them moved, but guess what? We will get them

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moved. Uh that's all I have. Great. Thank you, Pat. Good evening. Um over the past couple weeks we had uh a lot of different meetings, a lot of things that we worked on. Uh I worked uh we had to reorg uh finance for the most

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part. Worked on the budget. Um we finished up that's uh we had some u a few little alterations this week. Um citizen advisory board um listened to some uh concerns at that. Uh the biggest

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uh part of my my job this between the meetings this last is the tequila research listening to testimony and stuff. Um and uh that came to a little bit of a fruition um this past week. We had a meeting with the neighbors. Um I

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think it went well. Um but that remains to be seen how um how we'll end up uh being resolved at the end of that. Um I'm very hopeful. Everybody was positive. They left. Um it seemed like everybody was liked each other at least

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when they walked out the door. Um we had some uh discussions and some research on dredging. Um and we had some meetings over the the past week for construction zoning and of course finance reorg with

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um Commissioner Blumbberg. Um couple things that are on the agenda. One is the ordinance for the popups. Um, I had a discussion uh with uh Ed Burgerer who's uh representative from our business association. He had made some suggestions. I did speak to the chief at

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one point about that and I apologize Scott because I didn't get a chance to call you today because we were talking about it. Um but um there is a a request um and I don't know if Ed wants to be heard um but it's a it's for um just to

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add the the wording in paragraph B. um at the end of that to say indoors except for uh when the citywide uh sidewalk sales are in effect. Um that would mean that uh in the

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traveling merkantile license that they would go from place to place, but they would stay inside primarily unless there's a citywide uh yard sale or citywide uh sidewalk sale. Um that was u part of that that would be up to you guys. And then I guess the

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other question would be regard to the stairs um at the uh the bulkhead. There was some discussion as to whether or not um the height of the bulkhead was something that we were looking at. Did we want to discuss that or did you want

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to bring that up? >> Well, we have uh two engineers here who may disagree with me, but when you do go down there, it's pretty high up. It's over my head and it does have a boxing in effect. Now, I know everybody feels

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that what the bulkheads will protect us from a storm, but I think that's why we have the sand in. So, I don't know guys, it's up to you. It's something that's been kicking around for a long time. It always depends on the elevation of the street. If the streets at elevation six

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and the requirement is elevation 13 for a bulkhead, well, that's going to be a lot different if the street elevation is at 9 ft and it's at 13. Essex Avenue, classic example, Bulkhead's about four feet off the sidewalk. Rumpson Avenue, it's about seven feet off the sidewalk.

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So, it's just something you have to make a decision. Perhaps we should just leave it to the discretion of our engineers, engineer, whatever. But that's something you, the governing body, have to make a final decision. You go down, you look at it, it's a very different look than what

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it used to be at Osborne Avenue. You know, we're all we're all used to Rumson Avenue, but now Osborne Avenue, too, and then I guess other streets as we replace these bulkheads. It's not my final decision, though. It's not my call. It's

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>> That's why there that was sort out. Um, >> yeah, there it is. That's the topic. >> That's all I've got. >> Okay. Thank you, Pat. Johanna, >> I just would like everyone to know that primaries are June 2nd. Other than that,

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I have nothing more to report. >> Great. Thank you. All right. We will now open up public comment. If anyone has any comment for anything discussed during workshop, please step forward. >> Uh Ed Burgerer from the Margate Business Association. I want to first say on the

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ordinance in modifying the merkantal license requirements. Uh we've been waiting a long time to try and turn up the volume on the pop-up problem that we've been having in Margate. The fact that it's getting so much attention this year is very encouraging to the business community and certainly to the MBA who

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has been riding shotgun on this for so long. I think that there are a couple of issues with the ordinance as it's written and I don't know if I necessarily have, you know, the the direct answers for it and as Pat said, this may be something that may have to

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evolve over a period of time. The objection that I had initially that he brought up about having it inside the body of the individual business, having a traveling merkante license, I think is a great asset for our business community, giving them the opportunity

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to work with other businesses in town to try and take advantage of the fact that they have to make their money in such a short period of time. So, I think that from the heart, it's a great idea when you see unfortunately the way these things sometimes fall together. And I gave an example in some of my

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correspondents back and forth. I'll quote one of them. Uh there was a retail shop in town that made a deal with Roberts to do a popup uh last year and the year before. It happened to be uh right next to another retail shop that

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sold similar merchandise. I would hate to be the enforcement person that would have to go between those two business owners when they were conflicting and having a piece of paper in one of their hands saying that the city endorsed them doing it. So that was a problem from my

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perspective in having the ability to go ahead and use a traveling merkante license on city property on city sidewalks. So if you restrict it that if you do indeed want to have a traveling merkante license and utilize it with another business in the city that it has

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to either be within the confines of that business or of course if they have a parking lot or their own private property. I would think that that would probably work out as well. So I think that that would be if you if you adjusted it slightly that it would allow you to avoid some conflict as far as

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that's concerned. Another issue uh in the ordinance that I see and I tried to do as much research on this as I could was you know the 8020 split that's being mentioned in there. Um you know how you going to monitor that? I have no idea.

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It's not my problem. The business community really from an NBA standpoint has no skin in that game. You're talking in a lot of cases I believe in service businesses where you would be utilizing an 8020 split. I think there could be a sales tax ramification in there if

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there's no POSOS system on site keeping good track of what's going on and if the company that is coming in to do these services for you is not doing an accurate job of that that I think you can create a problem for the city. My recommendation on that front would be

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that when you have a situation like this, for example, if the recreation department wanted to run a yoga program, either hire a yoga instructor and put them on the playground or wherever you want to put them in charge for it, you know, or you know, my from a protective standpoint, because I'm an unwavering

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advocate for the business community, I would say that you would take something like that and say, I want to do a yoga program and put it out to bid. let the businesses in Margate that do yoga or do exercise or do any of these services have the same level playing field

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opportunity to take advantage of uh making money in a short period of time on a city sponsored program. So that was another one of my objections because it doesn't really define that. Uh the third part in a very similar vein was the

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exercise programs on the beach. Um, I think it's great to have exercise programs on the beach, you know, uh, but again, I have five gyms in town. Are we going to be bringing people in from out of town because they can go ahead and get a use permit and pay a couple hundred hours to do that on the beach?

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Again, I would say if the recreation department wants to do that or if the city feels that that's a good activity and they want to sponsor something like that, again, say we're going to have exercise programs on the beach. We've got three different locations. They're opening up. I would do it the same way that you do the ice cream program. I

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know it falls below from a dollar standpoint the mandatory bid levels, but it would also give everybody in town a level playing field the opportunity to bid on doing those type of programs during the summertime. So, yes, 100% in

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support of the traveling merkantal license. Questionable on how you're going to handle this 8020 split thing. Not my problem, but could create problems. And third, you know, my feeling is is that if there's an opportunity being created by the city or

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sponsored by the city, that the first opportunity to participate in that should be offered to a merchant in Margate that's paying their rent, you know, 24/7, 365. They should have the first shot at or at least a level playing field for it. Um,

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I also want to mention that we've been shutting down pop down pop-up shops for the last, oh, I don't know, chief 12 years, 15 years. It's always kind of fallen on the police department through us or through somebody else reporting to

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them. And I know that ultimately that it's not a public safety issue, you know, it's a code enforcement issue, but because of the way I guess code enforcement allocates its resources that, you know, it ends up being a police department issue because

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everything in the city ends up being a police department issue at one time or another if there's any kind of conflict. So, you know, I I don't know whether code enforcement's been beefed up more for the summertime. you know, this would certainly fall within their realm. Um, I see that there are fines involved, you

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know, in the ordinance should somebody u not adhere to the letter of the law in the ordinance, but I question how that would be enforced and and who would be responsible for it. You know, I know that from my perspective on a weekend if I'm driving down Vetner Avenue and I see

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somebody setting up an art gallery in front of a restaurant that I need to call somebody. you know, um I can try and get a hold of Roger, you know, on the weekend, you know, but he's building 70 bill. He's got 70 construction projects right now and his voicemail's full, you know, by the time I by the

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time I can get to him on on Sunday morning. Hello. On Sunday morning, you know, I mean, the pop-up's over. So, again, I would be, you know, relying on on the police department to go out and at the very least try and make an effort to close it down. I don't know if that's the right way of doing it. I don't know

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if we have to restructure it, but certainly there should be for us in the business community a very set um protocol that we should follow if we run into one of these problems. So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Thank you

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very much and I hope you would give serious consideration to making some alterations in the ordinance. >> Yeah. So thank you Ed. I just wanted to uh touch base a couple things. Uh I agree that we have been talking about this for quite a while. So, it is good that that we're making some progress.

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And I want to uh also reiterate what Pat said that it is a work in progress. We're going to put something down obviously, you know, uh be in touch with the business community, see how it's going and uh be willing to adapt it as necessary. Um the amendment you proposed

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so today is just if it uh gets introduced, it's just introduced. It's not adopted till our next meeting. So any amendments can happen between now and then. So, I think you know, me personally, I'm sure the other commissioners would agree, we'd like to see that in writing, be able to look at it in the context, and I'll be able to

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make that decision. But, um, thank you. Right. Do we have any other public comment on workshop? >> Yeah, Steve Jazaki, 112 North Lancaster Avenue. Um, just curious, um, for the parking lot, are we having EV charging stations installed there?

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So, we we do have um conduit included in the project to allow for the installation of EV charging stations at some point, but they're not included in this current package. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, Steve, I think we had talked a while back uh we're required to either

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have an EV ready spot or or have the parking spaces. So, that's something Ed and I have been discussing and you know, we will advance in further discussions. Kathy Heitzman, 22 South Adams Avenue. Um, I have a question for Pat. He had

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talked about the particular sunrise. Um, can you give us some details about that because it affects all of us, not just the the the immediate neighbors. So um the meeting that we had we

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discussed uh our zoning officer had explained to us that with the way that the u tequila had been altered um it's now considered an indoor space. So that changes some of the rules. Um in doing

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so there were some um question as to um whether the louvered roof was going to be open closed the uh windows. Um, the way it it looks, it it appears that well, it doesn't appear. If the windows are closed and the louvers are closed, it's going to be considered indoor

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space. Um, if there's still noise, we're going to try to address it and see what we could work on there. The owners had talked uh to the neighbors. Um, they promised to work on the trash. They promised to work on the parking. Um, I

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spoke to the chief about uh striping the area for the uh zoning uh tomorrow floating zone which will be done tomorrow. >> Um, and uh we we're looking at a couple other options that might help out to make sure that you know we prepare for the summertime so that it's not um you

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know an issue. >> So will that 1000 p.m. be enforced? >> So the 10 p.m. I believe is for the outside outdoor space. This will this is now considered indoor space. So, um, as long as the the louvers are

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closed and the windows are closed, it's considered indoor space. Um, you know, the the owners advised they would work with the neighbors and I'm it remains to be seen, right? I mean, we haven't really tried it yet,

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>> right? So, >> but they the roof is closed. They're they're saying that they will close the roof at 10 and the windows will be closed and that should >> um cut down on the amount of sound. If it doesn't, then we're going to try to

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figure out another um another area. I give I've given all the neighbors kind of my cell phone number, my card, so that if there is an issue, I can go maybe try to help them out. >> Okay. >> So, we're hoping that, you know, they're good neighbors. If it is still too loud, they were able to turn it down. if

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there's some kind of experience, you know, that they can they can work out and and coexist. Uh, >> okay. >> Thank you. >> Yep. Thank you, Kathy. >> Hi, Liz O'Brien for South Monroe. Since we're talking about it, uh, the Tequila Bar. So, we had a meeting yesterday.

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They made a lot of promises. I don't know if those are they going to be written down or is that memorialized? Last time you said they could say things that they weren't memorialized. We don't have to hold them to it. >> Well, I mean, we're we were at the meeting. It's kind of a gentleman's agreement at this point. >> No, it's no written agreement. No, we

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didn't. We chose not to go that route. >> So, I was told to trust the process. And since we left yesterday at 1:00 from this room, the dumpster door still hasn't gone down. I think they could have just made one simple phone call to a manager and said, "Hey, just close the door." It hasn't been closed yet since

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before yesterday. Um Brian Hilner's >> Did you call Brian? >> Car was parked. I was going to, but I found it on my way here and I was late. >> Um his car was parked in the loading zone. >> The stripes aren't there yet, but he said no more personal vehicles there

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except for today, I guess. >> Well, just just to clarify one point, I was going to have that painted today, but there were delivery trucks in there and I didn't want to have those delivery trucks and have a possible situation again. So, my traffic maintenance person will be there at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning

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to make sure that's painted. >> No, I'm just saying Brian Hilner sat here and said that there will be no more cars. And you generously offered for the city to paint the street. That's amazing. But he literally today, right when I was coming here, his car was parked there. Um,

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what was that thing? Uh, >> but it's his business and sometimes he's loading and unloading and it's a loading spot. Scott. >> No, that doesn't apply to the owner of a business. I mean, Liz, it gets almost to the point where there's nothing. I mean,

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seriously, he Yeah, he was there for what, 5 minutes, 10 minutes? >> I don't know. I just have a picture. >> Okay. >> It was literally yesterday. >> Understood. >> So, the other thing is literally yesterday was the other thing with the indoor versus outdoor. I know I sent an email. I don't know who read my emails,

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but um there were a lot of emails this week. Um, but I found myself painting. Sorry if you've already heard this before yesterday, but inside of a closet in the bedroom upstairs on the further side of our building from the tequila

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bar. So, away and in the back of the building. I was inside a closet singing along to the cranberries because a woman was singing the cranberry song in the bar with all the windows closed. and my apartment. I was in a closed apartment,

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doors, everything was closed. And I was sing I was like happily I was like, "Oh, I love this song." Singing thinking, "Wow, I can every word." >> You're in favor of the music. >> I love the music. Thank god it wasn't something else >> cuz we're going to do the best we can.

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>> I'm just saying indoor versus outdoor. I can hear every single word inside of a closet in a bedroom in the back of the apartment on the other side of the building from the bar. And it was during the afternoon. It was just one lady, I think, singing. Imagine when the whole place is full and

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it's a DJ Lassen. >> We're working on it, Liz. We're doing the best we can do. And I I do appreciate the fact that you showed up the meeting, met with them, you got their phone numbers. Some commitments were made. We'll see. We'll see how it goes. I have a feeling >> Don't think it would be fully resolved.

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>> Push the dumpster door down. >> Yeah. Well, it's, you know, it's a commercial zone and you're 4 feet away from their building. So, >> it has nothing to do with the dumpster door. The dumpster door we talked that's like the simplest thing in the world. They could have literally texted the guy from the table here, the manager. I can

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text him. I have his number now. >> They're supposed to close the dumpster door. >> So, this is just I'm pointing out the trend of things that they say they're going to do >> that they don't do. >> That could have taken two seconds. I could have gone over and shut down. >> Yeah, you're right. probably should have gone over and closed it.

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>> If I was them and I was really interested in working things out with the neighbors, I would have probably done like the simplest thing that I could do that they've asked for right away like that. Just close the dumpster door. M >> Mr. O'Brien, if you could just give me his number. I'll call him after this and

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have a discussion with him. >> Who? The manager. >> Uh who whomever that you got the number for? Just have him shut. >> Dana, send me the manager's phone number. >> Okay, that would be >> if we could just give that to me. I'll call him and discuss it with him where >> I'm just pointing out that the owners are not showing anything.

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>> I I I agree with you. It's concerning. Um I'm hoping hoping that it's just something they overlooked maybe that in a busy day everything they just said they were going to do. >> I I agree with you. I I'm not going to disagree with you on that, but like, you know, at this point, um, I'd like to

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give them the opportunity to fail and I'd like to just at least talk to them and see if that was just maybe something overlooked. Sometimes people forget things. >> I'm not excuses. He was sitting here. If that was me, I would have gone right over there and

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just shut that door. The simplest thing. And then I probably wouldn't have parked there today, the very next day. >> I would park down the street. I have to park down the street all the time. Absolutely see what you're saying. Absolutely 100% see what you're saying and I understand your frustration. >> And then remember yesterday I was talking about the uh piece of equipment

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that they >> we're on your property. >> Put it. So I found the picture. >> Okay. >> So I want to know if anybody So they were installing the windows. >> I need to be able to have this record. >> Why don't you meet with Liz afterwards to discuss this so you can >> Okay. >> We can address it.

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>> I just want to show the picture, Scott. That's the picture. So, this is a big truck in taking up two spots of my driveway so that they can install their windows. They never asked permission to do this >> three weeks ago >> whenever they installed the windows. I don't know. >> Yeah, April. Um,

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I just want to know if anybody here would put a truck that size in their neighbor's driveway >> without contacting them. >> It happened to me this week. >> Really? >> Yeah. My put on their new roof and they parked in front of my driveway. So, you

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guys should all move to the mainland cuz this week at my house over there, all of the trees with the dangling broken branches, I had a tree guy that was cutting down my neighbor's branches come to my front door and say, "Hey, could I park my truck in your driveway just for

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like 10 minutes while I cut down these couple branches? It'll be easier for me to get them from there. And then if you let me do that, I'll cut down the branches on those two trees for you over there for free." So, that's a nice neighbor, nice contractor. I guess that's it for now. Thank you.

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>> Thank you, Liz. >> Good evening. I've been a resident in Margate for 17 years. >> Who are you? >> Can you please state your name? >> Mitchell Goldfield, 8 South Monroe Avenue. Since April of 25, I've listened

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to hundreds of residents complaints and read hundreds of emails. I've listened to their pleas to this board over and over and over and over again. I've tried to remain on this outside during these meetings.

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But what inaction and apathy and disinterest I've seen from this board, I felt compelled to speak on behalf of my fellow residents and neighbors. All of us worked hard to be able to afford either primary residence or secondary residence here in Margate.

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to own a property to market is a privilege, not a matter of right or entitlement. Which seems to be the stance of this board with respect to Sunrise. One of the residents who has pleaded with this board many, many times as well as the police on countless

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occasions made the following comments to me. All the residents here were here first before Sunrise. Sunrise came into our neighborhood. We didn't come into theirs. I ask all of you individually and collectively since you graciously over

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much protest and disscent granted Sunrise the right to operate here and since they have been and since they began construction albeit contrary to what you you granted and what they were supposed to do, how many complaints have you the board and Mr. Chief received

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since that time? Any idea? Show hands. How many complaints you've received since then? Does the governing body here mortgage? Is that something you should know? With regard to each of those complaints, how many of those were actually acted upon? Have a show of hands? Anybody?

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There's a governing body here in mortgage. Isn't that something you should know? With regard to the complaints that were actually acted upon, how many where was a remedial auction taken? Anybody know? Show of hands. You mean fine? I can't

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just sit here take take this without some kind of response. It's not hundreds of complaints, but there's been a lot of complaints. No one in this room voted on that application. Let me repeat that. Three, was it three years ago or four years ago? No one in

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this room voted on that application. But we now have to deal with the problems that a licensed bar establishment in existence in a commercial zone expanded and built new. Now you come up with

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righteous indignation. We've had our cops there 100 times. We have fined them heavily heavily. I'm sure you're aware the ABC is now involved and we're we have an issue with the license. We have met with them repeatedly. the windows

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that the young lady just complained about the truck being parked. That was $176,000 at our request that they put windows in. Now, maybe there were other reasons as well, but that was something that they didn't have to do. We've also come in

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with the issue about the roof. We are trying to stop it, but it is a commercial zone property. We do have bars and restaurants in Margie and when we make a rule or a law it applies to what do we got a dozen of them roughly

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whatever it is it applies to all our bars and restaurants. So yeah you can be righteously indignant but believe me no one here voted to approve that but it's now on our table that that's true and we're trying to resolve the issue. We're

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trying to work with them. We can't wave a magic wand and tear down their building. That's not going to happen. Court won't allow that to happen. But we are trying to deal with the problem and it has been a problem and it's been a real pain in the neck for us. Ain't been no joy, not a joy ride for us. Matt

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Henson, his his police officers have a lot more to do on a Saturday night in July than go to Tequila. We're with you on that. We actually are on the same side. We're trying our best and they may we may take further action with them. We had a productive meeting here the other

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day with some of the representatives of the neighborhood. Hopefully they'll abide by some of the commitments that were made. If not, we'll continue continue to find them. We'll continue to impose sanctions on them in other ways.

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So, we're trying our best. Was it Mr. Golden? Was it Mr. >> Goldfield? >> Goldfield. So, so somebody has to say this back to you because you're making it sound like, well, we're just doing nothing. We're just sitting on our hands. And that's not true. >> No, I'm not saying that, sir.

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>> And and I I I listened to you and I heard what you said. >> All right. >> And my comments are not out righteous indignation. >> I'm voicing my I'm voicing the sentiments of my fellow neighbors who have been here multiple times. >> You sounded pretty righteous, didn't you? But and meaning indignant with good

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cause. I always speak with good cause. >> Well, you're a good speaker then. >> I try. Um, may I finish? >> I hope I didn't go out of line here, but I can't just sit here and take a >> and most of it comes my way. >> I appreciate that, but I don't think I

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need to be interrupted. So, >> well, >> um, >> thank you. >> I I heard what you said, but I disagree. Um, this board is in place to fairly and objectively represent all of the entire market

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community, not to ignore their voices and not to cuddle to a select few. not to intentionally permit abject favoritism and acquiescence in the demunition of our property values because the inaction to take your to do your job

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and take and take and take control of the prerequisites that you should be enforcing members. You need to do the jobs you're empowered to do and to act to do individual and collective jobs. Not to turn deaf ear to long-standing market tax residents. Not to ignore and

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blatantly disregard the demands from their council of your residents, which by the way, when their council when our council, which we hired towards last fall, spent a considerable amount of time and the residents banded together,

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I think we were about 10 or 12 and spent considerable dollars to appeal to this board when he wrote his letter and directed to the board. I believe in December. to only be told at the last meeting, I believe it was on April 16th,

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that 4 months after that letter was generated and delivered that one of you members had indicated I had gotten I didn't get to that yet. Huh? In look at the tape, the 41626 meeting,

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one of you responded that you had not gotten to that letter yet. I don't know. I got to challenge that again. We've spent more time on Tequille Bar than any other issue. Literally hundreds of hours. >> Yeah. But as an example, you said there was this meeting on Wednesday and Louis

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just came before you and indicated that whatever was said and directed to the Sunrise people were ignored again. And I I think the >> pulled the door down on the trash area when she went back to her property. You're right. They didn't do that that quick.

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We're going to look into that. Going to call him up and see why he didn't do that. >> How many times do the residents have to disrupt their day, their jobs, their family or dinner scheduled to appear again and again again at a 5:00 meeting

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to try and repeatedly try to voice their complaints but get veiled, apathetic, disinterested reactions. I watched the tape on the 16th and quite frankly most of you look aborted in disinterest. Finally, after months and months of appealing to you fairness and

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responsibility, the president seemed to have gotten your your attention. I believe in the April 16th meeting almost a year after sunrise uh opened and the infractions and violations began. On behalf of my fellow residents, all we're saying is please act. Do what

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you're empowered and trust to do. Do your collective responsibilities. All of us, your long-standing residents, have the absolute unequivocal right to the peaceful enjoyment of our properties in the Margate community, not to have that peace breached, tranquil, public order disrupted because of disorderly conduct,

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disturbing the peace and public disturbance, all to abject pandering and avoiding your delegated responsibilities. I ask you and the board and you, Mr. Police Chief, when the predecessors to Sunrise, and this responds to something you just said about the action you're

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taking. When the predecessors of Sunrise Monro Liquors and Southoun Pizza operate at that location, how many complaints of the ilk content and frequency of occurrence that you're receiving now at Sunrise did you receive in all those

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years at Bon Monroe Liquors at South Opera? >> I wasn't here then. I don't know. Anybody that was here then during the time that Monroe Liquors and Southounn Pizza operate that location, how many

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times did you receive the number of complaints, the frequency and ilk of the ones you're receiving now, the Sunrise Open back in April 20 25? I didn't think you'd have a response. On behalf of my fellow Margate neighbors,

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how many calls, how many complaints do I have to make to get your attention to act? I implore you the governing body of Margate to do your jobs that you're entrusted and powered to do by the community who have the privilege of residing here with the ongoing expectations that their sacros and

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violent rights, the peaceful enjoyment of the properties and the preservation of the property values which they work so hard to to protect will always be protected and preserved by you, the governing body, their voice. Thank you for your time and attention. >> Thank you.

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Any more public comment on workshop? >> Janet McCarron, 8801 Amherst Avenue. Um, I hear everybody's concerned about Sunrise. I totally hear it all and it must be terrible. But if you just had the meeting yesterday and talked to the

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owners, I in my heart believe that Brian being born and bred here through every program Marget ever offered with the windows and everything else is going to try and do his best to correct all this stuff. But I do think that maybe we could give him like a 3-day window since

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he just had a baby two days ago. Maybe that's why the trash wasn't covered. I don't know. But I also came to my attention that for the past 75 years that that building has been there on a handshake, every single neighbor has been allowed to put their

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trash into the dumpsters or trash cans located behind the establishment for the past 75 years. I don't and I I feel very strongly that that handshake still continued with the new owners. So I don't know, maybe another neighbor went

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by and left that open this morning. But regardless, I can't believe that Brian would not close it if he had been there this morning. It could have been some employee early morning, whatever. So, I truly hope it all gets corrected because it's got to be a pain. I understand that in the noise and all, but I really

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believe that he would do anything he can to correct that. All right. Thank you. Okay, >> real quick. Ed Burger again. I I was a little laser focused on another issue. I just wanted to uh a quick thank you. We had our Terry Wson Festival this past

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weekend. A lot of work went into it. I want to thank certainly our guys, public works and public safety, chief of police is here. Um uh it was a great event. I know that a couple you guys got to attend it. Uh it's turning into one of my favorite events in Margate. Cherry Blossom Festival was wonderful. Again,

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not something that we ever could have possibly done without the full cooperation of the city. So, thank you very much for that, especially to your guys. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Is there a motion to close public comment on workshop? >> Motion.

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>> Second. >> Mayor Collins? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Horn? >> Yes. >> Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins? >> Yes. Commissioner Blumbber. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Horn. Yes.

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>> We will proceed as soon as we are ready. >> Are you ready, Joanna? >> Like to call the meeting to order, please. >> Johanna, will you read the statement of compliance? >> The notice requirements of the Open Public Meeting Act for this meeting have been satisfied. A copy of the annual

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meeting notice was sent to the Atlantic City Press Courier Post, posted on the Bolton board in the municipal building, the municipal website, and filed in the office of the municipal clerk. Please turn off all electronic devices. >> Please stand for the pledge of allegiance.

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>> Attention to Ice 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. >> Johanna, please take the role. >> Mayor Collins,

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>> here. >> Commissioner Blumbberg, >> I am here. >> Commissioner Horn, >> here. >> Is there a motion for the approval of the April 16th, 2026 regular and workshop meeting minutes? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins? >> Yes.

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>> Commissioner Blumbberg? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Horn? >> Yes. We will now have public comment for resolutions and ordinance adoption only. So anything that's on today's agenda, if anyone has any comment, please step forward.

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>> Does that include the budget? >> Uh we will have a budget open budget hearing where you can comment on the budget. Is there a motion to close public comment on resolutions and ordinance adoption? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbber.

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>> Yes. Commissioner Horn. >> Yes. >> Johanna, will you proceed, please? >> May I have a motion for ordinance number 6, 2026, an ordinance amending chapter 257, traffic vehicle and traffic of the code of the city of Margate City, County

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of Atlantic, state of New Jersey. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Horn, >> yes. May I have a motion for the introduction of ordinance number 7-2026 an ordinance amending chapter 1 183

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merkantile license licensing of the code of the city of Margate city county of Atlantic state of New Jersey motion >> second. >> May I have a motion for the adoption of ordinance >> I'll make the vote. >> Oh

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Mayor Collins. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg. Yes. Commissioner Horn. >> Yes. May I have a motion for the adoption of ordinance number 5-2026 bond ordinance approving bond ordinance providing for phase two

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of lead water service line replacement project by the city of Margate city county of Atlantic New Jersey appropriating 2,500,000 thereof and authorizing the issue of up

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to $2,500,000 aggregate principal amount bonded or notes of the city of Margate County of Atlantic State of New Jersey to finance the cost thereof. >> Motion

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>> second. >> Mayor Collins, >> yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg, >> yes. >> Commissioner Horn, >> yes. >> May I have a motion for resolution number 96-2026? Authorizing the provinial provisional

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change in the title for Amy Stober to chief financial officer. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins. Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg. Yes. >> Commissioner Horn. >> Yes. May I have a motion for resolution

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number 97-2026 authorizing 2026 municipal budget of the city of Margate City County of Atlantic, state of New Jersey, read by title only. >> Motion >> second.

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>> Mayor Collins, >> yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg, yes. >> Commissioner Horn, >> yes. I would like to now open up to the public for the public hearing on 2026 municipal budget.

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>> Yes. So before any questions would you like to >> you're up to bat? >> Yes. Tonight is the public hearing for the 2026 budget and it's the time for the public to make any comments they'd like to make and we'll certainly answer any questions that are brought up. It is the same budget that you introduced back

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on April 2nd maybe um I think it was April 2nd meeting. There is a tax increase of 1.9 cents and if you've been reading the papers it's one of the lowest ones you've seen. There's fours 5 6 7 8 9 cent increases all over the

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place in Atlanta County. So you're you're well within the state spending cap and levy cap. You could spend if you wanted to another million6 and you have in a levy cap bank of a million2. So you're far below all the state levels.

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Uh there's many towns that are scraping to get by on these two caps. It's from years and years of financial stability that you have these two caps banks in in the caps. So all in all, uh the fund balance did go up a little bit, but we're using more than it went up by to

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balance this budget. uh by no means an excessive amount. It went from 5,081 to 5,ion5 and your ratables increased a total of $60 million which is another good thing. So all in all it's a very good budget, very

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sound budget and one of the lowest tax increases around. >> Thank you Leon. >> So we'll now take any questions from the public. Kathy Heitzman, 22 South Adams Avenue, Margate. I come from a long line of New

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York City firemen and policemen and I respect them and you know you I come to these meetings for safety and so on, but I do have a question about the budget. Um I wondered if we are hiring more policemen than firemen this year.

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Anybody know? No, >> I I have less than I have other years. >> Okay. Thanks, Matt. Um because my question to you is this. When you look at the budget last this this 2025 year was 4,314,000

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for the police. It's gone up to 4,600,000 which is a little around $250,000. The same thing for the fire. And I wondered, is it new trucks? what what do they have

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that exorbitant amount for? When I look at everything else on the budget, >> and I don't see that kind of an increase, >> if I may, our sorry, our uh manpower has stayed the same. Uh our two new firefighters this summer are replacing two retired,

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>> right? >> Uh I think the uh cost of doing business services and health care is a major contributor to all of our increases. >> Well, part of the health care is paid by If you >> Yes, >> you pay a percentage of We don't pay for

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all. >> Correct. We pay a large, >> but I mean, we're talking $250,000 in each one. I mean, we're not talking 25. We're not talking And as I said, I I am a firm believer of firemen and policemen. As I said, I come from a long line.

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>> You went up 250,000 for 35. >> Fire truck of five years ago was 400,000. It's 1 point 1.3 equipment. you know, do we need to upgrade equipment? I'm with that. I have no problem with that. >> So, there's updates in equipment in all

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aspects of the city. Um there's replacement for vehicles that need to be replaced. There are vehicles that are taken out of line. Um there's salary increases um that we're we're given that are in line with uh with most of the county. But when I look

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through the rest of the budget and I look through the other departments, as I just stated, I don't see that kind of an increase. And I just wanted to understand why it is. And if you can explain it to me, fine. >> The public safety is the most expensive

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salaries. There's no doubt about it in every single town, not just Morgate. >> Their contracts are negotiate it. Uh possibly go to arbitration, but you did not go to arbitration on any of yours. You settled. No, but the thing of it is you didn't you didn't add people. If they were adding policemen, if you were adding firemen, I I could understand

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that. >> Okay, let me give you an example. Let's just say he's not the chief. He's a patrolman right now. And he was making 62,000. They go up in steps. They go >> I understand. >> Okay. So, you might go from 62 to 70. That's $8,000 increase. These numbers mean nothing other than the procedure

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that happens. >> Yeah. But our our chiefs, our fire chief and our police chief each make $194,000. >> That's excellent. And I don't if it if it's worth it, it's worth it. But >> I I just want to know where you're going to spend that money

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>> and what happens to that money if you don't spend it back the Margate coffers. Yes. >> So that we can spend it on something else that we need. >> For instance, having somebody enforce smoking on the beach. >> Yes. So Cath Kathy, I think, and a lot I

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get asked this question often. We used in this budget $5.5 million of surplus to fund the budget to get to the point where we have our uh our increase. We need to make up 5.5 million or more in surplus over the course of this year to

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keep maintaining. So, and it's a constant cycle. When I first stepped into this seat, I was under the assumption because you hear Margate has a $9 million surplus. I'm just thinking we have $9 million in the bank that we can do whatever we want with. Well, that's not not the case. And um so uh so

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we obviously have to be uh cautious with all of that. These costs if you look at um direct employee cost, which are uh healthcare, salaries, pensions, all of that, we are in line with what we've been historically the same within half a percent um o over previous budgets.

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That's one of the things I look at when I'm analyzing as we as we move forward. So, um, as we see increases in in these budgets, especially in our public safety, they are they're typical of what it is year-over-year, as we have, again, there's promotions, there's uh increased

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health care, all of those things. The the city does pay the majority of the the health care for the employees. So, that is a significant um significant chunk of change. It's not the employees still do pay >> a a good amount themselves. And um you

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know, as Pat said, as he's negotiating with with all of our unions and all of our individuals, um you know, I think I'd like to say we all are on the same page where we say we want our employees to be paid fair and uh I think we offer

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the best services of any town um that I've ever been a part of or ever even seen. And I think we're grateful for that. So, I think um we look at this, we try to uh be fiscally responsible. We try to keep costs as low as possible always. Um some of these are just

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contractual things that again we don't necessarily have control of and we're um we're working with and trying to offset other things uh to make it um work for the public. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you.

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Good, good evening, Sam Lashman, Hanover Avenue. Uh, mayor, based on your remark, I have a question. Forgetting about the surplus, do we actually have a cash reserve? What is that? That that's the net balance of what we need for a rainy day or something like that.

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>> That's what the surplus is. >> That's what the surplus is. >> But we don't have $5 million in a piggy bank. We have a cash reserve or we do >> the cash is higher than what's the cash is higher than the amount of the fund balance because there are other things are involved with it but it is all invested and making money

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>> is the net is the total reserve 5 million. >> No it's more than that. >> Okay. What what do you know what it is? >> The total cash reserves and they're not spendable. So when we do a bond and we have to

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encumber a fund for anything, we have to have the money on hand to do it. So there's money that's invested that has not been spent. >> 26 million is in all accounts all over. Yeah. I understand you have to make payroll, you have bills, so the money comes out

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of the cash account, but uh is there there's a a reserve fund or uh reserve for liability or just extra money that we're saving in case there's an emergency. >> That's the the fund balance itself is that reserve

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>> 5 million. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> And it's I understand it's invested. You just can't go to the bank and take it out in one check or cash in the CDs or >> a lot of budget rules that we have to comply with. >> Okay. But it is there. >> It is there. >> Okay. Thank you.

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>> Yep. Thank you. >> Any other questions on the budget? I would just like to add because I again I feel like we do hear this often. Um Leon had mentioned uh $60 million in new ratables and everybody uh the common theme is what do we do with that money?

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Uh and um I've tried to to point this out at various times when it has come up during our meetings, but that 60 million amounts to 1.47% of an increase. So we do see all this construction. Um we do wonder where the extra tax dollars are

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going. It the 1.4% 4% is um is not enough to sustain the year-over-year increases in all of our expenses. So that's why in addition to that increased valuation, we do see a tax increase uh from time to time.

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>> Can I go one comment? So I know we we had talked about employee contributions to insurance. Just wanted to kind of give people an idea of where that stands. um all of our employees pay a percentage towards their healthcare. So

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an average uh say an officer or fireman making $100,000 or say 75,000 is kind of more of the average right now with with the amount of people we have. So if that guy or that that officer gets a 4% increase

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after the increase in insurance costs and everything else be an average of $41 more in their paycheck per paycheck. So I just wanted to kind of put that in perspective and that would be a 4% and um for the first couple years these you know the

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employees here did not get 4%. So, we're just trying to give an idea of what aspect to take a look at. Our health insurance did go up like 19.26%. I know it was estimated at 18 at one point, but it's up it's up a little bit higher. It might even be 19.29. But, um,

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you know, I just wanted to give you guys a perspective. you know, someone who's who's making 100,000 and maybe gets promoted or moves up to 100, you know, goes up to the 104,000 because of the 4% increase, they actually lose $6 in their

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pay. So, um I know that in the past, and I was part of the crew years ago, um in public safety, we were we got our insurance and we didn't have to pay anything towards it. Now, there's a percentage and it's based upon what everybody makes. So in order to

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maintain, you know, a good quality workforce, you sometimes have to to give a little bit. So I just want to make sure that everybody understood as far as the uh health insurance goes. Thank you. >> And and we have a responsibility to the taxpayers and to our employees to keep

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those health care costs down. And as we just had a 19% increase, we're actively looking at ways to get that number down and save. Um, obviously going into this budget, we were not there's there's not a solution for us at this point. I believe June or July is when um and

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Pat's actively working to to try to uh again get that down both for the city and for our employees. Okay, with that, Johanna, would you like to proceed, please? >> Sure. >> Okay. May I have a motion to close the

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public hearing on the mun 2026 municipal budget? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Horn. >> Yes. >> May I have a motion for resolution

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number 98-2026 to amend budget? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg. >> Yes. Commissioner Horn. >> Yes. May I have a motion for resolution

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number 99 2026 adoption of municipal budget which is the amount of 28 bill52,000 five $57362 for mun municipal purposes

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for the amount of 12 bill 12 bill800 68,59 for school purpose tax and for the amount of $2 bill26,120

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for library tax. >> I just like to correct those billions to millions so that we like >> they're all new numbers. Sorry. million motion. >> Second. >> Sorry about that.

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>> Um, >> Mayor Collins, >> yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg, yes. >> Commissioner Horn, >> yes. May I have a motion for resolution number 100-2026? A resolution of the city of Margate City, county of Atlantic, state of New

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Jersey, authorizing the filing of an application for a short-term construction loan from the New Jersey I Bank under the construction finan financing program and authorizing the

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issuance of a construction loan note in connection there with for the phase two of the lead water Service line replacement project. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg.

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>> Yes. >> Commissioner Horn. >> Yes. May I have the motion for resolution number 101 2026 resolution of the city of Margate in the county of Atlantic, New Jersey determining the form and the other

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details of its note relating to the construction financing program of the New Jersey Water Bank to be issued in the principal amount of up to 2,500. $00,000

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and providing the issuance and sale of such notes to the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank and authorizing the execution and delivery of such note by the city of Margate in favor of the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank. All pursuant

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to the water bank construction financing program of the city or of the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank. Motion >> second. >> Mayor Collins, >> yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg, yes. >> Commissioner Horn, >> yes. >> May I have the motion for resolution

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number 102 2026 authorizing bill payment and claims? Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Horn? >> Yes. May I have a motion for the consent agenda which consists of resolution

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number 103- 2026 through resolution number 113 2026. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins. Yes. >> Commissioner Blumb. Yes. >> Commissioner Horn. >> Yes.

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>> Thank you, Johanna. I know that was not easy. >> That was a tongue twister. Sorry. We will now open up public comment. If anyone has any comment on any item at all, please step forward. >> Sorry, this is it. I promise. Kathy Heisman, 22 South Adams. My question is

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to especially to Chief Hankinson, God bless him. Uh, what are we going to do about the what is the plan for the electric vehicles and the bikes and how are we going to implement what Governor Murphy put in? to effect. Do you have a plan for us?

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>> I would be happy to speak with you after the meeting. >> Sure. Thank you. >> Thank you, Kathy. >> Uh Steve is at Lancaster Avenue. Uh this is in regards to the Cherry Blossom Festival. Um I want to give a big shout out to the MBA for organizing. They do a

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splendid job of just organi getting everybody from the police to the public works, everything organized. as the chair of the sustainable market uh green team. Uh we had 13 environmental vendors that

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were able to educate the people on the different things from little critters that are in the water system to uh native plants, trees, electrical equipment, uh battery operated equipment. And I just want to

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say thank you for all you guys that have uh did such a great job. It was a really nice success. >> Thank you, Steve. >> Sustainable row is a big big part of that festival and I think it took me about 2 hours to make it 50 ft uh as

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Sher can attest. So, >> any other public comment? >> Steven Alman 9003 Amherst Avenue Market. Uh just a quick question clarification. At the last meeting, Mayor uh um

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Commissioner uh Blumbberg raised the uh issue about looking at uh tapes or film of the planning board. Uh was that accomplished? And were there any

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promises actually made at that time uh that you folks are a aware of and concerned about tequila uh bar? Yes. And Yes.

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Um the the the biggest thing again like you said, we we had our meeting um yesterday. Um you know, there's no denying what was said and what was not. Um and unfortunately like there were things that were looked at in a different light

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because it was considered an outdoor space. Um since then we've kind of moved on. They've gotten their um their fines and they've gotten um their issues and they've they've been addressed to that

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so far. We're still working on the trash. We're still working on um some of the noise in the parking areas. Um that's stuff that we're going to move forward with and try to make sure that everybody kind of complies and becomes you good neighbors. Um we're hoping that

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that this all works or moves in in the right direction. But yeah, painstakingly yes, I I went through that whole thing. Yes. Yes, sir. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you, Steve. Sam Lashman, 119 North Hanover. Uh, I just want to add to what I uh was sort

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of asking about at the budget. Uh, I think Margate and Brigantine are probably the two or higher. I don't know if we're two out of the three or the two highest in Atlantic County. Everybody, I think, is happy to live here that lives here. I think financially the city is in

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good shape. I think some of the questions maybe uh the numbers aren't in front of people so they're questioning things without seeing maybe by department public works public safety what the increases are what the capital budget is and maybe those are some of

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the questions uh I know there's a simplified budget somewhere I don't know if it's posted maybe that can answer some of the people's questions but uh it is a challenging time I think healthc care everybody knows is going up. That's a

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driver of increases. Other than that, uh >> again, I'm happy. I think most people are happy to live here that are living here. Uh not nothing is perfect. We're hearing some uh issues, but uh hopefully

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they'll be taken care of. So, uh thank you for the things that you're doing. uh some of them uh everybody uh is enjoying financially uh the other things hopefully uh will be

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worked out. Thanks a lot. >> So Sam, just to clarify, you're saying Margate and Brigantine are the highest. What are you referring to? >> I think in ratables Margate and Brigantine maybe Egg Harbor Township. Uh even Atlantic City might not be as high as uh some of the other cities since

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they've taken out the casinos. Ocean City years ago I think uh >> base you mean >> base uh I don't know if it's four to six billion dollars uh Ocean City I think and Sele and Avalon

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have had bigger increases over the last 20 or 30 years but uh Margate is up there. Burggantine is up there. So uh >> you know that's who the comparison is with. I'm happy to say we're the we're the highest uh we have the highest equalized ratio equalized ratables in

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the county um around $8 billion. Um and we also have the lowest effective tax rate for uh any full service municipality. So I think again that's a credit to >> since you mentioned those magic words of uh equalized ratio. I know the county

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executive is talking about uh having a county assessment plan. the ratio does keep things in line for each city. So I don't think that's an issue that we're paying uh

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different amounts. I think it's uh the statistical variation of people might not be the same, but I think we're paying our fair share as compared to all all the other cities or or we're paying probably more than other cities in

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Atlantic County. And uh I think the only >> the other way >> benefit that we're really getting is Atlantic Avenue is a county road. I don't know what else the county is doing for Atlantic City. Maybe there's some parks, but uh >> Ver

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and Jerome Avenue roads. >> So other than that, uh I don't think we're relying that heavily on county services. >> Yeah. And I do think, you know, as I met with Leon to discuss the budget this year and we went through it, I I do

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think everybody likes to talk in terms of cents. So we have a 1.94 cent increase, but when you consider our equalized valuation valuation, it's actually under a penny is is what we're uh what our increase is. So I think that's um you know something to note for the people that speak in that language.

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No, I'm happy, but I'm just saying I think people uh without seeing the numbers or the simplified budget have questions and then uh there's not really uh something that says healthc care is up 19%. Which the business administrator

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pointed out that's explains a lot if you have capital things that explains big jumps. So, thank you. >> Great. Thank you, Sam. Is there a motion to close public comment? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins? >> Yes.

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>> Commissioner Blumbberg? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Horn? >> Yes. >> Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Horn? >> Yes.

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>> Have a good night everybody. Thank you. You too. >> Great job, Joanna.