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 meeting notice was sent to the press of
Atlantic City star ledger 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 cell phones. >> Please stand for the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of
America and to the stands nationice for all. >> Johanna, please take the role. >> Mayor Collins >> here. >> Commissioner Blumbber, >> I am here. >> Commissioner Horn >> here. Welcome everybody and thank you for coming. Uh, as we all know, we're
expecting a high tide in a couple hours, so we will try to be as efficient as possible to get everybody home safely tonight. Um, we will begin as always with our engineering report. Ed, >> thank you, Mayor. I will move. Um, starting out with our dredging project. Mentioned at the last couple meetings
that we have two letters of acceptance for our disposal sites. We submitted those up to D and we actually saw a flurry of emails this week from the D permit processing system. So, it is moving through their system now that we've given them hopefully the last
piece of information that they need. I did send a message to try to get a more detailed update. I haven't seen anything yet, but if I get anything before the end of the meeting, I'll give us a real time update on where we stand, but I think we're really close on our permit application for dredging from the DAP. We've also sent in our application Army
Corps that's working it way through the system. there's been a public notice issued. So, um, good progress there. U, no update on Shelter Island, that's also in progress as our ultimate, um, disposal site. The Washington Avenue streetscape project, uh, which we've had
a lot of discussion on, is currently out to bid. There is a bid opening scheduled for September 11th for that project. The Amherst Avenue, uh, flood resiliency improvement project is working its way through the green acres process. We did
get um some feedback from Greenacres uh this month that we're on track for they meet quarterly. So their next meeting I think is in December. Um so we you know everything stays on track we could be on track to get the diversion approved at that meeting which would be great news to move that project forward. So keep
everybody updated there. Uh the new public works building we're uh trying to schedule meeting for sometime next week. um take a look at some options to value engineer that building and then we can report back on what direction what directions we may head in the Vendor
Avenue parking lot project. Um no update the plans were submitted. We received some comments from the county engineers office. We addressed those comments and resubmitted the plans. We're just waiting to hear back if there are any additional comments on that site plan. Next couple projects on the list are in
the design phase. That's the next phase of Atlantic Avenue from Huntington Mansfield and the 2025 road program. No update on our storm water compliance work. Uh we are coordinating that with public works departments. We continue to work on the information that the D has
requested. No update under CRS. The next reertification won't be until next year, but we'll keep working on that to make sure we maintain our rating in the CRS system. Under pending grant applications, we have a a couple on the list there that we are um still waiting to hear back on.
Um one of them is our um DOT grant that was just submitted last month. So uh once we hear back we you know we'll report on that and move these projects into design. Jumping down to our construction projects. No update under maintenance bonds. Uh we have a couple projects that
we moved into the closeout phase. So those have come off the list um and we can now close those out. Uh the 2023 program is on pause and will resume in the fall with work on Beayore Drive, Fredericksburg Avenue and Argyle Court.
Therough Avenue project is substantially complete. We're just working on a punch list that will move into close out soon. And then turning to the last page of the report, the Sigim restroom building is under construction. And then the next few projects were all recently awarded.
the Winchester Avenue project. We had a pre-construction meeting that'll be uh construction will start in the fall. Likewise, the uh road program um will also start in the fall. And on our lead service line replacement project, uh we had our pre-construction meeting, we won't see any physical construction
start to the fall, but the contractor has begun the outreach process um to contact private property owners owners that they may need to access their properties. And as I mentioned in previous meetings, there'll be a more robust outreach process by the city to support the contractor on this project.
And then the last project on the list is the Atlantic AB bike link painting project. Um also scheduled to start after we uh repave that next section of Atlantic Avenue. And one postcript on the um Winchester Avenue project. We did um reach out to that contractor and
another contractor to get a price to repay the public workshard. Uh the city recently received notice that needs to be repaid um for safety reasons. So, we got some pricing on that and we'll take a look at that information, send it into Pat and see if it's something that we can do as part of one of those contracts
to get that um where it needs to be. And that's my report. >> Great. Thank you, Ed. All right, we'll move to our department head reports. Chief Adams, >> uh it'll I'll be very brief. Uh one, everything's fine and moving smoothly in the fire department. Um just to give a beach patrol update, uh we've had our
beaches closed to swimming and bathing since Tuesday. They will remain closed including tomorrow and then they will reevaluate the situation based upon the conditions. Uh the information will be posted on the city Facebook, the beach patrol Instagram, the city web page and
shared by other city departments on their Facebook pages. Um Chief Graves took a a proactive stance to assure the safety of our lifeguards and our beach patrons and decided to keep the people out of the water. If you were down there today and saw it, you would completely
understand why that decision was made and it is the right decision. Um, they did remove the equipment they needed to with the help of public works to asssure that nothing would be damaged or lost. And that's all I have to report for now, Mayor. Thank you. >> Thank you, Chief Lisa.
>> Good afternoon. I'll be brief as well. Um, the only thing I really want to report is I recently received finally um a proposal from Atlantic City Electric for phase two for the LED replacement
lighting project. As you know, we funded phase two um back in 2023 and it's taken this long to get the proposal. We funded 325,000. It did come in under that 314,000.
Um I forwarded the agreement to Pat for his review and if everything is acceptable, we um should on the agenda for the next meeting to be authorized. Once phase two is completed,
um there will be one remaining phase. I do not yet have a cost for that, but it should be substantially less because there will only be six streets remaining. Um so that's all I have in regards to that. Other than that, just
been busy trying to gear up for year end. before you know, we'll be sending out the the budget documents to all the departments for their review. Um, and if there's anything that's needed to be funded for capital coming up, um, please
let me know because I can work on that as well. Um, other than that, just busy. Thank you. >> Thank you, Lisa. Chief Henson, thank you, mayor, commissioners. Just I'll be brief as well. As we all know, continues to be another extremely busy summer police department. the police
department. We've had since the beginning of the year 12,396 calls for service. I think the increase in the calls for service can be a true number of people that we can all see that are around town on our beaches enjoying our restaurants and our night life. So, summer's been very busy around
town, but it's been very good, too. The police department's annual law day was postponed yesterday due to the weather. We rescheduled for next Wednesday, August 27th at 6:30 at the Margate Library. love to see everybody come out kind of the end of the summer event. And a last reminder, I
say at every meeting, please remember to lock your vehicles. Not only lock your vehicles, but take your keys inside. We had a stolen another stolen vehicle this morning. Keys were left in the center console. So again, we could really work a lot of this by locking our car, taking our keys inside, locking our cars in
houses. That's all I have. Thank you, Chief >> Scott. Quiet. Mayor, I don't have anything. Thank you Pat. >> Basically contracts personnel matters the NBA regarding popups myself. A
couple things regarding those issues. Been doing the interviews with our tax collectors. We had call damage to streets during a construction that I've been on phone calls
had signs that were All right. Thank you, >> Mike. Before we open up the public, um related to the Washington Avenue
streetscape program. I think that and I know that there's a resolution on tonight 228. I think that and I've been thinking a lot about this and I've been talking to a lot of people over the past couple of weeks and I think it's our job
as commissioners to make decisions based upon the input and views of the overall public. And I can tell you that everybody that I talk to is against
making Washington Avenue one way. um they don't have a problem with the project, with the infrastructure improvements to the project, with the streetscape part of the project. What they have a problem with is the making of Washington
Avenue one way. And so my question for public discussion with you and Kathy is would you can we consider this project in in an altered form that would not uh
include a one-way um a one-way street. And in that regard, we would have to ask Ed to um write an alternate to the bid that's out for bid. And we would again, I understand that we might risk losing
some grant money. But free money is not free if the people of the city aren't in favor of the project. And again, uh no one that I have talked to is in favor of
seeing this street go one way. Um they believe that there's nothing broken about it and that we're fixing something that isn't broken. And so again, that's my that would be my question for you and Kathy. Would we consider could we
consider this project without the oneway component? So, I mean, my uh response to that would be that it's really not a project without it going one way because the we wouldn't be able to have the bike lane. The whole purpose of this uh so I you
know there's a lot of discussion at the last meeting. So, I did a lot of research to kind of see where this uh developed from and where it came from. So, um we talked about the master plan at the last meeting. the master plan 2015 2016 uh the number one issue that
came out of the master plan discussions and these were discussions that involved all stakeholders. So they involved uh there were about a half a dozen meetings with all business owners in Margate retail was one they had they dealt with bars and restaurants with one they they had all these meetings and and this
Washington Avenue issue became a major discussion and that's how it got implemented into the master plan. So there were multiple meetings and um you know Ed I know you guys were involved in the master plan heavily and um out of that master plan uh came the prominade.
Uh so the prominade uh that we now have along our bayfront that was part of that and connecting the prominade everybody was concerned about connecting our our bayfront to our Ventner Avenue and Atlantic Avenue business districts. So this Washington Avenue project uh you
know was part of that discussion and I was able to to find you know so there were Rich Deany who was our administrator at the time in 2022 um at the end of 2022 sent an email to the commission at the time which was
Mayor Becker Commissioner Amado and Commissioner Blumbberg uh about the concept plan that Remington Bernick established for this creating Washington Avenue to a oneway one Street. Um, so that was
uh that was November 2nd of 2022. The following day there was a commission meeting and uh as part of workshop uh Ed presented that to the public um present the concept about going one way from there at that point. Since then, so
going back to 2022, we've had five resolutions passed in reference to this project to advance this project. Applying for the grant, um we had to get an extension for the grant because of some of the revisions that that Ed and Remington Bernick um had to do uh you know, based
on the public feedback we got. And um you know as as early as or I guess as late as our July 17th meeting um it was a there was a resolution to put this out to bit. Every single one of those
resolutions were unanimously voted in the affirmative. Um we you know we talk about public outreach and and these meetings and I think it's again most of the people in the public here come to every meeting and they see this engineers report and there's Some may
think it's repetitive because Ed goes through the same projects and sometimes there's updates, sometimes there's not, but the projects that are on there stay on there until they're complete. And as of, you know, from November 2022 to today, Washington Avenue has been on
this agenda and been discussed and Ed has given updates at every meeting if there have been updates. Um, and you know, my personal opinion, I understand the people you're talking to are not in favor. I last say dozen or so people that I've
talked to in the last week or two all have been in favor of it and kind of questioning I don't get it what's the problem I think it's great so you know I think again the the project doesn't exist without it going one way unfortunately unless we uh take over
people's properties and uh you know widen the street and and do something like that I don't think that would be favorable to any of the homeowners or business owners on that street there's still over 2 million dollar of infrastructure improvements that we're building in the project. Is that right?
>> I don't know the total. Um but but those infrastructure >> doing all we're doing all the water and all the sewer and all the utilities. So to say that there is no project is you know not not really the case. Yeah, we could postpone that and do that at
another time and do some other streets that might be more important from an infrastructure standpoint. Yeah, there still is a project. We could also use that $2 million and try and offset some of the costs that we're going to incur
when we try and build this new public works building, you know. So, the the idea is that for me again the there are there are a lot of people that don't like the oneway aspect. And so I think
the answer to my question to you is no. You would not support the the project unless it had the oneway component. >> Taking the oneway component as you just said makes it a road program project where we're just paving the road and
doing infrastructure. So >> and and a streetscape, you know, beautifying that corridor which again I I don't know there's any master But I think back then, 10 years ago, the idea was that we were going to
have more businesses between Atlantic and Washington. And and that never that never came to fruition. It's more residential now than it is business. Back then, they were thinking that the whole Waw Wa block would be businesses
and restaurants, and they were thinking that the CVS block would be more businesses and restaurants. And that never happened. That didn't So right now what we have is really a residential part. Um so I don't think
that uh in that regard the um you know the the master plan concept holds holds a ton of weight. Only that what happened then and what's happening now are different. And people now that
again if the majority of the people that you're talking are good with the street being one way and they think that we need this uh bike lane, uh then so be it. Then that's what you need to do. For me, um I I can't
support that street going one way um based upon the views of the people that I talk to. And again, maybe they're all uh old senior citizens that you know aren't riding bikes. I don't know. I ride my bike more than
anybody and I've never had a problem with it. But um the the tax dollars that we're going to spend for the value that we're going to receive, the people that I'm talking to aren't in favor of. And and so that's the point I wanted to
make. Kathy, how do you feel about this? >> I had a lot of the same concerns um with the oneway street initially that everyone else had. And I met I attended a meeting. There were several
um businesses represented at that meeting. I was at the chief was there. I listened to everyone and I left okay with it other than the resistance to change and I had to ask myself was it
just my resistance to change or is this something that's so I listened um Everybody that was there was for it. I have spoken recently to a couple of the businesses and they are the ones I spoke
to other than the ones that have come here and complained. There are other ones um that are for it and it it's kind of it goes both ways. There's some people that don't want it. There's some people that do want it. And I sympathize with
the people that don't want it. But again, I don't hear anything other than a little resistance to change and why do we have to do it? And I was with you guys and I had to ask those questions to myself and I've been convinced that this
is the right thing to do. And I remember when we made um Amherst one way from like tomatoes from law enfor I was livid and this is the stupidest thing ever. Why would we do this? Now I don't even
remember it being two weeks. So I get it. Um but I think this is part of moving forward. If it's horrible is there can we change it? What happens then? If I can't imagine like what what would be horrible
accidents? Well then we would definitely change things but Thank you. >> Yeah. >> All right. We will now move forward with public comment. If anyone has any comment about any items discussed in this meeting, please step forward and
state your name and address. >> My name is Nick, Washington Avenue 204. And again, um I just don't even understand what the plan is. I mean, it's changed so many times. They've gone a street for 20ome years. You think the residents would be notified about what
we're really going to do, what the plans are. We don't. Just for instance, the other night. Here's a picture of the flooding. It's down by Tomatoes Restaurant. So, if we have a one-way street, first of all, everyone's have to turn around, go the
opposite way. So, the oneway street goes away because people do U-turns in a oneway street. go the opposite way to avoid the plug. I think it's a bad plan. I'm a fanatic with my yard. Putting the red brick in front of my house,
I'm get I'm opposed to just personally because anything with brick that has space is going to get dirt from the flooding. Things coming up out of the bay going to go into the brick in the space. I'm going to have nothing but weeds. You want to beautify Washington Avenue making a bunch of red brick with
weeds in it. way to make a way to make my feelings. And again, as the gentleman up here said, Marty said, everybody on Washington Avenue, residents that have been here for 20ome years, no one ever asked us what we feel. Like, no one cares about our
opinion. Like, you said you spoke to somebody that is in favor. You said you spoke to someone in favor. Well, I'm on the street every day and I haven't talked to anyone yet that is in favor. So, That's my point. Uh, we got a flooding incident that people are going
to do U-turns in the flood and go the opposite way on one way street. Um, if we get 10 bikes a day going by Washington Avenue is a lot. I'm out there every day
working in my yard. I don't see a bike all day long. Thank everyone for their time and pray you put in consideration. >> Thank you. Joe Lorenzo Washington Avenue. Two weeks ago,
residents and business owners expressed the opposite their opposition to the Washington Avenue corridor project citing safety, access, and congestion. Out of frustration, Elizabeth testified at the meeting collected over
just one week. by putting against the project on our county over 200 signatures in two days. So there is an extreme amount of opposition. May I disagree with your assessment about reaching out to businesses? We were
never notified. Chief in his own emails, Chief Adams did not know that it was a oneway project until April 24th. So I disagree with your assessment that you reached out or spoken to met with
us. It's the first time we knew that it was one way obligation this administration's obligation to notify and stay in contact with us not to reach out to you and find out and she's moving along.
I attended a meeting last night was engineer It was something that I'd like to see here and Dennis did an unbelievable job. They were discussing a project. Third street was another issue. Fire chief,
commissioners, the mayor, ed. Within five to seven minutes, everything was accomplished. All out in the open, all transparency, and it was a great job by Ed, outstanding engineer. So any comments that I make or anytime I mention Ed's
name or Remington, at all. My problem is this project just does not make any sense. So two weeks ago when I testified about it, uh we had over requested uh
information and there were no emails um I guess from Commissioner Horn uh you know to Dan Adams. So, Commissioner Horn, we've seen a traffic study performed by Remington. It was an undated day in August of August
last year. And so, as commissioner of public safety, have you have you thought about or have you requested an impact study now that we have an additional 325 extra seats along Amherst Avenue? Can you explain to us what steps you've
taken to ensure safety since the last commission meeting? And have you spoken with Chief Adams or any residents or business owners since the last August 7th meeting? >> I have. Chief Henson has been at every meeting um to deal with those issues.
Chief Adams was not there as far as I'm aware of. However, he did at one point, well, the meeting I was at, we talked about there were some adjustments made for fire trucks and what have you. I did
talk to Chief Adams, tell him that, and he said, "I should have been there." I said, "You're absolutely right." And I believe at that point is when Chief Adams got involved and was assured that his trucks could make the turns. I have spoken to business owners since that
meeting, two in particular that did tell me they like it. They don't understand the resistance that two only two, but I have spoken to several since that meeting. >> That's that's why not us.
Why not? Why not the residents along Washington Avenue? I >> heard that in 1996. I'll go back just just a little bit. Scott was around way back then. We took a project along the bank and this is when nobody wanted to be in market was
investing in market was put in infrastructure put in bulkhead sidewalk utilities. We did restricted houses. So we spent millions of dollars not only on that project. We worked along with the city to help develop the project at 101 Washington Avenue. So we invested
millions of dollars into this town before anybody wanted to. So we have a little bit of and to be completely ignored and to I mean you people walking by our building I have nine tenants in in the building all businesses why weren't we notified
it it just makes no sense at all it was it was okay here's the project we're going to do it I mean it's it's not transparency it just it just it's mindboggling and not to understand how how are you going to get the CBS how you
going to get to the business If you're making if you're making it one way, it it doesn't it doesn't it doesn't make sense. You don't believe in the business. That's why we need an impact study and maybe take it to a referendum. >> And was an impact study done?
>> So, we performed a traffic survey which is required by statute. >> Yep. It's a summary of the traffic counts and the results that >> nothing's been up. >> Thank you, Jeff. >> Hi, Sher Lillianfeld. I'm Wellington
Avenue full-time resident. This is for Chief Henson. Just out of curiosity, because you're always talking about the stolen vehicles, how many have we had this year approximately? >> I would be hesitant to give you an exact
number, but we usually average probably between 10 and a year and 90% of those and we recover. We actually have a very good recovery rate. I was just going to say, do you end up
recovering? >> They they usually end up sometimes recover most of the time, but we have a very good recovery rate today. We had three hits. We know exactly where
they left >> LP. >> Other towns have automated as they get their vehicle. >> Okay. >> I mean, like that's we're a small little one.
>> I I'm glad people are very comfortable in our low crime rate, but that does not mean that we should still lock our doors, lock our cars, lock our bikes because crime never >> Okay. And then I mean you didn't that I
know it's come up a lot about the um destruction of properties and um the urination you know along Amherst Avenue that's been coming up in other meetings. So like has that improved since we have the portaotti?
>> We've had basically no complaints so far. >> That's great. So the porticotties are healthy and so is your Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, Sher. >> We have any more public comment?
My name is Bob Barnick. My wife and I, Kathy, live at 8601 Fton Avenue in Margate. And just want to express our support for the treasure that's proposed. Um, in listening to the engineer, it sounds like
is in process seems to be moving along the core of engineers. Sounds like it might take a little bit longer. I'm just curious if there's any other delays or anticipated at this point. >> No, the major hangup was our disposal site where where our contractor would
take the dredging material and we had one lined up with the state and it fell through and we now have two disposal sites that we put on the permit. are that that was the last piece of the puzzle before. >> Okay. And so the dredging is going to be
removed and taken off site as opposed to some >> to start. Yes. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Okay. To start, meaning that the shelter island site you heard us refer to um is ultimately where we want to be able to dispose of this material. It'll
be more cost effective, >> but that site requires its own separate permit that's a little bit more complicated. That is also in progress. >> Okay. Um the uh I notic there are six phases to the dredging and we're probably in
group four and just sort of curious. It looks like it's 9 to 12 weeks per area. I'm assuming the dredging would start in front of let's say tomatoes and work it way out toward phase number.
I don't think we've nailed down really the order of phases or anything at this point. Those phases are, you know, they're sectioned out, but I don't think we have an exact plan on how this will be phased out as far as >> Yeah, Bob, we're still we're still looking into that. And there's also
restrictions on when we can dredge. I believe June to December, somewhere thereabouts. So, um you know, some areas are going to be very difficult to dredge in the summer because of marine traffic. So there may be areas that take higher
priority because they can be you know dredged during that time frame and that may may adjust our timeline and you know priority of zones >> all still in the works. >> Okay. Um also curious in taking a look at your proposal it appears as though
the dredging would go out as far as about 100 ft. come in towards our bulkheads to what might appear to be water, you know, our docks, that sort of thing. Is there is there any sort of
availability to pay to have that portion dredged up to our >> y so that the idea of this permit is that once we have this permit in place, the city has areas of dredging that are we'll call it cityowned areas and then like you mentioned there are areas that
you're referring to that are privately owned. Any private property owner can use our permit to to dredge your private property either with their own contractor or when the city hires a contractor to do the city piece. The contract will be set up so that a
private property owner could use our contractor to dredge their private property at their expense. understand it correctly, the you're estimating to be down about 5T plus or minus a foot. >> Yeah. So they they typically give you a
foot plus or minus of over dredge and the depth that we go down to try to go down. >> Thank you. Jeff Washington and to the commissioner's point I have yet
to speak to the Washington to Lorenzo's point as the question to a referendum to the extent that it involves significant taxpayer investment. And I would appreciate if
you could comment on whe Most people ask many two months ago. So I'm not sure. So I have two questions. First of all, is there a time limit? So we actually already passed that date
and they give us an extension. >> So what happens? >> When the city awards a construction contract and that date pass, we got an extension. Um my is
we got a 60-day extension. I have it in my I just don't have the exact date that it was 60 days. So, it's more or less in line with when we would expect to award a contract contract. I don't have that report, but let's say by the end of September,
>> what happens to the concerns that citizens are expressing >> just with regards to the grant, you know, the policy decision one way or another, um the grant agency which is the NJ and federal highway is expecting
that contract would be awarded if we didn't move forward with the project. My assumption is that you know we could risk losing the funding. I suppose we ask for another extension. I don't have a definitive answer now that we're at this point in the process. It's a lot of money but You're not using
it for what you're using. It's not really useful. So I think what people should different aspects
and address some of the concerns of question. Yeah, that's for quite some time. It's scheduled to be installed September 10th through 17. We just got the other.
Thank you. Is there a motion to Public comment. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Mayor Collins. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Horn. >> Yes. >> Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion.
>> Second. >> Mayor Collins? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Blumbberg? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Horn? >> Yes.