All right, let's call it order to the council meeting of Thursday, February 19th, 2026. Start with the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. >> Please bow your heads for a moment of silence. >> Amen. >> Hey, Mr. Madden. here. >> Mr. Barnes >> here, >> Mr. Pini here, >> Mr. Hartzell here, >> Mr. Luff, >> Mr. Winslow here, >> Mr. Crowley
>> here. Adequate notice of this meeting has been given pursuant to public law 1975, chapter 231. We're going to change up the order a little bit tonight just in to accommodate some schedules. So, um, first I'm going to go to to Dave to introduce Jocelyn.
>> Okay. Um, as you requested uh at the last meeting, you asked if the me uh someone from the subwable subcommittee could come and give the council an update on where we are. Uh, and this is Jocelyn Pelaganis who is our spokesperson. So, Joselyn,
>> good evening, Mayor Gillian, administration, city council members, and residents. My name is Joselyn Pelaganis, and I'm the spokesperson for the boardwalk subcommittee. Tonight I'm here to provide an update on the progress to date of the subcommittee. As you're aware, the nine
member committee has been meeting on a regular basis and recently held a public meeting to share the data and trends that we have found and investigated. We were encouraged by the very large numbers of residents who attended the meeting to learn more about the work of the subcommittee.
As a result of the data and the trends that the subcommittee analyzed, we would like to share key takeaways from our work to date. We categorized the data into four categories. Number one, physical and land use indicators. We identified zoning
regulations, for example, mass, bulk, and scale, and how they strongly shape the boardwalk experience. Analyzed the type, ownership, and locations of the 168 businesses and 26 residential units along the boardwalk.
We reviewed the previous 2019 master plan review recommendations for the onboardwalk zone. Considered opportunities for improvement reinvestment on the on boardwalk buildings. Number two, economic indicators
gathered data and analysis for hotels which shows flat growth but with interest in more upscale accommodations. We have reviewed the parking data for our eight primary lots from Fifth Street to 9inth. Parking revenue varied. In
2025, overall parking is down 21%. Much of the decrease in revenue came from the fifth street lot, which was down 44%. Current parking utilization data suggests that city the city can leverage parking infrastructure more effectively
to bolster tourism and economic activity. We analyze reasons for beach tag revenue being down 4.8% from 2024 to 2025. We determined sales tax revenue has been steadily increasing from 2020 to 2024.
We took an indepth look at the amusement industry and found significant growing financial and operational challenges. In fact, no new amusement parks have opened since 1984. Number three, social and cultural indicators.
We reviewed a 2010 Rucker study that made recommendations for future design elements, construction opportunities along the boardwalk. Targeted stakeholder reviews interviews revealed a consensus while maintaining Ocean City's family oriented identity. It's a
top priority. There is a strong demand for initiatives that foster long-term economic and cultural vitality. Comparative benchmarks researched other communities who share similar economic development challenges and will use the data to provide insight into to into
their successes challenges which will help us in guiding recommendations as the committee continues to pursue a transparent data-driven and collaborative review process that prioritizes what is best for Ocean City's residents, visitors, and business
community. We are now moving to phase two of our four-part plan. Phase two will spine the subcommittee transitioning from collecting data and reviewing trends to understanding causes and identifying challenges. In this phase, we will identify positive and
negative trends and what may be driving them and distinguish macro hard to address locally versus micro drivers what we can address. We expect this phase to move quickly. In phase three and phase four, we will develop and evaluate potential solutions, test
remedies, estimate impacts, and provide a preliminary solutions report. Finally, we will integrate solutions into a single comprehensive boardwalk enhancement plan for public review and submission to city council in the early spring of this year. Additional public
meetings are planned to ensure transparency and public involvement in the process. We understand urgency for the subcommittee to provide recommendations yet are committed to providing a thorough strategic examination of the entire on boardwalk zone by developing
data-driven solutions with community input that will benefit stakeholders and chart the course for the future of our Ocean City. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um thank you David. Um you know I just would like to reiterate, you know, I think it was great that we came up with the subcommittee. I I know they've put
in a ton of work and um and I just want to publicly I think I've gotten to all of them privately just to say thank you, but I really want to thank you. Um I know it was a big lift that we asked you to do and I know that you give up a lot of your time to do it, but I I think we're all going to benefit from
gathering as much information as we can so that we kind of have the complete package when we kind of consider how we're going to move forward. So, thank you very much. I I truly appreciate on behalf of >> I just add Thank you. If I could add to that, I must say the the group is very very diverse from both sides of the
spectrum, but we're finding more and more as we work through. We have a there's a lot of common ideas, a lot of common solutions and everybody has been so engaged. It's absolutely amazing. I've never seen a group work so work together so well and we're really committed to what Joselyn said is to do
what's best for the city and it's going to come relatively quickly. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. >> Thank you everybody. Um, with that we'll um we'll skip you for now, Jay, and we'll get do public comment. So, we're going to move into public comment. The first public comment is on agenda meeting items only. So, please give me
your name, your address, and the agenda item that you're speaking about. If it's not on the agenda, there's a second public comment later in the meeting, which is free form and you can talk about whatever you want. So, with that said, I'm going to not even try the last name, but Matthew, >> I've been down that road before. Uh,
good evening. It's Ficho. Uh, good evening everyone. My name is Matthew Valichko. I'm with the law firm of Zelericho. I am here this evening with regard to uh agenda item and resolution 2625. That's the professional services
contract for the planner with to assist council uh with regard to 600 boardwalk. I represent and our firm represents Plaza Place Civic Association. Earlier this week, I sent a letter to uh your senior counsel, your solicitor, Miss McCarzen. Also to your special counsel,
Mr. Rididgeway. Also introduced myself to uh Mr. Davis, Keith Davis, uh who uh is aware of our firm and our representation. Uh told him who we represented and that we'd be here this evening. We wanted to be heard with regard to this issue and everything to do with 600 Boardwalk and also uh
contacted Mr. Turtle who also I understand represents an entity called Ocean City 2025. So with that, uh, while we, uh, are in favor of anybody giving assistance for everything, we'd ask that it get pulled from the consent agenda. We know that there was no RFP, no RFQ.
Uh, it did not go. It's it's the nonfair and open process, perfectly legal. We just don't know uh why the selection was made, what how she will be assisting like want to just hear about that. How she'll be assisting council, which we think the assistance is always good. Uh, were
there any other options? uh does she or her firm have any connection with anybody at 600 Boardwalk or uh any other interested parties? Will her report and her assistance be public? Uh is there a targeted timeline for her report? And has she ever done similar type studies?
Uh we advised uh both your solicitor and your special counsel in conjunction with this evening's meeting and this agenda item that we did want to be heard that we be here this evening tonight. Plaza Place uh civic association for the record does object to the currently proposed hotel development and for you
those of you that are unaware and I won't burden the record with much of it uh the civic association consists of about 40 properties the neighborhood runs from the north side of 7th Street to the north side of Pelum uh from Atlantic Avenue to Wayne Avenue the pri the area is primarily within the R150
and the R240 residential zones interestingly enough it's the only R1 14 or 150 single family residential neighborhood that is directly behind the boardwalk. You do have uh behind the on boardwalk uh zone, you do have the
hospitality zones. However, from 6th Street to 14th Street, the land behind the boardwalk uh except for is HZ hospitality except for this very unique neighborhood which is largely built in the 20s and 30s uh and has remained
mostly intact uh with few demolitions. So, uh with that, thank you for allowing me to appear and uh hopefully it gets pulled from the consent agenda. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Thank you, >> David. Dave >> Dave Hayes, Ocean City. I'd also like to
request that you pull resolution 2665 for further uh discussion. Hearing a um hiring a professional planner who has not previously advised city council of the planning board with respect to the property at 600 boardwalk doesn't make
sense to me at all. Um, we already have a city planner and a planning board of experts that are extremely knowledgeable and well-versed in 600 boardwalk. And that's exactly why city council decided to rever refer the question of rehabilitation to the planning board in
the first place. I really I really hope this isn't the case. But now with the addition of a land use attorney and a professional planner, it appears that council might be establishing a shadow planning board that could be used to give a rehab designation for 600
Boardwalk. This would reverse the planning board decision that 600 Boardwalk doesn't qualify for rehab. If that's true, it's unacceptable to expect Ocean City taxpayers to pay for this. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dave Marie.
Marie Hayes, Ocean City. My husband Dave and I have been full-time residents of Ocean City for 22 years. Um, I'm requesting that you pull resolution 25 2665 for further discussion. For all the reasons my husband just stated for
transparency reasons, um, this needs to be discussed and fully vetted before we go forward. Thank you. >> Thank you, John. John Prander 156 aspir I guess tonight's a run on resolution 2665 the only thing
I would add to what's been previously brought up is total cost is a 12 up to 12-year contract the hourly rates listed in the documentation but I think the taxpayers are entitled to know what the uh estimated total cost of the budget will be thank you Okay,
Jim. >> Jim Kelly, 137 Wesley Avenue. Uh, I'd also like uh 2625 pulled for further uh discussion. I want to thank Councilman Winslow for his steadfast leadership on the boardwalk subcommittee. This is not an easy task. Coming up with a plan for
the boardwalk for the next 20 years is challenging under any circumstances. The questions we face are complex and the data can sometimes be confusing and conflicting and the members themselves can sometimes be at odds. But he has done a great job of driving the process. The city will be better off because of
his efforts. And the process is the right one. A fact-driven holistic approach addressing the entire boardwalk is exactly what we should do. It plays no favorites. It takes it takes its time and it delivers a result for the city, not an individual. What is unfortunate
is that this council has not fully supported the subcommittee. Certain council members were openly hostile to the idea at the start and remain so, going to the extent of ridiculing the process in public. We then saw a detour in December that threatened to undermine the planning process entirely. The
public pushed back, the planning board experts weighed in, and the city rightfully returned, at least in words, to the master plan path. But council members continued to undermine the process. Now, we could be facing another detour. In just the past two meetings,
council has proposed to hire two new experts at taxpayer expense. Redevelopment council and now a redevelopment planner. Let me be clear. I believe it's perfectly appropriate for council to decide that it wants experts to help guide them. That's prudent. My issue is
process. No clear scope has been provided. No transparency into why these individuals were selected in a private process. No explanation of how these engagements fit into the subcommittee master plan framework you previously committed to follow. Indeed, the experts
you are hiring seem more aligned with a different pathway redevelopment. instead of completing the subcommittee work, updating the master plan, and adopting ordinances that implement it. And I do not believe that every city council member was given the opportunity to
interview this person or understand the engagement. This raises fundamental questions that taxpayers footing the bill are entitled to have answers to. Are you going to follow the process you described? Allow the subcommittee to complete its recommendations and
transmit them to the planning board for incorporation into the master plan. If so, please so please say so clearly, definitively, and unequivocably and say how these new hires fit into that plan. The public deserves clarity
on the path the city intends to take and the role these new hires will play in facilitating that journey. That brings me to a second unavoidable unavoidable issue, conflict of interest. We know there are documented financial exposures between the city and the
developer associated with this property. And that financial conflict has tainted the entire process. While not seemingly at the same level, the planning firm that is being hired is owned by a Republican New Jersey senator who may run in the same circles as Mr. Ma. Mr.
Ma is a major contributor to the New Jersey Republican establishment and that establishment works to support politicians like Senator Paulina. Has this possible conflict been fully vetted? Were all members of council made aware of this? Were there other firms
that could provide similar advice that would not come with these question marks? If so, why bring more potential conflict into a process that is already mired in it? Again, this firm may be appropriate, but these questions should be answered. Ocean City deserves a
process that is transparent, lawful, and free from even the appearance of impropriety. Impropriety. The community has engaged in good faith. It is time for every member of this council to do the same with clarity, transparency, and adherence to the
master plan process you promised. Thank you. >> Thank you, Jim. All right, that concludes uh our first citizen comment. With that, we will go to >> Sure. >> It's on the It's on the agenda. I assume >> it's on the agenda.
>> Can I take a guess? >> Good evening, uh, Mr. President and uh, gentlemen of the council. My name is James Turtle, Tur R Tel T A B. I'm here tonight on behalf of Ocean City New Jersey 2050 as well as the board uh beach watch and condo association and
fairness and taxes. Uh you've heard a lot tonight and I do ask that this be pulled 2625 from the consent agenda. Uh I just want to start with the premise of where we're at here. We're redevelopment and rehabilitation areas and rehabilitation are projects that are
undertaken by a municipality for the public benefit. These are not private projects. These are done for the purpose of advancing the purposes of the community. Back in August, I was here for the vote that you had, which you had a lot of people coming in and chiming in
on it. There was a six to1 vote to undertake a process whereby you go through master planning first, evaluate the whole area, and then undertake a plan to implement that. And since then that vote there has now been the referral of the uh resolution for
rehabilitation to the uh planning board. It's come back with a with a tie vote and there's this process of hiring councils for rehabilitation purposes as well as now a planner tonight. And it appears to be that this whole overall planning process which again we heard a wonderful report. It seems to be an
active process ongoing for the entire community, which again that's what this purpose of this of rehabilitation redevelopments to advance. It seems to be you're taking this one piece out of the bigger picture that's being done here. And the risk that I fear that you're going to run is that once you do it for one property owner, everybody
down the boardwalks going to want the same thing. And then all of a sudden you're going to have a whole change to a community that you didn't want. And the process should be one in which as you set back in August to go through the process of undertaking the area of uh the the zoning the planning for the
entire community and then see how this fits in and see if it then does qualify in your own opinion as being an area need of re rehabilitation which I don't think it does but we'll deal with that. But instead of going through the lit the litigation that may occur, the other things that occur, you're better off going through the I I I would submit you
you're better off going through the process of bringing the whole community on board, getting consensus to how the best way to go forward is, and to put forth a plan. And tonight's act to hire a planner at city cost for a project that's really seems to be more privately oriented than it is publicly oriented.
Just doesn't seem to make sense. and the process you've undertaken with the the um subcommittee and with the other planning you're doing seems to be the more prudent course to take in order to achieve ultimately what this uh council I believe is trying to do which is to better the city but do it in a holistic
way instead of one property at a time. Thank you very much. >> You're welcome. Yep. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> All right, Jay, I'm going to open it up to the mayor administration for your couple reports and then I'll turn it over to Vince and Frank. So, good evening. We we
do have a full agenda, so I'll be quick. Um, and Donniey's on the phone for the ordinance later on. Um, we're tonight on the agenda is a jity service. So, it did well in the Boro last year, and we're also adding for the senior center to pick uh some of our seniors up 60 years
and older at their homes and drop them back off. Um, we have a contract from 12th to 14th Street to redeck that area. Uh, which is, uh, going to beef it up a little bit, uh, put new wood, and we have a grant for that that we have to use up. Another resolution asked for
purchase and installation of the pre playground equipment for Sand Castle Park on 34th Street. You've heard me talk about this, but because it takes so long to get the equipment, so this is free equipment and installation. So, I think it's about six or seven months out to get it. So, that's uh going to be a
beautiful thing. Um the dog park with all the snow and ice. We're a couple of weeks behind, but I'm told they're going to do whatever they can to get it. Um the North End Bor re uh reconstruction project is moving great. They're finishing up on the decking and they're doing railings and the new lights will
be soon. Uh they're back to dredging again. The lagoons were frozen, so they had to wait for that to go. And then they're finishing the punch list up. I think by March 6, I think the chief said they'll be in there, but I I'd rather wait till we get a little closer on that. And then finally, on February
25th, Wednesday at 6 PM, we're going to have our annual public safety recognition ceremony at the tabernacle. Uh 6 p.m. Wednesday. Uh this event recognizes men and women from the OC Police Department, OC Fire Department, OC Beach Patrol, and one uh person from
our community services that uh did heroic actions in the course of duty. So I ask everybody to attend on that. All right, guys. You're up. >> Thank Thank you, Mayor Frank. Good. It's a little too close. Too
dark. >> It's fine. >> All right. Um, good evening members of council, members of the public. Um tonight, um we are going to present the 2026 to 2030 capital plan to you like we do every year this time of year. Just
want to take a minute to talk about the process and what would become of this evening going forward. Um as we do every year, we'd like to get you the capital plan prior to the operating budget. Uh the mayor will propose a budget to you in draft form at the first meeting in March. Um, it's always prudent to get
the capital uh projects and plan uh vetted first because there are ties between the capital budget and the operating budget and most importantly the down payment money for all the projects that we're going to discuss tonight um have to be represented in the introduced budget once we get to that
point. Um as we do every year, we're going to present it in a five-year format. Um we're going to start off quickly uh as quick as we can with just reviewing some projects that were completed uh and in process from the 2025 funds and we're going to move to the spreadsheet uh version of the plan
and walk you through the 2026 numbers, the projects that we're proposing and the associated funding. And then at the end I'm just going to wrap up with a few slides on how all this ties into our debt service, how it affects the operating budget, and what the outlook is on debt service uh for the next
couple years. Um, with that said, we're going to dive right in. Vince and I kind of tag team this. And like I said, uh, we got a bunch of slides here and some pictures, but just wanted to give you a recap of what's been accomplished this past year. Um, and we're going to start off with just a reminder of
categorically how we budget in the capital plan. Uh we do roads and drainage first. Um paving projects, uh beach and bay projects, boardwalk, public buildings and properties, public facilities and recreation, large equipment, uh large vehicles and trucks,
departmental equipment, and then inter modal, which is, you know, biking, pedestrian, transportation, things like that. Um so again, we're going to just go do some completed in progress first. And starting off with some roads and drainage projects that were completed
this past year. Here's a short list. Uh we'll go through them one at a time though. And and just um so you know, some of these projects were substantially complete in 24, but we didn't get to the close out all the closeout paperwork, so they'll show up
in 25. Uh so this is the West 17th Street um pump project. Uh so back there, we put the pump in. Uh the water company also put in all new water uh infrastructure. So water, sewer, gas company also came
in, put in all new infrastructure. And then when we were complete, we paved everything. Clubhouse bulkhead. Uh this was at the end of Clubhouse Lagoon Drive and the uh there was no bulkhead there. So when we
would get the real high tides, the water would rush up and flood out the parking area for the boat slips there. So, we put a bulkhead in, got a approval from D and finished that, I want to say be before the summer of 10.
Um, this is a uh um a a road, I'm sorry, drainage and paving uh project and it was from 18th Street to 26th Street on West Avenue. Uh there was partial funding from a New Jersey municipal aid grant and we just finished up a small
punch list uh um in the uh spring right before summer. This is another uh West Avenue project from North Street to 9inth Street. Again, accompanied by a municipal aid um
grant and that completes from North Street or actually from Patter all the way to 34th Street on West Avenue is all completely new, all new infrastructure, all new drainage. And we raised as many of the intersections as we could to make
it easier on people who were in wheelchairs so that the uh handicap uh accessible curbs or corners don't dive down. They stay up and it's easier for them to get across. This was our flood mitigation project
phase two in Marian Park. So the goldish color is all of what the city did and then the green is what the county is in the process of doing right now. So, we increased we added three pump stations and then increased the fourth one over by where the old crew building used to
be. Uh, and we've had great success even with the high tides. Uh, and I think we had two over the summer, one at 69, one at 7, and um, between doing the BMS that we did back in the culde-sacs over by
um, Somerset and Oxford, we just have had a tremendous amount of success. There's one small area that we're still looking at. Uh, and that's at 36 and is that Somerset? >> Oxford. >> Oxford. >> Oxford. >> This is just a couple pictures of of
what the uh the trenches look like for where the pump stations are uh buried underneath the streets. >> These are the pits. You can see how big they are. That's where the water gets uh collected and then the pumps move it out into the marsh.
Just some of the pictures of the curving that was going on in the neighborhood and the underground drainage connections and final paving. This is near four seasons. Couple beach and bay projects. Scarbor Marine completed one earlier in the year
and then we did an a fish street outfall upgrade with this uh Scarboro hit the areas of Snow Harbor, Sunny Harbor and Britain Drive in 2025 and Walters Marine replaced the Fifth Street outfall. So we increased that from
I want to say 12 in but it could have been 18 in up to I believe it's 36 in and we have not had flooding back down there since we've done that. why we had to large that when we put the turf field in we were getting extra water coming in. So it was just catching up with all
that we had down there. >> Terrace ramp. >> Morland Terrace ramp is uh we uh a project that we did with uh some uh funding from grants uh the CB or CPVG money almost $600,000. The entire
project was about $800,000. We made it entirely 88 compliant and redid all the uh concrete in the culdesac. And uh now that the water company has done all of their work on Morland Terrace, we'll repave that, but we probably won't do
that until the fall. This is just some before and after of the decking that now goes from hip to hip with two pedestrian ramps and a vehicle ramp up the middle. Uh we added another uh through the CDBG program again another handicap accessible area 28th Street this past
year with the beachmap program that's been highly successful. >> So that makes six total that we have throughout the aisle. >> We completed land acquisitions for the two properties behind city hall in the corner of 9th and central that were put in place by ordinances about a year ago.
And now that the land is acquired, uh on your city council agenda tonight is a resolution to narrow construction uh for the demolition of those two structures. Uh that'll make way for more parking and more reconfiguration options for the
parking lot upstate. >> Um some building projects, a quick list. Uh we'll go through them one at a time, but uh starting off with the uh replacement of the city hall uh elevator in this building has all been completely replaced and retrofitted.
Um then we did the HVAC at the community center and historical museum areas. So that was for the museum and uh most of the library that was not already done. And you'll see tonight there's an award for or in the capital. Uh oh, I'll go over that when we go through that. Let
me >> get to the rest of the building this year. >> Roof replacement at the same building >> and that was done after we removed all the panels. So, it should be water tight. >> Uh we're just about completed the public
safety building substation at the street on Bay Street. This is a view uh looking towards the ocean and accompanying uh on the lower right hand side of the picture with the new handicap ramp next to the building. Uh and the police are getting ready to move in as we speak.
Some structure work and music here. This was a three-phase project and uh we do the Gibson report every four years as you know and then we allow we all lot so much money in the capital budget. This will almost almost complete. We we we
ran out of a little bit of money at the very at the very end, but this will complete almost all of the substructure work and we replaced uh joistices and girders. Uh we jacketed some of the pilings, especially the ones that were closest to the ocean that take the most
beating. And then we'll come back in the fall and we'll do a very small project there to complete the substructure. And then we'll have the Gibson report again. and then we'll start uh over on working on the things that they identified. Uh we redid the tennis courts of Fifth
Street. This is a shot of the turf courts and how they apply the sand to the turf once the uh turf was installed. Uh short stop construction did this. And then this is a before and after of the hard courts at the same facility.
Um a street basketball court was completely reconstructed this past year. We installed the outdoor fitness area at Carry Stadium, which has been very popular, and two botchi ball courts were installed next to the fitness area,
which is behind the civic center, uh, adjacent to the shuffle ball, shuffle boards. Uh, now for a short list of some work that's still in progress. Um, this is a another road and drainage area. I know that the details a little hard to see,
but eventually this is from 18th Street to 33rd Street from West Avenue, not including West Avenue, but all the ancillary streets going to towards the beach. So all of those siphon drains on 33rd, 32nd, 31st,
31st. And you know, siphon drains are drains that are on one side of the intersection. The puddle has to build build up enough pressure to force the water underneath of the street and then up on the other side of the street and then to run along the gutter line to the to the next cross street. This we
replace all of those siphon drains with underground drains. They eliminate the puddles and they increase store underground storage for when we have heavy rains. some uh pictures of the uh construction underground drains tie in the curbs and the side marks.
>> And you can see with that ADA compliant ramp or uh corner that it's almost level going right to the street. You do not sink down to get to the street and then have to push it up over the crown of the road. >> Couple of the other projects that wrapped up this past year. This is
another shot of the construction here. um the final paving and then a couple of the other ones. >> Just one second. The um the uh um various roads and alleys. They were uh they were two projects that we put
together over the last few years where people will identify one alley. Uh they'll call us, we'll go out, we'll look at it, and they're not all together. Like you see West Avenue was all done all together. 18th to 36 or 33rd Street all done together. So these
are all over the city. So we have the streets listed but not a map. We couldn't get a map that would fit on a a slide. This is the uh 16th between Haven and Simpson uh properties that were purchased a couple years ago and the construction that's
ongoing there to create more parking for the area. Um this was another frozen drainage uh from 9th to 18th Street which included two additional DOT grants. One for 170,000
from 15th to 18th and another one for 203,000 from 9th to 11th and the entire project was from 9th to 18th Street all west. This is just some of the uh action shots here in front of McDonald's there.
This was I think that was there. We go. Um we have I think the mayor actually just mentioned it in his opening remarks. Uh resiliency dredging is about to start. uh the areas they'll be hitting South Harbor which is on the
right hand side. Carnival and Venetian are the two lagoons that uh surround west 17th Street then 14th Street outfall as well as around center >> and they'll be starting tomorrow. They were delayed because of the frozen bay. >> Uh the boardwalk replacement is ongoing.
Uh this is accompanied with a uh department of community affairs boardwalk restoration grant that a lot of the towns uh were lucky enough to receive this past year $4.8 million in grant funding matched by another $2.4 million in local funding. Uh this is
some shots of the Fifth Street area. Um Fifth Street to St. Charles is is well underway. uh 12th to 14th Street will be the second phase of this grant program and that is also one-year agenda for award tonight. That would also go to El Perryzi concrete uh if awarded tonight
on the agenda. And then last but not least, the third phase of this which we would plan to accomplish right after Labor Day and have done by the end of the year would be the replacement of 14th to 16th Street at this time. And the 12th to 14th Street is not going to
be a total demolition. Uh our structural engineer looked at the piling. He said they were good. If we come across one once we open it up, we'll put helical pile in. They're going to increase the joistices. So right now or decrease the joist, the space between the joist.
Right now they're 24 in on center. They're going to make them uh put them on 12 in on center. And this will allow our trash truck to be able to drive from 12th to 14th street and increase the efficiency of the trash pickup during the summer. Couple other pictures of the
decking uh getting laid down closet in the background there's grill pictures here the ramps and now we move into the planned uh reconstruction of 3400 block of uh yeah
I'm sorry this is a 3400 block of um >> playground hang a second this Um, this, uh, is also on your agenda for tonight. Uh, to Mcccle's architecture. Um, I'm sorry, the public Let me let me break this up. I'm sorry. This, this
slides got a little screwed up here. The public safety building uh is on your agenda for tonight. Uh, 992,000 to design the public safety building across the street. I'm sorry that the picture got swapped out here. Um we are also moving forward 3,400 block
3,400 block of recreational facility between less and asbury uh which was uh 3.5 million grant funded uh through county open space grants. You put an ordinance in place this past year for 7.5 million total. And uh also on your agenda tonight, I think as the mayor
mentioned, is a contract for to compound for the uh the equipment for it to order that in advance for the 3400 project the playground equipment because it takes it's all customized and takes at least 7
months. So if we wait until the project is designed and go out to bid, we'll never be able to start in September of 25 26. And this is a rendering of what the block will look like once it's complete. On the right hand side, you have the playground area that will
extend all the way from west to Asbury. On the 34th Street side, you have a replacement of the pavilion building uh in the red area with bathrooms. Uh the whitish area below that uh on the Asbury side will be a multi- uh purpose turf
area. Uh then you have uh I'm up in the top now again. Three uh pickle ball courts, family pickle ball courts, two hard tennis courts, three turf tennis courts on the left, that's 35th Street, I'm sorry, four. >> Um a a practice wall area for racket
sports and then the two uh basketball courts, one of which can be converted into a dunk court for for youth and handicap accessible and special needs. And with the building being replaced, it's not just going to be bathrooms. It's also going to be some uh storage
space, which is needed in the south end of the island. There'll be a small office there that they'll be able to use to monitor the raet ball and the tennis ball and the tennis courts. And they're also going to put a a stage on the east side of that building where the bathrooms and the offices are going to
be. And then that will have a gate that you can open up and they can do some small performances there and have the uh people sit in on the uh turf. So, um we got the dog park in progress. Um
new pavilions down there and let's see. >> And it's been delayed a little bit as the mayor said earlier just because of the ice and the snow. They're going to be able to get back to it next week. And that's what's the new shelter is going to look like down there.
Um, now we want to go to 25. What's how much grants? 53. You make a list of that >> total grants we got. >> I saw them all. You only mentioned it a couple times. >> It's close to $10 million.
>> I'd like to switch over to the spreadsheet now at this point. And for members of the public, we're going to have it here on the screen. Sorry, this is a little small. Again, sticking in the same categories.
Should we put the lights back on for this? >> Yeah. >> Again, that was a review of everything that's in progress and has been completed. Um, wanted to focus your attention back over to the actual capital plan spreadsheet 26 to 30. Vince and I are going to focus our comments on
the 2026 column since that's what we expect to accomplish at this coming year. But as I said, we always give you the plan in a 5year version. Uh, we'll start off with drainage category. um where we budget a million dollars a year for for
a lot of which as you can see are always married up with NJ grants so that we can complete streets that accompany those grant projects. Um I'm going to take over here with $4 million for the flood mitigation projects. $4 million would be for the flood mitigation that has
already been designed. Uh we're getting ready to review it now with uh Baker Engineers to do the design and that goes from 18th Street to 25th Street which will complement where we already are from uh 26th Street to 33rd Street. The
$1 million will be for a road project that we're designing right now and that includes Dory Drive where the water company is on uh from 55th where the water company's working right now. So they'll take a they'll pay a partial part of that uh repaving Oxford
and Somerset Lane back in Barry Park. Uh there's a couple of alleys on here as well. And then as I said before, Morland Terrace from Atlantic to the boardwalk and that also will be partially funded by the water companies since they did work uh ahead of us.
5 million and 27. >> Oh yeah. And the um we have for Ocean City Homes already out and have been awarded to Baker to come up with concepts for the Ocean City Home area, but not just the Ocean City Home area. We extended it I want to say to 50th
Street, but it could be 49th Street. I'm not 100% certain. Um and that will incorporate all of that area. So there'll be whatever they come up with the concepts. It may be pumps, it may not be pumps, may be BMS, it could be elevating the streets. But what one thing that I know that we'll do is we
will super elevate the rest of 52nd Street. We had done from the bay to the marsh and that has been incredibly uh effective for overland flow coming from the marsh. And then the $5 million is a estimate on
what that project will cost in 2017. We move into the beach and bay category. uh all the dredging uh that we went over is already taken care of as far as funding is concerned. We can take a break on that for a year. We continually try to take a break. We just haven't
>> I saw I thought uh beach mats uh in past we continually try to keep at with that $80,000 a year as well as improving our duty fencing along seven miles of beaches. Each bill is a $3 million match for each of the
Army Corps projects. I say each of them because there's two of them. There's north end and south end. Obviously, the north end we continue to work on. Congressman paid us a visit last week uh with the mayor and some other officials that were up looking at the fish area. Uh we're hopeful that that funding is going to come through soon. And then
typically the south end funding would follow that towards the end of the year in a couple months. And with your three-year reourishment program through the Army Corps, you see the same 3 million on 29, which is when they would be expected to come back. The
board office just mentioned the 14th and 16th uh we take another 1.2 million local funding to finish that portion off in the fall. And then there's isolated replacement funding in the out years for passport on the boardwalk. Also on the boardwalk from St. James. So, from the
beginning of the boardwalk of Fifth Street, we're going to replace the ACE lights and we're going to put in our own lights because Atlanta Electric doesn't like the one boardwalk anymore. It's not safe. They can't change them. So, we have uh we have put into our project uh which will be funded partially by that
$4.9 million grant uh lighting which will it's it's not the same cuz it's a little bit older at Newark, but it'll it look very similar from Fifth to 14th Street and it will have the ability to dim. Uh so that at 10:00 at night when
you go down to 60% power or whatever, but more importantly, if there's an emergency, it can be brought up to 100%. uh either for police, fire, EMS, whatever. >> Moving over to page two, uh we're just kicking off the public buildings
properties category. $3 million is the basically the city share for generous donation once again uh that was pledged from Mr. Leon Grisbomb for $3 million uh to match that and we're under design right now. Uh that contract was awarded
this past year um for the architecture and uh construction plans. Uh so we hope to have something to you soon for that. This past year, council awarded uh the materials for new hangers at the airport facility as well. That was completely
grant funded through the FAA. This coming year, we expect to couple more FAA money with $250,000 local money in order to complete that project and be able to award the construction of those interiors. Um, we have some uh, you know, beach
patrol has a ventilation to the workshop they'd like to accomplish as well as a purchase of a shed. Um, this would just with the civic center guys looked at the floor. Again, I we brought the like I said, this is just a plan. And I don't know if we're going to be able to wait another year on that floor and and also
why we're at the civic center down at that area. I know we talked about the playground at uh you know on the beach there street. So we haven't put that in there but if council wants to do that you know we can we absolutely can put that in there but Dan still has some numbers. So that was one thing we haven't put into yet. So Right. So the
the two projects that the mayor referred to are in 2027 for now for the civic center community center looking to as we stated earlier uh we hit half the building this past year to complete the HBAC system there. Uh and then electrical lighting the following year.
So th this port this portion of the HVAC is to replace the 30 ton unit up on the roof and that pretty much has tentacles into every part of the building. looking to upgrade uh two of our three firehouses uh in the coming years. Station three with an addition and
construction uh design money in 27 construction money in 28. And then the headquarters dorm and living areas design money in 26 construction money in 27. And the music pier uh again that's design money 150,000 26 uh for the
envelope repairs with construction funding 27. One thing else here, we got a great big deal in here. So, we're trying to help that, make that a lot nicer, help with the salmon. >> Yeah.
I wanted sunrise service an upgrade phase two to the stage lighting uh next year and replacement with exterior doors uh this year. Um next page is also 26.
Yeah, I touched on design and infrastructure. And then uh we've got another half a page of building improvements. Um with the demolition of the public safety building, we are uh looking to uh fund temporary office space for social
services office. Um again with we touched on solar earlier. The former solar panels uh were on our building for 15 years. They've been removed. Uh we're looking to replace >> just go back with the temporary office space where that we're looking for that
much whether we get a temporary trailer or something like that. We're looking at a couple rentals that aren't out of the game yet. But uh and we're going to need something for the next few years. So that wasn't just for rent. It could be for a a build in order to put back all
the solar arrays that we formally had. We need to repair uh two of the roofs uh that formerly occupy that that program and that's fire headquarters and our vehicle maintenance building on 10th Street. Constantly looking to upgrade LEDs citywide. That's 25,000 a year. And
then we have general building funds that we put in uh every year for unknown things that happen. Uh we are looking to invest some money in the for street life saving station this coming year with some maintenance to the main building and out building. Uh the public works
has projects in the out years to rehab the vehicle maintenance building and uh as well as adding storage shelter roof and the HBAC needs attention as well streets there's a new commissioner Sean I have
no idea what's going on so I think we might be back to square one so we'll get some action >> next category public home facilities and recreation they have a plan upgrade to the audio of Carrick Field and then next
year getting to the press box staircase. Uh a few community services items in here including an auditorium shed at Bayside Center and what we'd like to do is upgrade and enclose the batted cages at 34th Street Little League uh to make them soundproof and a little more usable
year round. Uh we're continuing on $500,000 a year with our downtown streetscape and lighting project on Adbury and we just phase one of that a couple months ago. Correct. M. >> Yes. And we're still in the we're still in the uh process of receiving submitts
from the contractor. Uh so that that construction will start very soon. Anybody who's driven down Bay Island recently has noticed that our uh netting golf course needs some attention. Um we potentially looking at turfing the
field at 15th and Haven uh next year. That's for 2027. Uh that's existing soccer lacrosse field uh upgrades uh at the 18th street pickle ball including uh expansion of the parking areas on 18th street adjacent to the intermediate school. So real quick
on that the the 16th street um the turfield and that sort of go together. So what we've been trying to do a couple you know with public safety and all that with close calls is figure out with the pickable add some pickle put some roofing in and then ascorting around the
the um armory there and then going all the way to Bay Avenue our biggest issues down there is there's absolutely no parking for that intermediate school and if you go there at night time and try to get in that building and since I've been on the um was on the school board trying to figure out how we could take that
field at 16th Street and And then there's plenty of fields. And then if we do the field at um 15th Street. So from 15th to 20th Street, we have plenty of fields and all that. And the one thing we don't have is parking. So we can pickle ball senior center and all the things we have going down there. We're working with the school administration.
We haven't gotten to their school board. We're pick up and drop off with the kids. So that whole area to look at. So I mean we put the number in there. We're trying to figure out how much asphalt and Dan's working on the roofs and and what it would cost to convert the tennis courts into a pickle ball, but we're
conscious of this noise. So, we're thinking about with the roof. And then as far as the parking down there, it's it's just again I went to school there and all that kind of stuff. So, it's, you know, I used to play in that that was a dirt field. It was a parking lot. I was going there. But we want to try to get the the
teachers out of the neighborhoods. You know, Ben Avenue, we actually, you know, we put the, you know, Joe, you know, you were familiar. We put the light in down there and uh you know you have the teachers on Bay Avenue. So we figure if we can take that field replace at Palmer Field and then with the field you know
the grass we put in right 16th Street there we put parking lot there and I think for the teachers the kids the residents and I think you know for too long now that Michigan and Arkansas and all those people have been uh all they lose all the parking every year. So but I just last couple times I've been down
there for sporting events. It's not, you know, it's not lit up. I I would talked to public works, maybe help them out to light it up because you never know what to do. And I know with security, you can't come in the front door a lot of times. So, you come in the side gym. But, I think if we can figure out a way to get parents to pick the cars up, pick
the kids up, excuse me, pick the kids up, get parking for the teachers, and I just think that would be a heck of a improvement down there. So, it's we're just trying to tie get tie it all together. So again, we got to talk with the school board and and why the school board's not doing the city. It's it's
just a whole different process and we're going to try to work in some sort of shared service or or agreement with the school that we can um you know use that properly. So long- winded uh explanation, but a lot we're just in the beginning of that. So I know some of the parents, some of the families might get
upset. Oh, we're taking the field. It it we're going to enhance. We're not taking anything away. and we want to work with the school too uh behind and around where the softball fields are. So, it's a lot going on, but we'll like I said, we'll bring you guys up to speed, but we
need to start somewhere. So, sorry Frank, I know you guys are great. The last category uh in this area some miscellaneous under the other category uh bleacher upgrades annually uh constantly looking at fencing repairs to
our facilities, irrigation, citywide landscaping and truck replacements and general property improvements in this category. Next page we get into large equipment and trucks. Um, we have the need in the airport transportation area to replace the 15
passenger vans that we utilize for the beach program as well as a minivan and a maintenance truck in that area. Um, the beach patrol has some routine replacement each year of ATVs and UTVs um as well as uh some rest pickup trucks. There's a couple of them in this
plan 126 and 128. Community services is looking for a lift G a G lift, I'm sorry. uh the fire department. Um we this past year we bought two high water rescue trucks that were replacements of our old military equipment. Um they've
been working out great so far. The ideal the idea is to get one in each firehouse. We have two so far. We'd like to order a third one this year so that during storm events we have one at each firehouse. Um and then they're also looking to replace two pumper engines
which are over 20 years old at this point. Um, so 2,250 would be two fire trucks that we would order this year and maybe get by next year with the long time builds. Believe it or not, um, it's been longer and longer the past several
years to get fire trucks built. Um, there's a police boat that's in that's being requested in here at the bottom of this page um to replace the patrol that they currently have. Public works on the next page. um is looking for uh the replacement of
a mini dump truck uh which they also use for plowing and salting operations. Uh they have a couple pickup trucks in here and a 9y trash truck for $180,000. We always put vehicle rehab money in at the bottom as well for any large scale replacements upgrade to qualify for
capital uh to repair the city fleet. uh as we get into the next I won't I won't trouble you with uh you know reading all this really you know I mean number by number but in the departmental equipment category you can see all the different divisions here that request a
lot of it's routine replacement of small equipment a lot of handheld things uh small you know watercraft in the beach patrol area uh general equipment and community services a lot of it and fitness center related we're constantly looking to upgrade things like treadmills and three core mach machines
and and and weightlifting. Fire department um constantly looking to replace turnout gear, hoses, things of that nature. Um that continues on to the next page. Same with the police department. Um yeah, message boards, um
bikes, cameras, things like that that they replace on an ongoing basis. Um communication in our IT is the same. um looking to upgrade servers, uh hardware, things of that nature, uh routinely throughout the year. And then last but
not least is the inter mobile category uh where we to upgrade signage each year uh throughout the city and couple that airport possible EV station building uh next year as well as looking to expand EV possibly center next year.
Um total for the year 23.8 million uh requested funding for 26 total for the 5 years and the yellow line at the bottom sorry the members of the public the yellow line at the bottom almost 73.4 4 million
over five years put everything uh together. Um and then you'll just humor me for a while and then just give me one more minute here. Switch back to PowerPoint. Finish
up slides at the end. So, like I said in the beginning, important part of this process as it relates to the to the current uh fund budget or the uh the regular budget is figuring out that 5% down. Uh we just went through a list of of, you know,
$23.8 million in projects for this year, excuse me. That equates to about 1.2 million in down payment money that we would have to put in the operating budget. And that's as it as you as you write the bond ordinances to put these projects in place, you have to have the 5% down in the operating budget. Uh the
five-year plan, like I just said, represents about $73 million in total funding. Um and that's about $70 million in debt by the time we put the 5% down through each ordinance. And that's not counting any offsets for grants that we could receive for any of these projects over the years. So, as we move that
forward and as I figure out how to, you know, schedule the debt service, uh, the debt statement for the city as of 3125, we had $168 million in outstanding bonds. That's projects that have been permanently funded. We know what this the payback schedule is. Those are
various bond sales that we're paying down from roughly 2014 to 2025. We have $69 million in temporary notes or unfunded debt. Those are projects that haven't gone to bond sale yet. they're either still under construction, recently completed. Um I have temporary
financing out on those. Um the plan before you represents about another $40 million over the next couple years. Um from 26 to 27 if all the projects get concluded. Um again, not including various grant sources. And then the other $30 million of the plan is in the
out in the last three out years. I focus on the first two years because we're planning uh bond sales later this year in 26 and another one in 28. So the debt model in the next slides uh demonstrates capacity to continue to pay down our existing bonds as well as the new debt
that will be absorbed by this plan over the next several years with those bond sales that we have planned in 26 and 28. Um and moving into this is a chart which I know is a little hard to see for the members of the public for council. It's in your packet. It looks like this. Um,
and this is this is how we figure out what the debt service is going to look like in the out years. All of your bond principle, all your bond interest, which we know those are set amounts, they're on the schedule. We have some green acres park program upgrades that we did several years ago that has a few more
years uh to go until that's paid off. This is the uh principle of uh an interest of bond anticipation notes that I have temporary financing that's out there and some guesstimates in the out years. When I layer in uh roughly a $45 million sale in 26 and a $65 million
sale in 28, that's $110 million combined. That's going to take care of all of the temporary financing I have in place, the bond anticipation notes I have in place in the first couple of years of this plan, which as it moves into 2028 would be everything that would be right for bonding uh coming into the
2028 budget year. And you can see how all that gets layered in. Uh we guess on what the interest rates are going to be, but we're usually pretty close. Uh you don't know what market conditions are going to be, but we are doubleA rated. So, whatever the conditions are, we're going to get some of the best rates that
are out there. We know that going into it. Um, this is the total debt service uh from year to year. Last year's budget had a $2.8 million increase in uh debt service from the 24 budget. This year, we're looking at only 1.8. So, we're
starting to see a scaling down. And that 1.8 million is going to be offset by some capital revenue, some premium money that gets spent on these bond sales that come through. the net effect on the budget this year for debt service is uh going to be under a million dollars. And I'll explain that more when I get to the
marriage budget. But then you can see uh as it goes on, we're really the the increases in the debt service are really starting to tail off in the next couple years. And I think that's what we've been trying to say uh for several years now is we've had so many large scale infrastructure projects, so many roads
and drainage um projects with the pumps, redoing the boardwalk, uh all the dredging that we've done in in in the back bays, um all the building improvements that that we've accomplished. We're finally starting to turn the corner and see that all those large scale infrastructure projects,
building projects, facility projects have now been for the most part, a lot of them have been accomplished. they've been absorbed into the schedule and we're going to start to see this curtail in the next couple years which I think is great news to the residents, the taxpayers and to the council the rest of the vote on these budgets. So, um I
think it's good that we see some relief finally some leg coming up. Um and then last but not least like I always show it in graph form everything that uh oops sorry there um the existing bond principles in
the bottom the interest all the layers and you can see what we try what we strive to achieve every year is as we build the debt service in a smooth effect to each of the each of the year's budgets coming forward. Um we don't want to see tax rate spikes going up and down as these projects whether they're big
scale or large scale get absorbed. The whole idea is to be able to finance them so that they have a smooth and equal effect to the operating budget and that's what the forecast calls for. Um, you know, an even impact each year's budget and also a tapering down going
forward. Um, so again, just to reiterate on the process, this is the presentation of the capital plan. Three weeks from now, because there's an extra week in between the next council meeting, first meeting in March, not only will you hear from the mayor as far as proposed operating budget, we would ask uh we put
a resolution on to adopt this. So, it gives us plenty of time for council feedback, questions, uh, you know, any items that you want to debate in this in here. Obviously, we'll take questions now, but keep in mind we have a few weeks in between now on the adoption of the capital plan. Um, and uh, from that
point forward, we would put bond ordinances in place, but actually which actually puts the money in place for these projects and then many of those projects go out to bid. They advertise for the bid, then you have to award the contract. So, my point being that when it comes to capital projects, you have
many different phases and many different lights of the apple before these projects get implemented. So, I appreciate your attention tonight. We tried to make that as quick as we could. Sorry for a couple of the picture difficulties. >> I like the new police station idea. We could
>> the rides in the compatibility issue with PowerPoint here when I throw it upstairs. So, if you spend everything understand people see that they think, "Oh my god, that's what we spent." And you just got to remind everybody, no, this is just this is a plan. >> We haven't spent this. So, and again,
things drop off like this year, we took a million out, we'd have to do uh dredging. So, it's, you know, just got to get the right information. Oh my god, I'm going crazy. But we got a great finance router team. You know, we've been we've been doing a good job and I appreciate Frank and his whole team is
doing a lot of work ahead of us still. Any questions for you guys? >> Questions? >> Thank you guys. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. You >> good? >> Good. I'll find you. >> Okay, great. >> I just feel like it burned out here. >> Okay,
>> thanks for all the information. Um, it'll be on the website, I'm sure, Frank, for everyone to review. >> Yeah, good, good point, Terry. Thanks for reminding me. All these materials, the spreadsheet, as well as the whole PowerPoint, um, will be up on the website uh, tonight. >> Good. Thank you very much, Frank. Appreciate it. That'll move us into
reports from city council. David, >> no report. >> Jody, >> I'm good for now. >> Keith, >> I'm good. Thank you, sir. >> Sean, no reports. >> Tony, >> no reports. >> No reports. I have nothing to report. Can I have a motion to adopt the regular city council meeting minutes of Thursday, February 5th, 2026? So move
second. >> Mr. Madden, >> yes. >> Mr. Barnes, yes. Mr. Pini, Mr. Hartzel, Mr. Love, Mr. Winslow, Mr. Crowley. >> Yes. >> Uh, we have three ordinances on the agenda this evening. Um, the first
ordinance, uh, can I have Okay. Motion to uh take up 2602 on first reading. >> Motion first. >> Second. >> Mr. Madden. Yes. >> Mr. Barnes. Yes. >> Mr. Pchini. Yes. >> Mr. Hartzel. Yes. >> Mr. Lovechuk. Yes.
>> Mr. Winslow. Yes. Mr. Crowley. >> Yes. >> Okay. Ordinance 2602. An ordinance replacing the entire contents of the existing affordable housing ordinance of the revised general ordinances of the city of Ocean City, New Jersey, article 2000 of the Ocean City Zoning and Land
Development Ordinance and repealing all ordinances hereto for adopted the provisions of which are consistent herewith, including but not limited to article 1900 affordable housing development fees, article 1901 affordable housing set aside, and
article 2100 municipal housing liaison. >> Okay, Daddy. >> Good evening, council. Um, I'm sorry I couldn't be with you today, but I'm happy to be able to participate in the meeting by telephone. Can everyone hear me? >> Yes. Yes.
>> Okay. Um, as council is aware, we're engaged in the fourth round of affordable housing at this time as mandated by the Supreme Court Mount Laurel doctrine and the affordable housing law. This process was now overseen by the New Jersey
Department of Community Affairs in the wake of the abolition of the Council on Affordable Housing or COA. The goal of the program is to ensure that all municipalities provide their fair share of affordable housing and
that is done through several techniques. The actual funding andor construction of housing but also in the adoption of ordinances and resolutions which create opportunities for others to create affordable housing and camps.
In this round, there's a different process intended to be streamlined to avoid the protracted and costly litigation that the city's been through in the past. In this process, in this fourth round, there are strict deadlines for the adoption of manuals and resolutions and
ordinances um for the city. And the goal of the whole process is to gain for Ocean City an ordinance for an order of compliance from the superior court which will immunize the city from builder's refuge
lawsuits. Council will recall that in June we adopted a housing element and fair share plan as part of this process. So, this ordinance on tonight's agenda has a long title to go with a very long
ordinance, and the title describes what this does. If you read through this ordinance and you're familiar with our existing affordable housing ordinance in the articles listed in the title, you'll see that it is very similar to what we
already have in our administrative code. This is the ordinance before you is based on a model ordinance developed by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Division of Local Planning Services and it's designed to help municipalities
throughout the state update local ordinances to comply with the 2024 Fair Housing Act. We've been working with the city's affordable housing consultants to tailor the model ordinance to
uh meet Ocean City's needs. And that's what's before you tonight. >> Okay. Thank you, Daddy. >> So, >> oh, sorry. >> Nope. That's fine. >> Did Did you Were you done? I'm sorry. >> No. Yes. Yes. That's unless anybody has
any questions. That's an explanation of what's before you on this one. >> Okay. Thank you. Any questions, Dave? Understood. >> Jody, >> Keith, >> I'm good, sir. >> Sean, talk to Daddy today. I'm good. Okay. Tony, >> understood. >> Peter, >> all good. >> All right. I'm good as well. Can I have a motion to adopt 2602 on first reading introduction?
>> So, move Winslow. >> No. >> Mr. Madden. >> Yes. >> Mr. Barnes? Yes. >> Mr. Pulchini? Yes. >> Mr. Hartzel? Yes. >> Mr. Lovech? Yes. >> Mr. Winslow? Yes. >> Mr. Crowley? >> Yes. Second reading of public hearing will be held on Thursday, March 12th at 6 p.m. and will be published according
to the law. Second ordinance tonight is 2603. Can I have a motion to introduce 2603 on first reading? >> So move Winslow. Second. >> Mr. Madden. >> Yes. >> Mr. Barnes. Yes. >> Mr. Pini. Yes. Mr. Harshell. Yes. >> Mr. Lovechuk. Yes.
>> Mr. Winslow. Yes. >> Mr. Crowley. >> Yes. >> Okay. 2603. An ordinance amending a portion of ordinance 8717 and 1323 chapter 2. boards, authorities, and commissions of the revised general ordinances of the city of Ocean City.
>> Okay. Doie. >> Um, this this ordinance implements some minor changes to the section of the administrative code that governs the um Utilities Authority Commission. And it adds attendance requirements so that
unexcused absences could um enable council to remove members who are not faithfully attending the meeting. It also requires the commission to do an annual report to council. I believe council Madden is the mun the city
council leaison to this commission and perhaps he could speak to the um the impetus for this ordinance. >> I was just trying to make the board more efficient. The main goal >> pretty straightforward. Doy, anything else? >> No, no, that's all council program.
>> Okay. Thank you, David. >> Jody, I'm good. >> Keith, I'm good. Sean >> good. >> Good. I'm all good. >> Okay. I'm good too. Can I have a motion to adopt 2603 on first reading introduction? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Mr. Madden.
>> Yes. >> Mr. Barnes. >> Yes. >> Mr. Pini. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hartzel. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lovech. >> Yes. >> Mr. Winsler. Yes. Mr. Crowley. >> Yes. Second reading of public hearing will be held on Thursday, March 12th at 6 p.m. and will be published according to law. Our third ordinance tonight is
ordinance 2601. Have a motion to take up 2601 on second reading and public hearing. >> So move Barnes. >> Second. >> Mr. Madden. >> Yes. >> Mr. Barnes. Yes. >> Mr. Pchini. Yes. >> Mr. Hartzel. Yes. >> Mr. Lovech. Yes. >> Mr. Winslow. Yes. >> Mr. Crowley.
>> Yes. >> 2601. An ordinance amending and supplementing chapter 25 zoning and land development of the rise ordinances of the city of Ocean City 2026 residential mechanical. >> Okay. Daddy, >> this ordinance um implements the
resilient environments and landscape or real NJ real rule amendments implemented by the um New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection uh which were adopted on January 20th of this year.
This those regulations affect building elevation requirements for new residential construction among other things. Because the new real requirements raise the bottom of residential buildings by 2 feet.
The building envelope as measured from first finish floor to the peak of the main roof, which is how we measure residential height in Ocean City will be shrunk by two feet unless changes are made to the definition as set forth in this ordinance. So the goal of this
ordinance is to maintain the building envelope again as measured from the floor to the top of the main roof as it has been roughly since after supertorm stand. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you, Doie. Um, since this is a second uh reading, we
will have public comment on this ordinance 2601 only. Anyone from this side? Okay. Anyone from this side? 2601. Okay. That being said, uh, council question, Steve. >> No, good. >> Jody, >> good from last time. >> Keith, >> I'm good, sir. Thank you, >> Sean.
>> Yeah, I have a question. Do um on these a portion of the ordinance, we talk about the key the key provisions of the real rules. Um, I'm looking for her. She's not there. Um the last bullet, >> she's in that bullet. >> Yeah. And I got to admire her dedication. She's on vacation right now
and she's calling in for this. Um so thank you for that, Daddy. But um the last bullet is nature-based solutions. Colon incentivizes projects like living shorelines and mars restoration over traditional hard infrastructure like seaw walls. Do we know what those
incentives look like? Is that a I mean I can't figure out how a dollar incentive would would help us because these are all individual properties that these rules apply to. But do you have any idea what the incentives are >> in the NJ real?
>> Yes. The provisions there. We haven't council at this point what we've done is tried to address the requirements that will come into um into effect that could delay projects that are in the pipeline. There will be
many other aspects of the real that are going to come before city council and I'll be happy to take a look at that and give you a call next week and tell you where I think that's going. um that's not part of this ordinance, but I'm I'm happy to take a look at that because
this is very broad um legislation that the state put into place that will have implications in in areas other than residential construction. >> Perfect. Let's talk next week. >> All right. Thank you, Tony. >> I'm good. >> Peter, >> all good. >> I'm good as well. Can I have a motion to
adopt 2601 on second reading? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Mr. Madden. >> Yes. >> Mr. Barnes. Yes, >> Mr. Pulchini. >> Yes, >> Mr. Hartzell. >> Yes, >> Mr. Lovef. Yes, >> Mr. Winslow. >> Yes, >> Mr. Crowley. >> Yes, >> that'll move us into the consent agenda.
All resolutions listed on consent agenda are considered to be routine in nature and will be acted by one motion. If the mayor or any council person wished a particular resolution to be considered separately, it will be moved from the consent agenda. Anything to be removed? Jay's gone. So, you guys
>> Yes. Number 8 26 uh 2665. Okay. Number seven. >> Start with seven, I guess. >> Sure. You want to do seven first, Keith? >> Sure, why not? >> All right, go ahead. >> 2664,
a resolution authorizing the award of a professional services contract to Mcccle's architectural for the design of a new public safety building at 835 Central A. So, I know I had a question about um when I saw the plans whether or not the
um it would be necessary to have the court there and I wanted some further explanation is do do we need a court here, don't need a court here and what's the benefit of having the court and what's not the benefit of not having a court here.
Um, George, you want >> Yes, we um we scaled back the size of the court uh because we don't need the the same size as we did before, but we believe that it would be it would behoove us to have uh court space. um if
there is any potential consolidation of courts or or any sharing of courts, we would be in a position to take that on. Uh if uh if that were the case, um we believe it's a good thing to have uh a a
public court room in Ocean City, uh given the the magnitude of the of the work that we do in the city. And um it's uh like I said, it was scaled back from the original plans and it uh in our opinion makes sense to include it in
what I believe is the unlikely event that we were not to have courts here. if in in the future if courts were to be uh become part of a county system or if we were to uh share uh share courts and go
to another location, I believe the space would still be beneficial for us to have in that facility. But at this point, we believe having a court in Ocean City makes all the sense in the world. >> How big is the space now? >> Off the top of my head, I don't know the
um the square footage. Um, I think it's about uh I think it's about 50 40 or 50 seats. Uh, >> no. Square the whole >> the square footage. I I'm not sure off the top of my >> I like to know that and the cost of it cuz I'm I'm just leerary that there's
movement, you know, to all video and that type of thing. And you know, if I knew I was going to get um consolidation from other towns, then I would feel good about that. But I I I'd like to wear I I need to weigh that cost down. >> Yeah. And and I got to tell you, too,
even with video, the courts are required to have the ability to accept members of the public at this point. You can't just uh you can't just have Zoom. A lot of it's done on Zoom, but you have to enable the public to to attend.
I just I still have more questions about the size of it. Why is it got to be that size? What's the probability going forward? We need a court. What's the probability that we would have other people use our court? What's the benefit, you know, financially? I'm just not 100% sold on it yet. I'm
not saying yes. I'm not saying no. I'm not 100% sold. >> Okay. Do you want to jump in? I just wanted to remind council that when you authorized a shared services agreement for the what became manor,
the city was required to provide 24 units. Um but because construction was ongoing and council foresaw a need for future affordable housing units and recognized that it would be less expensive to build
the additional units even before they were mandated because the construction project was underway. You authorized an additional 12 units question. >> Yeah. I dy I think >> council should be aware that Yeah. >> I I we're we're speak >> she's getting to that.
>> Okay. Yeah, >> I'm sorry. >> Here, because you're constructing the public safety building, >> the additional space will undoubtedly be put to some future use, even if the court was somehow not in Ocean City. As
things stand today, Ocean City is the largest and busiest municipal court in Kate May County. I can tell you that the consolidation of courts in Atlantic County has not gone as smoothly as had been hoped. So, consolidation of the municipal courts in
Kate May County may be sometime down the road, but Ocean City would be a likely location for a regional court to maybe pick up Township, maybe pick up a a summer point. But I certainly do
recognize that Councilman Hartzwell has valid questions. Um, those are just some points that I thought you might consider. >> Okay. I think I think Judge Russell wrote a rather lengthy dissertation on why we need the court here and I thought
thought it was very well done. You know, it may not address all your issues, Keith, but I think maybe maybe we want to take a look at that because it may help. Yeah, it may take some understanding on the need to have the space that we have, but I also think when they were looking at it, they were thinking where the supporting walls were
so that as as George said if we need to move something else in there, it may be other uses in there at a future date since we're building this space. >> Okay, Jody. >> No, and just I mean on top of it too, this some of the spaces uh what I came to learn looking at the schematic of
this was that there's you have to have like a certain route that's dedicated to the judge himself, how he comes and goes and makes his way around the chamber and has his own room and security for himself. So, you know, that's going to of course take up, you know, a good
amount of space relative to what is offered to the public. So, um, you know, to to Dave's point, yes, I I I actually forgot about that for this particular moment. Uh, Judge Russell did have a good dissertation quite a few months back when we were talking about I think it was the Adelin Asbury and and and how important court is. So, I'm I'm good
with this. >> Okay. Um, Keith, are you good? Let's go to Sean. >> I'm good. >> Okay. Tony, >> I'm good. >> Peter, >> I'm good. Good. I think it makes sense to do it up front. >> Okay, I'm good as well. Since this was a pulled um resolution, we will go out to
public comment just on number seven. Anyone from this side for number seven? This side for number seven. Seeing none. Um can I have a motion to adopt resol resolution seven? >> So moved. >> Second one.
>> Mr. Madden. >> Yes. >> Mr. Barnes. >> Yes. >> Mr. Pchini. >> Yes. >> Mr. Herzel. >> Yes. >> Mr. Mr. Lovech. >> Yes. >> Mr. Winslow. >> Yes. >> Mr. Crowley. >> Uh, yes. >> Okay. Resolution number eight. Uh, resolution authorizing the award of a professional services contract to
Jennifer L. Heler, PP AICP of Palestina and Associates LLC as a professional planner to assist city council in evaluating proposals regarding 600 boardwalk. >> Okay. Um, who pulled this? David.
I um I have a number of comments on this and some of the stuff e I I echo what some of the public had said, but when you read the resolution, um I just wanted to be clear, maybe this needs to be rewritten a little bit. It says whereas both the mayor and the city
council lead that this was I thought this was this was purely a city council action. It wasn't an action on behalf of the mayor. >> Dy, >> I think the mayor is is while he may support it, this is not his resolution. So I don't think he should be identified in here.
>> All right. I can Doy, do you want to speak to this or should I speak to it? >> Councilman, I would prefer that you do stuff. >> Okay. So um when we did the original hiring of the land use attorney, um Doy did the research and in our form of
government, um the way this needed to be written, the mayor did need to be included into the resolution, okay, >> for um legal ease. And I'm not an attorney, but that was how it was explained to me um by our council after
after the fact. So this is just mirroring up what we did the same way when we appointed um our land use attorney. >> Okay. So yeah, so the mayor's Yeah. Okay. This is our this is this proposal is for us, not for the administration.
>> No, just written that way for legal use. >> Okay. I agree. Okay. Um I had you know as I thought about it and I've gone back and forth on this and given this significant significant thought uh if I and I went back to kind of where we all started with this you know when it was first proposed to council that we would
hire uh you know an attorney and it was Mr. Bridgeway and he was hired, my understanding, to answer questions we had as we move forward, you know, on specifically on 600 boardwalk because we all know eventually something's going to be built there and hopefully as the
subcommittee continues to work uh we'll be able to provide some pretty robust uh recommendations which will come to council and then if they they they approve them or whatever then they'll go to planning board for final adoption. And at that and then at that point
council may have questions. We had a we had an expert uh to help us understand and keep us on the straight and do and do the right thing. Um so now I you know now the then and that was more of a a
resource for us. So now we you know a proposal to hire a planner and on the surface it make I think it makes it makes sense but I don't know what the real plan is for this the two working together. Uh, and I don't know what the timeline is. Again, the I've heard that
this is a we're putting this in place tonight or proposed to put in place just to have someone on board if we need someone a planner down the road. But I've also heard that they're going to start right away and start to decide what can be
built at 600 boardwalk. >> Well, we know what can be built at 600 boardwalk. You just look at the zoning ordinance and we know what's what can be built there. And I this subcommittee may very well say well maybe we need to make some changes there. I don't know. We have we're not there yet. But we don't.
So maybe be a little if that was the case maybe be a little immature. I know this isn't a big contract. I think I heard it was $17,000 maximum that we would pay for this. So it's not a big but it is tax taxpayers money. I guess more I'd be more interested what is the
scope of this proposed planner's job? What are we hiring this person to do? And I don't know what that is. >> Okay. >> Other than to determine what can be built there. Well, we know what can be built there. Not a hotel right now. >> Uh the amusement park or whatever. Um
and then secondly, just doing our due diligence and as I always do is how did we select Polystina? I understand he's a senator. I know nothing about him. I don't know that he has any connection at all to Ocean City. I think he's an Atlantic County guy. So, that's probably
a really good thing. But how do we come up with Mr. Palestina? Um, and did we consider other firms? These are questions I would ask just like if I was buying a a house. >> Um, why do we why did he assign Jennifer
Heller? She's got great credentials, but why did he assign her? I just don't know. I'd like I would like to know that. Um, you know, uh, what is her approach to this kind of thing? Has she been in other type of politically charged? Let's
face it, she's politically charged. What kind of other politically charged types of things has she worked in? Maybe she's worked in a lot of them and does great, but I don't know that. Um uh you know, and how does she approach those issues? Um is she is her intent to advise us on
rehabilitation or redevelopment or what can be built there? Um and I want would like to know what her interplay would be if any with the subcommittee is the council council subcommittee. So uh you know I like the fact these two people
Mr. W Ridge Rididgeway and is Jennifer Heler are independent from Ocean City. I don't does I don't believe they have any ties here. I went through all the elect reports and there's pages of elect reports. I didn't see any ties to anybody that we would have any objection
to. But there's too many for me there's too many an unanswered questions and and more importantly what's the need right now to do it. I know we want to maybe say we want to move this process along so when subcommittee makes our recommendations we have something in place but I don't know what that
something is. So at that point I I I at this point I may I may be able to support it but I don't know right now. So I'd like to with withdraw it. Uh that would be my recommendation. Withdraw it so we can get some more information. >> Okay. I mean, can I go next? As the president, I kind of have somewhat
spearheaded this process and, you know, I look at it as um just like with the subcommittee, you know, we took a lot of talented people. Um they're gathering information. I think throughout this process and none of us are experts in rehabilitation and redevelopment, all
that sort of thing. We've been very reactive to um the situation and it's been very emotional. I think that I can just go on, you know, what what's made me successful and I' I've been at a company for 30 years. Um, one of the
things that's been ingrained upon me is find the find the most talented people, hire them, let them do their job, get the information back from them, and then based on that information, make the best decision for for whatever you're looking
at. So, that's how I look at this. I look at we have the subcommittee. We hired a land use attorney that's an expert. He's made some recommendations that this person's very talented. I went through her resume. She's worked with a number of different municipalities. I've talked to mayors in other town. I've talen to
council people in other towns. And I really look at it as we now have kind of a three-pronged approach to and like you said, at some point this is going to come to a head. Mhm. >> So rather than wait and be reactive, I
view it as let's be proactive. Let's marry up the timelines here with the subcommittee, with the advice of our land use attorney, and with an independent um planning report. And you know, one of the things that we've all
moved through this process is we the public wants transparency. They want to know what's going on. Somebody asked earlier, would this report be available to the public? Absolutely. It's all going to be available to the public. It's just us gathering information uh
from independent sources so that when when we do ultimately make a decision or kind of see where we're going to go up there, I think this puts us in a position to have all the information we need. At the end of the day, all it is is information. Nobody's going to tell
you how to vote or uh that sort of thing. It's going to be I have this in front of me and right now we have nothing in front of us but I have this in front of me. I have the subcommittee's report back. I have our attorney advising us on if and what goes
and I have an independent planning report uh on 600 boardwalk and it's just in that scope and it's just that property. So, I just feel like it's being us proactive, kind of marrying up the process and giving us as much information cuz we've been we've voted
on this a couple times. We've never had good information. It's been very emotional. It's been very um you know, all over the place with opinions. Let's take the emotion out of it. Let's let's hire the best people we can to give us the information that we need so that we
can make a prudent decision if and when that time comes. Let's be proactive. That was that's my thought process on it. Um I don't want to wait till the next meeting till another 3 weeks because um I would my thoughts and we can decide I want to empower this person
to begin work on this project so that we marry up the timelines and you know this isn't done quickly. So it's an independent report. It's what everyone asked for. These people have no ties. Uh we're a nonpartisan city. There's a lot of Republicans in here. There's a lot of Democrats. We don't we never go down
that path. We we hire the best people and we empower them to do their their do their job. And I feel like this is the most transparent and fact-based way to do it. Um is everyone going to be happy with it? Absolutely not. But you were all elected to make these decisions. And
it's my advice that we move forward with this based on the recommendations of the expert land use attorney we've we've hired who's not even 30 days in the job. So, I think he's doing a great job. The fact he's bringing himself up to speed,
he's gathering as much information as he can and he wants to build out a team around him that can advise him to help us in advising us. That's my long-winded process of it. But, um, >> appreciate that, >> Jody. I I shared in some of the same questions Dave did. We spoke about this
earlier, you know, throughout the week at length on this. I'm very I'm very comfortable with this and you know and just one thing that and I appreciate I I totally understand the the the the public's you know wondering or scratching their head about this whole thing about what what this is. You know Terry said it perfectly. I mean
everything we're doing is completely in full transparency to the public. There's no what is what do they say a back door planning board? You know I don't even know who's on that board who who that is like if there was one. Um th this is being done in full transparency to the
public and you know this is what was very much recommended to us. This is what city council agreed to to do. This helps us big time with our evaluating master plan and master plan recommendations. This helps our committee. I think this ties a lot of
loose ends together. Um I my understanding is that this planner was recommended by the attorney that we all agreed on um not too long ago and uh and they have the ability to work together and that's a good thing. So um I am for this and and you know and I'll also just
remind everybody you know we were it was pointed out you know maybe we're wasting taxpayers money that we have our own planner here. We do. So, since it was brought up, I'll remind everybody um that planner at the planning board meeting um advised the planning board um that uh uh that that he recommended a um
that that uh be a rehabilitation site based on the both criteria. I just want both. So, I mean, if the public thinks it's a good idea, we use our own planner. I'm all game. I'm game for it. And that's it. I'm just >> Keith. So I came I come from the same corporate
background you do at a very high management level and one thing when I hire somebody like we hired Mr. Rididgeway I give them uh the leverage and the latitude to bring in the team that they want. Um, if I wasn't confident in him, then I
wouldn't be confident in this. But I am confident in him. And I I'm I'm just at the point where my successes have been by not micromanaging people. But I agree with you putting the right people in the spot. He's the right guy. This is the person he suggests to work with. There's
no harder thing in life than to be forced to work with somebody don't want to work with, especially in something like this. I would have never done that to any of my employees. an employee came to me and said, "This is who I want to work with." Yeah. My my always comment was, "I'll give you enough rope to hang
yourself." So, we have to start to trust people when when we delegate a responsibility to somebody. That's how I got through it. That's how I I excel at my job. I'm going to trust Mr. Ridgeway on this. I'm going to give him enough rope to hang himself. Doesn't work out, he's going to hear from it. I don't
expect that's going to happen because a working relationship is so important in a team. Look at any team, the working relationship is the key ingredient. He has this working relationship with this person. Quite frankly, I did not agree
um with Mr. Shaw like Mr. Shaw. I didn't agree with him. I didn't agree with the experts there. So, I I want to I want to wipe the slate clean and have somebody come in that they don't have a dog in the fight. They don't live here. They're not associated here. I feel very very
comfortable. I don't see anything nefarious here in any way, shape, or form outside of getting the best possible information from the person we hire. And it's their recommendation. That's what they do, and that's how I operate. I'm going to I agree with you 100% on this. >> Thank you, Ke Sean.
>> Um, so I agree with uh Mr. Winsow's comments. Um, and I also agree with the council's comments that have come before us tonight. Um, and I also agree with Keith. I don't believe there's anything nefarious here. Um, but I do know that there's seven members of this council
that I would have liked to have been more engaged in this process. And I met Mr. Rididgeway when we talked about him last month, and I agree. He seems like a very capable attorney. Uh, my interpretation of that meeting and and why we hired him was to give us legal advice, uh, legal advice. It's not
necessarily wasn't my understanding that he would be providing uh, a planner for us. Now, I'm okay with it, that concept, but like uh Dave and other people have brought up like what's the planner looking at? Are they looking at what will a hotel work there? That's a feasibility study. Are they looking at
is an area in need of rehabilitation? That's probably more of a legal issue because you're looking at what the statute say. Does it meet those criteria? Uh so I would just like to be more engaged in the process here. When we found out who the the group was two days ago, two or three days ago, um and
that's not just not enough time for me. I just want to I'd like to meet with Mr. Ridgeway which I know he's got an open door for us to do so. Uh maybe bring the planner in and find out what what's the plan here? What's the process? Why are you what are you looking for? What are you researching? Um and I agree with the
criteria the uh credentials of this person look very strong. But if we're trying to improve u public confidence, I think we need to step back a little bit. Two, three weeks may seem like a long time, but for something this important, I don't think
it is. just so I could have a level of more so that I could have a level of confidence is in what direction we're going, why are we doing this. Um again, I'm not opposed to a planner getting involved in the process. Uh but I think that um timing is is very critical and I think we need to have everybody
involved. So at this point like and I I know Dave alluded to it, but I would like to see this perhaps tabled um for three more weeks to uh for us to get a little bit better understanding what our goal is here. you know, why are we bringing this person in uh for the sake of transparency and um and like one of
the council spoke tonight is are we going to deviate is our goal here to deviate from the master plan and obviously I would not be in favor of that. So, um that's my comments. >> All right. Thanks, Sean. Terry, >> uh, you know, talking to everybody this
week and getting their, uh, comments and then, uh, listening to people tonight. Um, it's just, again, it's about transparency and doing what's right, you know, and I feel with what Terry said,
we're just we're just getting facts. All we are doing is getting the facts and then coming up it. We're not voting on anything. We're just getting the facts and we're getting people to help us cuz we're not the professionals. None of us are. Let's get the professionals and
let's get the facts and then make it. I think we're just getting too ahead of ourselves and upset and I I feel that we're doing the right thing. So, I'm all for it. >> Okay. Thank you, Peter. >> Uh we voted to hire John Rididgeway.
He's recommending this. We move forward. >> Okay. I think I've made my uh my points earlier. Um since it was a pulled resolution, uh we will go out to public comment on number resolution 8 only.
>> Sure. Come on up. >> Good evening. If I may, it's Matthew Vichko again from Zeller Vichko representing Plaza Place Civic Association. >> Just Matt, just so you're clear, you can't talk about the same thing twice in a meeting. >> Totally get it. Just do my introduction. Okay. If I was redundant, I take it back.
>> All right. Fair enough. >> If you knew who I was, >> this isn't about for me when I raised the issue, this wasn't about nefarious. It wasn't about not getting the facts. The very process and I'm involved in redevelopment, rehabilitation, designated a special counsel. The very
process by which this planner is being picked is called a nonfair and open process. And it's done for a reason. when municipalities had a need to bring a professional in at a certain financial level to get things
done here. There was no RFQ, there was no RFP, you didn't put out say we want an independent planner to come in to give us an independent opinion on the facts, procedure, and what's going on. If you had, you then get some submissions. You go through all the submissions. You pick the best man for the job. Here, we've learned for the
first time, and I have no issues with it or qualms with it, is that it wasn't anybody here that selected this planner. It wasn't council members. who wasn't the current solicitor. It was Mr. Regeway as designated counsel who's made that recommendation to you that this is who I would like and I'm recommending to
be the planner on the team. So with that again without any allegations of distrust nefariousness I then get into the same questions same questions I >> excuse me he's we're just hearing a repeat of the original that actually I
actually did not say anything that I just said the first time up >> discussing the same topic and that's >> I use I used the words of trust nefarious I'll move on to repeat myself or waste your time >> because not in our rules to do that right we're not going to go down that
road. We're we're very familiar with what your stance is and and I appreciate >> you still have three minutes. >> The next component of it is that >> the ask one more time. I mean, we wouldn't allow a gentle member of the >> Right. Sir, I'm going to have to ask you. We're not going to go down this road. >> Which which road? I have I'm making a
public comment on the designation and the comments that were made by council with regard to the selection of this plan >> of a project that you already spoke about. So, we're going to move on in the in the light of our rules that are well published. >> I've read the rules. I don't think in
violation of them respectfully. >> All right. >> And I thank you very much for your time. >> Am I being told I cannot speak any further with regard to any issues whatsoever >> on this issue on this resolution. >> Yes. >> Note my objection. I think that you're running the foul of the process. The
process noted. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else from this side? Mike. Mike, were you coming up here or were you getting up the >> Oh, all right. Okay. I didn't know.
>> I I can finish his points for him. >> I I know right where you're headed. I I can't resist. I'm sorry. I won't take much of your time. I appreciate everything you're doing and I appreciate the approach to the to the subject, the boardwalk subject. The whole committee
thing, I got to be honest with you, originally, you know, most off my nose, but it it didn't seem like uh the most logical approach uh to me. I changed on that when I saw who was on your committee
because you you to your credit, you put all good people on your committee. county planning board reps, boardwalk reps, uh, neighborhood reps. So, I came to think there's no downside to getting good people together, talking
about an issue, and maybe something can come out of it. You're jumping ahead several steps in what you want out of this committee at this point. You're hiring professionals. Nothing against the professionals you're hiring, but okay. You hired an attorney.
Uh, you have an attorney. the attorney in a couple weeks time tells you, "I recommend you hire a planner. I work with this one. They're good." I'm sure they are good. I don't I don't know them. They're not particularly known for their planning work. They're
engineers. Uh but that's okay. I heard a name, a woman's name tonight that was in none of the backup or I hadn't heard before and I'm I'm sure she's very wellqualified. I'm going to go with my councilman. every question he asked or or point that
Dave uh Dave mentioned the answers would be in an RFP. So did you do an RFP? I heard transparency from several of you. Did you do an RFP? Can we see it?
Is there a scope of work for these services? What are you getting out of this planner? Can we see the scope of work? Can we see the contract? The last resolution you distributed to the public had the fill in the blanks
thing with bunch of X's. That's a first by the way for our form of government uh two days before you distributed the fill in the blank. So are we to guess what's the not to exceed figure for the planner and why are the rest of the tax
payers paying for this planner? Are are they reviewing this this cartoonish drawing that we've been arguing about for 2 years? You don't have an application in front of you where an escrow account would be
open and you would bring professionals in to review an application. You're not there yet. Th this is I I don't want to offend anybody, but this is really it's bad government in terms of transparency. I've never heard
of a blank uh resolution and I never heard of you can't produce anything or what you're going to get out of this book. Well, we'll meet with her. Maybe we'll talk it through guys. They'll study this from now till doomsday at several hundred an hour. Trust me.
>> Thank you. >> I'll be real quick. I just um Heather Neville, I just hope that you guys pull the trigger on this. Like there's always ping ponging back and forth. I think it's a great idea. I think it's nice. There's so much emotion involved in this decision. I think it's brilliant that you have an outside source looking in to give you a different perspective. And I
just hope that instead of ping ponging back and forth for, you know, another in 18 months, pull the trigger. You hire the guy, move forward, use it, see what he's got to say, and take it from there. Nothing set in stone, you know, I don't know why everyone's so opposing this so much. It's it's it's a it's it's going to be a report. Nothing's going to be
built. It's a report. Pull the trigger. Stop dancing. Just just go with it, man. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Anyone else from this side? John. All right, I'll get to you. >> I would just say this. The process is fastwards.
Terry, I know you. I respect you. But to have Dave Winsow, who's in charge of the subcommittee, questioning what is this planning person to do? to have Sean ask or uh come clear and say I haven't had chance to discuss this with you and
other people have what are we doing here okay and it's all the optics that are presented as to whether this is going to run in parallel and we don't know what that is and will we see and hear from subcommittee before a planner is
interjected into the process. So, if we're trying to do this in the right way and gain trust and promote transparency, what we've seen here tonight doesn't work. It's just my opinion. I'm not looking to have any
further complications in this thing. We all want this post case and this is not going to uh get us through more public meetings without um engendering some of the things that you started here tonight. So, let's think about that.
That's the most important part of this entire uh discussion I think. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> ma'am. Crawford, Ocean City resident. Now I know why I need to call back. Um transparency was mentioned. Not being
informed was mentioned. Many objections which I think are valid. But I want to say now um I've come up before and I've spoken about process. It is process and I don't mean the process of what you're doing to try to establish what's done there. I mean the process that city
council follows in order to come to decisions. It is process that this is failing on. When people are uninformed, you have not discussed this with one another. It's a fail and um it erodess our trust. It the
transparency is not in the redevelopment and that choice. It's in you following the process that informs all of you who are our representatives. So that's a fail. And um I hope that you will decide
to table this and talk to one another and be on the same page rather than saying, "Well, we've got we've got enough votes here. We we can get this done and we we don't have to inform these other people." That's
not the way we want to be represented. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else this side? name and address, please. >> Alan Richtor, 1023 Wesley. Um, I wasn't planning to speak on this, but I'm going
to because let me tell you from a transparency, I'm still confused about what this person would do. Maybe that's not that important. But when I see two councilmen that are still confused about this, what this person is going to do, I
think it deserves three more weeks to just discuss it and make sure everybody's on board. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else this side? >> All right, bring it back to the table.
>> David, you you pulled it. Do you want to >> I want to table it. you want? >> I I'll second that. just so we I mean just like as I said just let's get all on the same page get some information then we can share it with everybody why we're all this stuff and I think most my most important thing is what's the scope
of work what is this what's the charge when I hire somebody I say here's your job here's your job description here's what you're supposed to do I don't know so if we can table it come up with those criteria then I may I probably may have a different change of mind
>> okay >> and while while I'm seconding I fully believe in what we're doing here. You know, I made that clear today. I'm fully for this, okay? But I understand the concern that these two have. I I understand the concern the public is having and I'm in zero rush here. You know, I I just want to make sure we have
all the right tools. You know, everything you said in your speech, Terry, I 100% agree with, too. No harm in a couple weeks so that everybody can be on the same page here for me. >> Okay, fair enough. So, I have uh a motion and a second. We go to a roll call, Elsa. >> Yep. Uh Mr. Madden.
>> No. Mr. Barnes, >> yes. And Mcabable it. >> Mr. Pini, >> yes. >> Mr. Hartell, >> yes. >> Mr. Love, >> yes. >> Mr. Winslow, >> yes. >> Mr. Crowley, >> yes. >> Okay, that brings us back to >> consent agenda. >> The remaining items on the consent
agenda. And I have a motion to approve the remaining items on the consent agenda. >> So move, Winslow. >> Second, >> Mr. Madden. >> Yes. >> Mr. Barnes. >> Yes. >> Mr. Pulchini. >> Tony. >> Yes. Sorry. >> Mr. Hartsaw. Yes, Mr. >> Yes. >> Mr. Winslow.
>> Yes. >> Mr. Crowley. >> Yes. Um, pending business. David, >> pending. Jody, >> I'm good. >> Keith, pending. >> Uh, no. Thank you. This is pending or new. >> This is pending. >> Nothing pending. >> Okay, Tony. >> Nothing. No pending.
>> We're good. Let's go to new business. David, >> the report is 34 streets, Roso Boulevard is progressing nicely. probably in two and a half, three weeks they're going to switch over to the other side. They're surf getting ready to pave now. So things are looking really up for the whole park.
>> Good. >> Um Jody, >> the grass is out again in Ocean City. >> And the geese looking with the grass. >> All right, Keith. New vis new business.
>> Yes, I have some new business. I'm happy to report some new business here that's a little bit more warm and fuzzy than what we've been talking about. >> Positive. >> Um I've been approached by several citizens over the last few weeks, a few months really about um trying to get the the community engaged in a helpful way
to help businesses particularly on the north end of the boardwalk um to get out to improve their economics over the next few really over the next few years. We all know that nothing's going to get built this summer. Um so the community has been reaching out. They've come up with some ideas. A group of people will
come up with some ideas to try to do, for lack of a better word, maybe some silly ideas in between Fifth and Seventh Street just to bring some ideas that'll get activities to uh to promote tourism down there. Maybe uh like one idea I heard the other night was nerd volleyball so the little kids can play
volleyball down there in that little section of beach. And they've actually come up with a a very comprehensive plan. I have a few copies, but for anybody would like a cop, I can also email it to you. Um, but this document that they sent over to me is well put together. And what's really cool about
this is the the acronym for their group is called it's called Citizens Looking to Assist the Merchants. And the acronym is clams. I love that. Cuz we all know a bunch of clam diggers down here, you know. Um, so they come up with a
four-phase idea where they're initially in March maybe get some brainstorming together. I briefly mentioned it with the mayor. Um but doesn't know any of the facts yet but um and we're still putting together the facts like what can we do as a community the merchants which are part of our community uh and just
and the residents which obviously are part of the community that we can help promote business activity in the north end of the business or the boardwalk and quite frankly I mean that's what their focus is on but I think that uh you know this might uh go around for the whole city there's probably areas at 55th Street that some of the commercial uses
down there that can use a little bit of help. Um, so it's just something at this point I just want to introduce it to council. Everybody has a copy of it. >> Great idea. >> Uh, this group actually has some funds together. Uh, they raised some capital that they're willing to match any of the merchant organizations. For example, if
they want if the boardwalk merchants want to match dollar for dollar or the downtown merchants wants to match it dollar for dollar, um, they're willing to to commit right now up to $50,000. You know, if there was a matching donation, that's $100,000 annually. that could that can do a lot of work I think
down there. So I think it's a really good community-based idea which I love the fact that it's community based. You know the community is invol involved just like all you folks are involved you're here. Um that's probably going to be a minimal cost to the city but it might also give us a little return on
the investment of our investment of the fields and everything. Maybe we can use some of these fields that we just spent a lot of money on the last couple years and uh and I actually talked to Dan a while ago about this too that um that could bring in a little bit of revenue for the city. So, it's just something I
want us to entertain as a uh as a council and they've actually uh welcomed any of us to want if we want to join in on a on a monthly basis or a weekly basis to discuss some ideas and and and the slate is open. Any ideas or no idea that's too silly that uh we could do to
get business activity down the north end of the boardwalk. Just to piggyback off that, um, yeah, using our fields that we have, these beautiful fields to have families come in from other areas that will bring in a lot of people in town and then, you know, merchants can give some kind of uh
suggestion or some donate uh discount, but it I think we we utilize a lot of these beautiful fields that we have and have competition in the summers with families that'll bring them down. So, I love that idea. Um the other new business was um
Cal um Pavllia. I'm going to pronounce this uh Plla. He passed away. He was the uh part owner of Ocean City Coffee. That's just been a big business in Ocean City and really uh just been a a great asset to us. He passed away the other
day. So I just wanted to give um Joan his his partner and just let you guys know if you see or reach out. but he was just a great asset to this community and he lives, you know, by you guys at Plaza Place. So, I'm sure a lot of you know
him. Just a great guy and he was a big instrument in my life and um just uh he will definitely be messed up. Just wanted to throw that out. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you, Timmy. >> Thank you, >> Peter. No new business. >> Nothing new with for me. Um we will now go out to citizen comment on anything
you'd like to speak about that hasn't been spoken about before. Come on up. Just two quick comments. One, um, with the police substation opening soon, if there wasn't already a plan to do so, I think it would be great to have an open
house so people could come in and see what uh, tax dollars have uh, purchased. The second is I saw on the budget uh, capital budget presentation work on the HVAC system at the community center. Um, I would ask while that work's going on
to evaluate the HVAC uh impact on the spin room there because that has been horrendous forever. They now have a jet engine in there that's supposed to cool it off that that doesn't seem to work. Um, I would almost recommend a couple of mini splits be put in that room or if
they can convince themselves that the HVAC work that they're going to do now is going to improve that because it is almost bordering on dangerously hot in that room. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening again, James Turtle. Again, I'll keep it to something new. Uh, I
appreciate the council's undertaking the the hiatus for 3 weeks to identify the scope of work and to plan out for the what the planner is going to do. I would just ask that if possible as part of the posting of the agenda that that scope of work be available for the public to see as well so that if we come back here and
make comments to you, we don't go over items you've already addressed might might uh solve some of our problems. So, if you would consider doing that, that would be appreciated. >> Thank you. Yep. >> Okay. Anyone? Anyone else? Okay, call George. Oh, I'll
get to you, John. >> Hi, George Power, 5135 Central Avenue. Um, for the first time, I'm a bit of a loss for words. I am overwhelmed by what Mr. Barnes has proposed uh the
idea of an interim study for an interim carry us over plan to support our merchants. Uh digging a little bit deeper, no shots here, but uh everyone's going for the hotel. A lot of people are sorting the hotel. By the same token, I've heard
from many people emotionally charged that some of their revenues are down 30%. They will not survive a summer without something going on there. And the idea of the hotel, there's nothing in there that I've heard to support our
merchants for the next couple years while it's being built. Um, I can't connect those dots. The other one is great, great idea, Mr. Barnes, if I can help in any way. Um, I had some thoughts similar to this a
while back. I did an oped on it and um anything I can do to help. It's I'm enthused because first we came up with a master plan. Fantastic piece of work on your part. Now we have this plan. Another fantastic piece of work. Thank
you for that. It's awesome. And uh quick question. Did we drop the policy of introductions before speakers? It's not a critique. I'm just curious. >> No. >> Okay. We had several people get up and not anyway. Thank you very much. Yep. >> Um, great great job. Thank you.
>> Thanks, George. >> All right, John. >> In the interest of time, I'll just say I agree with what George said. Uh, commend Sean for taking this forward, but we've been here a long time, so there's nothing new to add. Thank you. >> Okay. Thanks, John. Um, come on up and
then I'll get to you, Marie. Thank you. Good evening. >> Uh Frank Cunningham. I'm at 4109 West Avenue. Uh I just have some brief remarks. So, one of the most important topics an island community can discuss is the
subject of flooding. To my mind, flooding is caused by rising sea levels and sinking land mass. New Jersey D has decided that it would be in the best interest of property
owners in low-lying loces to adjust building elevations standards. But why have these new standards been promulgated by D? Of course, we all know there's only one answer. It's the
overriding danger of flooding. So, I'm asking members of city council, what will you do regarding the issue of flooding? Do you know that multiple properties have been projected to be built in the
wetlands adjacent to West Avenue? Right now, DP is adjudicating applications from the Highland Group to build on the wetlands between 37th Street and 41st Streets on West Avenue,
which is our main southern access road, which is already prone to excessive flooding. Construction in this area will eliminate a muchneeded natural preventative to flooding and will adversely affect the
public health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Ocean City. We must preserve and protect our wetlands. I want to make city council aware of this
hazardous situation. I want to put the light of day on this situation. I have contact information regarding D. If any members of city council want to further the cause of the neighbors of the West Avenue Neighbors Coalition, we are
asking for your help. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate it. Um I would just like to um >> just for the formality I got sorry Marie Hayes Ocean City. >> Thank you. I would just like to ask for prayers for
um a friend of mine, dear friend of mine, who was a second homeowner here on North Street who um died from a long fight with cancer eight weeks ago and the they were going to she was trying so loved Ocean City, tried so hard to get
back here last summer and um the day before she died they were putting an elevator in and um she died the next day. She didn't even see it torn down. And her husband just died of terminal cancer yesterday. So, um, keep them in your
prayers. They loved Ocean City so much and they both want to get back here and they're not going to make it. Thank you, M. >> Their names. >> Uh, Joyce and Peter Darcy >> on North Street. Thanks, Murray. >> All right. Anyone else for public comment?
>> Seeing none, can I have a motion to adjurnn? So, >> move second.