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Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=9KVCVR-WaLQ

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All right. Thanks, Jim. Good evening, everyone. I call to order uh this evening's commission meeting, April 23rd, 2026. U please rise for the flag. >> Pledge allegiance to the flag, the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands.

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>> One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you, Eric. Um, Lisa, roll call, please. >> Commissioner Langraph, >> here. >> Commissioner Mento, >> here. >> Mayor Creable

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>> here. Lisa, would you please read the open public meetings? >> Pursu Pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, adequate notice of this meeting has been provided. The agenda for this meeting is posted in city hall and on the city's website. >> Thank you. Would you please leave the

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live stream announcement? The city of Ventner offers live streaming and the option of public comment via remote access as a convenience to the public. In the event remote access is unavailable for any reason beyond the city's control, the city will not pause or stop the live meeting. The city

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reserves the right to discontinue remote access at the discretion of the city for any future meetings. >> Thank you. Between uh item E and item F, I'd like to introduce Tom Cheró to present um the introduction of the 2026 budget on PowerPoint. Is that right,

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John? Tom, >> yes. >> Could you help him with the slides, please? >> Okay, I'm going to go through this pretty quickly. Uh some of this is really background u information that goes kind of goes handinhand with the budget. Uh the first slide you see is

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the annual debt statement. Uh this is the first document that's required by the state to be filed. This gets done at the beginning of the year. And you'll see it shows the debt for the school debt for the water and sewer utility and then the municipal debt. Those all

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together uh equal $97.8 million. the school and the sewer utility do not count against uh the limitations on our debt. So that's where you see those listed as a deduction. And the net debt then is 464

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million. On the next slide, that's a continuation of the annual debt statement. And what you'll see is the three uh years 20 23 24 and 25 the equalized value of our real property at 3.2 2 million going up

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to 3.8 million and then 4.4 million. The average of those three years is 3.8. And that's the number against which our limitation is placed. And the 1.21% that you see, that's the percentage of our debt in comparison to the U equalized

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values. The limit statutory limit is 3.5%. So you can see we're in in good shape there. We could have a lot more debt if it was necessary. The the next slide, Jim, if you stay with me,

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Jim. >> Slide, Jim. Thank you. >> This is a a comparison of the debt that we have uh compared to the municipalities that are our neighbors mostly to the south of us or all of them, I guess, to the south of us. Short

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towns that are similar to us. Uh I I've heard comments about Ventner having, you know, the most debt of anybody and this this comparison shows you that that's far from the truth. Uh in fact, only Longport, Avalon, and Cape May have less. Uh and Cape May is only slightly

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less. All the other municipalities, Brigintine, Margate, Stone Harbor, Wildwood Crestr, North Wildwood, Seile City, and Ocean City all have more debt than we do. The next slide just shows you uh the surplus fund

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balance uh going back to 2016 uh when at the end of 2016 there was $3,55,000 in surplus the next slide next page you'll see that at the end of 2025 that number stood at 9 million so uh I think

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we've done you have done a great job over the course of the 10 years in managing this using it appropriately as a revenue source in the budget, but while still maintaining a a healthy balance that puts us in a strong financial position. Next slide

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is the actual summary of the 2026 budget. The you'll see the first column is the current budget year and the second column is the prior year and the third column shows you the change. Uh one of the things you'll see that's a a big change is the state and federal

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grants. This year you're looking at at this point in time 1,77,000. Last year at this time it was 121. That really is meaningless as far as taxes go because that's offset with it's a these are grants that are offset with an

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appropriation. Um down below you'll see appropriations and the total budget is $42,675,000. The uh that includes the reserve for uncollected taxes of $2.6 $6 million. And I want to talk about that very

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briefly. Uh people frequently confuse the reserve for uncollected taxes with the receipts from delinquent taxes. They are two very different things. The receipts from delinquent tax, which you see up above, is anticipated to at $900,000. That's what we expect to

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collect from prior year's delinquent taxes. The reserve for uncollected taxes, which shows up on the appropriation side, is a non-spending appropriation that we're obligated to put in our budget because we are the collector for everybody. When people

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write their checks, we collect for the county, we collect for the school, we collect for ourselves. The county and the school get their money whether we collect it or not. So, uh, to just illustrate, if if each of us had $10 million budgets, the total levy would be

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$30 million. We'd have to collect $30 million in order to fund those three budgets. But we know when we send the bills out, we're not going to collect 100%. We we're going to collect 96 97%. that difference of what we know we're not going to collect is the reserve for

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uncollected taxes that we have to put in our budget as a uh non-spending appropriation. So, it just artificially increases the levy in order to make sure that everybody gets the money to fund their budgets. The next slide is the appropriation cap

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calculation and we'll just jump right to the bottom line that we are $429,000 below the cap limitations. So again, no problem there. Next slide. Summary of general revenues.

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You'll see surplus that we're anticipating to use in this budget is 4.6 6 million compared to 4.5 million last year. So we are using a little bit more uh receipts from delinquent taxes I already mentioned at 900,000. Miscellaneous revenues 2.5 versus 2.3

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and total general revenues 11.3 million compared to last year's 10.4. So overall an increase of 900,000. That's not all going to be raised in taxes. Current fund appropriations

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again we're seeing 26 versus 25 total operations within capped 27.9 million 5,000 contingent total operations within caps is 27.9 the detail when you break that out 17.1

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is salaries and wages and 10.8 is other expenses. The next slide is the deferred and statutory charges. These are pension costs and various insurance. So the public employees retirement system,

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that's $762,000. That's actually a slight decrease from last year. That's the pension contribution for all of the non I'll say civilian, all the civilian employees. Social security is for also basically the same group. Police and fire do not

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pay into social security. Police and fire retirement system is $3.2 million. So almost five times what the peers pension is. Unemployment is 160, Medicare 250. We're contributing 70,000

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this year to the lifeguard pension. That is an increase over last year because we have had uh I think two more retirements. And then the total of deferred charges that fall within the caps is 32.8 million.

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The next slide is a summary of general appropriations. See the same 32.8 million carried over here. We're putting $200,000 in capital improvements. That's again that's down payment money that we put in the capital improvement fund to use for the 5% down

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payment required on any bond ordinance that you introduce. Municipal debt service of 4.2 million is actually a little bit uh reduced from last year's 4.4 million. There's another uh list of deferred charges that when you look at

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the full budget document on sheet 28, you'll see those listed. Those are payments on bond ordinances where uh the uh we only can sell bonds in increments of a thousand is it le

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>> and these are >> increments of bonds. the three the 317 on on sheet 28 those bonds. >> Yes. There. Okay. That number is the breakage on the ordinances. Like if you do an ordinance and you're authorized to

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borrow 957,41142. We can't issue a bond for all that little junk at the end. So all that is accumulated on there and is one that the $200,000 that we have on there needs to be funded. We're not going to go out for debt for just for $200,000. So we're

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paying it off as you go. Right. Okay. Uh, look down a little bit further on that sheet, you'll see $1.3 million for school debt. That's correct. The school debt is paid in our budget as a type one school district. And then again, you'll

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see the same $216 million for the reserve for uncollected taxes. And the grand total of $42.6 million. The next chart is the effect of the local tax on our homeowners. This is

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just the municipal portion. And if you slide down about middle of the page, $350,000 property assessment, that's about where the average assessment is in 2025 and 26. So if you follow across the 350, the

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total tax that that property will pay. Again, keep in mind this is not the market value of the house. This is the tax assessed value. So is a little over $10,000. The local portion of that is 40. I think it's 4600. I'm having

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trouble reading the small print here. But if you follow all the way out to the right, you'll see that the the impact the annual impact on that homeowner for this budget is 213,000 $213 for the year. So that's about $18 a

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month. That's the portion that we control. The next slide is the distribution of those dollars that we collect. Again, now this for every dollar that's written to us, we keep 46 cents. The school gets

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28 and the county gets 26. And of the 46 that we collect or that we keep, this is where it goes. local taxes. Next slide, Jim. This pie chart shows you where where those local dollars go and 30% of it

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goes to public safety. That's police, fire, and beach patrol. Uh 21% goes directly to public works. 14% is for everything else. General government, all the administrative offices, tax collector, tax assessor, my office,

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everything, everything that's not in public safety or public works. Pension and social security is 12%. Insurance, this includes health insurance, general liability, and workers comp is 11% of the total budget. Debt service is 10.

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And the reserve for collected taxes that we talked about earlier is 6% of the total capital budget. We we have again a six-year capital budget plan presented proposes to continue the ongoing improvements to the city's infrastructure and provides the tools

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necessary for the departments to carry out their missions. These improvements include the purchase of public works equipment, improvements to streets, purchase of police and fire equipment, improvements to city buildings, including city hall, the library and cultural arts center, and the continued reconstruction of the boardwalk. It is

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important to note that the capital budget is a planning tool and does not appropriate any funds. Funds are authorized by the adoption of bond ordinances. So, the adoption of this capital budget does not provide any authorization to spend even one penny.

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That happens in a by a different mechanism by doing a bond ordinance. And last, the water and sewer utility budget has an increase of $440,000. We are using $677,000

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of a surplus balance of $815,000. Because of the need to increase the use of surplus, which will diminish the amount of surplus available in the future, and the expectation of continued increases in operating costs, we're recommending an increase in the flat fee portion of the water and sewer rates in

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the amount of $75 for 2026 with the likelihood of another modest increase needed in 2027. Um, and and we could easily, I think, justify doing more at this at the present time. Um, since given the timing, we really will only collect what

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we're able to send out in time for probably the third and fourth quarter. >> Tom, is that that's 75 for the year? >> For the year. >> Or you have any other comments? I just want to introduce Leon Costello if you have any comments you want to take.

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Leon's our um you've been doing this for 50 plus years to every municipality you could drive to within day, right? And um if you have any comments on our over overall headlines here on our our our budget as we introduce it.

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>> Well, Tom obviously summed it up pretty well. And >> thank you, Tom. >> We we know that we're in a market right now of rising costs and the costs are exceeding what your revenues are. There's no doubt about it. There's a lot

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of tax increases, four, five, 6, 7, 8, 9 cents all over the place. You probably saw some of them in the paper um the past couple of weeks. There'll be another one in tomorrow morning where I go next. So that you'll see that one come up. Um every town's facing the same thing. You know, health insurance is

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ridiculous. Um when you have police and fire, you have two departments that are very expensive. So it's it's tough on a budget. Uh you take a town like Upper Township that has no police, no fire, it's totally different. You can't compare what they're doing compared to

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what you're doing. the the U ratables are increasing at a decent amount. That's something that's been in your favor now the past five or six years and I think that's going to continue. Uh it seems like all the short towns are doing very well. So I wouldn't expect that to decline. Remember when you guys first

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took office you were losing ratables every year, not gaining ratables. So it's a a dramatic change from that point of view. It's not as much of an impact as you think, but it is a help nonetheless. If you look at your budget document, you'll see on the the levy cap sheet how much the new ratables actually

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netted you in dollars. Uh it's not the large amount that the public thinks you're getting. Yeah. >> Um that question I was at two meetings yesterday and came up in both towns. What do you do with all the money we get from new ratables? Well, the one town you got $44,000 worth of new ratables.

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How far you think that's going to go? >> Yeah. So the actual the actual number is like $330,000 in new taxes that the added construction and 25 brought in. So it it's not $28 million that you know it's 40 330,000 of $42 million budget.

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>> So in the face of the >> It helps but it's not the savior. >> Right. Right. Mhm. Yeah. It's good that it's gone up not gone down. >> Right. >> So all in all it's it's obviously a good budget. um you're not alone in where you're at and when you have large public

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safety that they're they're costly and in today's world they're needed. So you it's the an evil that you have to have. I've done this in many other towns and you're no different that if

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you provide services and pay for everything that the private sector doesn't want to do because it doesn't make money, you're stuck with everything that doesn't make money because if it made money, somebody else would be doing it, not you. So, we're at the mercy of a losing proposition as far as we you're

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going to dump the fire department because it's cost too much money. No, you can't. you know, are you going to raise fees that every time somebody has a run, you charge them $5,000 to do an ambulance run? You can't do that either. So, it's not profitable. That's why

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government does it. And you're same everywhere. >> Well, ambulance billing is one reform that we did make that started out 10 years ago making $15,000 a year and is up north of 300, I think. >> Yeah, you're in 300. Yeah. Yeah. >> So, um

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>> we're not billing more. We're just >> we're just collecting what was what was not collected in the past. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Once are being built. >> You know, one of the other things and credit our insurance uh consultant, you know, for getting us out of the state plan.

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>> This would have been another 15% of insurance costs on this. We were able to knock that down from what the state was proposing at 30 another 36% increase. We only were 15 16 something like that. And I think it's working so far. I mean, I haven't heard any complaints from staff

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that >> a few little things, but that's to be expected. >> Glitches, but they they'll work through. Um, you know, Terry Flynn and his group were able to he was trying for the last four years to get us out of that. Nobody wanted us, >> right? >> He kept plugging. He kept plugging on his like eighth or ninth pitch to a to a

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group to we went out self-insured partially >> and was able to save us a significant amount of money for taxpayers and and to get basically the same coverage for our staff. >> Right. And state health nets already announced they're not going to be any better next year.

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>> Right. Yeah. >> I know. Yeah. That's why we had to get out of that system. And >> so the employees save money with the change because they pay towards their health benefits. and and the more the health benefits, the more they're paying. So,

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>> so that was that was a help not showing up. >> So, tonight is just the introduction, believe it or not, after all this time. So, at least two people need to say yes to move along and we'll have the public hearing on May 28th, >> which the public can comment on anything that they want and we'll address their

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questions at that time. >> Great. >> We want to do that now. Um, we are going to >> Yes, we should now adopt the resolution introducing the budget. >> Yeah. >> Right. I believe >> Lisa, you have that right. I >> believe I have a comment sheet here.

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>> Just Tom, again, thanks for that presentation. You had given that to us a couple days back and very helpful. Yep. >> To get through pictures, everything. It's great. >> I think we should charts. >> I think we should send it out to every employee. >> Yeah. >> Send out the employee. Yeah. >> I'm serious. So, I mean, some will look at it, some won't, but it's educational

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and where the money's going. >> Okay, we're going to put it on the website, too. >> Yeah, it'll be on the website for anybody, but staff should get it. I would agree with that. >> Yeah, >> I actually did a shorter version of this that we posted in 2024. Nobody saw it.

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>> You guys didn't even know it was there. >> Leon, thank you. And Amy, thank you. You know, I know you guys were crunching the numbers and we appreciate everything you've done. >> Yeah. And not just this year, but uh over the past 10 years, you've been our in our in our camp here. And the fund

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balance shows that, right? From 3 million to 9 million in 10 years. That's something that creates stability. It gives us gives us some security. >> It helps to control tax increases. >> Helps us. Now, if if I remember correctly, when you guys first came in, that was a really bad budget, your first

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budget, because of the fund balance that was >> they used it all up. >> Yep. >> All of it. >> Yeah. And and if if you'll indulge me for just a moment, I I do want to also, you know, compliment Amy and and point out that, you know, she does most of the work of putting this budget together.

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all of the background documents, all the spreadsheets for salaries and wages and all the billing for insurance and all the stuff that arrives at those numbers. That's all her work that she does. >> Great. Thank you. >> Again, great job for us. We appreciate it.

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>> Yep. And um so without uh further preamble, we have item F, which is resolution 2026-108. Um, municipal budget of city of vendor city county of Atlantic for the fiscal year of 2026. Be it resolved that the

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following statements of revenues and appropriations shall constitute the munition municipal budget for the year 2026. Be it further resolved that said budget will be published on the official website on Friday, April 24th, 2026. The governing body of the city of Vner does

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hereby approve the following budget for the year 2026. May I have a motion as described? >> Introduc motion to introduce resolution 2026-108. >> Thank you. May I have a roll call, please? >> Need a second. >> Give me a second. >> Second. >> Commissioner Langrath.

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>> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. >> Yes. >> Mayor Creable. >> Yes. >> Notice is hereby given that the budget and tax resolution was approved by the commissioners of the city of Ventner city county of Atlantic on April 23rd, 2026. The hearing on the budget and tax resolution will be held at the Ventner

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Municipal Building here on May 28th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. at which time end place objections to said budget and tax resolution for the year 2026 may be presented by taxpayers or other interested persons. That's it.

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>> Thank you. Thanks, Ler. >> Thank you, Leon. >> Yeah. >> Thank you again. >> All right. um PowerPoint what I was talking about today. >> Huh? >> I have I have a digital copy. You want

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this? >> Yeah. >> All right. >> I'll tell you who. >> I got one. >> No, I'm not giving mine away, but I want another one to give away. >> All right. and see somebody for dinner

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and I want to give that person a copy. >> Oh, I see. Okay. Item G is a presentation by our favorite grant writer, Jim Mutella. >> Good to see you again, Jim.

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>> Good evening. Uh Jim Martell, Associates. Um we were asked to put together a little summary of the uh grants that the city's received over the last decade. And uh you you have a copy of a a memorandum from me that summarizes those and uh it shows that we

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received the city has received about $92 million in funding over the last 10 years. Now um we work in several towns and uh the dynamics are different in every community but uh our job is really

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to just prepare the applications. It takes a team to make this all work together. And uh you know, part of it is your professional staff, your administrator, your CFO, your engineer. Um they're a pleasure to work with. They they know that it's important to get

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things done and to be be prompt. And uh that's that's key uh because to the people that are giving us grants or providing grants to the city, they want to know that there's not going to be any issues. They want to know that the community is professional and reliable

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and is going to use the money properly and that's something we have here in Venner. So that's uh very important. Um in addition, relationships are very important. Uh you as elected officials uh have good relationships with the county, with the state, and with the

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federal legislators. That's key. uh they all provide letters of support and again that provides credibility with our applications when we submit them to to various agencies. They see that other government agencies are working together with you that there's no friction,

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there's no issues. That means a lot and uh that certainly bodess well in venter's favor. Um another thing is you execute well. Some towns get grants and don't use them. professionals to >> we we know how to spend it.

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>> Well, you spend it. >> We know how to spend it. >> You know how to spend it. And it takes your professionals to do that. You know, going out to bid, executing, doing the construction management, making the projects work, making sure they're done properly is all critical. And um that's

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real critical when you're applying a second time for funding, which we've done many times in Benner. And then you have a capital plan. So I have, you know, basically your engineers have put together a capital plan that provides a roadmap for where we're going. So none of this is really made up. It's not that

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there's a whim that do one thing one week and something else the next week. All the projects we have uh pursued funding for are in your capital plan. There's something been vetted uh within the community and there support. So all those things come together and that's

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why you've been been so successful. Um that $92 million includes many major projects which are outlined in the memo. Um obviously the boardwalk project is underway right now. Uh uh lead service lines throughout the community. Uh sewer

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improvements and water improvements, road improvements, park improvements. All those things are um have been done in the last decade and have been done uh uh repeatedly in many cases. We also

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have about 11 a little over $1 million in applications that are pending right now. >> Um, as you know, we just submitted an application for this building uh for $750,000 for uh historic restoration. We

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have a $2 million application before our congressman for uh congressionally directed spending for the boardwalk. Um, you know, certainly a lot of work's being done now, but more is needed and uh that's something that's been a a priority for the city and certainly a

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priority when you when a legislator looks at it and they look at Vetner. I mean, part of the largest boardwalk in in the country, uh, that it brings commerce to town to the community that it's a tourist attraction for many people. It's easy for them to jump on

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board. So, that's uh, a project we're working on. Uh we have a $ 1.5 million grant that's still pending for ski beach improvements. Uh we have a $6 million grant that's pending for uh storm water improvements for Vetner Heights for the

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two pump stations. Now FEMA has um been on pause for two years basically. Uh when the new federal administration came in, they dismantled a lot of FEMA. a lot of the staff left uh FEMA and basically

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funding was stopped. Um just last month uh the the courts ruled 21 c 21 states uh sued the federal government uh so that the FEMA money would be released. Uh the courts agreed on that and last

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month the FEMA funding was released. So now they're starting to restaff um and uh they're accepting new applications. So hopefully this $6 million project, which is critical to the city, will now it's already been uh identified as a

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project that qualifies for for funding. Now we want to push and get it over the threshold. >> So Jim, is this comment here select it for further review a positive? >> Yes, that is a positive. They can reject it or or accept it for further review. So yeah, so when you when you speak to

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your legislators, remind them about this. a $6 million project. It's all teed up. Just needs to be pushed. Um, in addition, we have a uh uh one of the mayor's uh favorite projects. We have

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$880,000 application in for tree planting uh throughout the city. And uh you know, city again, you didn't go about this in a uh haphazard way, right? >> You did a city-wide inventory. you you did your your got your plan certified.

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The inventory is complete. Use that inventory to then apply for grant funds for trees and uh we had a meeting last week with D about this application. Uh they had some comments. We provided additional information. So that project

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is alive and and and possibly could be funded in the next month or two. So, also the um the funding for Ski Beach, that application is probably going to be decided in the next two months also. Good. >> So, uh that's on the on the uh docket as

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well. And then there's things in the future that I just want to mention to you. Um the uh federal government is accepting applications for a program they call CMAC. A city has gotten this money before for Veter Avenue. Um, we had

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applied a couple years ago for Atlantic Avenue for the synchronization of the signals. Um, and that was not approved. That was about a $600,000 project. Um, possibly that might be something you might want to reconsider. Uh, block grant funding is available

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through the improvement authority, through the Atlanta County Improvement Authority. Uh that money can be used for ADA improvements, has been used primarily in town for ADA improvements on the various streets and certain buildings. Uh can be also be used for parks and that could be a couple

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hundred,000. It's just potential. And then earlier this week, um and I know uh this was circulated amongst the uh let's uh the elected officials and the staff. uh DOT came out

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with their grants. Um municipal aid, you you that's a you always get about $300,000 for uh road paving. So that's one application. And then bikeways and safe streets to transit. Um they all

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that funding is is available and due July 1st. So that gives you a quick overview of where things stand. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Jim, who do we reach out to in regards to the ski beach improvements? Is that state or ski

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beach? >> Ski beach. That is a nonprofit. Um, and that it's being it's interesting. The city's already gotten funding from this source for the uh bulkheads and uh it's the um ocean

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wind coastal resiliency grant. Basically, when Orstead started their project, their commitment was to put X millions of dollars aside for resiliency projects, and this is that money. So, despite the fact that they're not here, that money is still being um

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designated actually are the Atlantic County uh representative in this group is Brian Jackson. >> Oh. Works for Stockton. >> I know Brian, I can reach out to him for resiliency. Yeah. So, it's docks

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improvements. It's it's the >> considering Yeah. Because it's eroding, >> right? >> So, the what's happened that ramp there, there's if you boat and you try to put your boat in there, that ramp drops off and it damages people's boats. It's eroding into the the bay as well as that

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shoreline there erodess. So, we would do shoreline protection there. Probably not in a bulkhead form, more of a shoreline protection, other methods. So, >> Yep. Well, >> yeah, I know Brian well. Yeah, >> there's no point.

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>> No, we'll do it together. We'll double team. Go after him. >> I love him. He's a great guy. >> The bikeways uh application. What What's leaned on there for um for design? Is it

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the the the the study that was done in the past? Is that what they >> It be one of those projects. Yeah. Yeah. There are several projects outlined in there. >> That's a very competitive grant. There's only a million dollars available statewide. Uh, you know, but certainly

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communities like Vendor have received it in the past. >> Look into that. Yeah, >> this is fabulous, Jim. >> It's good stuff. >> So appreciate having you here and what you've done for us. And if we had to borrow all this money, it's like double >> Yeah.

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>> the current debt we have on the books, right? >> Yeah. We have We just went through that. >> 45 million. >> Yeah. We have 45 million in debt. This is 90 million that you didn't have to borrow. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> And Jim keeps all of this in his head. >> Keep all it in his head. >> I know.

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>> For all the towns, too. I've had this conversation with them. I'm like, >> imagine when him and Leon are out having lunch. >> Yeah. Right. >> Thumbs that are coming out of our head. >> Jim, Wednesday at noon, SuffK Avenue, we're gonna do a ribbon cutting for the section of the boardwalk. Love to have you there. >> Great. Thank you.

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>> As you help get this this money for us. So, >> um >> hopefully the weather is better >> than what's been forecast, so should be good. >> Great. >> Wear a rain coat. >> Yeah, this is epic, Jim. I mean, this is really when you look at it, it's uh it's that it's that slow and steady wins the

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race kind of a >> it's that kind of thing. I mean from from stuff the smallest one I'm seeing here is $36,000 for fire fighter grant for PPE stuff >> but it goes all the way up to the 7.1 for the for the boardwalk.

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>> It's $92 million worth of value over 10 years. >> Yeah. >> That the fact bears that we could use we could we used in other we use that that funding in other ways or or more in smarter ways. >> Right. >> Thank you. >> No, definitely. Well, it's it's really, as I said at the onset, I mean, it

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really takes an organization. Uh there's a lot of towns that uh could could do this uh and don't and don't and don't make capital improvements either. Uh so, uh you know, it's it takes everyone. I'm hopeful for the trees because as you said the the green the green team

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debates the types of trees add infant items and so it's it's that kind of passion is the kind of background that you're talking about that >> and and that's important. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Great. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Can I before he leaves can I make a

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comment? >> So I' I've known Jim probably almost as long as I've known Leon and he's he's a man that does this with a smile on his face. It's always there. It's It's like it's sewed on. >> Um, but he he's kind of like an un unsung hero to all of us. His his

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fingerprints are all over South Jersey and projects, you know, from the Ocean City Causeway to the stuff that he does for us is just the the amount of things that he's been involved in helping communities put together is just astonishing. >> Just start putting his name on the

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plaques. >> Yeah. His name's not on it. No, >> he needed Jim Ral total. >> So, not only as a as a private businessman, but he's he's done his share of public duty as well, and he's always been the consmate professional.

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>> The architects get their name on it, the engineers. Why not the guy who got us all the money for it? >> There you go. >> Right. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank for the boardwalk. Thanks. They come up with good. >> Thanks, Jim. >> All right, we're ready to move on. Y Good stuff.

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Uh we have no department head reports, no capital discussion. The following is scheduled um for action in the portion of the commission meeting. The meetings of Maria, I believe you have to abstain from the March 12th minutes.

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>> That is J K. um uh is bond ordinance 2026-008 uh the phase one. Uh Tom, do you want to put some um some detail on this for for

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all of us? >> Sorry, I zoned out a moment there. What what are you asking? >> Bond ordinance for phase one of Winchester Avenue water main replacement. Do you or Lance would you like to put a put comment in on this? This is bond ordinance uh appropriating $1,500,000

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for phase one of the um bonds for the city of Bner. >> I think phase one of the Win >> Yeah. So, this is Winchester Avenue from uh eventually it's going to go all the

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way down to the the public works, but it's going to run from uh and even the other side. I think phase one is is Jackson, not Jackson, Fredericksburg to public works and then it jumps over and it does the other side in phase two. >> Got it. Thank you. And uh includes uh

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planning, design, construction, engineering, preparation of plans, permits, documents, construction, inspection. >> Correct. >> Great. Thank you. >> I believe Delasio is working on this one. Um we have no public hearing and adoptions

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this evening. We have a number of resolutions >> from uh A to W here. Um starting with uh three new tax abatements. Um resolutions uh 109

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for uh 5201 Atlantic. Uh resolution 110 for uh 5201B Atlantic and 5201A Atlantic. Uh resolution 111 is for 5610 Edgewater. Those are all tax abatements.

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Um the next resolution is 112. Uh this is um a uh reorganization or statement of organization for our emergency operation plan through Chief Cahill. Can I ask a question on the tax

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abatements? >> Yeah. >> I want to make sure I got it clear. For residential properties, when they have a tax abatement, they're still paying 70%. >> Yeah. It's an incremental thing. Correct. >> 70% a year of the taxes. They're not they're not paying

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>> they get an abatement on the improvement only. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> But it's different than businesses. I think residential they're paying 70%. >> Yeah. Um we discussed this in the past. It's uh it's just on the improvement, not on the land. >> Correct. >> But >> and it is different structure between

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the And cat's looking up right now. >> Um >> Oh. Uh yeah. Yeah. If you don't mind, there's it's right in the ordinance uh for for tax abatement. I believe it's five years. I don't believe it is it is graduated.

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>> I think it's 70% year. >> It's not graduated. It's fiveyear abatement. five-year abatement of the um >> of the improvement >> of the improvement. >> Um it's an often um discussed because it

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feels as though there may be some, you know, preferential treatment given to folks that are building. It doesn't really amount to um I I've in the past I've looked at it uh less than $300,000 at any one given year. And

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>> yeah, so here it is. I I'm having a hard time seeing tonight, but first calendar year following completion, 70% of the taxes otherwise due. Second calendar year, 70% of the taxes. Third, 70% of taxes. Fourth, 70% of the taxes. Fifth,

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70% of the taxes. Thereafter, full taxes, >> but only on the improvement. >> Only on the improvement. >> So, it's a part of a part. So, as you were saying, you hear this rhetoric sometimes that we're giving the store away and you don't need this and these they're not

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paying taxes, but they're paying 70% will be taxes on the improvement. >> Correct. >> Five years and then it's 100%. >> This was put into place prior to our administration to help folks rebuild after Sandy. That was the the key towards this thing to bring new homes in

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that were damaged. um to give folks a little bit of an offset to help rebuild the product that was damaged under a massive supertorm. Um can't call it a hurricane because it stopped being a hurricane about a mile offshore, but it damaged a lot of properties here and that's why it was implemented and it's a

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it's a good program. There may be a time to sunset it, but I don't think we're quite there yet. >> No, in fact, they just extended it. >> We just extended it. Yeah. like year or something ago in 2025 you did an extension for I think for another five years. >> Yeah, I think so.

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So that's residential properties, commercial org. >> Commercials also have a if they are in within the um is it only within the redevelopment zone, >> right? >> That's a different plan. That's I mean it's different. So

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>> yeah, but here it's like the first year zero, second year 20 mentioned. >> Yeah. Third third year 50%, third year 40%, fourth year 60%, fifth year 80% thereafter the full in commercial, >> right? >> Commercial gets gets

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>> commercial's graduated, but it is still just the improvements. >> Yeah. >> Not the not the land. So, so it it it's there's a perception, but there's also I think there's a it's a you know, Philadelphia has a 10-year tax, >> right? >> These are things that when and I still

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think personally I still think we have a lot of areas that are from from Sandy that haven't been improved. There are certain areas and and it makes us competitive in some ways. I think there's a lot of projects that would not have been executed without it. Absolutely. As a >> as part of the thing that makes us

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competitive when you look at the cost of build and the carrying cost. This is something that gives us uh I know for a fact there are different individuals that would not have built. >> Yeah. I I wanted to ask it and confirm it because often you read or hear things that seem to

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imply it's zero, >> right? But I think the better question is what does it do for those for the residents overall without those projects? We may not have that development that may not even though our our ratables don't really are not one to$1 without those when they become full

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taxed at the at the full rate. The the the the overall tax base has been improved. >> Agreed. >> More than it could have. >> Yeah. And and keep in mind this this is not just for storm damaged properties. We have a lot of housing stock that has

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outlived its useful life frankly and this gives people the incentive to make the investment to make the improvements so that you don't have dilapidated properties uh that are becoming eyes. So it's it it's working it's working for

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us. You were smart I think to continue it last year and to continue it. >> Yeah. All right. Is that it? >> Yeah. >> Nothing on that. No, not not pushing. Um, so we talked about 20 uh 26112, 2026113.

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Uh, this is a refund for recreational camp that uh someone could not attend. 2026114. Um, this if you'd like to add something to this, Maria, this is a resolution um establishing a policy for approved totally disabled tax tax exempt

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veterans. So, it creates a standard if I'm understanding correctly, is something that you worked on. Yeah, it's um it's clarifying the exemption to the date that it is approved by the city, which is usually the date that the person makes the application provided.

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Um it's an approvable application. The the appropriate documents are provided to um Bill Kthers. >> So, it's done some standardization to it. >> Yes. Yeah. U before it was sort of open-ended. When does it start? Can can they go back five years? Right. But now

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it it solidifies >> starts >> beginning date. Yeah. Good. >> Good. >> Okay. Um 2026 1115. This is uh authorizing seasonal part-time employment. This is for our special events. Correct.

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>> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Aaron McDev, right? >> Yes. >> Good. >> She'll be great. >> We were happy to get so many applications. It's a good sign. >> Yes. For volunteers. >> Whole summer job. And she can take pictures while she's doing

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>> she does these. >> And we got good applications. Unfortunately, we can only hire one. So, kept them all on file file for whatever happens in the >> Shouldn't say volunteer. They are employees, part-time employees. >> Y uh 2026116. This is approving traffic

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signal synchronization agreement with the county of Atlantic and authorizing the uh exe execution of the same. is just finalizing some paperwork for the synchronization that is already in place. >> The project that um Jim talked about briefly, the traffic signals on Ventner

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Avenue from Oxford to Jackson, um they originally were on the county plan, county monitoring plan that they used for the rest of Ventner Avenue, Dorset, Wellington, and all that. This will allow us to come into a full-time agreement on that. So, they will be synchronized where it's a system that

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doesn't change the lights running down Ventner Avenue until a car comes up on a side street. Um, it's done through cameras and monitoring system that way. And if you've driven all the way down Ventner Avenue on mornings, it's great. >> It's green as far as the eye can see.

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>> I will attest it is wonderful. >> I take it every morning is great. >> I did it yesterday. Not one light. Nope. >> That's what we want to do on Atlantic as well. Great. >> Great. Great. That we're definitely getting a lot of positive

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from a lot from from all over. Um synchronization one uh 2026 1117. Um this is approving rates and charge fees uh for the for this calendar year for recreation department. This has to do with basketball. This is just a um this

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is just an a an addition to the fee schedule for basketball. >> Um >> it's it's the fees for all the summer camps. >> For all the summer camps. Well, we're just amending one. >> We're amending >> because we never had a basketball fee >> and this is the putting the fee in for

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basketball. >> So, the rest of them didn't change. I just saw the one. Yeah. Right. >> We did prior we did them already. Everyone's correct. The last >> 2026-118. Uh, this is authorizing a seasonal part-time employment for the Department

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of Public Works. Lance, do you have a comment? >> Um, just guys that are coming back for seasonal. Um, right. Almost all of them are from last year or years prior. >> Beach cleaning. Uh the guys you see cleaning, you know, picking trash and things like that on the beach and on our streets. Um all guys that that are

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coming back for a year from last year. So it's good good to have him back. >> And Mike Miltonberger, I understand, is like 40 years. >> Yeah, I was going to say something about that. I'm like, you know, he's going to get a special star or something for coming back. But uh that's his zen. He

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rakes the beach. That's his zen time on out on the beach doing that. So early mornings, he loves it. >> Great. Um, so and here we have uh one of these uh one of these volunteers in the audience here, Jordan Glick. I want to pull point him out specifically in a

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minute, but this is um resolution uh 2026119. Uh this is appointing members to the Vendor City School Board. Um we are reappointing Mike Adina 516 2026 to 5:15

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2020 29. Uh I spoke to him he's uh uh today and thanked him for his continued service especially in the part in the uh areas around uh facilities. Uh Carly Impuriel um is also uh now a formal u member from

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2026 to 29. she was uh completing a previously um >> vacated >> vacated position, >> right? So when we first, if you remember, when you first filled that vacancy, she was um filling an unexpired term, >> right? >> So this will be her first um three-year

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appointment. So she'll be from May 16th, 26 to May 15, 2029. >> Right. And I want to thank Jordan Glick here if you if you uh for staying with us through all the the uh interviews and the conversations and you've shown that you really have a passion for this

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position and um if you have uh we can take a minute if you if you have anything you want to say but uh we will be voting on you uh in in uh in the regular meeting down the road. Again I appreciate you coming stepping up >> processing.

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Thank you, Jordan. >> I think the first time a volunteer for the board of education has actually come to this resolution. So >> that's right. >> Thanks for showing up. >> Yeah. >> Oh, sorry.

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>> Sorry, Maria. She was she was mentioning to you. Oh, >> sorry. >> Sorry. I think anyone has the money spent >> right so everyone just spending all this money

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in terms of all the you know the grants so I think that's out there I don't know the chair right now >> I I agree with you I think those are those are things that kind Unless unless you come to the meetings, unless you follow >> it, you know, other things to do

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>> and enroll for the um newsletter. >> Yeah, newsletter puts all this stuff out there. >> Yeah. >> But not everybody gets that. But I want to make a comment. When I met with Jordan and I met with Carly individually, not together, >> but they each said to me, "You can't go wrong with each other." You know, Jordan

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said, "You can't go wrong with Carly if she gets picked." Carly said, "You can't go wrong with if he gets That's for our buck." >> Very graciously of them. They each said the same thing. I don't know if you plan on that, but it worked. >> Thank you, Jordan.

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>> Um, so on that >> uh 2026, uh, next resolution is 202620. This, um, this is something I'm very happy to to to, uh, to read. This is authorizing full-time employment to, uh, Isabella, called we call her Bella Zeni.

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Uh uh so tonight we'll be voting on a resolution to formally appoint her as a full-time police officer here in Veter City. Uh she's a VetNer resident. Um she's been serving the community over the past three years as a class one special law enforcement officer. You've probably seen her working on the beach,

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the boardwalk, and farmers market as well as uh parking enforcement. Um in addition to her year her day-to-day responsibilities, uh Bella has provided um me practical uh at my at my request, she provided me with practical feedback

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on our parking inform enforcement policies and procedures. Sort of a boots on the ground example of what works and what doesn't work in different neighborhoods. Um and I was happy to see that uh to to just interact in that way. Um and it's helpful to um she's always

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helpful uh how we serve our residents and visitors. All this while she earned her bachelor's degree in criminal criminal justice at Stockton. She's already been sworn in to begin training at the police academy and we look forward to welcome her back for a swearing in ceremony once uh that is

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complete. Uh and again appreciate her her hard work. >> That's how I wrote it on my thing. Bella with an exclamation point. But love having her back. Well, not back but moving forward in her career. Yeah. Yeah. It's um it's a challenge and we're

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we are lucky to have her. Um so moving forward uh 20 26121 uh this is authorizing Delasio Associates along with qualified purching agents to prepare plans and specs uh to

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bid the Portland Avenue drainage improvement project. I don't have too much. >> Yeah, just about $24,000 for them to design the plans and put them out to to bid and manage that bid. >> Okay. >> So, Portland Avenue is an issue. Yeah.

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>> Uh 2026 122. Um this is authorizing person to request proposal for food and beverage concession for the fishing pier kiosk, beach and cart service. This has already been u advertised, I believe, so folks

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should know about that. uh 2026123. This is um authorizing hiring of seasonal part-time employees, salary adjustments for the city of Venner uh police department class one special law enforcement. So we are having I'll just

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take a quick note here. We're having two return um and one with experience. We're also uh the chief and I uh discuss this and we are implementing it. Um, we're gonna have a police officer rotate from

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time to time and um and and join them on the board on the boardwalk. Um, I think it's a good a good thing to to just to have different ways for the police to interact and also act as as mentors to these uh six individuals.

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>> It will be starting um on May 11th. >> Good. >> So um two returning and one with experience. Um, this to me is a big quality of life issue. >> Tim, are we getting what we want or are we having a hard time?

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>> Uh, we I I asked them to authorize nine um in all and six were what we could uh or six are are the ones that for various reasons some didn't make the the cut. So, um um I would authorize some overtime for them if during certain

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things um just to to have I think I think there's a a deficit of during high traffic times on the boardwalk. Um but also part of this with the with the specials is they have a pretty set schedule where they rotate through areas that need parking enforcement and then

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onto the boardwalk. So my I I think they um they tend to to equalize their cost to the city. if you have any are always there for this. >> Yeah, we did we did better this year in terms of the numbers of people that applied for for this position. What we are having serious problems with is

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recruiting police officers, full-time police officers. >> Uh they're they're just and that's a problem apparently that almost all municipalities are facing that young people today >> for a variety of cultural reasons and whatever don't want to be police officers. So we're we're really having a

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difficult time with recruitment. So, put the word out. We're we're actively looking for police officers. Uh the police department's actually trying to recruit. We they posted a notice where we were would be open to taking intergovernmental transfers. Police

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officers from other civil service communities that would be willing to transfer here. They got no takers. They got three applications, none of whom met the criteria. So, so that that's a problem going forward that I'm not sure

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what the answer is, but uh it it's a difficult issue. >> We round table this every because of a combination of things of of injuries of retirements of uh of of frankly them finding work that either suits them financially or logistically

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where they live. We've lost a number of police officers in the last year. So, I think we take these new six recruits. You know, the the minimum age is 18. Um, but uh and there's training involved as long as they're the right kind times of individuals. I I didn't think of this

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until we just talked about it, but like Bella, there may be an officer in there somewhere in this group of class ones, but it's hard to it's hard to say. >> Um, but it's no >> it's very young. Y um but we can get into those details

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about how much we're down. We are down I think five at this point. Um so I'm glad to have them on board just in time for the summer. Um next is

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2026124. Uh this is New Jersey refunding field rental fee to Cape Atlantic Skyhawk. So, this is a refund uh in the uh for a field rental fee. Uh resolution 2026125

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is authorizing a change order for the boardwalk uh preservation fund program reconstruction from Cambridge to Jackson Avenue. Those things happen along the project. if you have any >> all kinds of buried old peers,

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bulkheads, water manes. Um there was one section where we couldn't drive piling. We had to do uh concrete ground, some other concrete type of >> designs on one of the ramps. They ran into an old seaw wall. >> Yeah. From when the pier was when this

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they did the municipal buildings out on the pier, >> right? If >> you look at those old photographs that was all there, all in the way, right? >> So, a lot of that is is exactly this. So, Yeah. >> If you haven't had a chance to walk out there, it it's fantastic. >> So, we'll get that chance Wednesday. So,

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>> okay. So, we're nearing the end of that. >> That'sund almost $178,000 in changes, which is kind of minor compared to what they've done >> in in percentage of what the scope is. Yeah. >> Yeah. 2026126. Um, this is uh

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>> checkers >> beach tags. So, we have uh part-time employment for 37 beach tag representatives for the beach the age of 14 to 18, two supervisors. So, it's

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quite a team. Um they are they are worth uh worth their weight and gold on the beach patrol. Um so I appreciate them coming out um considered recreation aids. Uh resolution any other comments there? Nope. 127

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2026127. This is certification of the annual audit. Uh accepting the annual audit 127 and 128 is tied to it. This is approving submission for corrective actions for which there are none. There are no major findings in the audit. So

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um again a testament to Amy and your team and uh and Tom >> and work >> and Maria. Thank you. Um 2026129. Uh this is a refund for a duplicate tax overpayment.

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Uh 2026130. Um this is uh authorizing the hiring of clerk one name of Lisa Boella. >> You got it. >> To start on the 11th. >> Yep. She's in a replacement of when Amy

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moved up to office vacancy. >> We're bringing in another Lisa to back us up. So, >> excellent >> bunch of interviews. A lot of the folks that had applied for the finance job, we interviewed for this job and this Lisa came out of that. So, >> can never have enough Lisas and Amy's. >> Right.

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>> Right. God, it's good to have doubles. >> Oh, there's the other Amy. >> Uh 2026 131 moving forward. Uh this is uh general support for the bill by uh Senate Bill 1608 that requires the D and New Jersey infrastructure bank to

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provide priority for principal forgiveness on environmental infrastructure project loans to municipal areas to municipalities in coastal areas. So this is money that has already um uh we have already taken loans out for environmental infrastructure. Th this is a resolution

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supporting legislation that would have the I bank do this. >> Yep. Excellent. >> There's a smaller program in place. This would emphasize that and expand it. And we need this for the leadline service and even some of the water tower mine we hope to get back. >> Great. All right. So, that completes, am

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I correct? The the um intent agenda. Yep. >> The uh by consent. >> Yep. >> So, we only got to W. Uh next we will have approvals of bills into payroll. I have no discussion items on my agenda. Anyone else?

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>> No. >> Uh we'll have public portion. So uh at this point uh we welcome participation by interested organizations and individuals during the workshop. Um however in order to for the commission to conduct business on the most productive matter uh please keep the

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comments in workshop uh limited to three minutes on uh per person on issues. If you wish to address the commission, please step up to the microphone at the appropriate time. State your name and address. Tom, do you have any comments? No.

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>> Mike P. >> Uh, this is regarding anything in the public portion uh items discussed so far. So, if you have something in general, we'll >> item so far. All right. Thank you. We recognize Mike Wezen.

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Mike Wein, 326 North Dorset. Um, I was listening to the police uh part and finding recruits a 100 years ago when I was in college. Dade County could not hire a police

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couldn't get police anywhere. So, they offered an incentive for police officers to come, which I thought was everybody would run down there. They filled their incentive because it was during that cocaine crazy time. >> Miami Vice

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>> Miami Vice and they filled their police department that way. If you remember a few years, well quite a few years ago, Atlantic City offered an incentive for a police officer to live in >> hot. Yeah. Where they wouldn't I know

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it's it's tough for young people to even buy anything here anymore. So, it's just a couple ideas I have. Thank you, Mike. We that that occurred to me in our last meet. I have a we have a standing meeting, the chief and I, and and he's looking for any kind of uh anything.

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>> He's gone to um to all the criminal justice uh programs in the area and spoken to the directors of them to try to, you know, reach out directly to the people that are getting these criminal justice uh um degrees. uh he's done, you

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know, we do some workshop where he in the past we've done uh workshops at Stockton and and local pools because you're right, it's it's it's the it's a logistics for you know, some of the people we're looking at are from uh North Jersey and uh >> to move down here it's

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>> down here it's expensive. >> One other comment, uh this young man is awesome. His mother was on the board. You know, it's legacy. It's He's extremely intelligent and I I hope he

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didn't hear me, but uh he's a good guy and it's a good choice. >> We're happy you moved back into town. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It's it's definitely a challenge. Thanks, Mike. >> Um with that, um we have a motion to

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close the workshop. >> Any other I'm sorry, anyone on the Zoom platform that wishes to make a comment on topics we've discussed so far at the meeting? Anybody on Zoom wish to comment on any of these items, please raise your hand in the Zoom platform or within the

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chat feature and you'll be recognized. No motion. >> All right. See you guys. >> Motion to close uh the workshop portion of the meeting. >> So moved. Second. >> Second.

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>> Have a roll call. Lisa. >> Mr. Langra. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. >> Yes. >> Mayor Creable. >> Yes. May I have a motion to approve minutes? >> So moved. >> I'll second. I have a roll call. >> Commissioner Langrath. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. >> Yes. Except April, what is it? 12th.

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March 12th. March 12th. I'm sorry. >> Mayor Creable. >> Yes. Uh I have ordin have a motion to introduce ordinance 2026008 bond ordinance providing for phase one of Winchester Avenue water main replacement. >> We'll make that motion.

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>> Second. >> A roll call. Lisa. >> Commissioner Lang Graham. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. >> Yes. >> Mayor Cbalt. >> Yes. >> We have no ordinance of public hearings. We have no ordinance adoptions. We have uh may have a motion to adopt

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resolutions 2026-109 through 2026-131 by consent with no changes for the first time. >> Wow. I'll make that motion. >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Langra, >> yes. >> Commissioner Mento, >> yes.

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>> Mayor Kel, >> yes. Wow. bills. >> I appreciate that. >> Um Amy, may I uh may you uh read bills and payroll, please?

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>> Payrolls for this period 1,264,243.37. Uh the payables for this period 9,619,82.34. >> Thank you. Can I have a motion to approve bills and payroll? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. Lisa. Commissioner Langraph. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento, >> yes. >> Mayor Creable,

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>> yes. And no, no announcements or safety reports. Any any commissioner reports? >> You start with me? >> Sure. >> We have some events coming up. Um, Saturday is the shred event and the textile recycling at Ski Beach. That's from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

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>> May. Is there somebody called me T. I didn't know that answer. Is there a Is it rain or shine? >> Yes, rain or Okay, great. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, I'll give you the May events and then we'll probably repeat these next meeting, but um, people can get this on their calendar if they wish. May

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9th is the annual block party from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is on Vetner Avenue between Troy and Portland Avenues. That's a great event. Um, it gets better and better every year. And then Memorial Day weekend, there are several things on May 22nd through the 25th. The farmers

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market, which is hosted by volunteers, starts May 22nd. It's such a great great market. I love it. It's the best market around. May 10 years. >> Yeah. 10 years, right? May 23rd is the kickoff concert at Ski Beach.

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May 24th is Kenny Whailing Race on the Boardwalk. And May 25th is the Memorial Day ceremony here at City Hall at 9:00 am. Would love to have as many people as possible come out and and uh recognize the day.

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Um we still have sponsorships and partnerships available for our events and concerts. If you want to get your business name out there or your name out there, please reach out to our Donna Peterson, our special events coordinator. um

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>> um to talk to her about sponsoring and get some coverage for your business in print and um vocally >> locally. So that's all I have in regards to that. The grace period for the water bills has passed.

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>> The taxes that are due May 1 has a grace period of May 11th because the 10th falls on a Sunday. So there's an extra day there for everyone. And I think that is we did a lot tonight with finance. That's all on Amy's report, but I don't

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need to repeat it again. And um that's good. >> Great. >> That's it. >> Farmers market is probably I I hate it's like you can't pick a favorite, but the farmers market is probably one of the nicest events that we have in a lot of ways. Brings everybody from up and down the t the island there, and it feels

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like you're in in uh Market Central in Europe someplace. It's like a that kind of a vibe. Really pretty. >> Agreed. Agreed. >> Sure. >> Yeah. Thank you. So, I briefly mentioned the boardwalk. We'll be reopening the boardwalk on Wednesday, April 29th at

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noon at SuffK Avenue with a ribbon cutting. Um, so like I said, I've been up there a few times now. Been yelled at for not having a yellow jacket on by the construction management, but uh it's um it's amazing. It really come came out

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really well. Um, the detail that these guys make, they actually, you'll see it when you get up there. The center rail, they actually chamfered the boards coming into that. So, it's a nice smooth, it's really well done. >> Really, really well done. Very impressed with the work they did. Went up there and saw the lights the other night.

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They're lower. >> They prov but they provide better lighting and meets actually the safety criteria for standardized pedestrian lighting on a on a walkway. So, we got a half a foot candle throughout the whole thing where we didn't have that before. Yeah. Dark spots. It's more lights.

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They're closer together. Um, but it is brighter and a little lower intense because the lights aren't as high up in the air. So, you won't have that as much of the the lighted sky. Um, tennis court update. As you can see, we went by there, the asphalt is down. It has to

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sit for 30 days before they can put the top coat on it so the oils the asphalt don't don't bleed through. Um, significant drainage improvements are done there. Um, most likely the pavilion improvements, the new concrete area and that brick area and the pavilion is

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going to go there and the sale kind of thing we did over by the the building. It's going to be done in the fall. >> We don't want to do that during the summer. I mean, we want to open the courts as soon as possible. We don't want to have the contractors there when people are playing and enjoying the space. So, we're going to probably wait till October to come back in and do the

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pavilion in those areas and the landscaping and all that. So, so we would have like they got delayed by the weather like everything else did. What's that? >> To say what? >> I'm not a signed person. I don't need

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that to tell them it's soon coming. I don't need that. That's They'll complain no matter what we do. So, um, Newport Avenue, um, land Newport Avenue stage. Uh, we ordered the landscaping there. I walked the site with Rick today. spoke

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to Matt Dorne, uh, our our engineer, about doing some different things with that bulkhead that runs along, um, parallel to the boardwalk, but on the park, the playground side. We're going to work something with that temporarily. Overall plan probably next year is to to put a new bulkhead there. Not a full

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bulkhead, more of a retaining wall. Um, and cut that old ratty bulkhead out. It's not functioning anymore. >> Street side. Um, street side probably as well as the where the playground is. That L-shaped thing there. Street side isn't as bad as the one on the um,

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street side a little more complicated because the streets there and that's a major project. If I just have to cut down the old bulkhead below grade and put in a new 10-ft deep piling, we're >> I think this the street side may be able to just be capped and and resurfaced. >> That's what we're going to do. We talked

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to Rick today. Our guys can can do that. But the wooden bulkhead along the playground's got to go. >> It's got to go. But that's not going to happen this year. It's too big of a project. Um we will have the the um blue mat running along that bulkhead for walking and then a seating area for ADA

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access. So So those things are in in process. Uh the water tower is close to being done. I want to look up Ernie gave me a full report here on that. Not going to read the whole thing. uh the completed work the full interior and exterior surface preparation and painting of the of the tank bowl dome

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and supporting structure all interior access platform stairways and piping supports are fully painted and ready for final equipment remaining work um transducer installation that helps us uh mount the ultrasonic and pressure type water level transducer inside the tank

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um drain line replacement when we inspected it the drain line that comes out and dumps the excess water into the bay fa failed. So, we have to replace that. Uh rooftop structural completion. A few couple weeks a couple months ago, we had some additional costs for that because some of the structural members

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needed to be replaced. So, that that has to be done in a water mixture installation once once everything else is finished. So, project's currently on schedule. They anticipate completion date by May 31st. Anticipate a return to service right after that. We'll do a final inspection, test everything out,

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and put that water tower back on service for the summer. We need it. That provides a lot of water to the to the city, >> especially with the increase in >> Yeah. Um, yep. Uh, peer house restrooms up open and operational for the most part. Some fine tuning up there, but

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that should be good to go. Then our public works guys are getting into their spring cleanup. You'll see more of the guys around, especially with our seasonal guys starting this week. uh cleanups, doing the beach entrances, things like that. So, you'll start to see them moving quite a bit.

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>> I had a group um ask where they could volunteer and one of the things came up was street end cleanup. Is that something that you would >> We coordinate that with Rick? Yeah. Love to have some people help with that. Yeah. It's It's not pleasant work.

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>> No. No. There. But that occurred to me that that's a place that is accumulated. >> Yeah, we could do that. It's hard. That's where everything drains off of. As people walking on and off the beach, as many trash cans as we have, they just don't seem to make it into the trash cans. They make it into those areas on

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either side of the ramp. >> I was amazed at Stone Harbor many trash cans they have on the street. They're counted like within each block, they had six. >> Yeah. >> On the on the main dragon, Stone Armor. >> So, anyway, >> that's it. Thanks.

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>> Yeah. Um, uh, one thing I have, uh, two things. Uh, the fire department has seen an increase more than 200 calls more this year at this point in the year versus last year. Has a lot to do with the frozen the weather we had.

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>> Um, >> um, also want to say that we are in the beach tag session. If you noticed already, there are people already coming in for beach tags. >> Oh, yes. >> You can get a one-on-one with Lisa for that. Yes, you can.

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>> Um, there so before the lines because there are lines every spring in the on the weekend. >> Memorial Memorial Day weekend. >> June 1st will be here. June 1st is the >> $20 will be no senior tags on June 1st. >> Okay.

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>> So, right now, senior tags are 350. Regular tags are $10. June 1st, it's just one ticket, $20. >> So, get them now. Senior tickets are 350 now until June 1st. >> May 31st. >> Well, May 31st. >> June 1st. $20.

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>> Got it. And uh and uh Park Mobile goes online on >> May 1st. >> Yep. >> So all that is uh No, spring showers bring May flowers. Um here we go.

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May flowers bring pilgrims. Sorry. Sorry. Uh the last thing I have is >> I just got that. Um, >> that was a bad joke, >> but funny. >> It's my Yeah, >> I love it. My daughter. Sorry. Uh, I have one last thing. Charlotte Joseph is

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our most recent ventner centarian. >> So, we have a a proclamation to read hereby, whereas Charlotte Joseph was born and raised in Atlantic City. And whereas Venner became Charlotte's home in 1959. And whereas Charlotte was

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instrumental in starting the New Year's Day polar bear plunge along with National Night Out here in Ventner. Whereas Charlotte served on the Ventner Community Association holding the title membership chair and whereas Charlotte was married to the late Daniel Josephs and is the mother to the late Mark

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Josephs, Jeff and Donna Josephs, both of Ventner. Now therefore, it be resolved that the mayor and Venner City Board of Commissioners offers its admiration, congratulations, and very best wishes to Charlotte Josephs on her 100th birthday. >> Would love to meet her. >> Wow. When was her birthday?

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>> Her birthday is May 21st, 2026. I will deliver this to her. >> Awesome. >> Yeah. Um that is all I have um with commissioner comments and

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reports. If anyone has any uh public comments, uh this is a point where we welcome participation by any organizations or individuals during the regular workshop. Um if you wish to comment on anything ventner related, we

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ask that you keep your uh that you come up to the microphone. There's no one here. Anybody on the Zoom platform have any comments about uh Vner in general? U please raise your hand and um Jim will announce

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your participation. Anybody on Zoom wish to make any questions or comments? Fans? Nope. Okay, hearing none. May I have a motion to close public comment? >> So moved. >> Have a second.

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>> I'll second. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Commissioner Langri, >> yes. >> Commissioner Mento, >> yes. >> Mayor Kel, >> yes. Uh, we have no executive session this evening. So, may I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So, moved.

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>> Second. >> Roll call. Lisa. >> Commissioner Langri. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. Yes, Mayor >> Creable. >> Yes. Meeting adjourned.