Jim, are we all set in Zoom? >> Yep, you're all good to go. >> Thank you. I'd like to call to order the Venice City Commission meeting of January 8th, 2026. Uh, can I allow you to rise to the flag salute, please, and to the republic for which it stands,
>> one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Got it. Thank you. Uh, roll call. Lisa. >> Commissioner Langrath >> here. >> Commissioner Mento >> here. >> Mayor Creable >> here. >> Um, can you please read the open public
meeting announcement? >> 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. Could you please read the live streaming 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 reserves the right to discontinue remote
access at the discretion of the city for any future meetings. >> Thank you, Lisa. I just want to a comment before they all uh leave. We have a number of local dignitaries here for our reorganization meeting. So this evening we have uh uh Senator Vince Paulino was here earlier. Uh our
assemblyman Don Guardian was here and thank you for always coming to all our events. Uh um we have uh um Commissioner Mike Ruff is here. Um and we have uh Commissioner and Chair John Rizley is here as well.
>> John, >> um we have >> we have Sheriff Joe Donahghue is here. Thank you. And we have Under Sheriff Mario Suarez, who is also a high school uh graduate of mine. We both class of 85 uh Atlantic City High School
representing here. And um uh I just want to thank you all for coming and visiting us on our reorganization meeting. And I see members of the public. We have a fairly short um uh agenda. A lot of uh a lot of the same types of things. We're uh just appointing new uh members and
then we have uh some time for public comment. um afterwards where there's some discussion. We'd like to h have hear some of your comments about parking specifically around the Troy Avenue site if I'm assuming that's what you're all here for. I'm hoping that's what you're
here for. And uh we also have another new person at the seat. Uh Cat at front is is part of our reorganization is reorgan is reappointing our existing um uh attorney for representation and you'll be sitting in now as our uh our
data our day-to-day as Miss Cercio is apparently on the mast head now. Congratulations to her. Right. And she'll still be with us for uh legal representation and labor. Right. Great. Welcome. Um so moving forward with the agenda uh
we have no presentations. Thanks guys. >> Thank you all for coming out. Happy new year. >> Um we have uh moving forward here. We have no presentations this evening. Uh we have no department head reports. We'd like to see that start up soon. Um
uh capital discussion. Um, and the following items are scheduled for action at one at the 18 portion of the commission meeting. Um, we have a capital discussion, Amy. >> Not at this point. >> Not at this point. Right. Uh, we have no
minutes since it was a short kind of a holiday. Uh, and then we have one ordinance introduction 2026-01. Uh, this is the u establishment of a cap bank three and a half%. Do you want to make any comment on that, Commissioner? >> No. Do you have anything you want?
>> No. >> No. So, this is something we do over here. It's again, that's what a lot of these items are going to be. So, I'm going to read through them. Uh they're really uh I think we've all they're really uh re reading. There are some
very minor uh conditions on our next agenda item, which is resolutions by consent. So this is uh resolutions uh 01 through uh 043 for this year. The first
is as I mentioned before um is Blay Weinberg Curio is the uh resolution 01 that is uh reappointing them for as city solister. Uh 002
is also Blaney Weinberg Curio as Labor Relations Council not to exceed $40,000. Uh 003 is resolution of our continuing uh auditor at Ford Scott and Associates uh
and uh not to exceed $64,000. Um I want to really thank them for the work they do. They really put things into a clear, concise uh presentation for us. >> Especially for me. >> Yeah. >> When I get the dummy sheet, >> right? >> Here's what this means. >> There's a lot of moving parts and they
do a great job. I >> I personally feel there's nobody better >> and Leon's been around a long time. I've had him in my prior life as auditor. And >> how he keeps every municipality stuff straight. Yep. >> Is amazing. Gives us the best advice. >> Very amazing.
>> Gives us the information we need. fact that he's tied into this state very closely. So, um, and when he advises us, we listen to him despite some of the other advice we get. >> Yeah. Some members of the public might not realize how important that is, but there there are course correction things
that we all have to do and he looks he makes the spreadsheets when was with Tom makes them look forward or five years into the future so that we can make those course corrections. Right. >> You hire the best, you listen to them. >> That's right. Um, so after that
commercial for Ford Scott, we returned to our programming uh 004 is uh Archer Grinder as our bond council uh not to exceed $25,000. Also, uh we do have a really good team. That was my takeaway
from from this is that the team that we've created of professionals has been really supportive and and um top-notch. Uh 005 is uh appointing Joel Feistman as our bond council not to exceed $15,000. Our bonds are are our ratings continue
to go up as the city becomes more financially healthy and he's uh the person behind the that that effort um with obviously the rest of the team. Amy as well. Um Jim Retella uh is on 006.
Another real rock star here. Not to exceed $60,000. As a teaser for my comments, we recently received just one of the of the of the um the grants that he's responsible for helping uh craft. We're receiving $960,000
for streetscape improvements on the Dorset Avenue corridor. Um this is uh Jim Retella has been uh doing this for in such a uh he again can uh helps helps the city in ways that you've seen um with our boardwalk with with our uh when
and now and our our biggest gateway uh at the Dorset Avenue Bridge. >> Yeah, we should have him do a summary again back to when you guys first came in office in 2016 because he's gotten the city millions >> compet and these are these are competitive grants. there were more than 60 60 cities going out for this and we
were one of the higher higher awards. >> Um, and that's money that's directly uh a benefit to taxpayers because we're not using that those we're not encumbering those dollars over time to make these to make these efforts. >> Um 007 is uh appointment of Hank Roard
for general tax council not to exceed $50,000. Again, these are reappointments. Um 008 is appointing George Brown as appraiser for the uh state tax court. So this is uh uh uh doing appraisals for when we do get um
uh folks that are uh uh are challenging their taxes. Um 009 is a resolution appointing uh Cynthia Cotton as part of our HR team and our civil service not to exceed $12,000.
She's been an integral part of that with uh with uh Lisa to help our civil service become compliant to continue to be compliant. Uh 010 is our health insurance broker. Um uh
Jersey Professional Benefits Consultant uh not to exceed $12,000. Uh 00011 is uh financial group LLC continuing disclosure agent uh not to exceed $1,500.
Uh resolution uh 012 is municipal finance advisor of record not to exceed $10,000. This is uh NW Financial Group has continued uh to be our financial adviser. >> And just to comment, this is a a uh
professional we need when we go out to borrow funds. You have to have people that know what's going on in the market and can advise you properly. And the disclosure agent is a requirement also when you're when you have uh outstanding debt. >> Right.
Right. A lot of the lot of lot of moving parts there and we're continue to be happy with their work on these. And then our insurance um uh this is appointing insurance agencies uh Eugene Syracusea as part of our GIF
our management consultant for the GIF. Um you know the the work the GIF has done has saved us as a municipality countless dollars. I I know Maria you can attest to that that they the um as that part of the GIF that we qualify
for. It's not every city that can can can qualify for that. Um 014 is uh um reappointing uh Atlanticare as our medical surveillance for firefighters, police and public works
and any new hires. So this is for drug testing. Uh 015 is employee assistance uh EAP with uh behavioral uh appointing Atlanticare as our as for behavioral health services for 2026. This is part for our
employees. Uh 016 is appointing Lexipole not to exceed $20,5122 for police training. Uh 017 is uh ex is an agreement with emergency
training and consulting. This has to do with our uh ambulance medical director requirement. Um 018 is um the resolution of pointing our um municipal alliance um committee. So this
is the Lisa this is the the municipal alliance. So that is the um sorry what was >> the drug and sub drug and substance abuse program. >> It's grant funded also >> grant funded also which we we we will get to as well. Thank you. uh 019.
Um this is for um for compliance during bidding. This is uh appointing Lisa Hand as our public agency compliance officer. Shout out to Lisa. >> Sorry. >> 020 is a resolution uh 2026 as a contact
person for practice of uh liability and helpline for the municipal joint insurance fund. This is Lisa and Tom 021. Uh this is appointing uh class 3 members to the planning board. Uh this is for uh Lance >> Langraph.
>> So uh you're uh part of our um shift in as a result of Roman leaving. There's some movement in that. >> Not with this >> not with this one coming up that this is your reappointment. >> This is just me reappointing. This has to be a member of the governing body. Yeah. >> Has to be a member of governing body. >> Who of the three of you serve on the
planning board? mayor or the mayor's designate and then one of the other two needs to be appointed by yourselves. So this is the class three member. >> Yeah, they specifically make them different classes to confuse people, right? Is that the >> That's probably the reason 38 years and I don't know everybody's classes on the
board. That's >> You don't. Yes, you do. >> I do. Well, some of them >> need a scorecard. There's someone there's Lisa knows >> four is the general public. >> The general public. >> Gotcha. 023. Warren, we're going to help you. One is the mayor. >> I know.
>> Two is another city official who's >> okay. >> So that's >> three is you. >> Yep. >> Four is a member of the public. Members of the public there. >> It sounded much more complicated when Lisa described. >> All right. >> Keep the simple tunnel that that's Lance
does know he c he was being said I was being facicious. You can't. >> All right. Fair. I I feel I feel brief now. Thank you. Um resolution 023. This is uh create part of the Ventner Arts Alliance, the
Ventner Creative Team. This is part of Sue Van Dy and her effort to >> We skipped 22. >> Oh, did I miss 22? I'm sorry. Uh 022. Uh this is um resolution appointing a fund commissioner James Pinowski.
James on the in the air there. And Joe Nazelli. This is uh for the GIF. Thank you, Jim. Um zero back back to track to 023. This is uh appointing members of the creative team of the veterary arts alliance. Um
this is Sue van dyn and her efforts to not only um uh bring culture but also to look for grants for those effects to to city of Vner. Uh 024 is uh restating reappointing everyone on the uh the green team advisory committee
for 2026. I do sit in on almost all of those meetings and I want to thank them for the work they do. Um they really are a a dedicated group of citizens that reach out to all other uh some of them work on different boards and they were especially with the tree initiative we
had on the ventner avenue that they really um really do uh care deeply about the environment and um bring us uh almost candid ordinances for us to adopt uh since from the bag ordinance um and on. So I want to take a minute to thank
uh to thank them and the green team. Uh 025 is a resolution uh this is the resolution uh for the planning board as a result of one of our U members who was a class three
>> four sorry see class four. Uh he resigned. Uh and Tim Coup is taking is filling his the balance of his um his term. And we have two other uh uh
members moving up the ladder. And um uh and I guess that's enough to say about >> and a new member >> and and one new member, John Van Dy, uh is added to this list. So John Vanine and his family have been building in this city um for generations. Uh so we're happy to have
>> If I could say a couple things on Roman. So Roman was reluctantly resigning. Um just couldn't really do the job anymore. he didn't didn't want to bring the board down. Um he did agree to help us with the master plan. Roman is a retired planner from North Jersey, Mars County.
He was their planning director for the county. Great asset to have on our planning board. Um a lot of forethought in what he what he would vote upon on applications. >> But uh as we come through our master plan, he will be on that kind of ad hoc committee that that um that we're going
to work through. So >> I'm glad to hear that. Uh, the one thing I really appreciate about Roman was that he would call and just want to sit down and go to lunch about and talk about the things that that he thought that the the vision for the city, the things that were um that that he could help with.
Um, again, a really dedicated volunteer with the background that he I think he worked on some of the largest projects in in in Morris County. Morris County and uh and a and a and a and a uh really really um a pleasure to work with.
>> Um thank you for for mentioning that and and and I'm looking forward to John Van Dy and his his his uh his his experience as well. Um 026 is
a resolution appointing uh Chief Wooten as um police custodian of records. So and all of the uh benefits the herin >> here added to the list
>> for zero dollars. No. Um please custodian of record um uh is uh is for 2026 20027 is um New Jersey uh authority
at um is the tax assessor resolution um appointing uh Jersey authorizing the tax assessor to handle appeals. So that is our tax assessor. This is Margaret >> to hand. Oh no, I'm sorry. No >> to Bill. Bill, excuse me. to handle tax appeals which he's already done. This is
just memorializing it for this year. Uh resolution 028 is uh that is the tax collector in charge of in uh interest and delin delinquent taxes uh after the due date. This is allowing her uh um
allow to continue the work that she does. That is 0 to8 >> gives them a grace period. >> Gives them a grace period of 10 days. Right. Uh 029 is authorizing the tax collector to produce property and/or sewer tax
refunds and cancellation of refunds or delinquences of less than $10 for the year. So she can do that without having a meeting uh to to memorialize it. Uh 030 is establishing uh rules of order for
these meetings and conduct for city commission meetings. something we we've continued to do. Um 031 is designating the locations for uh public notice. So this is a benefit of a
new law at tax of 2025 which allows us um with some stipulations and provisos to selfpublish our public notices. So, this is kind of a new uh law that we've all been asking for because of uh not having to uh
publish these in the newspapers. Um we have some stipulations and and procedures to go through, but the majority of the year won't have to uh we won't have to um issue notice and it it may also save us some time uh when you have things um correct >> in uh electronically. So, does that so
we we were waiting for >> deadlines to be published and so forth. So, tell me >> that's correct. So with the with the way the papers are now, there's it's really hard to publish because like we our laws have to be in print, >> right? >> And like for I'll use an example, the press of Atlantic City only prints three
days. So we have to for me, I have to hurry up after our meetings to get it to them ASAP so I can make my guidelines so we can adopt an ordinance at the next meeting. If not, I don't make my statutory requirements for publication dates. So, the new law came out in 2025,
and it's not, like I said, it's not just us. It was a big mass effort. Um, and they're going to allow municipalities to put a special spot on their website for legal notices along with a hyperlink um to the state of New Jersey is going to
have like a database. So, that's also a requirement. And Jim thankfully has been, you know, we're working together with that. Um, as of right now, the requirement for us is we are required by law to be able to put our legal notices on our website and to be in compliance, we have to notify the public two times a
month for 12 months. So, I have a legal notice that I will place in the Lanc City Press >> um twice a month for 12 months and then once that's done, then we've met our legal requirements. My understanding is March 1st, by March 1st, the state has to give us that hyperlink.
then we can have it on our website. March 1st, we can start utilizing our website for legal notices. >> Um, as but we will continue to have to post our legal notice. You know, our our ad out saying that we have this website that you're going to go to and it's going to do it, right?
>> You don't have to do it after 12 months. >> Correct. >> Yeah. So then January >> year or just continuous? >> No. January of 2027, we'll have satisfied our requirements for this for this law. So when things are emergent that we like in some cases we had some some some things that we wanted to get
meetings scheduled and set for um we won't we'll be able to do that in a more timely manner. >> Great. So for me it's going to be a lot it's going to be great because I I can do it right away and I if there's a holiday it backs up the press you know because sometimes they have to have it before and then we don't have a meeting
and I can't get it to them in time. So, it's really going to help us to be able to be smoothing for all of our legal notices that they can be put up the next day. Great. >> We don't have to wait for a week. >> Great. Thank you for that. >> Uh 032 is um authorizing public employee
bonds, something we do every year. Uh 033 is um setting the temporary budget for 2026. Again, something we do every year. Um 034 is uh is state of New Jersey uh
Atlantic County State New Jersey self-examination of the 2026 municipal budget. Um is that self-explanatory Amy? Are we 2026 self-exam compliant Tom? Or >> we we are uh I think the cycle is every three years have to be approved by the
state. But if you uh satisfy all the uh requirements of the local division of local government services, you can do self-examination and you're not subject to waiting for them to approve the budget. You can go ahead and and do it. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> And so this is the year that we are eligible for self-examination. >> Excellent. Uh 035 is designating our bank depository. So these are just naming the banks that we can utilize. Uh 036 is
adopting our cash management plan for the fiscal year. >> It's another annual requirement. >> Another annual requirement. Um 037 is appointing Matt Duran of Palestine and Associates as the engineer through a non-fair and open process. So this is
going to be our Lance. Do you have any >> Yeah. So um our city engineer has been Ed Stinson for quite some time now. Um he also represents the city of Brigantine and he came to us and he said you guys are keeping me way too busy. He's semi-retired and he asked if he
could have someone else step in and he suggested Matt. Um which is kind of one of the smoothest processes you can hand over. >> Ed worked for Matt for probably most of his career as an engineer. Um Matt was an engineer here in the city for quite some time. Uh he recently merged his
firm Dorne Engineering with Palestine Associates. Um what we now get with Matt is the backup of a full engineering firm, right, >> as our city engineer. >> Um which is very helpful. Um we do have a pool of engineers to do the specific projects, but what this allows us to do
is is um instead of having for these smaller type things like we had a meeting today about the sanitary sewer coming out of this building, >> right? >> We can now go right to Palestina for that >> to get that work done, right? um quicker than going out to bid to our six um pool
of engineers which is coming up. Yeah. I think one after this. So Ed has done a great job for us. I've known Ed for most of my career as well as Matt. Um he was just you know needed needed to step back a little bit in time and he suggested
Matt which is a a fantastic um I don't want to say replacement but a a standin I'll say. >> Gotcha. >> So thanks said for his years of service to Ventner and our community. So does a great job for us. >> He really does. He's really accessible all the time. Answers all the questions you need. Puts them in as as plain
English as an engineer can. And >> that is true. >> And um but uh is is a a is a great um great ass has been a great asset to the city. >> Um moving on. >> Yep.
>> Uh 038 is appointing uh Jeff safety coordinator uh Donna Peterson. Is that in the room? >> Sitting right back there. Ranger. >> Uhhuh. >> And you're in the safest seat in the house. >> Great. She will coordinate it. Um 039 is
identifying our pool of engineers as mentioned. So this is our pool of engineers. Something that you really champion to have us the ability to to to sort of uh shift into whoever's the right person for the job and have them preset. And I mean you >> so what we do is we go out to a request
for qualifications RFQ um in November December and they these folks send in their that's why our packet is so thick this month because all their information is in there right >> um we get hourly rates >> qualifications for all their staff and then what we do is we have a we have a
slew of different folks here we've had Palestine Associates Delasio R&V Arthur Chu ACT CME Kers and Ed Stinson would be one of those guys that will come back to help us a little bit as we need it. >> What we then can pick if it's a Arthur
Chu is one of the easiest guys to get a bulkhead job done from, >> right? >> He's he's done a lot of our bulkhead work for us. He does a great job and it's rather inexpensive. Um Collier does traffic work for us. Um they did all the intersection designs on Ventner Avenue, right?
>> Um ACT is also an environmental company. CME is just a large engineering firm as is R&V Delasio and Palestina. full gamut engineering firms that they can do anything we need. So we have a great um shotgun approach to getting our engineering work done. And by the way,
we share this pool with the city of Margate, >> right? >> Um so they use the same engineering firms as as we do for these projects. We collaborate on on who we choose, but these are the guys that we've been using for most of the time we've been in office. >> Great. All right. Thank you. Uh 040 is
appointing emergency management coordinator and deputy municipal emergency coordinator. This is as a result of uh Tom Halpin's retirement. So Jeff Moore has taken those positions and some others I believe on that list as well. Um again it's normal um uh
housekeeping for that sort of thing. >> Just for clar he's one of our firemen. >> Right. Uh exactly. Uh 041 is authorizing uh local emergency managing planning committee LEPC for a three-year term uh
from December 1st 23 to November 30th. Same thing. This is as Tom Halpin's retirement as a firefighter and and inspector and part of the emergency management team. Jeff Moore is moving into that role, also a firefighter. Um
next is 042. Um this is tied into the municipal alliance. This is uh Atlantic County uh New Jersey supporting the governor's council for substance and use disorder grant. This is a grant that we typically receive every year that is uh does a lot
of the funding for the municipal island alliance and their efforts within the city. Appreciate what they do. Um resolution 043 and this is the last one is uh appointing POGE to coordinate and
perform alcohol and drug testing throughout the city uh service not to exceed 6500. They are been doing this for a number of years for us and continue to. >> Any questions? No. >> That is all of the resolutions we will have uh we will we will approve by
consent. Then we will have uh approval of bills and payroll. >> Mayor, can I just say something to clarify for the record so that there's no confusion. There was a earlier resolution that named Atlanticare relative to uh medical surveillance and
drug testing. >> The difference between that and this one with Pogue, Atlanticare does all our pre-employment stuff. Pogue is the one who actually does the drug testing when there's cause to or random drug testing as required by law.
>> So, so that's the difference between those two, >> right? >> They're Thank you. >> Um I don't have any dis uh so we'll have after that we'll go we'll have bills and payroll. I don't have any discussion items
listed. Uh so at this point we can open the meeting to the public for items that we've discussed so far. I see a lot more people in the room than we typically have. Is uh is just as a general yes or no. Is everybody here to talk about the traffic uh at Troy Avenue? All right. So
um this partic we're going to get to that at the very end which is going to happen pretty quickly after we do our formal meeting u where we can talk about anything. If there's anybody online we can also talk about that as I have a brief uh some some comments and and some images to show um the on that topic. So,
we can just wait for just a few more minutes. I appreciate you all being here. Um but at this point, I'd like to open the meeting to open to the public for items that we have discussed so far in our agenda. I have a motion to open the public. >> So moved.
>> Second. >> Second. >> Roll call. Lisa. >> Commissioner Langra. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. >> Yes. >> Mayor Creable. >> Yes. I have a motion to close the portion uh the workshop portion of the public meeting and call to order the regular portion. >> We didn't we had >> Oh, sorry.
>> Sorry. Slow down. Any public comment on anything we discussed so far? Jim, anything online for anything we discussed so far? >> Is there anybody on Zoom who wishes to comment or discuss on any of the items
that have been discussed so far? Please make yourself known by raising your hand or within the chat feature and you will be recognized. There will be another public portion at the end of the meeting. >> No. >> No. May I have a motion to close public portion? So moved.
>> Second. >> Second. Thank you. Roll call. Lisa. >> Commissioner Langraf. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. Yes. >> Mayor Creable. >> Yes. Okay. Now, may I have a motion to close the port the port the workshop portion of the meeting and call to order the regular portion of the meeting?
>> I'll make that motion. >> Second. >> Roll call. Lisa, >> Commissioner Langra, >> yes. >> Commissioner Mento, >> yes. Mayor Creel, >> yes. We have no minutes to approve. We have uh one ordinance introduction. Can I have a motion to open ordinance
2022-001 for introduction? Make a motion to introduce ordinance 2026- 0001. >> Second. >> May I have a roll call, Lisa? >> Commissioner Langra. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. >> Yes. Mayor Creable. >> Thank you. Yes.
May I have a motion to adopt by consent resolutions 2026-001 through 2026-043 as described earlier in the workshop portion. Make a motion to adopt resolutions by consent 001 through 043.
>> Second. >> Roll call. Lisa. >> Commissioner Langrath. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. Yes. >> Mayor Creable. >> Yes. All right. >> Amy, we have uh we have approval of bills and payroll. >> Payables for this period $2,78,396.97.
Payrolls for this period 1,333,6331.76. >> Thank you. I have a motion to approve bills and payroll. >> I'll make that motion. >> Second. >> Roll call. Lisa. >> Commissioner Langra. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. >> Yes. >> Mayor Creable. >> Yes. We have uh no announcements or safety report. Uh Commissioner comments
and report. Would you uh would like to go first? >> Ladies first. >> All right. Um we um I'd like to congratulate our um staff member Sari who um took the certified municipal finance officers
exam and passed. And for the three of us in this room that have done this before, this is a big deal. It's a really difficult test and uh it takes like eight or nine classes. It's like eight or nine semesters of courses and you
really have to study but you learn a lot. So, um, she's really, um, valuable to the city, and she's one of those people who will do whatever is asked of her, no matter how complicated or how
uncomplicated, and she just spearheaded our Big Brothers, Big Sisters drive. And it was one of the most successful ones we had this year. So, she's um a very valuable employee that we're lucky to have found and have. And she's been with us, I don't know how many years now, but maybe about 10, 15.
10 or 12. Yeah. So, um, congratulations to Sar. Um, and that's in our finance department and Amy is our CFO who also has the license and she's busy doing what she does this time of year, which is primarily budget and, uh, just went through a whole
payroll conversion. Um, which was very successful to a new company and, um, getting into year end, I guess. Now, also, I guess you're getting ready for year end now, too. Um the other office under me is uh tax assessor and tax
collecting and that's pretty much business as usual. And then we have events and we're planning our 2026 season uh finalizing the calendar. We um have a site called Recesk where vendors sign up for participating
and uh as we did last year we have sponsorship opportunities for our concerts and uh last year those sponsorship um increased significantly um and they you know the sponsors got um I think uh they were pleased with the
coverage they got as a result of the concerts. Um our re most recent events we did the polar bear plunge with the VBA and that was very successful and um we have some let's see there are no upcoming events until April and uh but
we remain busy behind the scenes coordinating what needs to happen with logistics, permits, vendors, entertainments for everything that is coming up and it can't come fast enough. We can't be out of winter fast enough personally. Um, and we will have our uh events. I think
we may already have them. Do we have already have them up on our site, Donna? Donna is our special events coordinator. We do have our events up on the site for the year as anticipated right now. Okay. And um I think that's it. Do you want to add anything?
We're good. Okay. Good. Thank you, >> Commissioner Langraph. >> Sure. Just touch base on a few things with public works and and things going on in the city. Um, if you've been up to the boardwalk lately, you can see they're making some progress with the piling. The bench um sections are
underneath the pavilion now. They put those in today. They may not be m fast fashioned, but they're there. Um, slow process, but they're they're moving forward. Um, a little bit of a hiccup there. There's a water mane that runs underneath that boardwalk that loops around two streets. We have to replace
that, which we're doing probably next week. Good news is we don't have to shut down any roads to do that, which is nice because it's under the boardwalk. Um, water tower out in the Heights. You'll start seeing the work starting there to renovate that structure. Um, total um
revitalization of that water tower, including repainting it when it's done. Uh, pickle ball and tennis courts precon meeting is January 15th, which is next Thursday. So, that start date of that work should be in the next week or so after that. Uh the courts will most likely be shut down on the 19th as we
have to start taking things down. Um and getting ready for that construction and demolition project. Um let's see. Sewer and water talking with Ernie. Um Ernie is still here. He's in the back there. He's our superintendent of of water and sewer. Um Veter Gardens Plaza, the work
out there has been completed. That was a complete renovation and reinstallation of new piping with that storm water system. Um the pump station there is work is complete which basically replaced pump two. We now have to do some work on pump one just to be serviced. Uh we now have radio control
of that system so we can turn that pump on and off remotely. Not we don't have to get there to do it. Um that should have been done when the this thing was installed but it wasn't. So we we ended up putting that in this time. So, um,
looking through lead service line project continues, bi-weekly Zoom meetings with all parties included. Uh, public outreach should be starting later this month. Um, city hall, if you noticed, uh, the last two Fridays we had to close. We've had some
sewer issues here in the building. It is a old building. It's over 100 years old and it is struggling to uh keep up with modern-day uh plumbing needs. So, we had the last two Fridays which is through the holiday which has kind of worked out for everybody. Um we had to close the
building down and we did some repairs to the sewer lines leaving the building out to Ocean Avenue. There's further project to be done there. We're still having some some issues with that old system. So, that'll be coming up next. looking at public works. Um
the POSAI inspection findings have closed out, which is a good thing. Pio is a state agency, federal agency that comes in and inspects our facilities and make sure our employees are safe and doing what they do. Um there's always things that those guys come in and find, but we've we've closed those out. We've fixed all the things they've needed us
to fix. Um the sweeper, our Elgen sweeper is down, out of service right now. Uh we are looking for a temporary replacement for that. Um, that's the newer sweeper. You saw the old one, the old Pelican running around today. >> So, the older one or the newer one is
they're they're having a problem with it. We cannot those folks that know it can't figure out what's wrong with it. >> It's got an electrical issue. We're working on getting that fixed. The meantime, we may have to rent one to cover the the cleaning of the streets. >> Still under warranty. It's not that old. >> No, it's it's over it's almost four
years old. Yeah. Um, we are going to do a demo of an electrical unit coming up uh in next Friday. Uh, if you guys are around noon time, be Republic Works. It's a smaller one um that can fit into a lot of the streets a little bit easier and the nooks and crannies and things
like that. And it's it's fully electric. >> It's a much more expensive piece of equipment, but there's probably a $500,000 grant that subsidizes the purchase of the electric equipment. So, >> we're looking at it. We saw it at the League of Municipalities. We're looking at it. Um, it's already talked about
pickle ball and already talked about the city sewer, city hall sewer. So, that's it. A lot of ins and outs of the city. >> Yeah, >> thank you. Thank you. And thank you for the uh as quickly as we can get the get the issues uh taken care of over the holidays.
>> We purchased a new cabinet for the >> and the the police department. >> Excellent job for the police department. >> Today's crisis >> vanity. I shouldn't say cabinet. >> It was today's crisis. Yes. >> Have to get a new vanity in there. >> And um uh I just have two things. Uh I
want to speak uh briefly about the uh Bureau of Fire Prevention. So um we're getting into our year end um uh that that that bureau does uh inspections, demonstrations, and presentations, walkthroughs, investigations, as well as special
events. Over the course of 2025, that that bureau performed 157 residential and merchant tile uh inspections, 59 life hazard inspections, also eight city properties, and five houses of worship were inspected. Um these inspections
require 110 reins inspections to gain compliance with the New Jersey fire code. There were also 96 permits issued and um as well as other all the other uh uh requirements that they do the demonstrations and presentations at national night out, fire prevention week
and career day. Uh they they for local schools. Uh they definitely this is a this is a group that gets um does some public engagement at the senior center as well and at the shalom house. Um they familiarize the rest of the department with the drills and all the platoon with high-rise buildings throughout the city
as well as VECC, the vendor plaza and the ventner fishing pier. Um you know these are these are the people that prepare us for the um the the for those types of events uh when we need them to be. Uh there's currently four personnel um and they take uh number numerous
classes to remain uptodate on technologies and best practices. uh also provide mutual aid for local u arson task force and investigations with the police department uh when needed. Um uh they also uh inspect all of our all
these mobile food vendors. We have uh we have uh mobile food vendors in the summer for our uh uh for our our farmers market, our block party, our summer concerts. The more active the city becomes, the more we rely on these uh this department to keep us safe. So, a
shout out to them for another another year well done. Um, and then, uh, briefly, if I can, I just want to reiterate the fact that the, uh, the entire administration, uh, was happy to see that we were awarded a $960,000 grant from the state of New Jersey,
Department of Transportation, um, Governor Phil Murphy's commitment to community initiative was the name of it. Uh, a competitive grant process. These are the kinds of things that are the result of us doing study participating in things like the pedestrians study,
right? Just like we did studies uh for nuisance flooding in Veteror Heights that can set us up for grants down the line. These that's this is the cut this is we're reaping the rewards of work that we've done in the past year. So I think this is really exciting. We're all kind of thinking about this in the back
of our minds. We've had conversations about what it could look like. Um, I want to also thank Atlanta County Executive Denny Levenson uh for their partnership and cooperation uh with a shared with this is a shared roadway. So, we're working together. Um, they have committed to doing uh improvements,
aesthetic improvements and mechanical improvements to the Dorset Avenue Bridge, which is an iconic um postcard event uh postcard image of the city of Ventner. Um, so bringing that we're hope we're uh we're talking about having that improvement and having the streetscape
improvement to create uh it's going to a more walkable space with trees, sidewalks, landscaping, benches, bike racks, traffic markings, other enhancements to to make it a more walkable, welcoming streetscape. And I would say that it it will also en
encourage growth and give a sense of place to that area which has always been >> I'm so excited about this cuz I'm in the Heights, you know, and I kind of always felt like Dorset was like the step stepdaughter or stepson of the rest of the city. But I know we've talked about this for years even when I was the
administrator and either there were more critical things we had to apply for that were critical. >> We've been applying for >> and then we've applied for this too many times and we finally got it. So, um I'm super excited. >> Yeah. >> And I know you guys are too. Yeah, >> it is. I mean, like I like I've said in
the past, you know, this is a handshake with the rest of the public that comes to the city of Ventner. This is a really when you start to think about when you're driving to Ventner, uh when you start to see the the the streetscape changes to a more commercial space that the um I'd like to see us focus on um
lighting. I think that's one of the things that the city at night becomes not as welcoming to have that to to those businesses around that area. The street lighting and you had mentioned the the light lights with baskets, the local lighting. >> Um I think that combined with our our
our master plan in the works to create more, you know, uh halo type lighting around street around businesses to make those sidewalks our sidewalks are very dark throughout the city. So, this is a chance to get this area right and say um you know this is a real welcome to
Ventner opportunity um uh for with street lights and lighting utilities, new sidewalk, gutters, curbs, driveway aprons. Um you know, it's strangely $960,000 doesn't go as far as it used to, but it's a big it's a big event.
>> You call Atlantic Avenue that we got 800, >> right? when we put another three or four into it, 300,000 into it to get what we wanted. >> Right. >> And this is for as far as territory about three blocks, >> right? >> Yeah.
>> Might be four, but I think the more of the commercial and we we we've discussed limiting the bulk of the improvements. >> I I guess for the public >> for the public, we're not talking about the whole residential areas, >> right? We're talking about the business area. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's a and that was the
that's the that was the that's the piggyback here is that it was designed it's designed to help ADA compliant surfaces to make it more um uh street lights uh tree plantings perennials ornamental grasses and other landscapings um traffic markings things
that were part of the traffic and pedestrian study that was done years ago are also imported. This was identified as one of the more um dangerous crosswalks that sort of thing. So all that all those kinds of things are going to be addressed in this. >> It teaches you not to give up. I mean
you we've all been at this for a while and you can't always get them when you want them, but you got to keep applying and keep applying and it's a long process. So sometimes >> I mean this is probably we probably made this application how long ago? This one a year maybe now. >> At least a year. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And it's finally getting select it and
then award it. >> It reminds me >> then they give you two weeks to do it. >> Yeah. >> Get a design, get it built. No, you're right, Maria. When we first decided to enter into public service like this, I rem you know, you think you can get all
your your 100 day plans accomplished in a 100 days. And these were these were kinds of the things >> 10 years ago. And um it reminds me of something that uh uh was said at one of the last uh mun league of municipalities is that most elected officials um the things they want to do are either
impossible or illegal. And and >> so we we we were swinging uh for fences on some of this stuff and this is a this is a this is going to be part of that um handshake and an effort to show what vendor can really be. Uh so I'm looking forward to the public engagement side of
this too. There'll be a design process. I already reached out to the to uh the the uh to to Jim Retella to try to get some kind of time frame so we can share with the public when they can when we can have open public meetings about the design and and input. All right.
Um that is all I have and I would say if uh what do I do? Um if I So now I have a uh if I could ask for a motion to open the meeting to public comment with the one provisor
that I have a few things to say first before we open it to public comment. Um >> do first and then >> so want to do that. So I have some some comments briefly. Um, so because I know that most folks are here uh because of the Troy Avenue development that's
underway, um, I just want to uh have a few comments and then we'll open it up to public comment. We'll ask you all to come up to the microphone and state your name and address and then we'll be all ears to hear what you have to say. So Jim, could you just uh start with that
first slide? Um so in in anticipation of that discussion, I just want to set some context um so that we can have a productive discussion and um sort of uh
and lean into the the issues of parking and traffic and neighborhood impacts around what was the Troy Avenue school. And I want to make sure that my um my comments aren't uh I think it's important uh that that all the people here are heard. I don't want to sound um
in any way uh condescending or um or uh I I really want to hear what the neighborhood um is reacting to here and wants to speak about. So uh hopefully we can lay the groundwork for
um for improving this discussion. Um, but to set a tone for this area, if you look at the map, then there's a fully built out coastal city. So, we have limited land, as we've talked about, the millions of dollars that we spend on its
aging infrastructure. These streets and lots were established long ago in much of Venner's development plan. Its density, its mixeduse character, which is the area that we're we're looking at there around Troy Avenue,
that sort of greenish yellow space. >> Block 23. >> Uh block 23. Thank you. Um >> 123. >> 123. um uh was set uh decades ago and reflects the city's history as a walkable shore community, not a suburban
model. And that has a lot of effect on the the the idea that um what what parking is to those individual spaces, right? These conditions are not new and they're not unique to this project, right? So, the property history and legal reality. Um if you could go to the
next slide that zooms in on the lot, Jim. So, the Troy Avenue site has been privately owned since 1987. 1987. So, almost 40 years ago, the city lost all its real um I I want to say
influence, but it's it's we we were not the property owners since 1987, right? The city the school board sold that property at approximately 1.7 million. From that point forward, the land became private property governed by the same zoning laws that apply to every other
privately owned parcel and the surrounding neighborhood. So for nearly 40 years, the owners of that property, now the second owners of that property that now own it, not the city, have the legal right to develop the site under existing zoning and
development standards. The property could have been developed by right, which means without any variances, including the construction of multiple single family homes up to 46 residential units by city standards that exist on the books without simply by applying for
a building permit that >> no, they would had to come in for a site plan for site plan approval. >> But the density on that lot in the mixeduse zone preevelopment plan, right, >> was I think it was four, like you said, 46 units. Yeah. >> Right. So that type of development um
likely would have resulted in a greater residential density, fewer public and professional uses and far less opportunity for input by municipal land use and ourselves. Um so what the city can and can't do the vendors these ordinances are not discretionary.
They're laws. We can't arbitrarily deny or downsize or simp simply because it's unpopular or controversial. uh it would the same legal the same legal constraints apply to this property owner
and every property owner. So reasonable people we can all disagree or agree about what whether the project's ideal, but it's important to separate the preferences from the legal reality and focus the conversation on what the city's authority is. Um what we did do
and what we were able to do um was discuss with the um with the builders during that redevelopment >> redevelopment process >> process. If you could go to the next slide.
>> Um they revi revised their plans to include 33 townhouse developments that does not require variances. Right. This is fewer units that would have been built by Wright and it reflects adjustments made through the re review process. They came to the building department. The building department held
them to more of an aesthetic um level of con of adaption. The first units that came to us were very um very stark in their way and didn't really reflect the uh the community residential
community. So they've done a lot of things uh including uh that we feel makes them more aesthetically especially uh for this conversation they pushed those buildings back further away from the street made them le so the overall appearance I think is going to be less dense than some people may imagine
because these are they're they're keeping all the street trees the front mo mostly I think the biggest thing to to keep in mind is that um uh what we is the adaptive reuse of uh of the of the building in front. If you go to the next
slide. >> So Tim, for my clarification, that could have been 47 units. You said >> 47 single family home. >> They would have removed both buildings. So they both old school buildings, >> right? So the homes that you see on Betner Avenue now.
>> Yes. So through the discussion with the builder and their and their the builder and the developers concern or I guess they're they're wired in a way to adaptive reuse of of buildings. This the the the city um did do uh two things. Um
we um we suggested uh different uses for that building. the the the inclusion of restaurants and outdoor seating and that is really the some of the limits of what we've uh offered along with some aesthetics. Um the this is also
important to recognize that the neighborhood is one of the most densely built and popular area of Ventner. Over decades these development patterns have evolved organically. So, um uh the reality of the parking in the in the
area is much different from the reality of the um of the of this development. These these homes will have three parking places each with three bedrooms. And if you go to the next slide. So, the the image on the left is the
area of concern and we'll just leave that up. Um the the the developer did do um traffic and air quality findings and I can I I imagine there are going to be some groans to this but the pro the the analysis uh according to the traffic and
air quality assessment uh I'm taking this from that report there are limited additional traffic um uh impacts there's no lack of service is what what they call which is uh during uh peak hours the traffic impacts will be localized
ized. Um they did do a significant study. The air quality is uh is no significant degradation and the surrounding road network uh is already urban in character and projected t volumes remain within acceptable thresholds. That's from a study. The you
know I think it remains to be seen um when the buildings were built. But um uh in short, the study confirms that the residents already experienced daily the dense neighborhood with existing con congestion. And this project doesn't fundamentally change that condition. And so what we're going to focus on tonight,
and if I'll ask people to come up and if they have comments, I'd like to take them down and take their names and numbers. We can discuss them in more detail. But I'd like to hear about um uh we'd like to talk about uh the parking issues. um uh the flow, the quality of
life impacts and are all legitimate concerns. Um this is something new and different to that area. It's it's probably the largest project that's uh residential going on. Um uh but uh we're not it's not about uh reopening zoning decisions that are already settled under
the law. So I just want to make that clear. I hope I have. Um, but we want to talk about local your local parking concerns that you have on these streets northern. Um, I did I have been for months and especially in the last few
weeks been uh driving up and down those streets. So, I see the challenges uh that you have and I have my own uh concerns about how the the the traffic patterns and the curb cuts and the um the parking. I am a resident of the city
for 25 years. There are three or four weekends of the summer where I have to park two or three blocks away from my home. I I know these are real uh frustrations. Um uh so I want to so again I don't want you to take my comments and what I've said so far as
dismissive. I'm simply trying to state the facts that I've gathered in this uh in this project and throughout the conversation. I think Vendor continues to try to balance the needs of our our full-time residents with our seasonal visitors while respecting all the the
land use laws and um the goal is tonight is to listen and understand what your impacts are uh and and hopefully identify some reasonable steps. I've asked the police chief and captain here also to take notes. Um if uh so if anybody has any comments they'd like to
share um please come up to the mic state your name and address >> and you can get in line different topic that's why I jumped up so fast the trafficer
ventner I actually have a different topic so that's why I jumped up so fast before you got into the uh Troy Avenue traffic >> um Tom I do want to thank you I had the same question about the uh drug testing. So, I want to thank you for clarifying that. And what I wanted to ask was the
flags in the hallway at the library were taken down and I was told and that's why I want to ask you to confirm or or tell me why that it was there was setting the motion was setting off the fire alarm and the fire department was reporting there too often for no reason. It was
that the reason or was there another reason? >> I hadn't heard that. But I see I see our public works superintendent saying yes. >> That's exactly the reason. >> Y was is something relatively new changed because those flags have been up since 2006 2007 without a problem. Has
something changed? >> We put a new new HVAC system in and it's probably moving more air than it >> that's that's so >> the result of putting a newer system in to heat and cool the place. Is there any thought to >> We'll figure a way to to put them back up >> and hang them lower.
>> We'll figure a way to put them back up. >> We had to put a bar at both ends of it and put them so they're not moving. >> Moving so they're below the the eye. >> We'll work on something. >> All right. And I don't know. Just a quick history question. Do you know what those flags were?
>> Do I? >> Do you know what they were? >> I do not. They were uh each flag that the country has had since 1776 as they were old came in uh and flags or stars had to be added which was July 4th of
each year that this state came into the union. They had to change the flag. So that was all the flags that the country has had. So it's a little patriotic a little bit about history. So I'm glad to hear that you're going to try to put them back up. So thank you and happy new year and merry Christmas to each of you.
Happy new year, Tim. >> My name is Victor Pearlman. I live at 16 South Ain Avenue, which is between Ventner and Atlantic Avenues. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to make some comments here. Uh, Mr. Mayor, you've referred a number of times to South
Troy. In fact, I think that most of the people here uh including myself uh are more concerned with South Avalon Avenue, which has some unique problems. Um as I look around, I see that uh nobody on the
city side of uh the bar of court um lives on South Avalon Avenue. And because of that, uh, there's no reason for you to have experienced firsthand the disaster that summer parking is on
our street. As I said, it's has some unique challenges. Uh, one is that it's one of the only streets in the area that has parking on only one side of the street. The, uh, in addition, about onethird of
our homes have no driveway. Because of that, in the current situation, we're starting out with more cars belonging to residents than there are spaces on the street. In addition, we have a large, very
active synagogue on one corner. We have an apartment building on the far corner. And around the corner, we have now a Dollar General store. and a large nail salon. And in the summer when parking uh
requires payment on a number of the streets, the patrons of those institutions all want to park on our street. Um being one block from the beach also means that there are people who drive and want to take their uh
large amount of gear to the beach but don't want to have to take it carry it from home. So they drive, drop it at the beach and then look for the closest place to park. And that in our case that means our block gets invaded
and the connection with the new development that that's that is a lot of houses, a lot of cars and adds to a situation that's already
stressing the residents. uh to a great extent. Mr. Mayor referred to several weekends in the summer when you have to park two or three blocks from home. Well, that's pretty much every day for most of us in the on South Havlin Avenue during the summer season.
Um, since we're not talking about approval of u developments, including I see next to Sapor, the field that was going to be a beer garden now has a sign indicating there are going to be four or five or six town houses going in. Uh,
again, >> that's not what was approved there. >> Apartments, yes, but commercial on the first floor and apartments above. >> Okay. >> With park. >> With park. Um, in order to be uh something more than
just a complainant, let me suggest that you already have a system in place in North Beach that seems to work, which is permit parking for residents. And uh I also have a house in Center City, Philadelphia. We have permit parking for
residents there. Uh it seems to me that that's the uh most sensible solution to this problem. I thank you for the opportunity. >> Thank you. So, I got your notes here. Um I I and we'll discuss permit parking
again. Um the Avalon is the is you said south. So the you're talking about Avalon which dead ends into Atlanta into Venner Avenue. >> It's correct. >> Yeah, it's a it's it's definitely it's definitely a tight a tight street. So we
can we can talk about it more. I will say that a lot in my survey of this area, a lot of the homes there have three to four to six bedrooms and virtually no
individual parking for them. And I'm I'm I'm I'm cautious about permit parking. I've had discussions with our police department even recently where the the the permits don't afford you a parking place. They would mean you'd have to
have an ordinance in place to limit parking to a certain number of hours and it would choose that would mean it would deter deter some people from parking there. But um in in some ways um there's
there's a lot of arguments that that's an ob even within our own department that that's an obsolete way of handling parking. I >> I think that its real benefit would be that it would limit people parking on the street to the people who live on the street. >> But it really in actuality it doesn't.
>> It doesn't do that. I don't I I think that it what it limit what it what it affords you is because the street is a public space and what the only thing it affords you is the ability to park there and not get a ticket for a certain period of time. So the people um uh in
other words we would have to enforce a 4-hour limit and like like we do in the North Beach area. And I think it's questionable a lot of people in North Beach area dislike that. Um, it's gotten I think uh it's got to be looked at, I think. And >> is there any reason why the 4hour limit
is carved in stone? >> No. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> What limit would you Just curiosity. Um >> um I wouldn't have an hour limit. I would simply during summer months allow
only residents of that block to be able to park on that block. >> It's a public street. >> Yeah. >> Street. You can't you can't prohibit people from parking on a street. You can do it by hourly limiting it. And just for some history, the whole reason why it's permitted there's permitted parking in North Beach is because of the
casinos. Back when they first were built, the employees for the casinos were not allowed to park at the casino. They either had to park in one of the remote lots and take a shuttle bus or whatever. So what they would do was they would drive to the north end of of of
Ventner and the south end of Atlantic City and park in those neighborhoods and catch the Jity in because it was cheaper because they would charge them to park in these these remote lots and it was faster for them. So that was inundating these neighborhoods. So that's why those parking permits were were implemented
and they used to be only three hours. We changed it to four hours because of the movie theater. If you go to a movie, movies are long these days. or the last one I went to see was 3 hours plus dinner and you're four hours. So, we extended it from I think it was two to three before. >> Yeah.
>> We we made it four hours to accommodate that commercial use in that area. Um but that's the reason why it was done in North Beach and we get >> we get complaints both ways. We want it everywhere else or we don't want it at all in North Beach. So, it's a >> no purp for residence. You have to prove
residency >> and you can get visitor passes too. You can get visitor passes, but it really it it uh what you're describing is we've we've talked about it and it uh to give just residents authority to to have their own it was be
like um it's a prop it it would be like it's it's like giving them a prop property in other words and and it's public property. We have to it's a it's a it's a public rightway. So if unless you have a parking place on your property and that's what I tried to
mention in in some like Avalon Avenue and I'm looking at the images of it here those homes were were not really designed with driveways and off streetet parking. >> Mhm. >> They're they're designed for someone to take a train in from Philadelphia. There's one of the homes on your on
Avenue was actually in a postcard because it was designed as this duplex, which was probably a modern thing back in the day. And it it was designed for people to take a 2-hour train ride to Atlantic City and then a 30-minute trolley ride down Atlantic Avenue to their home. And that that's obsolete. So
that that's the challenge that we have. And unfortunately, it's a reality of Avalon and some of the areas in the that that we mentioned around. I mentioned Troy because that's the that's the landmark. But you're all affected by that. And I I honestly truly in my heart of hearts don't think that and I might
get some jeers, but the homes that are going to be built there are going to have three bedrooms, not five or six or four. And they're going to have three individual parking places. And what I see in that neighborhood is even when folks have parking places or garages, they're not used as parking places or
garages. And I'm not criticizing. That's just a that's just the human behavior that's happening there. So it's so No, but I appreciate your time and I I I took notes and I'll bring them to the further discussion >> and and I think there are workarounds. Uh for instance, uh perhaps extending
the period of a parking permit beyond 4 hours. >> Maybe. >> Thank you. You're welcome. Anybody else have any comments about the space that we're get comfortable?
>> Hi, Warren Castina. >> You have to state your name and your address, please. >> Warren Castina, 19 South A. >> Um, you introduced this by just talking about flow. So in addition to our parking challenges, Avalon Avenue is a
oneway between from Atlantic to Ventner currently used by all fire rescue and emergency vehicles to get to Ventner Avenue >> and then they go left right. I I envision a whole lot of additional flow
for those 33 residences that are currently or planned to be built because that's how they're going to get from Atlantic Avenue to the other side of Ventner Avenue just like fire rescue. So that's going to be additional flow
issues. We have the synagogue with a camp during the summer hours with lots of kids >> in addition to all the other traffic. So just food for thought as as a flow issue. >> Could I just pause for a second? Jim,
could you bring up the lot plan design for the second slide? I think it is. >> So Appalain Avenue dead end >> one more back the plan. Yeah. So if you can see I'm I is that the vendor avenue
Avalon Avenue is the T-bone directly out of the entrance. You you can see like a >> we're dead center from right >> the professional building. >> Nice view of the front of the professional building. >> I wish they would straighten out the sign because it's but that's another issue. >> I go there for my chiropractor. I know
it's the same thing. I drive me crazy. >> That's not how they build the town homes but besides the point. So, so I'm not sure I understand because the the the the clusters of town homes are going to have their own independent street that
runs uh parallel to Ventner Avenue and if there's any there's any cause for fire that in that in this particular development and I realize you get you get you get traffic down to Atlantic uh left and right when people >> from Atlantic to Vent
>> from Atlantic. So when they're coming back from a call, they're going down a >> oneway street. That's how all fire rescue. >> I'll ask them to flip a coin and go down another street every other >> oneway streets. This is how they get >> So how did >> get to vent there? >> I got I got you. I now I understand
because I you know because obviously they're they're closer to the to the source than that. So all right. >> So it's just just a potential flow issue down the road. >> Yeah. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. Tim, I have a question for or for clarification. The 4hour parking
permit applies to who? >> So, and I'll try to answer this briefly. There's a zone from Jackson Avenue to >> Okay, Victoria.
>> Victoria on the other side of the So, from Jackson from Atlant Atlantic City border to the Wawa. >> Who's applying for those four hours? They are anybody that has a that's a resident. They bring in their address and to the building department. So, Lance's going to mention and they they
can they we've raised they can purchase it for to to eliminate their their need to to they to park more than four hours in those zones. >> Exactly. But I heard a comment like extend that four hours. That sounds like
something you wouldn't want to do. Well, I guess what the the goal of that would be that you could have that if you live in the the four hours is really designed to do two things >> only for the residents. >> Only for the residents, but it's designed to keep people to to to >> residents apply for the permit that allows them to park there 24 hours.
>> Correct. Correct. >> The four hours applies to people that don't have a permit that are visitors. >> So why would you want to increase the 4 hours? Okay. But I think the gentleman said let's increase. >> Yeah. So here's to answer your question. I >> that's what I'm trying to get to. It's actually at that trend when I >> I thought it was me.
>> So, no, you're right. So, the 4hour limit dissuades people from staying longer than >> that's for visitors, not >> extend it, there would be more cars there for longer periods of time. So if
so the question and then and then I I I I find from an enforcement standpoint that the the the the the width and breadth of the 4hour zone is almost is difficult to enforce, right? Because they they So >> you're not allowed to mark tires anymore.
>> You're not allowed to mark tires anymore. By the time you have one one shift on, four hours goes by, they've done other things. they've gotten to other, you know, they they have to they have to prove that this person is >> never never moved a car, >> never moved their car and it's difficult to do and
>> came back, >> right? And so there's ways of doing it, but then um uh so but should those should those folks be should our police officers be doing that or are there other things that they should be doing? Right. So anyway, >> yeah. So the four hours the permit is to
allow the homeowner to park there 247. >> In other words, >> four hours applies to the visit. In other words, in your benefit, if somebody make it two hours is what you're saying. So if somebody goes to the beach, so in if you're people want to go to the beach, they're going to have, you know, they're not going to go
to the beach on that block and park is what's going to as the result is what the gentleman is, I guess, his goal, right? >> Anti- beachgoers, >> but regardless, you don't want to extend it, >> right? It's all right. All right. Thank you. Uh, anybody else have any comments
that we can uh take to our further meetings? You have to bring up yourself up to the microphone. State your name and address. And >> hello, my name is Monik. I live in 2 South Newport Avenue. Bloom store. I have questions. Bloom store. 2 Southport
Avenue. >> Bloom. >> Yeah. I I live upstairs in my apartment in store. Right. I have last summers I have 13 tickets, parking tickets. I live over there. I'm residents. But where I parking? We have no parking. They have meter parking 1
hour for $2. I leave over there. How many money I drop that meter? So who they give the resident permit for parking? What happened the Newport new people who lives over there because one blocks try near the Newport you
residents over there the parking right? >> We had the conversation this summer I think you and you and I when I came in the >> Yeah. But we don't get it yet. I don't know. I have no no information. Nothing get it. What I get me and my wife two people have two business I don't go anywhere I have to pay >> Mhm.
>> 2 hour a day for two hour per hours. >> Two these are these are not your res. You own the building I own building. >> You live and you live above. >> I live upstairs and I have business in downstairs. >> Mhm. >> Right. I pay every single day $40 for the parking for the the street parking. >> $40 for Park Mobile.
>> Okay. And I plus I get ticket because I don't move. I get ticket. >> Right. Yeah. And I have business like since 20 23 years, >> right? >> Yeah. >> So what what is the permit? She say there's permit resident permits. So we
get a new people get a permit for the 24-hour parking. >> We that's a discussion. We're not saying we're going to do that. No, >> that's what this gentleman brought up was to add parking permits for throughout the city. >> So what happened south the Atlantic veterary sides like a jitney side, they
have permit my house over there too. My my father and my my brother get the permit over there. >> But this side over here, I don't get no permit. >> Right. So I explained why there's permits up there >> because of the Jity service and the casino workers. If we were to remove
that, you would have and and Jitney, excuse me, casino workers still do that. They still park in that area. And if there were no parking permits required, if you're a resident, you would have an inundation of casino workers parking in those neighborhoods again or visitors to
the beach or anywhere else. So that area because of what it started as as a casino employee kind of deterrent is why that that's the only reason it has permits. >> I I know I my question is that the
casino employee use that one is a long time. Now is casino every casino have parking. They allow parking >> one parking. So I've been I used to believe that on but 13 years. >> So I see over there nobody use car for
the jitney much than than 10 years ago. >> Right. >> Right. >> Correct. >> So is nothing useless for the permit over there. Over here resident business areas over here for the bars over there and all this business area. And who
residents over there? They have no benefit for their parking. >> Right. So, your parking issue is um you got you're saying you got 13 tickets in the summer. >> Yes. >> Because you're not you're not getting them during the winter because there's no parking enforcement now. You're
talking about strictly in the summer during the three months. >> Three months. 13 tickets and one car. >> And one car. >> Yeah. >> So, parking permits would not cover the metered spot. Someone in the chat mentioned that, >> right?
>> But what I will say is if you're in the chat, you have to come on Zoom to raise your issue. You can't just type in the chat. So we we will keep records of your questions, but if you want to say something, you have to kind >> You have to turn your mic. You have to turn your camera on and give your address.
>> Let Jim know. Put your hand up and he'll let you speak. But >> yeah, we'll put you in line. I >> I don't have an answer for you. I I I don't there we wouldn't be able if we provided parking >> for everybody who has an apartment >> in our commercial areas. >> We I don't know how to answer that question.
>> Yeah. >> Um again, part apartments in urban areas typically focus on folks that don't have cars or they use public transportation most of the time. You're a different animal. You have you have your business downstairs and >> you live upstairs. In Philadelphia, for
instance, you have to purchase a a a parking space or in any other urban area. So, this is not that much different from that. Although we're not Philadelphia, we can try to work out, we can try to look at this, but the reality of that location is that it's an it's a
resident it's a mixeduse development. So, there's so there's it was designed for people to be in a walkable community, not necessarily a car vehicle community. there's no parking on site, right? So that that the the while the
while your while your frustration is real and I'm not mitigating I'm not I'm not giving any there's no it's completely uh reasonable to be frustrated about it. The reality is that there's no parking in that residential site. So the the the what the city does
and what what I would off what I would argue for is less is a longer grace period of free parking and that um I don't think that a permit issue in that area at first conversation is the right
thing to do to add another layer to this but I'm open to the conversation if it can be proved but um the there's uh you could also maybe discuss the idea in the past uh we discussed the idea of selling parking lots in the spots in the municipal lot, but that was um that was
something that u I think we all agreed was not uh a long-term uh >> wouldn't mind seeing the the data on that lot in the summertime. >> It's >> other than other than Fridays when it's full, right until noon, >> right? So the the idea that it could be
it would have to be put out to open bid though. It would have to be something that So these are all public spaces. is all that parking that you see, there's no way for the city to grant anyone ownership on any other any type of pro of uh because you're owning now a portion of the curb that you did not own
that that that takes away a portion of the curb to some other person and that's not it's not really fair. Am I stating that as light as as plainly as I can? But the uh so you're you're uh um you're
in a pickle. I have questions. 7 years ago, the Doug B is a captain over here. They give us permit pay for the $30 per month. They you let us use for the use the parking lot for the one car for the
$30 $30 a month. Since I've been 2000 to 2017, they let me use I pay every every month I come in. Lisa know very well. I pay for the permit for my two cars >> and they let me use and suddenly they shut out. >> They had permits to park in the
municipal parking lot >> and now the last five years they shut off. They said no more permit, >> right? >> Why don't you bring that back again? So city get a >> again that's the the fairness of that >> right >> is is you know because you live in that neighborhood
you get the the benefit of that. That parking lot's for everybody. But we I'm just say we want to pay for the but not for every day for $40. >> But other other folks also willing to >> but who's a resident for that particular area for the two uh that Newport that
only that size >> not about the size only for that church area and that two three apartments only not >> how do we limit it to just you folks >> every taxpayer pays for that every taxpayer is paid for that the maintenance and the upkeep and the and the portion of that tax. But why don't
you just city allowed the who the residents? >> We can't we can't answer for previous administrations. We saw that happening. That's not a a appropriate way to meet out parking spaces. >> Yeah. >> But I appreciate your comments and we'll take them into advisement, but I think we have to keep keep the comment moving.
We're meant to keep this at three minutes per person. So Okay. >> Thank you. You're welcome. Does >> anybody else in the room before I switch to Zoom have any comments on the the parking concerns? that development's going to offer.
Jim, no. See none. Jim, anybody on the Zoom platform raise their hand and wants to speak about the um the uh the parking concerns in the vent professional campus? >> Yes, I have a Marlin. Um you can
>> Majora I'm trying. >> Yep. You you're unmuted. You go ahead. >> Oh, I can talk. Okay. >> Yep. you're here with us. If you can turn your camera on and >> No, we we're not turning any cameras on after >> No video, just voice. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um,
well, you know, I can relate to everything I've heard so far. >> Sorry to interrupt. Can we have your name and address, please? >> Oh, I'm sorry. Marlin Majora, 6618 Ventner Avenue, right across the street from the um
um professional building. Um, I had a lot more to say, but I'm gonna I'm going to reduce it to basically agreeing with my neighbors on Aelin and saying that um, the permit zone has worked successfully in Ventner's North Beach for 40 years. This
permit zone was originally initiated, which I did my homework and you know this, um, to reduce anticipated congestion from casino employees parking near Jity stops. The permit zone was expanded in 2020 to include Weimoth,
Little Rock, and Victoria Aves, citing the fact that is Venner's most densely populated area, and residents were concerned about the additional traffic the new movie theater and restaurant would bring. This would be to me proof that the permit parking does work for
residents in hightra areas, which we have just become with the addition of 33 condos. So, I'm a proponent for um parking permits. I mean, at the very least, yes, I know
it's hard to enforce, but um or, you know, maybe at the very most it dissuades people from parking there. They'll be like, "Well, let me look for somewhere else to park." >> Okay. >> All right. >> So, just just to that area of Ventner
Avenue is is metered, right? Metered Park Mobile, correct? Yes. >> So, you wouldn't be able to park there with a parking permit, >> right? But I could park on Troy or Avlyn. >> Correct. >> Yeah. No, I don't I'm not asking for
anything on Vetner Avenue. That's a horse of a different color. I realize that. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else on the Zoom platform wish to discuss? >> Yeah. We move Katherine Francis. There you go.
>> Hi. Yes. I'm Katherine Francis, 25 North New Haven Avenue. So, for those that don't know, we are the big corner house that just spent a ton of money um to completely remodel. Um we came to the planning board um you know, and did all of the work ourselves. We did not hire a
lawyer. We gave, you know, two uh extra parking spaces, right? We actually made our driveway that had a garage that was unusable for a car and two parking spaces. with the variance. We now have three parking spaces that are my own. So, I am not here to talk about my
particular parking situation, but I do agree with the residents. 90% of what we do in the said casinos that everybody is mentioning is tell people that they can do some that they can't do something. And guess what? 75% of them don't do it. And they never even worry about parking
in that zone that says it's permitted. So, I would agree with the other residents and the president, the woman that was just on before me so nicely put out exactly what you guys wrote when that was done is the reason that you should at least consider that. I think a 2hour limit to your previous thing of a
visitor parking would absolutely in our area as you mentioned Lance um we don't have the movie theater, right? So, a lot of people here aside from beachgoers because that's going to be all over our town. A lot of people here, I think the two-hour limit is working because
they're going to residential stuff, right? They're going to the liquor store, they're going to the nail salon. So, that two hours, you know, does make sense to at least let some people park. My other thing again is on flow. You stated, you know, at the beginning, Tim, I I respect that we did a traffic study.
Um, I was at the other meeting to hear when they did the traffic study and I think you opened by saying I guess we'll see once it's built because you as well just admitted to all of us that you agree that potentially by you driving down there probably more now as this
project's going on. My husband and I just built a lovely balcony to which our office sits next to. And the fire department can probably attest to this. All day long in the winter, all I hear is blaring horns. Why do I hear blaring
horns? Because the intersection of North New Haven. So, let's let's stop about Troy for a second and start talking about New Haven for a second, right? If you look at the corner of New Haven and Winchester, I think a lot of this I know you know
the firehouse is there. I know we all see it. But if you don't live in this direct area, you don't understand daytoday what we need for our emergency vehicles. We have watched cars in the winter drive four blocks the wrong way up Winchester Avenue
because of the way when you come down New Haven right from Ventner to Winchester Avenue. You can't see anything because we have to have the crosswalk and then we have to have this. So the cars that are coming whether it's down Troy or whether it's down New Haven
have zero visibility coming up and down the street right that is going to be where all I believe it's seven or eight houses are actually going to have their driveways back out onto Winchester and take up those parking spots. So again, I
know this is about parking, but I think when we're looking at this as a whole around there, we need to talk about some potential traffic lights or at a minimum emergency lights, meaning that if the guys are coming out of the firehouse,
that corner of Winchester and New Haven right there, lights need to be flashing. People need to be stopping. You can't see the stop signs very well or the one signs. And my concern again is going to be those intersections of Troy in Winchester and North New Haven in
Winchester. If I'm we're the horns are blaring by the way because people are almost running into each other. They're coming down. They think it's two lanes coming down Winchester, right? Because of the parking spaces and the way we have the line on there for the fire trucks to be out there. So they come
down as two. They try to turn left and right. So, all I know we are limited on time, but I think the parking thing, as we've stated, just kind of stinks all around town. So, I appreciate that, you know, these houses will have parking, but I think those residents that aren't
as fortunate as me to have three parking spaces in my driveway deserve the opportunity to at least get a shot at having a permit. And I do think we need to continue even before the full production of those homes to look at that traffic and really talk to the police, the firefighters, and the
residents maybe right directly there on how you're going to ensure the safety of my son and all of those kids and the residents that walk that area to and from the beach because as soon as the lights as soon as we get an emergency and as soon as you've got cars trying to
come in down and go through that cross street that you're referring to, I think there's any way you could have recreated that without this structure being there is what I'm getting at. So the study that was done was done on what exists
now. But I don't think given our difference in not being a city but being a beach town as we've said, not this is not Philadelphia. This is not New York City, right? Look at these kids riding their bikes. Look at these things happening. I I'm really concerned about
the overall traffic flow and that leads to the parking conversation. So, thank you for the time and I'm sure there'll be many more discussions. >> Thank you. Um, I like the idea of uh some type of signal lights and additional stop signs or traffic in that
area, but I'll leave it to the the professionals in the planning to >> it makes some couple things we can do from a public works standpoint is more signage, one-way signage, no left turn signage. Um, paint arrows on the street. We did that with Cambridge Avenue right
here. That was a problem there. >> That's it. Hasn't stopped at all because I still see it, but it stops, >> right? and the the double line that um that the Katherine Francis recommended is um is going to be obsolete. That's going to have a different pattern. So, I think that the striping on that uh it's
across from the doctor's office and their their cur they have a large curb cut and then the and then there's a number of angled spaces. All that is going to be redesigned. >> Yep. Um, and that and that single lane I I I agree that looks like it's such a
it's the these are some of the widest streets in the city around this area and that's part of the ne that's part of what um what can happen in those those four streets, those wide four streets. So, I think there's definitely um I don't remember exactly what the layout was from a streeting layout for the new
design, but I'm uh but we can take another look at that before it gets any further. Just as an anecdote, they are planning on starting demolition, I believe, in September for the rear building. Anybody else on the Zoom platform have any comments?
>> Yeah, we have a Jay Pearlman. >> Yes, thank you very much. Julian Pearlman, 18 South Avalon Avenue. Um, just to echo what several speakers have said, I think that the parking permit, the policies behind it seem to apply with full force here. I haven't heard
any reason why they wouldn't uh make sense in this situation. I think a two-hour parking limit given that there isn't that movie and dinner concern um would be appropriate and and mitigate a lot of the concerns that we have. I'd also note, and I might get cheers for
this, that presumably there is a fee with the parking permits and that would generate revenue for the city. Um, also I would just note based on experience the turn from a South Ain Avenue onto Ventner Avenue making a right as you
dead in in the building. It is very difficult to see traffic coming from the left because of how close cars are permitted to park on Ventner Avenue to Avalon Avenue that presumably and and you might well know if that's a cause of
accidents in that area. um it will certainly be exacerbated um by this new plan. So it might be appropriate to uh reszone the parking on Ventner leading into Avlyn so that as you head down Avalon towards Ventner to
make a right or a left turn you can see to the left and it's not ob obstructed. Um and it might also be appropriate to consider a parking light there. Thank you. >> Thank thank you for your comments. Um just briefly the the revenue isn't really um substantive. It's really meant
to be a way of uh uh it has it to give somebody a value that's part of um what it it's it may sound like a cash grab, but it truly isn't. Um you have to charge for it. Um the the 20 foot the corner the rate the the the view I think
is something that the city suffers from. the sight triangle, the 20 foot corner sight triangle. I think those uh uh are typically used by um large trucks in that zone for loading and unloading. Um and then um I think the the police
officers can attest that there that's probably one of our most calls is when people are uh are are parked in that triangle. It is for that reason. It's not a spare parking lot. it sometimes. That's why you see in new designs, you see these extended um crosswalks and the
new designs on Veterary Avenue and they're and the complaint is that they're taking a parking place, but they're really not. The 20 foot sight triangle is what's is what you're referring to. So, um >> the issue is when we take when we take federal money for projects, state and federal money for projects, the federal
standards are much higher. They measure that 25 ft from a different location. And if you go down Ventner Avenue and look down some of the side streets, um, Oxford and those streets, you'll notice that that that 25 ft starts at the point of curvature coming off that side street
back. So, you do lose a parking space, >> right? >> So, what happens is they come down and inspect that or we don't get the grant money, >> right? It's a compliance issue. >> It is. So, it it's it's problematic. Um, that intersection that Mr. Perma was talking about, I'm looking at it on
Google Maps right now. That's probably feet. Yeah, >> I'm looking at this sight triangle there and it's just not >> it's a small triangle >> and if we extend that, you're going to lose >> you're going to lose one of those plots >> at least part one parking space. So, understanding the safety precautions there.
>> Um, you know, maybe some additional sign is, hey, be careful, dangerous intersection kind of thing. Might we could talk about that with PD and something. I mean, maybe look and see if we've had a lot of accidents there just to see. Yeah. Minimal. Okay.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. But the as to point you pointed out, there are some curb cuts in that area that are not legal as well. I think that if it was reshuffled and the curbs were corrected, >> yeah, >> you could pick that spot back up. >> That's true. That's true.
>> So, thank you for the comment. >> Anybody else on the Zoom platform uh wish to make comments? >> Anybody else on Zoom wish to make any comments? Anybody in the in the chambers wish to make any more comments?
Don't be shy about anything. Uh opening up to any uh any other comments about anything else? We can make we can uh hopefully have a continue this conversation. Um I have some emails, folks. Um, as I said, the latest that I've heard is that the fire
department is going to be using some of the rear building for training. Um, uh, with, uh, which is always, uh, a benefit for, um, things like, uh, high-rise ladders, um, working within, uh, you know,
buildings and that sort of thing for training new officers. Um and the um uh we look, you know, we look forward to more uh conversations and hopefully um um bringing this to uh to fruition. I I
I did uh just get going to note um uh there was uh speaking of traffic, uh there was a a VCPD arrest for hit and run. A lot of hard work, a lot along from the detective bureau. Um, so, uh, I want to thank them for the vigilance
every and and so if you have any, uh, so I think you made you made a press release on that. Um, the officer was, uh, Snyder was the lead and detective Damian Sanchez. So, thanks
to them. Uh, and then and the the uh, the person who was hit, the 90 year old man, 96 year old, right? 92 is recovering. So >> long road, but he's recovering it. But great job, guys. Really please tell the officers.
>> Yeah. >> And and that was that was really diligent police work. You didn't have anything to go on. >> Yeah. >> You had his his video camera from Bloom Liquor, right? >> Yeah. Thank you for sharing that. >> Appreciate that. >> Thank you. >> That was uh that was nothing to go on.
>> Yeah. We got we got a plaque we headed your way. >> Thank you guys. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate it. >> And >> but uh and also the police department. Thanks. Uh I know the holiday is a time for all of us in private world and to enjoy ourselves and our family, but the
police department has uh it's like they're it's it's a different kind of sense for them. And I appreciate the the time and the effort that the whole department puts on keeping us safe. Appreciate it. Yeah. So, um, >> no executive session.
>> I see. No public. >> Executive session. Any comments? >> We got a closed public comment. >> I have a motion to close public comment. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. Lisa. >> Commissioner Langra. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. >> Yes. >> Mayor Creable.
>> Yes. Um, and we have no executive session. May I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. Second. >> Roll call. L. >> Commissioner Langra. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Mento. Yes. Mayor >> Creable. >> Yes. Meeting adjourned.