Council Meeting 9-18-2025

I aliance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic
for which it stands. One nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
>> Roll call, please.
>> Clark,
>> here.
>> Evans here. Laura,
>> absent. Light
>> here.
>> Parker here. Sykes
>> here.
>> D Rose
>> here.
This is to advise that certain advanced
notice has been given to the date, time,
location, and to the extent known the
agenda of this meeting in accordance
with the provision of the open public
meeting act. And notice of this meeting
has been posted prominently at the
bulletin board in the municipal complex
lobby on the city's website and
communicated through the newspaper
designated by the governing body. This
is to further advise that this meeting
that this meeting is being recorded
electronically and can be viewed on the
city's website at mseennj.gov.
Regular meeting agenda 2025 ordinance
for introduction.
First reading for introduction only.
Ordinance 12-2025
amending the code of the city of Epseant
chapter 69 article 569-35
offduty assignments. May I hear a
motion?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
Discussion please.
discussion.
>> I did second so fast I didn't get it out
>> discussion please anybody
we're increasing
>> somebody should explain what it is
>> a detail rate for officers
>> detail so you want to explain it or you
want
>> just putting the detail rate
>> yeah making it comparable to neighboring
towns so our officers were doing detail
rates um other departments were coming
in making more than them and so it made
it comparable and um more desirable to
do a detail
>> right now. Right now in the city of
Epsein oftentimes and this is not just
an obsecin thing it's everywhere more
than a neighboring police department
will do details and if an obsecin cop
and a Galloway cop are doing the exact
same detail at the exact same time the
Galloway cop makes more money than I'm
seeing. This just brings it so detail
rate is comparable to other towns.
>> It's going to be a two-step process.
We're going to do five I think an
increase of $5 this year and $5 starting
in 2026. a two-step process and the
money does not come from the city. It
comes and Eddie could probably give you
where it comes from
>> comes from the contractor that requires
a detail they pay for. So no funds from
the
>> city
those other municipalities are paying at
a higher rate.
>> Do any council members have any
questions? Roll call, please. Clark,
>> yes.
>> Evans,
>> yes.
>> Light,
>> yes.
>> Parker,
>> yes.
>> Sykes,
>> yes.
>> Soros,
>> yes. This ordinance will be posted, laid
over, and published according to law. A
public hearing, a second, and a final
reading will be held on October 2nd,
2025.
>> Consent agenda. All matters listed under
item consent agenda are considered to be
routine by the city council and will be
enacted by one mo one motion in form
listed. There will be no separate
discussion of these items. If discussion
is desired, that item will be removed
from the consent agenda and will be
discussed separately. 165 accepting a
volunteer firefighter into the Epsican
City Fire Department, namely Tevin
Watson.
169 166 authorizing a shared service
agreement with the Count of Atlantic for
>> Yeah, should be county of Atlantic. It
says count.
>> If it was the count,
>> it says count on my paper. County of
Atlantic for GIS services. 167 allowing
the Epsicanin Parent Teacher
Organization to hold a citywide yard
sale. 168 authorizing the increase of
resolution 84-2025
by $15,000 for vehicle maintenance and
repairs.
Do I hear a motion to open this meeting
to the public for agenda items only?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> All in favor?
>> Opposed? Would anybody from the public
like to come up and speak on agenda
items only?
May I hear a motion to close the meeting
to the public?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> All in favor?
>> I opposed.
>> May I hear a motion to move the consent
agenda?
>> Motion.
>> Second. Roll call, please.
>> Clark,
>> yes.
>> Evans,
>> yes.
>> White,
>> yes.
>> Parker,
>> yes.
>> Sykes,
>> yes.
>> Yes. Approval of the bill list,
$1,91,24418.
May I hear a motion to accept the bill
list?
>> Motion.
>> Second. Roll call, please.
>> Clark,
>> yes.
>> Evans,
>> yes.
>> White,
>> yes.
>> Parker,
>> yes.
>> Sykes,
>> yes.
>> Yes. Approval of the minutes. Regular
meeting minutes, 84205.
May I hear a motion to accept the
minutes?
>> Motion,
>> second.
>> Roll call, please.
>> Clark,
>> yes.
>> Evans,
>> yes.
>> White,
>> yes.
>> Parker,
>> yes.
>> Sykes,
>> yes.
>> Yes. Council committee reports. We will
start with Councilman Le.
>> Thank you, Mr. President. We haven't
met. We won't meet until the uh the 6th
of October at five o'clock. But there's
two couple things that I would like to
mention is like to to thank our public
works as I always do, but specifically
at the 911 committee, excuse me, the 911
ceremony and how nice the properties,
all you know, the park and everything
looks. Um they do a great job. It was a
great event as well as thanking our
staff, all of our staff, our police,
fire, um, ambulance.
And then
I'd like to just take a, uh,
a second acknowledge one of our, um, one
of our city
supporters, uh, my boss, my friend. He
passed last weekend. He's supports a lot
of a lot of functions we do here in
Abseen in the surrounding communities,
children, you know, his whole family. Um
they they're very generous. So just his
name's Mike Presto. So keep his family
in your prayers. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Councilman.
>> Councilman.
>> Thanks, Council President. So, we just
had a finance meeting before this and we
went over our outlook for the year so
far and where we project us heading
towards next year and a few changes we
can make starting in October. We're
really going to focus on our budget for
2026 and how we can make things a little
bit better and get us in a better
position going forward.
>> Thank you, sir. Councilwoman,
>> um thank you. Um so, just wanted to
report that uh Creekfest is the up and
coming this Sunday. Um we are full steam
ahead. We're looking for a great
turnout. the weather is in our favor and
uh like to have everybody come out and
support it.
>> Thank you, Councilman.
>> Uh we have public safety has not met
since our last meeting. Um but I would
like to thank uh our police, fire
department, and our um ambulance squad
for all their help um with this coming
Sunday's event. Um they're all on board
and been very helpful in the planning,
and I know they're going to be very
helpful on Sunday um to make it happen
and make it safe. And thank you to the
police department for a safe start to
the school year. Chief, do you have
anything to add?
>> I do. Uh, in reference to fest,
we're there to make sure that everybody
has a good time. So, I say this all the
time,
but
they're
officy.
just be
asking everyone to be responsible and
have a good time
officer
with the field of dreams for the home
movie in the park featuring the movie.
So please come down.
>> Thanks Chief Councilman. Good
>> councilman Sykes.
>> Thank you President. Uh we met on
Tuesday. Um kind of a lot of things that
just happened in parks and wreck and
everything over the last few uh days,
weeks. Um just recently we had uh John
Gorman way was dedicated to on the field
of dreams right there that street in
honor of John who did you know so much
for the city in the past. So um that was
this past Saturday. So it was a great
turnout. Um I know the mayor spoke there
a lot of other people some heartfelt um
speeches were given and and rightfully
so. Um we were able to get a new roof
put onto the uh Charlie Norris
Fieldhouse. Um, Veterans Roofing came in
and was able to donate everything and do
that for the Blue Devils in the
community. So, uh, we just want to thank
them again. Really great, uh, job. We
got a blue roof. Looks fantastic.
Uh, we had a issue with the bench in,
uh, Heritage Park here being under a
tree that was having some issues. Um,
again, thank you to Lloyd and public
works. They were able to move that bench
in one piece, do it, you know, in a
timely fashion. Um there was five women
that were in on that bench in honor of
their dear friend. So they were very
appreciative of that. Um we're still
trying to find and work on a permanent
structure in terms of bathrooms for um
park over here for concerts in the park.
So that was a big discussion that we
had. We got a little bit of movement. Um
obviously things have to be further
discussed as we go down that line. Uh
that's about it.
>> Thank you, Councilman. And the roof
looks amazing. I've heard a lot of great
comments about it. Um, all I have uh
September is suicide prevention month.
So, um, I know suicide has impacted
multiple members uh, in this room. So,
um, I'm calling on the community to make
sure that, you know, call in your
friends, call on your neighbors, and
make sure everybody's uh, doing all
right. Uh, mayor,
>> thank you, sir. Um
just a few quick things uh to piggyback
on Councilman Sykes's
um comment about John Gorman way on that
Saturday. There was two events that
honored the memory of people who were
very strong in our community. There was
an ALS walk um that raised a lot of
money for ALS research where a team of
our residents went and walked in honor
of Victoria Hunter. Um, and that was
really special to see so many people
from this community go to Ocean City to
honor one of their great citizens who
passed away a couple years ago from ALS.
And then to
fast forward a couple hours later, we
show up to dedicate this road um to John
and
kind of didn't know what we expected.
Maybe a hundred people. There was well
over 200 people there. Again, it's this
is why I love this town. This is why I I
will speak on behalf of all of you.
Sorry. And myself.
This is why we do what we do. Um this
community
is is worth every little gray hair that
we get from doing this job. And I love
this community. Um and and I was really
really honored that we were able to have
two great events in one day for for two
wonderful people. Um to echo council
president Rose suicide has impacted a
lot of people's lives. Uh I I say this
all the time just to say if you need to
talk talk. My number's on the website.
You need to talk talk to me. I've I
lived through it and I I don't want any
other families or friends to live
through something like that as well. And
lastly, and I will ask Councilwoman
Parker or I don't know if maybe we could
have Mr. Ser come up in the public
session, the I was unable to attend the
planning board meeting where some things
were decided at the planning board
meeting. Would either of you like to
give an update so all of council's on
the same page as to what's happening
that Fourth Avenue?
>> Um there was an owner of a 4th Avenue
property that is um came over a year
ago, I would say 13 months ago, almost
14 months ago, um with plans. We asked
them to go out um revise the plans with
their professionals. They did that. They
did it to our approval for a
subdivision. They're putting two houses
on the property. um is also where some
of our city um drain um work was done.
So that was not something they had to
do, but it was actually good timing um
to get that project done before they
start um their work. Um everybody was on
board with uh we did have some concerned
citizens, but in that neighborhood uh
but I think they were pretty most of
them were pretty satisfied with what
they came back with and planning board
moved forward to the next step which is
not like they're breaking ground next
week but they're moving forward and um
we were pleased to see what they came up
with. I don't know if Greg has anything
I don't you know in so many in in quick
terms.
>> Yeah.
>> I just the only reason I ask is that you
know with different autonomous boards we
have a member of council and myself we
sit on it and you guys if you can't make
it to the meetings I just wanted to make
sure that we're all in the know of
what's going on on the planet board even
though we don't have a say but you
should in case somebody comes up and
asks. Uh, and unfortunately I wasn't
able to be there. Thank you, Counciloman
Parker. And
what? Just kidding. I'm done. Thank you.
>> Clerk's report, please.
>> These are the monthly reports for
August. The construction office is
$8,23.
The court was $12,78462.
And the tax office was 5 million
911,6857
and the clerk's office was $6,939.
>> Thank you. And the only thing I ask is
could we add a business administrator
line to this now?
Please. Thank you. Uh engineer report,
please.
>> Go to the administrator first.
>> Let's go to the engineer first.
>> Okay. Thank you. Uh quick comment on the
4th Avenue subdivision. So, Councilwoman
Parker mentioned it was good timing. um
with that subdivision coming through
with the drainage work. That was all um
deliberate. Um I've mentioned this
before in in some of my reports. Um we
we want to be developer friendly. We
want to be business friendly. We want to
invite people to invest in the city. And
this is an example of where we have a
budget for infrastructure in the city.
And we take a look at where we get the
biggest bang for our buck. We knew we
had some, you know, subdivisions coming
in, some residential uh properties
interested on Fourth Avenue. So through
the public works committee, we decided
that would be a good place to spend some
money and and get the drainage in line
there. That way when people decide to
come live there, they don't have to deal
with some of the drainage issues. So um
some good proactive planning on part of
the city. Um speaking of flooding, Shore
Road, um we're still working out the
wrinkles on those plans. Uh there is no
one who wants this project to go out to
bid more than the people that have been
staring at the plans in my office for
the last three years. Um but we're
almost there and uh I can't wait till I
can tell you we're going out to bid. So,
we're getting really close. Um, just a
few other updates on some upcoming
projects. The budget took a little
longer this year, so a little bit behind
where we would typically be on a typical
year, but we do have a lot of great
projects in the works. A lot of them are
being funded, almost all of them are
being funded by outside funding sources.
The uh crosswalk sign on New Jersey and
Highland, we have a contractor on board.
They're just waiting to get their road
opening permit from the county. That
should happen in the next two to three
weeks. It's only about a week's worth of
work, so you'll see that out there in
the next month. That work should be
complete. Our 2025 road program is going
out to bid. Uh the Delaware Avenue
project, which is being funded through a
DOT grant, is going out to bid at the
same time. So, we should get some good
bid activity with two projects kind of
out on the street at the same time. We
usually get some more competition that
way. Um so, that will be good. The city
hall lobby improvements, we did receive
bids on those. I'm working with our CFO
to just sort out uh the different
funding sources. So, hopefully we'll
have an update on that in the next
meeting or so. Our race crosswalk
project which is being paid for through
a DOT grant is just about ready to go up
to DOT for their authorization to go out
to bid. We're just working out some of
the last details on that project and
then that'll be moving forward. And then
I mentioned this earlier in the year,
there are some significant funding
opportunities uh for us through the New
Jersey Eye Bank. Um, and you're going to
start to see some items on your upcoming
agendas related to that funding for work
in the estates area to upgrade the
drainage um, lines that run through some
of those easements back there. So,
that's just a coming attraction. Very
significant funding, millions of
dollars. So, exciting for us and um,
once we get there, I'll give a little
more detail.
>> Sounds good. Thanks, Ed. Yep, Jessica.
We have the retirement of one of our
longtime employees uh effective
September the 30th. So we wish him well
um in his retirement and looking forward
to a new official.
>> Excellent. Sounds good.
>> First report to the point quick.
Love it. All right. Do I hear a motion
to open this meeting to the public?
>> Motion.
>> Second. All in favor? I
>> opposed. Would anybody from the public
like to come up and speak?
>> I have to ask name and address, please.
>> 311 East Wyoming Avenue,
New Jersey. Okay. So, um I have some
things that I want to bring to light.
Oh.
Can you just put just your name for the
record too?
>> Allison Maxfield.
>> So I wanted to find out when the um
because I was really interested in doing
the homeless thing and um I went on the
city's calendar. I didn't see anything.
So, I didn't know when it was or
anything like that. And then I was just
looking on it to find the Field of
Dreams and it says in the uh Facebook, I
mean, it says on the Atlantic at McSin
City Council, if you want to know what
the events are, you actually have to
watch these videos and the last one had
10 views. So, I I don't think there's I
think you guys are all doing and women
are doing an incredible job, but I don't
think that there's information out there
um or linkage. I also was kind of like,
okay, um, where do I go with the Obssein
City Council to find out about the
sports and athletics? I I know I just
touched upon it somewhere, um, but I
wasn't sure. So, I just wanted to say
that there's a great um, website that's
that you could I think the easiest thing
to do with the events calendar because
it's actually on the phone. So the only
way to really look at the events
calendar if you wanted to was to um be
on a computer and everyone uses their
phones nowadays. So it's smart to have
um a website conversion to be able to
use on the phone. It's pretty easy to do
and pretty inexpensive. But I think that
it would get more people involved in
coming out to you know events and stuff.
The other thing is um
>> yeah Field of Dreams. I wanted to know
what Field of Dreams was because and
you're in charge of it, right?
>> No, Field of Dreams is a private
organization.
>> Okay, great. But it's being housed in
the Obsan Field of Dreams Park, right?
>> Well, the Obsan Field of Dreams, they
own that as well.
>> Yeah, they pay.
>> Oh, okay.
>> It's it's an established nonprofit
organization that that has that land and
utilizes that space and they're a
private organization.
>> Okay.
>> If you Google it, their schedule usually
comes right up on the Absey Field
Dreams. If you put in Absse Field Dreams
in Google, it should come up.
>> Yeah. wouldn't be linked to the city
website, but the other ones I'm taking
note of. Yeah.
>> Okay. Well, the reason why I want to say
this is I have an interpreter, somebody
who wants to watch movies and actually
do sign language interpretation. So,
maybe that could be something that you
all could um utilize over the summer for
the film stuff.
>> Um I'll contact them because he's
interested in doing that film. And
>> we have two kids at Field of Dreams that
would benefit
>> would benefit. That's awesome. Yeah, I
used to work there. That was my first
job in social work. So, um, see what
else I wanted to say.
>> And by we, again, it's a separate
organization. I just volunteer at it.
>> Yeah, that's
>> I said we and then all the city.
>> The website is a hot button issue with
us. Um, we're in the process of trying
to upgrade to make it more uh user
friendly, but when it comes to
government websites, they're extremely
expensive and we had a very tight year
with our budget this year. So, we're
still actually actually I had a
conversation with our new administrator
this morning about some difficulties
that we are having with the website, but
we are being as proactive as possible.
Oh, yeah. To get the website and to and
you would never believe how difficult it
is to do an official city Facebook page
because a lot of people Facebook would
be so much easier than the website. Most
people get most of their events and
information from Facebook. Um, we do
have a site, it is run by our community
affairs team. It's called up community
affairs.
>> Okay.
>> They post a lot about the Field of
Dreams, the Creek Fest, like events that
are upcoming in town. So if you go on
Facebook and give that a like, you'll
start to populate your feed with more
abseor oriented events that are
happening. Got it.
>> And then um we're we're working on the
website. Okay.
>> And as of right now, the homeless task
force, we did not meet last month
because of back to school.
>> Um and as as we're kind of flushing it
out, it's not really a public meeting.
The way the the resolution was written,
it's only four residents.
>> Okay. can go right now. We're hoping as
we grow, which has grown unbelievably,
right? I mean, the the the Gow Township
joining up, we we doubled the meeting
size. We actually couldn't go in our
conference room. We had to come in here
to have the last meeting. So, as we
start to really feel our way around, but
some great things have come out of it.
the the event at the church by the bay
last month where the Abs police
department myself uh we were there was
serving food making g the pastor lgala
getting clothes for people and then had
social services and he's really excited
because that was a huge success and his
next one I don't know the date in
October
>> in October he's already got like two or
three more social service entities who
want to show up to help get
services they need permanent housing.
>> Yeah, that's great.
>> Somewhere safe to raise their children.
>> Awesome. So,
So, um, that's great. So, I just want to
go back to the events calendar real
quick. So, the most populated, um, uh,
Facebook group is actually Yeah, I'm
from Epseekant.
>> So, what I suggest you do is to link um
any that
>> well, it's kind of a weird site and
people like to play stuff.
>> I was unfortunately blocked from there
and I was the one that was sharing all
of the community affairs stuff to
fromse. didn't realize that all of my
posts were going into a pending um area
until everybody's like, "Why isn't
Creekfest being posted on Yam?" Like,
"Why don't we know about Creekfest?" And
I'm like, "I've been posting about this
since July." Right.
>> I went on there to look for my posts and
they're all in a pending place.
>> Ah, gotcha.
>> Um, so why I can't share community
affairs things to yam from Seekin is
beyond me. I am in contact with the
admin of EP um page, but I am trying to
work on it. I had no problem doing it
before this summer, but I am having
trouble posting on that. And I had no
idea that these things were not going
through until one of my posts about the
OE 2011 hats were was deleted. And
that's when I went in to see why it was
deleted and found all these pending
posts that were ne never went through.
>> Gotcha.
>> Um so we do try to post there. The other
great resources um that Jessica has
worked on um really hard this year was
the Gazette. Two uh
>> two editions of the Gazette went out. Um
linked on the page, too. And a lot of
our community events are on in the
gazette and things that are going on in
town.
>> Okay. Do you have like um a paper copy
of events that are at the public library
um that like flyers of any kind?
>> Um the gazette I mean we could print one
out
>> on the table right outside.
>> Okay, cool. You guys are awesome.
>> One of the biggest issues we have with
the website right now is that it's not
mobile friendly.
>> So if you go on your computer, you can
see all the available easily, but if you
use your cell phone or a tablet, it
doesn't come up. Um, but we are working
forward uh as Mayor Maroon said to
update our website going forward so it's
mobile friendly and updated and you know
easy for us to share information.
>> Another another great resource is the
police department has a great Facebook
page as well. They share a lot of our
events. They're a great Facebook page to
follow and they're and their website is
very user friendly.
>> Yeah. You know, I don't really think
like the mobile um is such a big deal. I
think it's more important to get out the
flyers to places because a lot a lot of
the seniors get involved in stuff.
>> The senior center gets notified.
>> Oh, they do. Okay. All right. You guys
rock. I'm done.
>> I wish it was that easy, but it's not.
>> Anybody else from the public like to
speak?
>> Name and address, sir?
>> I have to ask.
15th Street.
I would just like to uh make a request
that a stop sign
be uh installed at the end of the bike
path on New York Avenue and 15th Street.
In the past 18 months or so, a stop a
three-way stop sign has been installed
at the other end of the bike path where
the wagon wheel is for the uh baseball
fields. Obviously, the city saw a
at that
uh approach coming from the parks to put
a three-way there.
>> Where is it Bob?
>> So New York at 15. So when you're coming
down the So what's happening is these
kids are all coming down the bike path.
The way the bike path slopes there's
really no slowing down and all the kids
come from school and everything and the
people on New York are making a left on
the 15th and there's no stop sign there
in New York which is where obviously
where I live. So no one stops there. So,
if you make that left, and we'll use
Trevor as an example, a new driver
coming out there, they can't see these
kids coming down that hill and how fast
they're coming. That's why we were
against some of the development projects
earlier that they want to put on that
side. We probably I think Eddie and I
spoke about this before about looking at
a stop sign on that corner. So, I think
that's what you're talking about, right?
I'm pretty
>> It's not a question of if
>> it's when
>> it's gonna happen. Especially on
especially when people parked their cars
there for the football games because you
can't see around and there's trees on
that one corner that hang over the stop
like you can't see both sides there. I
know uh I know we spoke about this
before, but that's it's more of a line.
It's more of a sight thing because you
cannot see anyone coming down that bike
path. And they're kids, right? So
they're coming down the bike path. The
bike path is sloped. I mean I don't
>> not even the bicycle.
>> All right. It's motorized.
>> They're coming down from Chelsea Avenue
>> and they're heading up to the football
field on that path.
>> So you want it on the path, not on a
road. No,
>> he wants one on the path that they
ignore.
>> He wants on the corner where New York is
>> corner of New York Avenue
>> and 15th to make a left
>> and 15th. It's a dead end almost right
for take a left.
>> Your house, Bob.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah. And I'm gonna tell you that it's
not it's not the kids coming from that
direction. It's the cars and the kids
coming from Chelsea Road.
>> Yeah, I see what I see it now.
>> They're going on these things 25, 30
miles an hour. And when somebody comes
around that corner, they can't see them.
And they're not looking for them.
>> They're not looking for a car coming
down New York. They're just looking at
the bike path like these like this on
these motorized
mopeds or bicycles, whatever they are.
And
>> and this is this is all times of the
day, but I know we had spoke earlier
when when it's school when school lets
out or there's events there that are
taking place at 3:00.
>> Are we able to make this? I
>> was going to say we can make this real
simple. I can tell you right now that
that's market. So if you want to put it
on the next agenda for introduction.
>> Perfect.
>> Done.
>> Thank you.
>> Absolutely. It's been the easiest thing
we've ever
>> got in right at the last second.
>> Thank you, Mr. W.
>> I was advised that you might be calling
me and then I saw your truck pull up.
I'm like, well,
>> Ed, can I ask a quick question? Can we
not ask questions now?
>> No.
>> Um, would anybody else in the public
like to speak?
May I hear a motion to close the meeting
to the public?
>> I make a motion that Alex can say what
he wants to say.
>> There's a reason. Yes, we're waiting.
May I hear a motion to close the
meeting?
>> Second.
>> All in favor?
>> Opposed.
>> May I hear a motion to adjourn the
meeting?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> All in favor?
>> I
>> opposed.
Thank you everybody for coming tonight.
Ed