Public Meeting of Egg Harbor Township Committee 04/16/26

The scheduled meeting of the A Cover
Township Committee is being recorded for
broadcast. Due to either technical
reasons or topics that may properly be
discussed in close session pursuant to
the open public meetings act,
interruptions in the recording may
occur. This meeting will be televised in
EHD TV channel 97 and posted on the
township's website. Pursuant to a Harper
Township Code, public comment is subject
to established rules of procedure,
including a fiveminut time limit,
recognition by the mayor, and standards
of the quorum. Comments shall be
directed to the governing body. Thank
you. Can everybody please stand for the
pledge of allegiance?
I pledge
>> allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic
for it stands. One nation under God,
indivisible, liberty and justice for
all.
>> Roll call, please.
>> Here,
>> here.
>> Ellis,
>> here. I am here.
We have a presentation. Actually, we are
recognizing May as building safety
month. This Pat here
right there.
>> I don't know how I do that.
>> And I even wrote that down to get my
glasses.
>> Pete
has done such a good job at reading.
>> Very good. Well, we have a proclamation
recognizing May as building safety
month.
Whereas our township is committed to
recognizing that our growth and strength
depends on the safety and essential role
our homes, buildings, and infrastructure
play both in everyday life and with when
disasters strike. And whereas our
confidence in the resilience of these
buildings make up our community is
achieved through the devotion of
vigilant guardians, building safety and
fire prevention officials, architects,
engineers, builders, trades people,
design professionals, laborers,
plumbers, and others in the construction
industry who work year round to ensure
the safe construction of buildings. And
whereas these guardians are dedicated
members of the International Code
Council ICC, a nonprofit that brings
together local, state, territorial,
tribal, and federal officials who are
experts in the built environment to
create and implement the highest quality
codes and standards to protect us in the
buildings where we live, learn, work,
and play. And whereas these modern
building codes and standards include
safeguards to protect the public from
hazards such as hurricanes, snowstorms,
tornadoes, wildland fires, floods, and
earthquakes. And whereas building safety
month is sponsored by IC to remind the
public about the critical role of our
community's largely unknown protectors
of public safety, our code officials who
assure us of safe, sustainable, and
affordable buildings that are essential
to our prosperity.
And whereas built to last, the theme for
building safety month 2026, encourages
us all to get involved and raise
awareness about building safety on a
personal, local, and global scale. And
whereas each year in observance of
building safety month, people all over
the world are asked to consider the
commitment to improve building safety,
resilience, and economic investment at
home and in the community, and to
acknowledge the essential service
provided to all of us by local, state,
tribal, territorial, and federal
building safety and fire prevention
departments in protecting lives and
property. Now therefore, be it resolved
that the mayor and township committee of
the township of a harbor, county of
Atlantic, and state of New Jersey do
hereby proclaim the month of May 2026 as
building safety month. Accordingly, I
encourage our citizens to join us as we
participate in building safety month
activities.
>> Congratulations,
you and everybody upstairs does an
incredible job. Is there anything you'd
like to say about what actually goes on
upstairs so people here can understand?
>> You name it, it's going on. That's good
business.
>> Couple new commercial businesses coming
in with that one, too.
Office
>> So, that is the month of June.
>> May
>> month of May. Sorry about that.
Yeah, we're still in April.
>> You do anything special for your month?
Um there are we'll have some kits and
stuff like that up there.
>> Where's the candy? Who wants a pill?
>> Well, thank you.
>> Just let everybody know how much we all
appreciate everything that they do
upstairs. We'll do. Thank you.
>> The only question I got, Pat, is have we
seen development like this
years ago with the big projects
>> in the early 2000s? Yes.
>> Okay.
>> It's been a while.
>> I mean, it's unbelievable.
>> Been a while.
>> Yeah.
>> I started in ' 07 here and that was just
at the end of the
>> We didn't hit long. We, you know, we're
one of the towns that we're still
building.
We have a building room now. So,
>> yes, we are.
>> Yeah, we do.
>> Thank you.
Thanks for being here.
Before
we get into uh one resolution in
particular, we have two ordinances. We
have to
>> Oh, I'm sorry. Harvey
Harvey, could you come on discussion?
>> Wait till the end.
>> We have an accountant here on March or
April 15th. So, first I'm impressed. I
know you don't do the tax part, but I'm
impressed.
>> Thankfully, I stay out of that stuff. uh
a little too hectic for me. Um just want
to first and foremost say thank you uh
for once again appointing us as the
auditor. Uh we have completed the 2025
audit. Uh we were in here fairly early
this year and it it didn't trip up
anybody at all. We were in here um near
the beginning of February which is not
normal. We were usually here in later
March. Um but I knew I could reach out
to Sharon because she would have her
things ready for me. So um I'm happy to
report we had no audit findings this
year. Um, once again, and uh, also the
management letter, the little separate
letter that you received
really just tells you a kind of a
summary of the results. Uh, you did
increase your valuation going along with
what Pat was just talking about, about
$9 million net this past year. Not a
large increase, but it's not a negative.
So,
uh, you are at just about 140
or sorry, 4 just under $4.2 billion is
your net valuation here. Um, for budget
purposes, that would determine your
penny rate. During the year, you
increased your surplus uh just under $5
million.
So, this is over and above what was
budgeted to be used. So, you actually
increased closer to $9 million in total.
Uh, largest contributors there were
better than expected rate of collection
in taxes. Your ambulance fees were up.
Your uh you had a significant um lease
with the cell phone towers. So, that all
came in this year, as well as your
cannabis tax. Uh those all the two last
two I mentioned are not budgeted
revenue. So they in effect go right into
your surplus and replenish that $5
million that you had anticipated.
Um
we always want to see a surplus that
stays at least level or up and yours
continues to go on an upward trend which
is good. It means you're recapturing
more than you're using every year. So
when you do your budget tonight you will
have an amount of surplus in there. Part
of that process was to ensure that that
surplus would be regenerated during the
year. That way next year you're starting
at the same starting line rather than 20
yards back.
Um
those were the highlights of the audit.
Uh honestly there weren't a lot of other
outside of your operation outside of
your current fund operations really
changed. Uh this year you will pay off
the final payment on the uh Anchorage
Point assessment note and I believe
there's only a few that haven't finished
making the payments and once that's done
that whole project will be finally
completed.
Um outside of that were there any
questions on the audit or in general
that I can answer? I just went to the
last page. I wanted to see what you
wrote. So,
>> see, I could just send over the last
page
>> as long as it's good.
>> Same for trees.
>> But no, that's good. So, we're in a good
position.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Many towns um currently have
significant issues getting within the
caps. Um unfortunately, when the state
of New Jersey puts a hard number in
there, inflation exceeds that number,
you have to find ways to make it work.
Um, and you guys were able to do that.
Uh, I have several accounts that just
were stumbling around doing that, but
you guys were able to get that in line,
uh, without any real significant issue.
So,
>> very good. Thank you for all the hard
work on that. And we'll tell Sharon and
her staff and Tom, you and John for all
that you did.
>> Absolutely. Appreciate it.
>> Anybody have any questions?
>> No.
>> All right. Thank you.
>> Pretend you're a tax accountant tonight
and go out and celebrate.
All righty.
Now, we're going to go into those two
ordinances. We have a public hearing on
ordinance number nine. Mr. Freriedman,
please.
>> Uh, thank you, mayor. Ordinance 9 is an
ordinance authorizing a payment in lie
of taxes, otherwise known as a pilot
agreement by and between Atacho Bay
Harbor and the uh Atlantic County
Improvement Authority and the Atlantic
County New Jersey Aerospace LLC for the
construction of building number two at
the National Aviation Research and
Technology Park.
The purpose of ordinance 9 2026 is to
authorize the payment in lie of taxes
agreement for building number two at the
research park uh and technology park
providing a revenue source for the
township for an otherwise taxexempt
property. Thank you.
>> And this pretty much mirrors the first
one.
>> It it does mirror it. The building is
smaller than the uh than the last one
that was constructed. So the amount of
revenue to us uh which is a percentage
of the rental income uh is smaller than
last year. It's about a third smaller
not last year but it's about third
smaller than building number one.
>> Yes. But there is a uh a connection now
to Stockton University which is taking
up a lot of space there now as a uh a
source for a training program and and uh
their uses as well.
>> Yeah.
>> And just talk about your building
>> there. Well,
>> that would be great. That's great for
all of us.
>> That's great for all of us. Is there
anybody in the uh audience that would
like to address governing body on
ordinance number nine?
>> Seeing none, could I have a motion to
close the public portion?
>> Make a motion.
>> Roll call, please.
>> Yes.
>> Ellis,
>> yes.
>> And yes.
>> Can I have a motion to adopt ordinance
number nine?
>> Second.
>> Roll call, please. Alana,
>> yes.
>> Yes.
>> Ellis,
>> yes.
>> Ordinance number 10 for introduction,
please. For
>> introduction. Ordinance 10 is an
ordinance authorizing the sale of
various properties to the New Jersey
Department of Transportation along Route
40 for the Atlantic County drainage
project in accordance with New Jersey
statute 482-13D1.
Purpose of this ordinance is to sell
portions of township owned property to
the New Jersey DOT in connection with
their expansion of the drainage project
along Route 40 in West Atlantic City. A
public hearing on ordinance 10 will be
held on May 6, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Thank
you.
>> I have a motion to introduce ordinance
number 10.
>> Can I Thank you. Uh roll call, please.
>> Yes.
Yes. And I just hope this is advertised
to the residents because that's for
Route 40 improvements, correct?
>> Of what they're going to do there.
>> Tom, is this for the Route 40? This is
this is for part of it. Yeah. Is there
>> Yes. And this is just pieces of our
property, not any one lot individuals
they're using for construction ements
and stuff like that.
>> Okay.
>> Yes.
Okay, we are going a little out of
normal order. And we are going to go to
I'm trying to find it here.
>> Resolution 163 right here.
>> I actually want to see the names. That's
what I'm looking for. They're not on.
So, there they are.
>> All right.
Sorry.
>> We have ordinance number 163 appointing
police officers. Resolution in
appointing Francis Wright, Diego Alicia,
Joseph Hughes, William Deckler, Daniela
Nunees,
Cameron Viola, Lucas Angel, and Anthony
Martino as police officers. Can I have a
motion to adopt ordinance number 163?
>> Motion second.
>> Roll call, please.
>> Yes.
>> Ellis, yes.
>> Tramer,
>> yes. The reps, right? I believe they're
just coming in now.
>> Can we bring them all in?
>> Yeah. There's Are we going to do
>> This is probably the biggest zip.
>> I think we're going to do four at a
clip. I think it's going to be easier
that way.
change their minds. No, just kidding.
Just kidding. We wouldn't do that to
you. Promise. But what we're going to do
is if you would like to have your
families come up and hold a Bible or be
stand next to you while you do this and
you take your oath, feel free to invite
them up. That's why we're going to break
it down to fours. So, if you would like
your families or anyone to come up with
you, bring a Bible to put your hand on.
>> Amen. But did they get Bible and get one
free? They all dressed like
>> you got a bottle and get one free or you
call each other. What you wear? What you
wearing?
>> We got a couple.
>> Okay, this is better.
>> We have an extra We have an extra one up
here.
face.
>> Yeah, we're going to have you probably
face
it right away.
>> If we need it,
>> I don't think there is.
>> Oh, there's a big one here.
>> I was going to say there's one more in
there, too.
>> This one. We have another one. Another
one. Yay.
>> Wait a minute.
>> Okay.
>> Is there another one in here?
>> That one that you just down there.
>> Okay. Put your hand under.
>> All right. Let's have you all broken
into like your family groups.
>> We're going to have them face. They can
come back here a little bit. Might be
easier. There's more room.
This is the biggest group we've had
>> since I've been here. I don't think we
had eight go in at one time. This is
amazing.
>> Okay.
>> All right.
>> Have two. You can have two hands up one
dial.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
And since we have so many Jews, could we
before we swear them in, can we
introduce each one of them before we
swear them in or have them say their
names?
>> Yeah, that's a great idea. I'm not going
to say their name.
>> They are.
>> So, we'll start right down at the end.
Your name, please.
>> My name is Cameron.
>> Very good. Right in front of me.
>> William. My name is Diego.
>> Very good.
All right, gentlemen. Raise your right
hand.
Everybody ready?
>> Okay. Repeat after me. I state your
name. I
>> do solemnly swear or affirm
>> doly swear or affirm
>> that I will faithfully
>> I will faithfully
>> impartially
>> and justly
>> perform all the duties of the office of
police
>> perform all the duties of the office of
police
>> to the best of my ability
. I do further
solemnly swear
>> I do further solemnly swear
>> or affirm
>> that I will support the Constitution of
the United States
>> that I will support the Constitution of
the United States
>> and the Constitution of the State of New
Jersey
>> and the Constitution of the State of New
Jersey
>> and that I will bear true faith
>> I will bear true faith
>> and allegiance
>> to the same
>> and to the government established
>> to the government established
>> in the United States
>> and in this state
>> in the United States
>> under the authority of these people
.
>> So help me.
>> So help me God.
>> All right.
So now we're going to bring you just
step back there for a moment and then
we're going to bring the other floor in.
>> You say camera.
>> What's up?
Is this good?
>> All right.
>> Congratulations.
>> There's one right there.
>> There you go.
>> Okay.
>> Congratulations.
>> And there are quick learn. We're all
doing it already. So, this is good.
>> They just need to show.
>> All right.
>> Oh, nice cut, man.
>> All right. We're going to do the same
thing. We're going to ask you to
introduce yourselves.
>> Danielle.
>> All right, ladies and gentlemen, please
raise your right hand and repeat after
me. I state your name. I
>> do solemnly swear
>> domly swear
>> or affirm
>> that I will faithfully
>> I will faithfully
>> impartially
>> and justly
>> perform all the duties of office of
police
>> perform all the duties of office of
police
>> to the best of my ability
>> I do further solemnly swear or affirm
>> I do further solemnly swear
>> that I will support the Constitution of
the United States
>> I will support the Constitution of the
United States
>> and the Constitution of the state of New
Jersey.
>> I state
>> and that I will bear true faith
>> and I will bear true faith
>> and allegiance
>> to the same to the same
>> and to the government established in the
United States.
>> The government established in the United
States
>> and in this state
>> under the authority of the people
.
>> So help me God.
>> Congratulations.
I think they're going to and when it's
all done, you're going to take a big
family picture outside. But right now, I
would just like our new officers to
please stay here
and I'll come up. There you go.
>> Where's Daniel?
>> Chief, I know that we have three
members, former members of the a police
department up here with us. So, you
know, you guys are very special to all
of us. So, we want to make sure that all
of you are safe first and foremost. And
then you represent this town with pride
and honor. That's what we expect out of
you. And also, as I said, walking in, we
want you to be one through eight in
academy. So, think they can do that,
Chief?
>> I think so. Yes. I I hope so. You won
some awards this time.
>> We do.
>> And I think uh this group can do it.
So, um you want me to say some remarks?
All right. So, mayor, I know I told you
before that I was going to put my words
on paper to keep me focused, and I did.
I know Captain Keane is probably very
happy. But, so, uh, while today is about
our EHT police recruits, um, we're not
all here today if not for the hundreds
of hours of investment by those behind
the scenes.
the day or hour solely the day or hour
solely dedicated to you will come and
that'll come hopeful hopefully and
during your anticipated graduation from
the Atlanta County Police Academy
several months from now.
But first, thanks and appreciation go to
the citizens of Echerber Township where
through their elected officials, our
governing body, our township
administration, we were able to
facilitate the appointment of eight
police officers.
I mentioned the hundreds of hours
invested because hiring a certified
police officer is not simple as simple
as submitting an application and having
them simply vetted to select a person.
The investment started many months ago,
if not a year ago, through our
recruitment efforts, application
process, then the written exam, the
physical exam for those that pass the
written exam, then the in-person
assessment vetting by our CIB, our
criminal investigation bureau, our
detectives. Then the background
investigation. Then the oral interviews
with command staff. Then the oral
interviews with governing body. And then
because it doesn't stop at that point,
another physical fitness exam at the
academy, medical and psychiatric exams,
police licensing applications, and so on
and so on. the efforts of many people
working behind the scenes. Member from
the Police and Community Services Bureau
where it starts then to the Criminal
Investigation Bureau, physical fitness
instructors, office of professional
responsibility, our command staff, our
professional staff, many members from
the patrol division with scheduling and
organizing are not forgotten. And to
accomplish all this is a very under a
very strict timeline was quite an
accomplishment.
That is why you're here today and you
are here.
I don't know why I I repeated myself
there. That is why you are here today.
Um the efforts for you all to be
appointed tonight by others must not go
unnoticed. So that's why I recognize
everyone and many of them are in this
room. um many hours. People don't
understand we're very limited with time
these days and to uh to invest what we
had to to put into this hiring process
in a very strict timeline that's uh it's
really put upon us by the uh state. Um
this is quite the accomplishment and um
so we're thankful for those efforts. So
with that being said, for U8 to reach
this moment, it it is about you and what
you represent now.
based on your past, your upbringing,
your credentials, how you previously
handled adversity in your lives,
and obviously your performance
throughout this process.
If you excuse me, if you recall when you
first arrived, you're sitting to take
that written test,
you remember what I said, is it in you?
And I'm just going to re remind you um
if you're coming here or you're taking
this position with the mindset um that
you're going to go get your PTC
certification and go elsewhere, you
might want to reconsider. It's not too
late. Don't waste our time.
So, just to be frank.
Sorry, ladies and gentlemen.
Um, but that's what I had mentioned to
you and you're here. For those of you
that want to commence a career with the
Edgar Township Police Department, we
want to, you know, you hold yourself to
a higher standard. Be a professional. Be
by example. Hold yourself accountable in
your personal and professional lives.
Look sharp and profess professional in
appearance. Communicate well verbally,
written, non-verbal, listening skills.
be ethical and moral. Do what's right
when no one is looking.
And we you weren't in the room, but if
you many here heard how the township is
growing. We are going through a growth
spurt. We are not a slow, sleepy town.
We are busy. So you you're here to save
lives by engaging in regular traffic
enforcement efforts. You're here to make
a positive difference with the less
fortunate in our community. and those
that traverse through our community.
You're here to arrest violators of the
law without provocation from a
supervisor, meaning you take the
initiative. You go find the law
breakers.
You're here to selfinitiate police
related activities, which I just
mentioned, and you're here to
continually improve the law enforcement
image, which we uh sorely need these
days. So if it is you is in you, then
our our agency is most likely the fit
for you. So a couple things I just
wanted to point out. During our
interviews, we ask a question. Uh
what is the single most important
quality for a police officer to have and
why? Um and I'm just going to, you know,
note what each person said here tonight.
Uh Luke Engel, uh professionalism and
work ethic. Joseph Hughes or Joey.
Where's Joey? Uh, integrity. William
Delture, integrity and communication.
Cameron Viola, humility. Daniela Nunees,
composure and resiliency. Diego Allesia
said it right. Um, description, his
description and how he explained it was
omniresence.
And Francis Wright discipline and
empathy and Anthony Martino
responsibility. So the responses are
just a snapshot. But it is during the
interview phase four or five police
commanders who are throughout who
throughout the interview are evaluated
and constantly assessing on whether the
person before us is authentic, genuine,
credible, and honest. We're determining
who will be the best fit for our
organization, our culture, and who will
be a good fit for our service
population. So it is our belief that we
have been very and we have been very
successful in selecting the right person
for our community to serve our
community. We want people of high
character with a strong moral compass.
We want people who are doing the right
thing as I mentioned when no one is
looking.
We want people to embrace the concept of
what President Calvin Kulage Calvin
Kulage once said, "No one is compelled
to choose the profession of a police
officer, but having chosen it, you are
obliged to live up the standard of its
requirements.
You want to wear the Ankerber Township
Police Patch, you will need to embrace
and abide by what is expected from you.
Do the little things right, provide high
quality work, and as I mentioned
earlier, always work to improve the law
enforcement image. You are all here
because many people in this agency
believe in you, have faith in you, and
are a good good fit for us. So, the
journey for you all has really just
begun, and we hope to see you on the
stage many months from now.
Congratulations on your achievement thus
far. THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, CHIEF, I THINK it's a tribute
to the process that we have so many
people from the department in the back.
We have we have the records people here.
We've got dispatch here. We've got so
many people from the PD side of the
building in the room after hours. It's a
tribute to the process that we have here
and hope and the wishes to you guys and
gals that you do so well. So, listen,
thank you all for being here. I know
we've got a couple of people here that
want to say a few things. And Ray, I'm
going to start with you. Oh, no. You
want to start with you?
>> Listen, good luck to all of you. Is a
great profession. You'll sit back here
after so many years and say and remember
things that you'll do on the job that
helped the public and helped our
country. Um, there's many, many things
you'll say, I never would have done that
sewing cars down the road. I did it as a
police officer. People look up to you.
The chief has a good speech. I don't
know who wrote that for him, but it's
very good. Okay, it it's a great job. I
don't know how I made it for 25 years,
but I did. And do your best. Look
yourself in the mirror. Do your best.
When you get to the academy, and I want
to say it's a game, but it might be the
most difficult thing you have in your
life so far as you get through that
academy. Do the notes, listen, work, be
physically fit, and stay physically fit.
Now I look at Ellis and he said, "Man, I
think I'm in better shape, but you need
to be in physical shape." Just here's a
small story.
Recently, a kid said to me, "You know,
you used to chase me down the back alley
in service point catch me." I was in
pretty good shape as a 21-year-old cop,
and I stayed in good shape thanks to the
army with their ideas about things, a
little fitness. So stay in shape. Work
at it. Work at it. and stay in shape and
make us proud of you as I'm proud of
every cop I ever see anywhere because
it's a tough job. And I love the people
that like to say, "Oh, the cops don't do
much. They got nothing better to do."
But when people need a cop, they don't
give a damn where that cop's coming
from, but you get there to handle the
problem. Whether it's locked on the bad
guy, taking the poor old lady who fell
down in the street, that's your job. And
that's why when you need I always say
it, public safety is the backbone of a
community. If you have a kitchen fire,
you want a fire truck. You don't care
where it came from. You need a cop, you
don't care where he got from or where he
came from. And if you need an ambulance,
we got the best handling squad ever. So,
give it the best and good luck to all
you. And I hope to see you on that stage
as the chief tells me about graduations.
I'll show up.
>> I'll bring
Mr. Would you like to say anything?
>> Just want to congratulate you all. Wish
you the best of luck. We're very proud
of you. Um, it was uh our uh honor and
privilege to get to meet you all ahead
of time.
Honor and privilege to be here tonight
for your swearing in. So,
all right. Since um Committeeman Hudson
didn't get a war stories about whether
he was a cop, I want y'all to listen and
listen. Well, there's a thing called the
Eid, the ego, and the super ego.
Make sure you know what that mean
because a lot of you young cops, you
know, we all young, we make bad
decisions, but you're in a whole
different category now. Don't be
Superman. Superman is M man Clark like
you look today. Then when you put that
police on the floor all sudden you you
faster than speed of light, more
powerful than a locomotive train, you
know, make sure you be careful, be
yourself and no turning. A lot of times,
to my experience, watching young guys
and cops come on the job, they turn. You
know, you nice guy and then all a sudden
the job tend to make you a little hard.
Then you tend to think you're above the
law. Another thing about being above the
law, I like telling you young cop, don't
be a hypocrite out there. A lot of us
was hypocrites on the police department.
You go ahead and you stop people from
drinking and driving. You get off 12:00
shift and you in the bar. So, make sure
you set examples in this job, you know.
Um, just because this one do something,
that one do something, people are
watching you. It's not like, you know,
confessions where people don't watch.
They watch you. Everything you do,
they're going to take notice of it. So,
make sure when you're in public, you,
you know, make sure you represent the
police department. We have the best
police department. Not in the county,
not in the state. And it if you ever
going anywhere go to Florida or South
Carolina or Georgia, EHG represent. And
I'm proud of all you young folks. And uh
I can't tell stories like um uh
Committee Man Hudson cuz he was a summer
point cop.
I was like city cop.
So good luck. Y'all look good. And hey,
but uh where's Pastor Kevin? Pastor
Kevin. Those boys don't they look like
they ushers? They look like ready for
church. Oh, they look good. Look like
you're ready for church. All right.
>> Must have told him to get this the
sports jacket.
>> Yeah. Get one free.
>> They look good.
>> We truly do.
>> Good luck.
>> Yeah. Chief,
>> I just wanted to one of the things I
forgot to mention. You know, this is a
unique uh thing going on here. Hiring
eight at one time. It's uh the last time
it happened. I think uh Chief retired
Hughes, it was his group uh back in what
1994
three. All right. So you
need to work together. You need to be
teammates. When you go to the police
academy, if you see one of your
classmates, your peers, and remember
this is EHTPD, you're wearing our patch.
You need to work together and assist one
another. Um, and I also don't want you
to feel like, yeah, we have a lot of
high expectations for this group, but
also you'll have a lazison that'll work
with you while you're in the academy.
So, you know, you're human. Um, um,
that's to come expected and you might
have um challenges that come your way
during the academy. That's okay. You'll
get through it. Um, but that's where
you'll work with your lays on with the
department. But the bottom line is we do
we we expect uh kind of perfection but
we also expect perfection as a team as a
unit. Understood. Okay.
>> Thank you chief.
>> Ladies and gentlemen, good luck to you
all. And if you want to go up front
right now and take some pictures, I
think you know we will do that.
EXCUSE
ME.
>> YEAH, that's all right. Try that.
Everybody did not
>> see you.
>> I'm impressed.
We're gonna take a moment till
everybody.
>> Where's Mr. Where you go? Oh, he wants
to take pictures.
>> Oh, sure.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I had your father.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I knew in fact was my
>> Yeah, but I knew too. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah. I was going to say
>> Oh, Rick is he was my
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, Summer's a good
town. The other day I went and got a
haircut yesterday and the board has his
book about Summer Point. This is on.
This is on
tell.
>> All right. As soon as everybody clears
out, we're going to keep the meeting
going.
>> Here. Okay. I think we're all here.
>> So, I got it.
>> Oh, I know. You need to move the trust.
All right. All righty.
>> Yeah. You need a check right now.
>> I'll probably go.
>> Okay.
>> Um, it's me Russ.
>> That was a great group of people.
>> We wish them nothing but the best.
>> To you and your
>> All right. We are now moving on
>> to the budget introduction resolution
164 authorizing the introduction of the
2026 municipal budget. And if you will
all bear with me, I am going to read the
budget message on the record.
On behalf of the township committee, I
am pleased to present the 2026 municipal
budget for Egg Harbor Township. This
budget reflects our continued commitment
to fiscal responsibility, maintaining
essential services, and positioning the
township for long-term stability and
success. The 2026 municipal budget is
56,944,522,
representing an increase of 3,683,173
over the 2025 adopted budget with the
local purpose tax will increase by 1.8
8. Within the $3.6 million increase,
salaries and wages are up 1,142,785.
Operating costs are up 1,553,812.
Capital expenditures are up 1,366,648.
Appropriations related to state aid,
this is disappointing, is down $580,000
as we anticipate less assistance from
the state of New Jersey while continuing
to meet the elevated threshold for
unfunded mandates across all of our
departments.
This year's appropriations in include
the use of a portion of surplus from the
sale of a cell phone tower in 2025. 1.8
8 million from the sale of that tower
will be reinvested into the township
community center. Improvements will
include building maintenance, security,
and IT upgrades. Also, a police
communication substation will be
constructed as an auxiliary location.
The township is also working with the
office of emergency management to
prepare prepare itself for future states
of emergency through the purchase of a
new generator for the community center.
These reinvestments from the proceeds of
the sale of the cell tower will put the
township in a position to be prepared
regardless of what disaster we may face.
The township committee continues to
maintain the lowest municipal tax rate
among all full service municipalities in
Atlantic County with a local purpose tax
of 6.69%.
And that's saying a lot. We are the
largest population in Atlantic County
and have the lowest rate. So that's
good. The state imposes two caps on the
municipal budget. The first is a
spending cap which limits expenditures
from year to year. The township spending
cap is under the state allowable limit.
Municipalities also have a tax rate levy
cap. This budget is $2,965,43451
under the maximum amount allowed to be
raised by taxes. The major increases in
the budget expenditure for 2026 include
multiple software purchases, including
human resource software, GPS for
vehicles, cameras for vehicles, and
innovative AI software for the
management of street conditions.
Increases in insurance costs from the
healthcare insurance increase of
$1,374,351
total, an 18% increase from 2025. But
comparatively, the state health
benefits, which we got out of a few
years ago, increased 36.5%
during the same time frame. That's
insane.
Liability insurance increased $164,351
or 9.1% from 2025.
The township realized savings in
salaries and wages
of budget in certain departments due to
retirements in tax collectors, clerks,
and police records department. The
overall salary and wages in the 2026
budget saw an increase of 5.66%
or 1,142,785.
Notable increases are 20.44%
for ambulance service, 24.25% for
dispatch service, and 8.27% for police
services. The primary driver of these
increases can be attributed to two
factors. The New Jersey minimum wage has
increased 40.82% 82% since 2020, going
from $11 to $15.92.
The rate of increase of the minimum wage
has led to pressure the township to
increase all of the bottom tiers of the
pay scales in an effort to stay ahead of
the curve. Employees who have been with
the township for multiple years should
be making more than new hires
and increases being given in the 2026
budget are reflective of achieving that
goal. In the area of dispatch services,
the township has expanded its
responsibilities through shared services
agreements. The review a review of the
entry level salaries across Atlantic
County indicate that the township has
been below market has been below market
averages for starting salaries.
Consistent with broader wage pressures,
including increases in the state's
minimum wage, this budget includes
targeted adjustments to address the gap,
ensuring the township remains
competitive and attracting new talent
while maintaining fairness for existing
employees with years of service. The
township experienced approximately $84
million worth of new construction in
2025,
creating $562,000
in new revenues for the municipality.
The township committee controls less
than 20% of the total tax bill. An
average homeowner will now pay $1,477.64
a year or $2842
cents per week in taxes with the 1.8
increase.
All other taxes collected will be
distributed to Atlantic County and to
the Egg Harbor Township School District.
For $1,477,
the average residents receives all basic
services services such as trash
collection, police, ambulance, and fire
protection, recreational opportunities,
road maintenance, and other
administrative functions which are
necessary to operate a $56 million
business. The township committee has
been working on a a fiscal stabilization
plan of reducing the overall debt
payment by the township. Township debt
has fallen in the past several years in
a row. In 2024, the township paid down
4,333,000
in principal debt. In 2025, we paid down
4,45,000
in principal debt. Through diligent
fiscal management, the township
committee is proud to anticipate
4,500,000
in principal debt payments beginning
being made in 2026.
Due to the declining interest rate and
current payment schedule, the township
administration is anticipating going out
to bond this year in an effort to
restructure any long-term debt for more
favorable interest rates while giving us
a liquidity necessary to fund and
implement the township secure capital
plan. The township has a bond rating of
a minus stable. The township has shared
service agreements with Lynwood,
Longport, Northfield, and Pleasantville
to provide dispatching services. The
township has a shared service agreement
with the city of Pleasantville for
information technology services and
construction code official.
The township has a shared service
agreement with the city of Summers Point
to provide EMS services. The township
has a shared service agreement with the
Egg Harper Township School District for
class 3 police officers in their school.
In closing, this budget reflects a
balanced and responsible approach,
addressing rising costs, investing in
critical services, and maintaining a
long-term financial stability for our
residents. I would like to thank the
members of township committee, the
township administration, the various
department heads, the chiefs of police,
fire, and EMS for a budget that is fair
and responsible to our residents. Thank
you.
So, can I have a motion to introduce the
budget?
I
>> I'll make a motion. That was a great
statement of a picture of what goes on
in this council. We had to meet our
needs to make a good community and we're
doing our best to maintain control. If
you saw the increase in the state
healthc care, we were lucky to have
gotten out of it and not have to pay
that 37% increase.
>> It's a point8%. And um you know we're
doing our best to control taxes. So I'll
make a motion.
>> Second, please.
>> Second.
>> Thank you. Roll call.
>> Yes.
>> Hodson.
>> Yes.
>> Ellis.
>> Yes.
>> Bramer.
>> Yes.
>> We have a resolution consent calendar.
We're going to pull resolution 172
because it is no longer needed. We have
resolutions 165 through and including
180. Can I have a motion, please?
Can I have a second?
>> Second.
>> Roll call, please.
>> Can uh I make a couple of requests. Um
we have I know folks are here to speak
on the eight and I'm wondering if we may
be able to uh split that off to to allow
them to to speak before we consider it.
That that would be my first request.
>> Okay. So, we're going to take back
again.
uh 165 ruing uh excluding 172 172 I'm
sorry 172 has been pulled 178 we'll do
next uh through 180 can I have a motion
for those please
>> be one
>> we already did a motion for that
>> oh we have a second for that
>> all right so
>> so we'll do
>> All right we just need a roll call on
that
>> yeah okay roll call
>> yes
>> already went so Okay,
>> yes.
>> Hudson,
>> yes.
>> Before we do 178, I think I'm going to
do the consent calendar just so
>> that we or the supplemental so it gets
out.
>> So, we have resolutions 183 through 186.
>> Can I have a motion for those?
>> So moved.
>> Have a second, please.
>> Roll call, please.
>> Yes.
>> Ellis, yes.
>> Farmer,
>> yes.
Tom, before we put do 178, what was
this?
>> So,
resolutions had seven
>> 179.
>> Yeah. When we when it was published, it
had additional papers that shouldn't
have been attached to it by it was
accident. So, this is the clean sheet
which you should have in which was
republished.
>> So, this is republished. I just want to
make sure this is
>> Yes, this was what this is what's out
on.
>> This is on public record.
>> Yes. Sorry, I forgot to mention that. Y
and I had it a lot of months ago. You
>> gave it to me.
>> I have it, too. So, okay. Very good.
>> All right. We've got resolution 178.
>> Um, can I have a motion on that?
>> Make a motion.
>> Can I have a second?
>> Roll call, please.
>> Castellano,
>> we just agreed that the folks were going
to speak on it before we voted.
>> All right. That's right. We did. We did.
>> Resolution. Okay.
If you're here to speak on resolution
178,
please come up and say what you have to
say.
And bear in mind what the attorney said
earlier, what this was about. So, we're
not going to go over the details of the
plan because we haven't officially seen
any plan yet.
Yeah.
>> On the end on what this is what this is
for.
>> Mr. Freeman, could you just
>> All right. He's going to repeat what he
said.
>> Now, now that just a point of
clarification, now that 178 is pulled
from the consent calendar, u you don't
normally open up the to the public to
discuss resolutions. We do obviously for
>> is this my question is is this part of
the p open public session or is this
>> well we could do it one of two ways. We
could just make this a complete public
session at this point.
>> I would suggest that you do that because
otherwise you're going to be I mean
>> okay then this is that's what we're
going to do. So this is the public
session. Can I have a motion to open the
public session?
>> I'll make a motion. Second.
>> Roll call, please.
>> Yes.
>> Hudson. Ellis.
>> Yes. Romer. Yes.
>> And I'll be happy if you wish me to give
a introductory statement concerning 178.
>> I absolutely would.
>> Okay. So,
>> can you all hear now?
>> For those of you who might not have
heard in the galleries, uh 178 is a uh a
memorandum of understanding. That's what
the township committee has to discuss
tonight as to whether or not they're
going to approve that. that uh that
resolution is uh coming between the
adoption of the redevelopment plan
that's already been uh adopted by the
township committee and before the uh uh
approval uh and introduction of a uh
developers agreement. So in the
preliminary discussions that were had uh
the governing body has appointed u three
representatives being myself, the
engineer suppose the administrator to
engage with the developer concerning uh
concerns that uh have come either from
the governing body as well as from the
public. and we wanted to demarcate what
those concerns were from the normal site
plan approvals that the planning board
would normally be handling. So, uh, we
decided that, uh, an agreement with the
developer to have the issues of the
bulkhead
parking along Ourn Drive and a potential
traffic signal on the uh, causeway to be
issues that are discussed and limited to
the governing body making those calls.
So your input on those issues are
important to us to help our negotiating
team in dealing with the developer. All
the other issues are normal site plan
issues that are going to be handed off
to the planning board and once they file
an application and there'll be public
hearings on that. But this uh memorandum
of understanding is is strictly limited
to demarcating those three issues from
the other issues that are there. So
hopefully that gives you some
understanding as to what this uh
resolution is all about and uh your
comments obviously are welcome so that
we can take that back to them uh and
hopefully come up with reasonable
compromises to how to deal with those
public rightways that being the causeway
as well as Ourn Drive and the bulkhead
that's to be constructed and uh
ultimately uh elongated uh by the
township past where the area of
redevelopment as uh as demart did on
their plans. So if any member of the
governing body has any questions before
we proceed to hear from the public
>> I think we're good. Did you understand
that? Does everybody understand that?
Okay. Okay. Nikki.
>> Yeah. Thank you. Uh thank you Mr.
Castellano for um requesting that. It's
very appreciated and it and essentially
it means that people of the township
committee are listening to us and
appreciate your explanation. Um,
>> even though I just did your name, can
you put your name for the record,
please?
>> Zari,
>> thank you.
>> No problem. Um, yeah, I just have some
concerns. you know, we saw this view and
one of the things that I noticed back on
November 20th was an email um from Tom
Dantino directly to or I'm sorry
directly to Mr. Dantino from Sean
Scarboro and essentially what it entails
is that there's an extension of the
bulkhead beyond where he owns property.
So that's one huge issue. Meaning people
who have riparian rights, us included,
because we do have them as well, all
along Ober Drive. Um the people who
already have license and legal docs, how
are we addressing, we're going to rip
their their docks up. So thisou says
bulkhead, but doesn't explicitly
indicate that we're extending it like
you had just notated beyond where it
currently is. That's a very big issue.
Very big issue. There is an email
confirmation of that email back from Mr.
Dantino and Mr. Friedman, you are copied
on that email. That was on December 4th,
2025 before ordinance 35 was voted on.
So, lots of stuff is happening before
things are being voted on. Now, I don't
know if the rest of the township
committee members were aware of this.
This is huge. You're talking about
taking people's property. He does not
own past that bulkhead.
I can tell you right now, we're not
taking to take any No one. First of all,
this hasn't even been approved yet. But
this is why we're here. Nobody can take
property that doesn't belong to it. It
belongs to you.
>> It belongs to you.
>> It does. It does. It It belongs to It
belongs to those people. But taking a
bullpen and extending it is a huge
discussion because that means there's
docks that are in the way of that. There
are docks that go from the right of way,
okay, to out to the lagoon. And this was
again, this is 18 years ago now. I think
it was 17 years ago last year. Now we're
we're hitting 18 years ago where folks
had already gone through this whole, you
know, litigation and there was, you
know, lawsuit, etc.
There are other emails prior to that a
year ago where I've got uh Jen Heler,
who is the planner, right, talking about
how
uh Danielle Kelly certif you know
certified this map, right, to include
all the way up to where the developer
owns land. Okay, not the right away
because it's not owned by the developer.
And that's an issue as well. And that's
part of what's in here, the right of
way, right? And we're looking to put up,
you know, I've seen the plans, I've
talked to engineers myself, talked to
planners, we've, you know, worked with
these people ourselves, um, council, all
that fun stuff. The issue is how how are
we justifying that this is going to be
part of thisou tonight? we're going to
just vote on it as a resolution and move
forward when that hasn't been addressed
in in the actual in the actual
resolution. When I just finished here, I
there is a concern the Jetty Bar LLC is
the owner of these certain trackcts of
land. He's not the owner of the right of
way. He does not own the right of way.
He's not the title owner. That's that's
that's proven. We know that. So that's
that's an additional concern. The other
concern is
we talk about
it says without the use of eminent
domain,
if you're going to take a right away
that's not owned by the developer,
owned by others,
and you're going to change it into
something that it currently isn't
because there is no public parking.
There are wetlands. There's Spartina.
There's all kinds of creatures, animals,
etc. in that right of way. You're going
to put develop it and change it into
something it isn't. You're taking that
from others. That's that's where work
that's eminent domain. You're taking
something that is not owned by that
person and it wasn't approved by the DCA
because it's an environmentally
sensitive area. It's a PA5. The This is
why we're here tonight because these
things that are in this resolution,
they're not addressed in here. this has
got to move forward. We're going to yep
have more time to come. I'll be here in
eight weeks talking about the same
thing. That's why we're trying to stop
it here. Let's remove it from this
resolution. Let's put the real facts of
what's actually going to happen that the
bulkhead is moving past where it was
originally intended. And you know, I've
done a lot of if you've looked at the
the D and when Daget uh the previous
owner was denied, he was denied for a
vertical bulkhead because the vertical
bulkhead doesn't necessarily stop lean
action. We're in a we're in a velocity
from from where um excuse me, where the
Atlantic Ocean is over uh where CU
Harbor comes over, there's a velocity
there. I think we're in an A10 flood
zone. So, a vertical bulkhead may not be
the best way. That's why they had put in
a slope. And you would know this. I'm
here an engineer and I've talked to
several other engineers about cool
process. I want to get into the
engineering because I'm not I can't but
this is why we're concerned and I don't
blame you and I don't blame you and it's
I know you feel like you're getting a
lot of runarounds from us. But I know
this this and Mark, I'm going to defer
to you and to Tom for a minute because
from my understanding, all this does
tonight is says these three issues are
going to stay with the Township
Committee with no decision and we
haven't even seen anything regarding
this yet. So formal I mean there's a lot
of you can go online and find everything
you want but you know what until someone
puts it in front of us that's where we
start.
>> I mean it's in front of you though
that's the problem. But it's it's not.
And yet my understanding all this is
tonight is saying that these issues
these three issues in particular are
going to stay with us and the the site
plan and the look at the approval for
the plan or or turning down of the plan
is going to come from the planning
board. Am I correct in that
understanding?
>> So I I get I get all of that. These
three issues,
>> these three issues are are are grouped
into very high nonexlicit
issues. They're not explained at all.
Again, I mean, they happen to be here's
this is the part I think you're one step
ahead of us in this sense. It's all the
legal everything we do has to take a
legal walk down this down the path. And
that's what this does. This separates
those issues and puts them on our
jurisdiction. The site plan and looking
at the restaurant and everything else
that's being planned out there is going
to the only thing that we're doing
tonight is saying that these three
issues parking in Oburn Drive,
the traffic and the bull are going to
stay with us. And and if that's and if
that if this passes, what this means is
every one of us up here has to get
educated on the traffic lane on Obern
drive and on the bulkhead and we have to
see what they want to do and how they're
going to do it. That's all tonight is
about. It's not denying. It's not
approving. It's only saying that the
committee is going to take these things
under our control. The rest goes to the
planning board. But you're still moving
forward with the intent to take away
land.
>> We're in a process right here.
>> So it's eminent. So we're considering a
burn drive. The right considered eminent
domain then.
>> We're not considering eminent domain.
>> But you're taking it,
>> right?
>> It's already been established.
>> Yeah, I know it's established.
>> And that means
>> But you're taking it for the use for the
for a private.
>> No, it's no private. We can for
commercial arena.
>> Yes. No, we're not.
>> There will be no private parking.
>> It's still It's still being used. So,
>> but you know what? It's also being used
for the right. This is why why haven't
we done this then 15 years ago? Why was
the last time parking was addressed was
17 years ago when the marina was being
posted? And why was it 17 years ago when
the bulkhead? Why was that not been
addressed? I I' I've come up here
multiple times and asked you and said,
"I'm willing to talk and help improve
Oberon Drive, but only when a marina is
proposed." That's when the township is
interested in helping the community on
Obern Drive. And and that's really where
we're tired and of of arguing with the
township committee and not listening to
us. And I think this resolution and the
last time I came in here before ordin
ordinance 35 and I said we have we have
this plan and it doesn't align with
what's at the D. Okay. and the plan does
not align with what's at the D. I'm very
well aware of what's at the D. The issue
with that is you said there was there
was a blue Toyota Trella parked. I said
you have pictures from the 80s and the
'9s outlining what our neighborhood
looks like. These are an official
documentation that the township
committee members are looking at that
the public is looking at.
>> That's frustrating.
>> They were labeled as picture taken from
the 80s. We're not No, you didn't have
reason. And I said I said, "Mayor
Palmer."
>> I said, "Please listen to our attorney
because this is a very technical thing
and we're not trying to shut this has
been taking a long time." That's because
we started. That's because we stopped it
multiple times. Like that's that's why
it's taking a long time.
>> We haven't even seen the project yet.
>> We saw a plan. There was a plan. You you
you gave us No, we there was a master
plan analysis. A you you you've seen the
plan. Seen it. But it's not saying we
haven't seen the This is This is why
we're questioning because we're asking
you to take a step back, think about
what's in 178 because we see it as
eminent domain extending a bulkhead way
past where it was supposed to be. Not
analyzing what that bulkhead should
actually be, not looking at previous D
records from 2009 that stated a vertical
bulkhead is not going to stop this. And
we all know what happens over time.
We've got significant flooding issues.
we need to look at maybe yeah maybe we
need to look at other options for a
bulkhead and we work with the committee
and I think Pete brought up a great
point prior to uh being part of the
committee you know is there some funding
we can get some grants I'd be happy to
work with you Pete on that I'm very good
at at at writing those types of things
and we're interested in that so I'm
asking the people of the township
committee to take a step back and think
about this resolution yes it's we're not
voting on things tonight but we're
voting on moving forward with something
that there will We'll be having the same
conversation
>> voting on something that gives us more
control should this pass a planning
board. That's that's that's what's
happened the last 15 times that we've
been up here to the planning board.
>> Well, the planning board doesn't really
listen to anything we say. We've been
I've been, you know, disrespected by the
planning board many times. And to be
quite honest with you, I've had a lot
more respect at the township committee
being able to get our points across and
say look into these issues. Again, we
asked about eminent domain at the
planning board. We're not we're not
taking anybody's land right away as
somebody's land.
>> I'm sorry,
>> mayor.
>> It's what? I'm sorry.
>> It's It's public in that sense.
>> I I would You might want to
>> Yeah, it's
>> Are we done, Mr. Speaker?
>> Oh, yeah. We are done.
>> Thank you.
>> Any other
Um, just I'll be quick. I will. John
Gresco, Trouble Burn Drive, right in the
middle of all this. Um, grandfather,
lots of grandchildren. They're down all
summer. They play in the street and
everything else. So, I have big concerns
about how this is going to change the
neighborhood. Um, you're not going to be
able to ride a bike through the
neighborhood like you can now. you're
not going to be able to play in the
street like you can now when you have
all these fishermen, boat people, and
everybody coming in. Um certainly the
loud music and stuff at night. Um I
agree with what Jen's saying because
I've been in these meetings and just so
you guys know and everyone
>> specifically you may when I ask this
what are the next steps? What does
happen? Your response is always the same
as it is tonight.
Well, this is just this. It's not going
to do anything. Later on sometime,
you'll be able to do anything.
>> Well, the planning board is where the
plan
>> I've been to the planning board
meetings. They haven't had
>> I've been to the planning board meetings
and I agree with Jen. I do not get any
respect there. Okay. They're they're
looking to jam something through. Okay.
That's how we feel. So, we're not
getting a feeling of you're working with
us by any stretch of the imagination.
You've taken three issues from what
you've heard us say in these meetings,
but nobody's like actually sat down with
us and talked to us. Not the developer,
not you guys. Nobody has to really
understand what the neighborhood is and
what we what our concerns are. Um, like
I said, it's a quiet neighborhood, which
is what drew me to the neighborhood. We
fish, we crab, we do all the wonderful
things that you come to the Jersey Shore
to do. All right? And if you're going to
put a marina in that lagoon,
those things become a lot harder. Sure,
we can drive down to another area and do
it. It's very nice being able to just do
these things right out in front of your
house. Um, one question I have is with
the extension of the bulkhead. Um, and
certainly with the the not plans we've
seen, you know, there is a bulkhead
there. There has never been a marina in
this lagoon. We can go back to the
pictures, everything else. So, a lot of
the verbiage in these documents and
stuff saying that it's replacing what
was already there. There was never a
marina. The bulkhead comes not even down
to my property currently. So, if you're
going to extend that bulkhead, you're
going to go down. And based on the plans
that we've seen, the the docks to the
marina go down past where the existing
bulkhead is. So, I mean, we'd like to
have a discussion and find out what is
really going on and what is going to
happen here. And certainly the people
that do have the riparian leases and
have docks there, you know, this
bulkhead is going to go in front of
them. They need to understand what's
going to happen to them as well. So,
there's a lot of questions here. I'd
love to understand the process because
every it's kicking the ball down the the
to the next step is the way I feel
because we ask questions next time, next
time, next time. that maybe we can do
this.
Maybe
we can have a few of you come in
and you can understand
what the thought process is and what's
been presented so far to us. Like I
said, and I've said this over and over
again. You've all heard it. You don't
want to hear it. But until a plan is
laid out in front of us, I can't go by,
oh yeah, I saw that on the D website. I
can't go by that.
>> I I hear you. But then now that's what
I'm saying. I get what you're saying,
but now put yourself in our shoes and
we're reading these things. We're seeing
these emails. We're seeing these things
going back and forth. From our
perspective, it's like something's going
on here. That's kind
>> There's a lot of mixture of things that
aren't in straight line. And I think
that's part of the problem. I think I
have no problem having some of you guys
come on in and have things explained to
you. I have no problem with that
whatsoever.
>> I mean, here's
>> I know Paul's been wanting to come in
and talk about this, so I think this is
a great way to do it.
>> I I think so. not going to take
anybody's property to be alone. Do you
want a new bulkhead or not? It's very
simple. I mean, we got to fix the road.
>> We got to fix the road.
>> If you live there, you see the word come
across, right?
>> I get that. But here's the thing is
we've been and this is just my
observation that I've had again, we it's
all coming up on a year I've been coming
to the planning board meetings and
stuff. This stuff has all come up. I
think it was three months ago in a
meeting and I don't know whether it was
this or a planning meeting or whatever
it was but it was mentioned about the
bulkhead. All right, there's a simple
thing that's the first time I realized
that from your perspective what's
driving this is we got to get a bulkhead
in here because we got service lines, we
got roads, we got all this stuff that's
got to be let alone the residents. Like
it's I that's the first time it clicked
in my mind that oh at least there is a
reason for the township to be going this
approach. I'd love to at least take it
the next step forward and find out
what's, you know, what's going to happen
and how we can balance some of these
needs.
>> Tom, Mark, I
>> I prefer to leave my comments after the
public session is open. I
>> I don't have a problem. I don't have a
problem.
>> My personal comments against me, Martha.
>> No, you're a grandfather of wonderful
children, so come on.
>> I know that.
>> Um, no, I don't have a problem. if you
have questions because sometimes in this
kind of setting it gets heated when
you're sitting at a conference table
looking at each other across. It's
easier to have a conversation but you
got to remember this is a business that
has applied to do something and they
have the right to do that
>> and
>> they don't have we're not guaranteeing
them an approval.
>> Yes.
>> So it's if somebody wants to build a
house or they want to build a business.
So there's a process and we are in the
midst of a process and this type of
process takes a long time because as
you're all saying there's issues in the
neighborhood that you just don't want to
see God bless you see changed but I
think the conversation can be had so you
can have an idea from what our
perspective is
>> and I don't have a problem with that.
And uh just to remember one of the red
flags for us that sent us up was when he
moved the barges into the lagoon like
and we're doing this like oh my gosh
he's getting ready to dredge already.
Like again we don't know
>> because you're learning the wheels of
government move very slow and but but
there is a reason that we move this
slow.
>> I understand there right there's there's
no water.
>> I'm just saying there are the kind of
things when we don't know the process
here. Right. I get the current I think
we all know CO move slow. There's a a
good reason for that.
>> There is a good reason for it.
>> So
>> because if it would move fast this could
have been done in a month and over and
done but it's not. It's public.
Everything we do as as you guys know
everything is overable and you can take
a look at everything that is done.
>> So
>> all right. So I would love to have a
meeting and try to at least get our
heads around at least my head around of
what are these next steps so that I
understand where key decisions are being
made so that I can do that.
>> And I'm going to make a suggestion which
you're probably not happy with me Tom
but let's just pull this one from
tonight. Can we pull this and put it up
at the next meeting?
>> Yeah, we can.
And here's the thing. We got a We're
here to help you.
I know you're giving out look that ain't
the case. You don't know Paul. Okay. I'm
just telling you, but we're here to help
you. But we like she said, when you buy
a piece of property that sometimes
people want to make improvements now, I
can tell you about the improvements in
Point over my life. I grew up in Cers
Point. There's a ton of improvements on
the properties. Why? Roads been fixed.
You got so water, which you never had.
And you got a road there that if a storm
comes through may be going
>> understood.
>> And that's somebody's problem.
>> I I
understand that. It's just it's
>> and I
>> and let's uh let's figure out where both
sides are coming from and minimize the
gap if we can.
>> I think that's what we need to do. And I
think that as a property owner uh Mr.
Scarboro has rights too. So everybody
has has can be at this conf.
we have in there. I don't know if he'll
come, but we'll have, you know, we have
your contact information, your phone
number.
>> Uh, you should I'm sure I've given it
plenty of time, but happy to give it
again.
>> Can you give it down to our clerk?
>> Yep.
>> All right. So, mayor, real quick, I'm
glad to hear that you're going to bring
them in with a group to discuss it. I
thought that was in the plans a while
ago. Uh, so that's a start.
All right.
>> Agree. Thank you. Okay,
we want to keep talking about Anchorage
Point or should we come on now? It's
public comment. You can all come down.
So,
>> thank you, resident of Anchorage Point.
Uh, first real quick, sorry, John, I got
to correct you on one thing. A few of
the people sitting up here have taken
the time and come out and we've given
them tours and they know they know what
our concerns are firsthand.
>> Raise your hand. So, I certainly
>> Yeah. So, I just wanted to clarify that.
thing I learned as a police officer. I
go out in the field. So I've been in
Anchorage Point probably more than you
know looking around at what's going on.
>> Yeah.
>> So uh the biggest concerns that we had
when we saw what was coming up tonight,
it discussed reestablishing parking on
Ourn and the bulkhead and access uh and
all that. There was never parking on the
east side of a burn like they're
staying. And this what we read was it
was giving the developer the right to
reestablish parking on there. There was
never parking there.
>> Well, that actually right now we and
I'll be honest with you. If we're going
to meet I think we discuss this then
because
>> that was in the memorandum of
understanding. So I think we just work
on it. We talk about it then and we see
what we're looking at. Okay.
>> And we'll see what a few of you guys
are.
>> So no decisions being made tonight on
anything is
>> No. We're going to table this till the
next meeting.
>> Okay. Okay.
>> Thank you very much for having our backs
uh you know on this please. Uh
>> listen I don't want to go into personal
problem I'm having on development of
piece of property but this happens all
the time. It's unfortunate.
>> Very unfortunate over overregulated New
Jersey. You know, we're we're fighting
and we're going to keep fighting because
this is our neighborhood that we love
and you know, we don't want a marina
with all it entails and we definitely
don't want access to our neighborhood
from that marina and parking there.
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> Anybody else?
>> Uh Jennifer Kerwin from Ourn Drive. Um
so thank you. Missed you guys. It's been
a while. Hope you had a nice holiday. Um
so thank you. I appreciate the time for
public comment. Um, so I just have a few
concerns to raise. Um, so you know, as
you said, and I do appreciate the
additional consideration. This means a
lot to us. Um, as we have shown our
continued support, and we appreciate
your time. Um, you know, this
neighborhood is what is being proposed
with and what is being mentioned in the
the prop the MOU is that with the
additional as as our team has said that
our group has said there has been no
parking and that the restoration changes
the terminology of what the lift will be
when it's considered. There is none.
This is a new lift and if you look at
the roads and you see there is no room
for parking. Also, when we're taking
into consideration the bulkhead and the
public access and I know wild plants
have not been approved, we see like this
bulkhead and then the potential it's
removing public access to what our our
neighbors have mentioned our kids play
in this water. We go swimming, we go
fishing and like to be able to
completely eliminate any access to the
water and security like of the water. It
we're not addressing the public access.
Then we're putting parking. Like our
neighborhood is quiet and safe. Our kids
play. I have a six and eight-year-old.
They play and they have friends down all
the time and they play with our
neighbor. They their street the street
is their main playground. And like this
plan that is being proposed will
drastically change the neighborhood. The
increased parking, the traffic, the
noise, the safety. We're introducing
boats pollution and the wetlands. the
wetlands like with all that pollution
and those beautiful species of birds
like we're not considering the impact of
something of this size and this velocity
what it will do to the nature of our
neighborhood if you drive through a
neighborhood which I know many of you
have and we appreciate you're taking
your time but this there is great
opposition in this neighborhood and we
appreciate the consideration to have the
opportunity to meet with you and share
our concerns but this will definitely
change the sanctity and the quiet and
the safety of our neighborhood and it's
something that We want to be heard and
as we've shared, you know, and you I've
mentioned, you know, we're not there
yet, but we want we feel that we're not
always being heard and so we want that
opportunity and, you know, we appreciate
that meeting. We I look forward to it
because maybe we will have the
opportunity to come to a compromise.
Right now, I don't see any community
benefit of this redevelopment plan.
Like, we are destroying a community. Um,
you know, we're removing public access,
we're increasing traffic, we're
destroying the environment. So, I want
that to be considered and taken into
consideration when we're moving forward
with this development and the developer.
And I understand he has a right. His
plans for the restaurant are beautiful,
but we need it to be concerned where
where the location is is in next to a
public a private ne a very quiet
neighborhood. And so, there is a balance
that is required and should be
considered. And that once and you know
our concern too is like as I mentioned I
missed you guys. I only had two days
notice to get here and then potentially
on Monday like it's really short notice
to get like all of our ducks in the line
and our questions ready for you. So, we
just would appreciate Here's what I'm
going to say.
>> We have to talk um some of us are not
going to be here for a week or so.
>> So, check with the office to see when we
put this on the agenda, but in the
meantime, we'll call
>> um and just set something up so we can
all have a discussion. There's no
promises one way or the other. I mean, I
understand it's just an information and
we and we can conversation
>> have a conversation.
>> Yes.
>> You know, not a lot of accusations back
and forth. They don't work well.
>> No, agreed. It's on facts and we just
want facts where we want Yeah, it's fact
finding
>> from our perspective and your
perspective.
>> So, facts is
>> March 15th or April 15th for you, too.
>> Yes. It's been very busy today. Um, but
yes. So, no, I thank you. That's all I
have today, but I appreciate your time
and I look forward to that conversation.
Thank you.
Hi,
>> excuse me. No disrespect. I'm your
biggest fan.
All right.
>> My name is Michelle McLaclin and I've
lived in Anchorage Point for 30 years.
And Mr. Hodson, I know all the
improvements that the township has made
to to Anchorage Point.
>> The the state handled that road that
they claimed was from nowhere to
nowhere. If you read the papers and go
back in time, the state did that.
Finally,
>> sometimes talking about the sewer. When
I moved in, we just got the sewer, we
got the water. Um, but I guess where I'm
disputing is the bulkhead. The bulkhead
will never stop the flooding.
The water will come over. I've seen the
water for 30 years over the road. It
will never hold back the water. and for
and I was in the first um lawsuit with
17 years ago and they all said the OK
would keep us from Katrina. We all know
that's not true. It's never going to
hold back the water. And when you put a
bow can in too, you have to really think
about the environmental
um aspect of that because we now have
carapens come up. We have geese. These
are also pollinators. When you get a
bulkhead, they're not coming over the
bulkhead anymore. I don't know where
they're going to lay their eggs. But
from what I understand, turtles lay
their eggs in the same spot for for many
years. Same as the geese. 10, 20 years,
they come and lay their eggs. So, we're
going to stop all that. And our
wetlands, it's just not going to
flourish like it is. You know, I'm I'm
60 almost 67.
the next generation will not see what
I'm seeing if we destroy this wetland
and put a bulkhead in. And I've already
been threatened that my doc because I'm
on the edge is already going to be torn
down by the developer and he's laughing
about it telling everybody,
you know, that's okay. You know, with
Judge Nelson, he put it into place for
our protection. So I think when this
kind of goes up to even the planning
board and the township, you gota kind of
see what Judge Nelson put out there for
our protection as well. And and also
with I just want to talk about the the
parking and I think I heard Mr. Hudson
say, "Well, you don't put gravel there."
Again, if you put gravel in that strip
of land, which right now holds our
spartina, which is searass, which helps
again the wetlands survive. It's like
pollen to a bee. If you put gravel
there, how's that going to look? That's
going to look not very nice and not very
appealing for our our homes. And again,
like if you look at CPU Harbor and their
marine and their community are two
different aspects. So we kind of want
you to think about that. Again, if any
of you were living there, you wouldn't
want that in your neighborhood.
We we want we want again 30 years I've
been there. I plan to retire there, but
I don't want a big marine in front of my
house where I can't sleep and I have to
see the wet lands being destroyed in
front of my eyes. So, that's just what
my two sense is. Thank you.
>> Anybody else want to address governing
body on any issues whatsoever?
>> Sir, come on up.
>> How are you? Michael from 6157 Bill
Road, Egg Harbor Township, block 5202,
lot 20. Uh, how's everybody doing after
this hot day today? Hot one, isn't it?
So, I really I hope I'm in the right
place for what I'm trying to do. I spoke
with Miss Kelly in reference to putting
some formal objections on the record and
she instructed me to in order to enter
them into the record. I couldn't do that
through email. I had to come to a public
meeting and then it'll come that way. Is
that a correct?
>> I Mark, is that the normal process?
>> I'm not sure. What do you What is it you
want to talk about?
>> Well, formal objection for a incomplete
application and ownership in reference
to block 5202 lots 21 and 22. It's
involving a a company that claims to be
Touch or Modern Incorporated, but it's
all it's all fake. It's all fake. I have
copies.
>> What's that?
>> Chelsea Avenue.
Exactly. Exactly.
>> Land application.
>> This is for the a touch of modern
application.
>> The same ones that did those homes on
>> the pending land use applications. Then
there should be at some point a public
hearing on it and that's time to address
them.
>> That's probably what you were telling me
to go to the planning board. This isn't
the plan. This is the planning book.
>> I understand. I I understood that part
of it. But when I tried to put these
formal objectives into the record, she
said I had to do it through a public
meeting, not the planning board.
>> No, they have a public comment section
at the planning board.
>> No, I know they do. I've been there. So,
I mean, what I'm trying to do is just
get these entered into the record prior
to the 29th of April planning board
meeting. It's a pretty simple request.
>> How was that? I'll be honest, I'm not
sure how that's handled.
>> Well, he was here.
I would say
applications are concerned.
>> So did she mean for him to come
>> there? Absolutely. order for you to say
the things that you want to say.
>> So I don't know if Miss Kelly miss
but this is not a
>> send me this board specifically. I don't
want to get anybody in trouble.
>> It would be the
where you would want to get sworn in.
And your name is
>> John.
>> Okay. And you're the solicitor?
>> Okay. So,
>> um,
>> you're here for the hearing.
>> I have I have the legal documentation to
back. This isn't hearsay. I've done a
lot of research to get this and I'm just
trying to get it into the record to let
them prepare because I think what's
going to happen. One of the objections I
have is for them to just forget about
that meeting. Let's look at touch and
moder and find out that they're fake
>> and and it's insane. too.
>> Sir,
>> I think this has to I think this truly
unfortunately this is not the body to
hear that there is an attorney that is
of record at the planning and once
you're sworn in,
>> you're giving sworn testimony on the
record.
>> Okay.
>> And it would be at the planning board.
>> Okay,
fair enough.
>> So,
>> thank you for your time.
>> And our let's see, April's planning
board is
>> 29th 29th.
>> Yeah. So on public comment se when that
application comes up
>> there is a section for the public. Make
sure you come up for that.
>> It's it's they're opening the meeting
with the public because they didn't they
closed the meeting with the public
comments stupid. So that'll be the first
thing.
>> May I ask Mr. Hudson a question please?
>> Did you have the opportunity to come out
and walk the property?
>> I was I was in your neighborhood. I
didn't walk any property.
>> Oh, okay. because I uh I looked at the
cut through where they think C Chelsea
can come through to Church Hill.
>> I see the drain is there. So they a lot
of that water they're talking about
isn't making it isn't making it to the
drain. It's too high. Yeah, I was there.
I did not walk anybody's property.
>> Were you Were you aware that this is a
2008 application recycled under a new
name? Touch a model.
>> No, I have no idea about that.
>> Okay. I have no evidence to prove that.
That's all I was trying to do is get
this in the record.
>> So that's where you need to do it
because
>> you you were clear and I thank you for
your time.
>> And it's Monday. It's it's Wednesday.
>> 29. I'm sorry. This one's on a
Wednesday. This was on Wednesday.
>> Oh, they're trying to catch up.
>> We lost two meetings. Yeah.
>> So this will be And make sure it's a
smell.
>> That's why that night we had to cut it
off because they were standing out the
door.
>> I think it was what 28 or 9 when we
walked out. So that's why make sure
you're at that meeting and you'll be a
public comment. You're right in the
line.
>> Yeah.
>> All right. Very well. All right.
>> Thank you, sir.
>> Thank you.
>> Anybody else?
>> I'm going on the record for um Stephen
and Susan McMahon from 25point Drive and
>> the only thing I know sitting here for
years.
>> Yes. That's your say because
they are not here to say it. You can
read it on the record so we have it on
the record. I had it printed and signed.
So should I have printed it and
>> No. Okay.
>> Public comment is not on under oath.
>> No.
>> Um it says we're unable to attend the
township committee meeting this evening
and would be would like to go on record
as opposing resolution 178 and the memor
memorandum of understanding for with
Jetty Bar LLC. We also would like to go
on record of agreeing with all the
testimony of the neighbors of Anchorage
Point as well as any legal counsel
council and professionals speaking on
our behalf. Thank you.
>> What was their names?
>> Um, sorry.
>> Steven and Susan McMahon from 25. Yes.
Okay. Very good.
>> All right. Thank you. Is anyone else?
>> Anything? Public comment.
Billy, Vancouver Township, mayor and
committee.
So, I I'm actually here to speak tonight
about comments that were made at the
last meeting two weeks ago. Um, I I
wasn't able to make that meeting. So,
unfortunately, I was getting a few phone
calls from some people explaining what
some folks had said about certain
things. So, I open requested it to make
sure I heard it with my own ears. What I
have a problem with is I feel that
there's some candidates that are
politicizing
and using the fire company, the fire
department I should say, for their own
polit their own political gain. Now, I
am speaking on my own behalf. I am not
speaking for the fire department itself.
I am not speaking for any particular
fire company. So this is my own opinion
and quite a few uh the large majority of
people I serve with um
this speaking of the constant pressure
that's being pushed by certain people
about paid fire departments. First of
all,
you know, people don't realize what we
do. You had me, mayor, you had mentioned
that a paid fire department would be
about $20 million. Some people don't
think that's a lot of money. Well, that
probably hit every taxpayer, every
homeowner for about $800 to 1,200
a year per home. So, people can easily
say, "Oh, let's have a paid fire
department, but are you going to be
willing to spend the extra $100 a month
in your mortgage?"
So, a lot of that, I think, is going on
with some political candidates. Some are
also using like Facebook posts taking
emblems from certain fire departments
and doing post post and those things. I
think it's inappropriate to say the
least. We also have some candidates that
like to uh show up at youth
organizations and get petition signed.
Don't think that's appropriate at all.
Maybe not against the law, but
inappropriate.
Um what I want to speak about about the
paid fire department push from a few
people from a handful of people is
and one spokesperson last meeting had
said that we need more help from the
township. The township should fund us
more. What people don't realize and you
all certainly realize is that you can
only give us a certain amount of money
by state regulation and state law. So
it's not like the committee can say here
there's a million dollars for every
fire. That's just not going to happen.
So what needs to change is the state
that needs to be worked on on how much
the state regulates how much we can get.
Mr. Castellano as you he was an attorney
would probably do well on that. Mr.
freedom and maybe we can start
pressuring the state to up that number
so the township not just our township
but the other municipalities in the
state can fund their fire departments a
little bit better. That being said, you
want to know the best way to fund your
fire department is for the residents to
help us.
Send your donations in. you send, you
know, an example, you'll send out six
7,000 mailers
asking, you know, your your local
residents for donations and we're lucky
to get 10 to 11% back participation.
I don't speak again for the whole fire
department as a whole, but I can tell
you right now, if every household in
this township were to donate, were to
send their fire their local fire
department 50 to 100 bucks,
we wouldn't have to get out on the
corners fundraising. we wouldn't have to
do, you know, coin drops and all that
other stuff. That's really about all you
need. So, it's cheaper to throw a nice
donation once a year to your local fire
department than it is to be strapped
with a $1,200 extra tax per year. Um, I
I take offense when people come up here
and start pushing paid fire department
agendas when they have no clue what the
fire department is. Some not even
knowing that we were volunteer.
I I take that as a slap in the face uh
to me and I'm going to say it. I know
it'll agitate some people, but maybe
some people should worry about an
overloaded $240 million school budget
and stop pushing to pay fire department.
So again, I'm speaking for myself, not
for any company, not for the fire
department in general. So I'll end with
that as far as fire department's
concerned
tonight. Uh it just brought up a memor
something ordinance 10 for the uh the
state to do the work on Route 40. When
you're in negotiations with them or
talking to them about them, could you
maybe get them to clean up their little
mess there on the Carter Circle that
looks like a big
>> For the record,
>> you know,
they they shouldn't just be able to come
in our city and make it look like trash.
That's the main car coming in. You know,
it looks like it looks like garbage. you
if somebody comes down to Black Horse
Pike from another town, they drive
through that area, they probably like I
wouldn't move to this crap hole the way
it looks. I'm just saying it's great. So
somehow we need to pressure them to push
back on that or make them clean it up
because you know that should not be a
storage lot. None of us would be able to
do that to our properties.
>> Yeah. None of us would be able to do
that meeting state
>> has asked to business owner of the diner
has asked many times seems like they
don't want to move their stuff they stop
work stuff's still there starting
working they're working now right out
there right right Bobby
>> yeah they're done this project
>> which is hopefully by the end of the
year
>> around 40 project
>> correct they're going to clear it out
rebutify it and get the fencing out of
That's what I want to hear. Let's make
Let's keep our city great. Thank you.
>> And I can tell you this, every one of us
up here are incredibly proud of our
volunteer fire companies.
>> I am too. We work hard.
>> The skill level that you all have is
equal to any paid department anywhere
and what you do for this township. We
all say thank you.
>> We appreciate it.
>> Thank you.
>> Anybody
see a motion to close the public
portion?
Oh, we have another speaker.
>> Cindy,
>> Mr. Here.
>> Good.
>> Getting the arms back.
>> Arms getting better, but very, very
slowly. Good evening, mayor and township
committee. It's good to good to see you
all. Um, I just wanted to commend you on
your recent budget. You're going up 1.8
cents. As I understand, the county is
going down by the same amount. So, it's
it's a wash. So, that's that's a good
thing. Um, many of us on the board of
commissioners have been local officials
before and we know how tough it is for
you guys to hold the line and try to
hold expenses down. And yes, you were
fortunate to get out of the state health
plan. We were not so fortunate.
The county's got a bad experience rate.
So, we we have a hard time uh finding
appropriate insurance. So, we had to we
had to take it on the chin on insurance
until we can find another another
methodology here. But I just want to
commend you all for the um for the
budget going up 1.8. It's we ne we never
want to see it go up force but uh it's
reasonable in these times. So I'll end
with that and I thank you.
>> Thank you. Thank you.
>> Sir, you're right there.
>> Hey, uh my name is Lucas Heyman. Um I
also live on Church Hill Drive. Uh I
guess Paul was talking before about um
that's the same property that um I'm
affected by. I just want to say uh thank
you for listening to me last time I was
here. Um I didn't prepare really
anything to say for this meeting, but I
just want to say thanks for coming out
and walking the Church Hill side. But um
since being here, I went over to the
Chelsea Avenue and looked at that and
I'm understanding they're going to put a
new road in on Chelsea Avenue there and
they're going to expand expand that. And
uh I have questions on how do I find out
like how that is being paid for and like
do the those I guess residents there
that are being affected by the road
opening up do do they get compensated
for I guess the stuff that has to happen
to their yard in order to make way for
for the new road coming through and just
how that process is. If I'm not
mistaken, is this the
>> supposed to be right?
>> There's a right, but I think the answers
to that would be the professionals at
the planning board have the answers to
that.
>> Okay. I was just trying to get get up to
knowledge before the planning board
meeting. Just
>> call Danielle Kelly upstairs and see if
she can give you answers. I'm not sure
if she can, but that's what I would do.
So, this way you'll have some
information on it.
>> And and just uh for the record, um I'm
also really against this project as
well. just uh reiterating that since
talking to everyone on Chelsea Avenue,
but I just feel bad for everyone there
and plus it negatively affects my
property as well. So, thank you guys for
your time.
>> Perfect. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody
else?
>> Greetings everybody. I'm Cindy Jess from
Ivans Avenue vertically challenged. Um I
just want to I don't want to talk long
because I know it's very late. I want to
acknowledge you, sir. You are a bright
light to me. I I've had a offer extended
to send questions um his way and I hope
to do that sometime soon because I'm
digging and digging and digging for some
of the stuff that Lucas just mentioned
like to figure out to understand our
township. I admittedly haven't been a
regular participant like you all. Again,
I'll tell you I couldn't do what you do.
I couldn't come here this often, but I'm
I'm learning to somewhat at least have
your um schedule in my brain. But um as
I some of my digging efforts have
revealed uh things, well, let me let me
stay with Oprah requests. I heard that
mentioned a couple times that we can
make open requests.
I've done that a number of times dating
back into uh March 16th is when my the
the project that I opposed strongly
oppose is PB2025-016
that was heard for the first time on
March 16th and by the grace of God there
was no ruling at that point in time and
I like the idea of having across the
table kind of interactions that were
proposed isou I mean I may even want to
say hey maybe sign us up at some point
but I I am so hopeful that we don't even
get to that place if this just gets dead
on arrival because um I'll stay with
I'll stay with my research what is true
about Ivan's Avenue and I know this has
been stated at a number of meetings long
before this year of 2026 this was way
back into the
the teen numbers, but I found my deed. I
found my deed from 1910.
is not directly only mine because
apparently Daniel Baker owned nine acres
and I don't own nine acres but there
were things cited in here that you know
to define the meets and bounds it was
you got to go you got to begin at a post
stand by the side of the main run which
is really the mill branch today that's
what the main run is I'm pretty darn
sure about that it being the northwest
best corner of Alexander Fish's cedar
swamp.
That's the word swamp. And I know it's
been noted before. I'm 100%
wet. I mean, I'm not terribly terribly
wet at this moment. We're in a drought.
So, justice, let me ask you what because
your application's currently being
heard. Yes. From what I understand. So,
we can't really comment on anything on
that application because it's being
heard. You can say whatever you want.
This is public comment, but we can't
tell you really anything about your
application because this is the process
heard. Well, what I'd like to know,
somebody helped me understand about this
application
process is that as as I think I don't
know what his name was, Paul, maybe
somebody spoke earlier than me talked
about being given different ideas about
how to interject what we're trying to
convey that are important to us and
should be taken into consideration. That
ain't going to happen at a planning
board meeting. It is very very
structured very and rightly so. I mean
with the number of developers that are
coming here and saying I want to make
some money here. I want to make some
money here. Let's you know let's
consider what you got.
>> It's if I'm not mistaken you've had
conversations with Mr. Hitchner.
>> I have not I have not
>> extended and I'm gonna he is very good
with this information. This is what his
he's very good at the planning and the
zoning and things like that. I would
think he would be your best bet to get
some of the answers that you're looking
for because he can't like anybody up
here, we can't promise you anything. He
can't promise you anything, but he can
give you clarity as to what you're
thinking about
>> and process information. I would highly
suggest that you call him because it's a
lot easier to do it that way because
it's a one-on-one conversation and we
don't have the information up here with
us or the people to ask. He does.
Nobody's going to have this information
because it was communicated to me from
the land use administrator that the
chairman of the planning board decided
we're just going to hold off on making
any minutes till everything that was on
that March 16th
uh agenda has been finalized. So, I
could be waiting two, three, four, five
more months. And I don't think it's fair
as a resident. I don't think it's fair
that I can't go find that someplace. I
can't find our our EHT
watch our latest committee meeting that
ain't been updated in a month.
>> Well, they didn't they weren't here at
the last meeting,
>> but still there was a there was a
meeting I think two weeks in between
there. Potentially not. Maybe I'm
miscalculating.
>> Just a one was missing.
>> Okay. Well,
>> and I think Tom, is there a way that if
she wants information that was held at
the planning board that she
So once it's once it's complete, then
it's all related.
>> Well,
>> I think on the record that's just kind
of like
they're red doing their uh requests.
>> Yes, they are.
>> Okay.
>> One of the main reasons they don't need
four driveways coming out of West
Jersey.
>> I agree. 100% of that.
>> West Jerseyy's bad as it is.
>> Agreed.
>> We can consolidate in one intersection,
two two lanes each way to try to get
people out of their development. But
here's the thing, and I'll just say it
real quick. I probably shouldn't say
much. You're doing your research by that
old deed you got.
>> You betcha.
>> Because let me tell you, there was
plenty of water out there.
>> Yes.
>> That's a fact.
>> I know it. And and it's been utilized by
the township over and over as the drain.
And as far as I'm concerned, this is
overutilization to box me in on all four
sides because all that stuff comes from
the north and the west and around to the
south. and this development is on the
east and I am downhill from that. It
even says on I' I've looked at his
documents, the storm water management
document, first sentence and the only
time it's even said there is that we're
we're shooting it its natural way. I'm
not quoting it right because I don't
have the paper in front of me, but it it
drains it. He says it drains from that
from the east to the west. He's shooting
at my direction is where it's going to
come because it's lowest.
But I've been here since at least 1910.
This stuff, if I ever find the 1810
deed, although I was here first, so I
don't think it's fair that all these
people that have deeds that are in the
19, you know, 1999,
2000s, 2010s. How come they get
precedent over me for quality of life?
Cuz I have no quality of life with all
this water coming my way.
I just I just don't
>> make sure when the planning board comes
back in session for your project for
that project. It's not your project.
Yes, it's that project
>> that you bring these up and you ask the
pointed questions there and you can call
our office if you want clarity on some
of these things. You can call our office
in
>> Okay,
>> I will be in touch. I just want to say
this is one of the documents that they
have now submitted. It's the
environmental impact study, which I
think they kind of walked away from that
4hour meeting or whatever it was we were
here for um the evening that they they
figured, oh, we're going to have to
produce one of these. It's not speaking
truth. It doesn't site a fog. There's
frogs there. It doesn't it does site
barred owls. You can hear them
occasionally. Doesn't touch any of the
native vegetation.
and we will strongly oppose that with an
expert when we're given a chance at the
next planning.
>> But like I said, my biggest goal is to
just couch it right there because I
still have yet to understand. I'm going
to ask you about this, Mr. Hitcher. It's
going to be what is the flow? Who sees
it first? Who gets the up and the down?
I think you guys make as far as what
little bit I think I understand. You
make the final call. Is that right? The
committee has to
>> planning board that's not
>> okay then help me the planning board you
need to this is your issue really is
there I understand with the planning
board but it sounded to me just mostly
by hearsake because I can't find this
the flow so you're welcome to school me
>> 20th
comments
>> yeah I mean okay you can
>> call Mr. Hitch I will
>> okay I will thank you Mrs. justice.
Thank you as always. I mean it
sincerely. I know it doesn't feel that
way. Um but this is how things get
worked out, I think. To the betterment
of the community. That's what it's all
about.
>> Thank you.
>> You have a good night.
>> You too.
>> You have a good night. Anybody else?
Hearing none. Can I have a motion to
close the public portion?
>> Make a motion.
>> All in focus.
Castano.
>> Yes.
>> Ellis.
>> Yes.
>> Okay. Let's go.
>> You want to hear from me?
>> Yes, Mr. Freeman. I would like to hear
from you.
>> A solicister from the township. I'm want
to I've said it in the past. I'm going
to remind the governing body again and
anybody who in the audience who cares to
listen. Uh you have jurisdiction over
certain matters and you have assigned
other matters and other boards have
jurisdiction. You have a wreck board.
You don't want to be deciding which
teams should be using the basketball
courts. You have a planning board. They
handle planning board applications. When
people come before you and want to
discuss items that are not appropriately
to be decided by you, they may have very
good points and they do have their day
before public body, but they're in the
wrong church. You can't make the
decision over what the planning board
ultimately decides. You don't have the
expertise. They're not subject to
cross-examination by the applicant or by
the professionals for the board. So,
they're conveying information to you,
but I would caution you to basically
be good listeners, but remind them
they're speaking to the wrong people.
Um
as far as Anchorage Point is concerned
um and this particular resolution that's
before you on the MOC view um recognize
that a person who owns a property can
use the property how they wish to use
it.
This property that is um that is being
proposed for a marina has been zoned to
be a marina for decades
and just because somebody hasn't come
forward with a formal application I
guess Mr. Daget did and then others and
then this is after him.
The governing body could basically say
we're not interested in getting into a
developers agreement with you. Go before
a board and do that. They may have a
product that emerges from the board that
is not what you want and is not what the
residents want. So by the governing body
taking this project and dealing with it
as a redevelopment project as opposed to
a application before one of the boards
is really in the best interests of the
township and the township governing body
has to consider what's best for the
community. It might not be the best
thing that the people on Oberg drive or
in other parts of Anchorage Point may
not agree with you philosophically and I
get it. They have a right to object to
it but ultimately decision lies with you
as the governing body as to what is the
best for the full community.
This governing body has already decided
to take this on as a redevelopment
project or to deal with it as a
redevelopment project. has already
approved the redevelopment plan.
It knows from past expenditures and
problems that have been on that island
that Ourn Drive is uh in need of repair,
in need of maintenance, in need of
protection.
So, you know, I mean, as a kid, I grew
up, there was woods behind my house. I
loved playing in the woods. I love
riding my bicycle and digging holes and
chopping trees.
But someday a developer wants to come
and build a houses there. The whole
development and I lose all of that
privacy and all the fun that I had. And
I get it. If I lived in Ober Drive, I'd
probably be taking some of the positions
that these people take. But ultimately,
you are the decider of this. And by
bringing forth this resolution before
you on the mod,
it's not only retaining your control,
but at least the viewpoint of the people
who are negotiating this. They think
that they're doing a a benefit to the
owners by having their voice stand out
even more rather than just putting
before the planning board. I just want
to read the the comments the uh portions
of the mod that have come up repeatedly.
Furthermore, the redevelopment agreement
will address certain project
improvements that will be negotiated by
the township committee and its
authorized representatives, including
but not necessarily limited to the
bulkhead, public parking along Ourn
Drive and the potential traffic light on
the route 152 causeway and or other
areas of concern. While the planning
board will address the balance of the
site plan issues, it's not making a
decision as to what there's going to be
parking, if there's going to be parking,
what it's going to look like. Those
issues still need to be negotiated and
discussed. So there's nothing nefarious
that goes on in communications between
government officials and the developer
to learn about what the parameters of
what their project and what they're
proposing to know that to convey that to
the governing body before you vote.
How are you supposed to vote on
something if you don't know what the
substance is that you're voting? So
there is a lot of planning that goes
into these. There's a lot of
discussions. It's not nefarious. It's
good government work at a and I'm fully
in favor of sitting down with the
objectors to see or the people who live
there. Maybe you're not an objector, but
you want to learn more about it. I'm all
in favor of that to sit down and and see
what their concerns are. We've certainly
heard that. We've certainly heard
allegations from people that, oh, you
can't do this and you can't do that
because it's illegal. I could assure
you. Excuse me, real quick. Didn't we
say that we're going to get a group
together and discuss that?
>> We are, but I think he needs to put this
on the record.
>> Okay, we are going to I'll sit down with
them.
>> Yeah, I'll sit down with them. I want to
hear I want to hear what they want. I
encourage them to come down and see it.
That doesn't mean we're going to merge
from that discussion all in favor of
everything that they say.
The governing body will ultimately make
that decision.
So when you have a developer who wants
to come and improve the bulkhead that
has since for the most part become
deteriorated and falling into the water
and they're going to pick up the bill
for it and save the township millions of
dollars in in fees and application costs
and construction costs to do that on
your behalf. I think the governing body
has made a wise decision in saying yes,
we're in favor of you spending your
money, your private money to put it on
your land and complete the bulkhead. And
the the the developers redevelopment
plan that's been approved so far extends
the bulkhead up to a certain point, but
it continues their property line
continues past where their bulkhead is.
And one of the things that the township
is looking to do is, hey developer, are
you also willing to pick up the tab to
go through the approval process with the
DP that in the future if we want to
extend the bulkhead at our cost, will
you pay for the development plans to do
that and the application fees to do
that? Again, hundreds of thousands of
dollars. So when the bulkhead, if the
bulkhead, the extended bulkhead ever
gets built, that's a matter of
conjecture.
What's going to happen to the people
that have put docks that are out there
in them? If they can establish that they
have proper permits to build to and they
built it in the correct space, fine. I
assure the governing body that within
the best of my power, we will follow the
letter of the law of what we're allowed
to do. They might not like the decision,
but at least you'll have the option to
either approve it or not approve it. And
if the situation is that the objectors
are throwing all these things about, you
know, the illegality and what the
township's doing, they have their rights
secured as well. They could go and file
an appeal. They could challenge the
decision you make and that's how it
works. That's how the process is set set
up in a court of law. But to just make
bullface allegations and expect that
we're going to all of a sudden just
accept what you say on face value is
ludicrous. So I will work with the
residents. I will work with the
governing body as well as the engineer
and the administrator to come to some
sort of reasonable compromise because
this arena is coming.
Now it's a matter of trying to make it
as comfortable as we can for all
concerned. If you don't improve that
bulk, if you somehow put up roadblocks
and prevent this from happening,
no predictor of future weather, but
you're going to potentially lose that
roadway and all the infrastructure and
all the lines that are in there, all the
utility lines. So,
I just ask the governing body focus in
on the big picture as we move forward
with this process.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity
to address this, mayor.
>> Thank you.
All right, we have we're are going to
move forward with resolution 181
authorizing payment of all bills. Can I
have a motion to pay our bills?
>> Uh, roll call, please.
>> Yes.
Approvals. Can I have a motion to
approve the chapter committee meeting
minutes of April 1st, 2026?
>> So move. Second.
>> All in favor?
>> I.
>> Can I have a motion to approve the
departmental reports for the month of
March, June 26?
>> So move.
>> All in favor?
>> I. We moved up public comment. We're
going to attach your committee reports.
Mr. Castellano, we're going to start
with you.
>> Thank you, mayor. Um, so firstly, I want
to thank you for appointing me to the
Economic Development Commission. There's
a lot of work to be done there and uh I
look forward to diving right in and uh
getting to work and being helpful.
That's why I'm here. I'm here to work.
Um we uh the mayor and I met last week
with Assemblywoman Moren Rowan and her
uh chief of staff to talk about uh
possible uh relief from Pineland's laws
and or regulations. And uh we made quite
a a good uh uh I think presentation and
got things started. And we are planning
an upcoming meeting with uh uh our other
assemblyman Don Guardian as well as
Senator Palestina uh disc to discuss the
same issue. Um the
municipal uh council uh has not
scheduled a meeting as of yet, but I am
ready and willing and able to serve uh
at such time as they do. So uh with that
again, thank you and uh um we will keep
uh we will keep working.
>> Thank you, Mr. H.
>> I got two things. one, we're preparing
for our Memorial Day parade. There's
posters about in the community if
anybody wants to participate. Hopefully,
the weather participates with us and
it's not 90 degrees.
Uh, and we have a flyer scheduled the M6
F-16s
from the Air Guard. Uh, as they we got
in line and they're going to fly over
three of them down avenue.
>> Is it three of them?
>> Yeah, I think it's three. Three of them.
Uh, also just on the budget, um, you
know, you look at other communities and
our budget is less of other communities.
I'm glad to hear, uh,
Mr. Rley, not freehold. I was going to
say,
>> Commissioner Chris grizzly talk about
the county. So, it's we break even here
in Egypt, but other communities smaller
than us are increasing pretty heavy. And
a lot of it has to do with the same
bills we pay, be it healthcare,
equipment, salaries, whatever it is in
the township. So, uh, good job on the
budget. Um, I like the fact that we have
surplus
>> and, um, you know, hope for
cooler weather.
>> It's too soon. Mr. Ellis,
>> I can see good job on the budget, but
I'm just shocked. I don't know how I get
from 30 degrees to 80 90 degrees and
mosquitoes out already. So, sit outside
and mosquitoes draw to me up. But, um, I
just want to say we're going to continue
to work hard for the residents of
Atlanta, uh, in Harvard Township and,
uh, they did a good job on the budget.
Uh, Mr. Her and
Mr. T, I call Mr. T.
Um, I've got a couple things. One is
last Saturday we had our clean
communities day and we had hundreds of
township residents out cleaning up the
streets and uh most of us made it to the
uh event afterwards where they basically
fed everybody lunch and thank them for
what they did. I we have great people in
this town. I have to say it over and
over again. There were so many people
that come out for every cleanup we have.
So, I just want to say thank you to all
of them and also to our public works who
did a good job following up. If anybody
sees an orange trash bag anywhere,
please call public works. They missed
one, but they're out there. And also,
the historical society, if those of you
that don't know about them, do
incredible things here on the township.
This past Monday, they did an EHC trivia
night. And you know, we are the oldest
municipality in Atlantic County, as
attested right behind us. Um, but they
did that, but they do different programs
throughout the year. So, check their
website. They have some really
interesting things and I would highly
recommend attending one of them. If you
like history in particular, they're
fabulous. So,
>> Atlanta County started right here in
Harvard Township.
>> It did. It did.
>> That's the history books have it by the
way.
>> It did. Tom, you have anything? Just
like to thank the CFO, Sharon Riley,
Deputy Hitchner, um Harvey, all with
their help in the budget. There was a
lot of lot of hours spent as you know,
working on it over the last
bunch of months.
>> Six months.
>> Yeah, since November, October.
>> Open in October. Well, what are we
looking at?
>> Exactly. You're asking me.
>> You looked at me a little funny when I
asked. So,
>> that's all I have.
>> Mark, you got anything?
>> Uh, no. How well talked out mayor.
>> Okay, John.
>> We're good. All right. Do we have a need
for a close session?
>> We do, mayor.
>> Okay.
>> I didn't ask.
>> All right.
>> Turning it over to you.
>> Resolution 182 authorizing council
committee to convene and close executive
session to discuss matters which may
involve personnel and/or legal matters.
Whereas the open public meetings act
permits the exclusion of the public from
a meeting in certain circumstances. And
whereas this public body is of the
opinion that such circumstances
presently exist. And whereas the
township committee may need to enter
into closed executive session at one or
more times during this meeting to
discuss matters permitted under law
including but not limited to the
following. We have one legal matter to
discuss contract negotiations/
potential settlement discussion
anticipated disclosure one year. Um
whereas the minutes of said closed
executive session will be kept and once
the matter involving the confidentiality
of the above no longer requires that
confidentiality then the minutes shall
be made available to the public in
accordance with law. Now therefore be it
resolved by the township committee
township harbor county of Atlantic and
state of New Jersey that the public be
excluded from this meeting during such
portions of the meeting as governing
body may dee necessary to discuss the
matters set forth above. Also, we may or
may not be taking action after this
executive session. So, we will be coming
out and then you'll make a decision.
>> Do you hear that?
>> He's got it. Okay.
>> Very good. Can I have a motion to go
into close session?
>> All in favor?
>> I do. I have to do a roll call on that
one.
>> I actually do have to do a roll call.
Roll call, please.
Ano?
>> Yes.
>> Alice,
>> I think we're just going to move on to
resolution 187, which we addressed in
close session.
>> Can we resolution?
>> Can I have a second to adopt resolution
187?
We have a first. We have a second.
>> Second.
>> Uh, roll call, please.
>> Yes. Yes.
>> Yes.
>> Tom, do you have anything else for us?
>> No, ma'am.
>> All righty.
So, with that being said,
meeting occurred.