Margate City, NJ Workshop & Commission Meeting November 20th, 2025

like to call the meeting to order,
please. Johanna, will you read the
statement of compliance?
>> The notice requirements of the open
public meeting act for this meeting have
been satisfied. A copy of the annual
meeting notice was sent to the press of
Atlantic City star ledger, posted on the
bulletin board in the municipal
building, the municipal website, and
filed in the office of the municipal
clerk. Please turn off all cell phones.
>> Please stand for the pledge of
allegiance.
>> Attention salute. I pledge algiance to
the flag of the United States of America
and to the republic for it stands. One
nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all for all.
>> Johanna, please take the role.
>> Mayor Collins,
>> here.
>> Commissioner Blumbber,
>> I am here.
>> Commissioner Horn,
>> here.
>> Welcome everybody. We will begin with
our engineering report. Ed.
>> All right. Thank you, Mayor. Good
evening, everyone. Starting off with our
dredging program as usual. Um, the
update here is that we have received our
first round of comments back from the
Army Corps. As I've reported at previous
meetings, we do have our D permit
approval. We're still waiting for the
permit document. Um they expect to get
that to us in the next week or so. We
did get our first round of Army Corps
comments uh that came in. Nothing um
nothing major other than some comments
on timing restrictions and we actually
already went back and forth with them on
one round and they softened it already a
little bit. Uh so we'll continue to go
back with them. The Army Corps will
issue their permit basically consistent
with the D's permit. So, um, continue to
make good progress there. The Shelter
Island, uh, restoration site, the
Stockton Coastal Research Center has
been approved to to do their work. So,
we'll be working in concert with them to
get that permit application finalized
for our ultimate disposal site for our
dredging program.
The Amherst Avenue pump station project
um, is still on track to be approved by
Green Acres by the end of the year. They
have a meeting in December and then that
would allow us to locate the pump
station down at the Amherst Avenue
Waterfront Park. So, um once that's kind
of finalized, we're already proceeding
with uh the final design process and
then we can get that that project on a
schedule for bidding. The new public
works building is being discussed as
part of the next capital budget. We did
take a look at the design there. Um we
came up with some value engineering
options. Um and again, we'll kind of
finalize um that budget and that scope
as part of the budget process.
The Vendor Avenue parking lot is out to
bid. I think the ad was actually in in
the paper today, the legal notice. The
bid opening for that parking lot is
scheduled for December 11th. And we will
also have a bid opening on that day for
the 2025 road program. So, that project
is out to bid as well.
Turning the page item G, um we are at a
point now where we're doing hopefully
what will be a final submission to D on
our MS4 compliance. We work with public
works on that uh to get the D some
information that they have requested.
This is to stay in compliance with our
stormwater permit. Um no update on item
H. The uh redevelopment of well 10
project is ready to go out to bid.
There's an item on the agenda today to
authorize that project to be advertised
for bids. So we'll get that project out
for bidding. Under our grant
applications, municipalities were
notified this week of the 2026 DOT
municipal aid, and we were successful in
obtaining about $27,000
for the next phase of Winchester Avenue.
So, that'll be a big help um and right
on time with our capital budget that
we're putting together for our next
round of infrastructure work. So, that's
good news. Jumping down to our
construction projects, we don't have any
maintenance bonds left on the list for
2025. We'll we'll reup that list in
January. Uh the two projects that were
listed under closeout have been fully
closed out. So um that list has been
completed. Um which is great. That means
we're keeping up with our construction
projects and closing them out in a
timely fashion.
The 2023 road program has final paving
scheduled on Nassau Avenue for either
the end of this month, beginning of
December, weather dependent. um the
Avenue project that we discussed at our
last meeting which will have a repaving
done um at towards the end of this month
or uh the beginning of December. The
Sigrim restroom building is
substantially complete. I think we're
just trying to get the electric turned
on over there. Um so that project um is
looking really good. Our Washington
Avenue streetscape project. So there's
an update here. We did have our
pre-construction meeting with the
contractor on November 12th. We will be
having a public pre-construction meeting
on Monday, November 24th in this room at
5:00. Um the the purpose of that meeting
will be um strictly focused on the
construction impacts um of that project
and we are um we're going to be phasing
the construction of that project given
the time of year that we're beginning
construction. So the first phase of
construction will be the portion of uh
Washington Avenue from the beach block
up to Ventner Avenue and then there
would be a pause over the summer season
and then we would start up again um in
in the fall on the next phase from
Ventner Avenue to the bay and that's so
that we can finish what we start prior
to the summer season so we don't leave
any part of Washington Avenue in a state
of mid construction uh during the summer
season. And that will be discussed in
detail at the meeting on Monday evening.
Um and again the focus of that meeting
will be construction logistics impacts
on properties and businesses along um
Washington Avenue for this first phase
of construction.
Turning to page three. Uh the Winchester
Avenue project base and final paving is
scheduled to take place next week. The
2024 road program is scheduled to start
construction in early December. our lead
service line replacement project um
continues with the contractor on um
material verification and we will have
um some public outreach activities
coming up in the near term and I'll keep
everyone posted on those. The Atlantic
Avenue bike lane painting uh will be
scheduled for the spring once the next
phase of Atlantic Avenue is paved which
is the last project on our list here. We
did award that project um to Lamborgh
construction and we're getting the
pre-construction meeting scheduled once
we get DOT's green light. And that's my
report.
>> Great. Thank you, Ed. We will now move
to our department head reports. Dan or
Chief Adams, will you proceed, please?
>> Yes, mayor. Thank you. Um first off, I
just want to make a notification and
bring you guys up to date. Um, our code
red emergency notification system for
notifying the residents and also
notifying the firefighters for a recall
is down. We were completely unaware of
it until we had a fire recall and we
found out. Uh, in the interim, we've
been working with the police department
to assure that we have a way to contact
our firefighters in the event that we
have a recall or need them to come back
in. So, that's being worked out and it's
all up and running and we're working
with Code Red and uh it along with Mike.
We've been in constant contact with them
and we're hope to have it back up and
running. It's not a problem on our end.
It was something that happened through a
breach on their end and they're working
through it, but they told us we would
have some sort of emergency
way to access it and we're still trying
to work that out and it's been a couple
days, but we're trying to get that
figured out and as soon as we do, I will
make sure we notify everyone. Uh, then
all I have is I have three safety sheets
out here. One is Thanksgiving safety,
the other one is winter holiday safety
and Christmas tree safety. We're coming
into the holiday season. We just want to
make sure our residents and anybody that
wants the information that's going to be
available, we'll have it up on our
Facebook as well. But, you know, you
just need to pay attention and do things
safely and follow the recommended
requirements, especially with Christmas
tree lighting and any type of lighting.
But also, if you put a live Christmas
tree in, make sure you keep it wet and
watered and that. And happy Thanksgiving
to everyone and we hope you have a
joyous holiday season. Thank you. Thank
you, Chief Chief Henson.
>> Thank you, Mayor Commissioners. First of
all, I just want a few reminders. The
annual NBA shop small event will be held
on Saturday, November 29th at noon. This
includes a parade down Ventner Avenue
ending at Bokh Restaurant. It's always a
great community event and I really hope
everybody will participate. There'll be
some minor traffic uh detours for the
event, but it's it's never that big of a
problem and it's a really nice event.
Also, the police department will be
hosting the annual Winter Wonderland Toy
Drive event on Friday, December 12th
from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Again, it's
another great holiday event that's grown
bigger and bigger every year. Um,
there's a lot to do for the kids and if
anybody's ever attended in the past,
it's it's a really nice event right
around the holiday season.
Uh, just to let everybody know, police
officers are currently dawning beards
for the annual No Shave November charity
event for cancer awareness. All
participating members have made
donations to the American Cancer
Society. It's something we've done for
the last five or six years and we
actually raise a lot of money. It's a
great event and it gives people a break
from shaving for a little while.
The last thing I have is uh it's a
reminder that we have put out on our
Facebook ba page recently a ebike info
for parents. It's a class or it's an
it's a class that is being sponsored by
the new New Jersey Division of Highway
Traffic Safety. There's two sessions.
There was one session on Wednesday and
there's a session Thursday, December
10th from 8 to 8:45 p.m. There's a QR
code if you go to our Facebook page that
you can utilize to sign up for the
event. It's really good for parents
because they can learn, you know, what
some of these ebikes can do. This is
also in coordination with other uh
information sessions we've done.
Commissioner Horn and I were at back to
school night at the school. I spoke to
the parents that night regarding ebike
safety. We followed up a few weeks
later. Detective uh Belli and Detective
Sergeant Swift. They went and they spoke
to the kids about ebike safety. So,
we're trying to get it out there with
the kids. Um like I said, we're trying
to do a bigformational campaign with the
kids and the parents hopefully to keep
control of the ebikes. That's all I
have. Great. Thank you, Chief Palma.
>> Good evening, mayor and commissioners.
Just a brief update from the building
department. Uh so far this month, we've
issued over uh 55 construction permits
and updates, and we've scheduled 220
inspections.
Uh the office is running smoothly. We're
just trying to keep up with all the
calls and permits and inspection
requests. Um, this week one of our
inspectors was out sick a couple days,
but luckily we were able to utilize the
third party inspection agency and had a
fill in and there were no delays on
that. So, that's a good thing of having
the third party. Um, that's all that I
have. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Pat.
>> Good evening, mayor, commissioners. Um,
we're busy winterizing all the
irrigation systems and city buildings
around town. Uh last week our paper
shredding event went great and we
recycled close to eight tons of paper
and uh the holiday decorations going up
around town also and this week we fixed
two water leaks and one sewer collapse.
That's all I got.
>> Thank you, Scott.
>> Just a couple minor things. If
>> I get this
there it is. Okay. The owner 111 South
Knight Avenue. It's a beachfront
property. They want to replace the
bulkhead that's existing there I believe
since the March storm right after the
March storm of 62. Mr. Balinsson has
sent emails out. Apparently the state
wants to know that the city agrees to
allow the bulkhead. Bulkheads about a
foot to two foot off the property line
but it's it's been there for well let's
see 40 65 65 years roughly. So uh I see
absolutely no reason not to give them
that consent. I don't think we need a
resolution. I just did want to bounce it
off the governing body. Make sure you
were good. The homeowner, it's his
expense. He's replacing the bulkhead.
>> We're good. Yes. Very good.
>> Sure. You're good. The other thing is I
wanted to bring up on the dredging
report and I see you know finally we're
getting on the home stretch and I'm
having a bunch a lot of Bayfront owners
are asking me about the dredging and I
just think at some point in time you
probably ought to have some kind of a
meeting or let them know because they
this is a citywide dredging permit which
will allow an individual property owner
whether it be a home or the marinas
couple of marinas just want to dredge
and we've done the heavy lift now. We've
if we've got this permit in hand, I
don't think the Army Corps is going to
be a problem.
>> Right. Could you comment on
>> Sure. Yeah. So, our our plan is we're
going to set up a website that will have
information on our dredging permit,
frequently asked questions. It will
guide property owners on how they could
take advantage of our dredging permit.
It will also provide information on, you
know, potential dredging by the city and
how that might work. And once that
eventually happens, that website will
become the platform for property owners
to sign up to piggyback on our contract.
So, there's a lot coming down the line
on that.
>> Well, that's great because I know
there's a couple of uh like the log
cabin, they always ask me about it. The
marina there, a lot of their boat slips
now are getting to the point where
they're not usable. And that marina
along Jerome Avenue, also our marina's
down here on the other end of town as
well. And of course the lagoons, all
three of those lagoons
very much needed. So uh and a lot of
people are telling me they can't bring
their boats in anymore. They can't pull
their boats in behind their homes if
they have any size to them. So that's
it. That's basically what I have.
Thanks.
>> Thank you, Scott. Pating.
Um
sorry, we've last met uh met with
systems advisory board. Um
the new members there
>> microphone please.
>> Apologize. I'm used to having one in
front of me. Um since we last met uh I
met with the citizen advisory board. Uh
welcome the new members. We had a few
discussions uh related to some things
going on in the city. Um dealing with
the end of the year um spending and and
transfers and so forth at this point.
Um, and we're just working with finance
to make sure things uh move along uh
correctly uh along with additional
personnel matters and uh so forth and so
on.
>> Johanna,
all's good in the clerk's office. We are
working on the merkantal licenses for
2026 at this time. So the merchants will
be getting their letters shortly.
>> Great. Thank you. So, I just I just want
to add um many of us were uh at the New
Jersey League of Municipalities this
week up in Atlantic City and I was happy
to to sponsor a resolution uh with
Margates the support of our green team
for our microcontaminant ordinance that
that we had passed here and and that our
green team introduced and uh proud to
say that it passed the league
unanimously with the hope that it will
now become a state law. So, I really
commend uh Sher and Steve with the the
green team for their efforts uh in in
helping with that and um it's a good
good step for Margate and good good for
the state. So, just wanted to add that.
>> Yeah. Um thank you. I had some things
that I had emailed Pat earlier for
updates. I don't know if he had a chance
to get to them. I was out for a couple
of days this week. Um Pat, did you get a
chance to look into the couple of items
that I had emailed?
>> I did, sir.
>> Okay. So, um on the uh bill's list is a
$9,700
uh charge for a lifeboat. Can you What
What was that for?
>> Certainly. Um it's my understanding that
the lifeboat is for a refurb rather than
the purchase of a new lifeboat. Um,
Chief Adams knows a little bit more
about it, but um, it's an effort to save
money and and uh, increase our
operational efficiency.
You
>> elaborate?
>> Yeah, please. Just so that the public's
aware.
>> Yeah, I I that's fine. Um, we're
actually we were very lucky this year.
One, we had budgeted to do this in our
budget for this year to get one of our
lifeboats done. We actually had another
lifeboat that was donated by a resident
to refurb it. So, we are able to get two
lifeboats, brand new, pretty much in
essence, they're going to be completely
refurbished like new, and not pay the
brand new price of $18,000 a piece where
it's $9,700 to refurb it. It was
budgeted and it was allocated, and it
was something that we had planned on
doing. And it just was timing once the
season was over, we were able to get the
boat to the person to get it done and
have this taken care of.
>> Good. Perfect. So, it it's it's
definitely a savings to the the city
because like I said, we were able to get
one of them donated.
>> Good. Thank you. Uh Pat, the next item
there were uh $7,500 for uh Yetis that
we purchased.
>> Yes, sir. Um is this one? Yeah. Um it's
my understanding, I mean, this is my I
just completed my first full year here.
It's my understanding that um there's a
an employee uh well-being budget line
item um that came as a result of a I
guess from finance and every year um
there would be uh I guess the head of
finance would make a decision as to what
to buy for employee wellness,
>> right?
>> Um this year it was suggested that um
there are yetis. Um
>> so you saw that and approved it. That
that's really my question. I haven't
approved anything, sir. Um, I'm just
saying it was actually proposed.
>> So, it's on the but it's on the bills
list. Have we ordered the yetis yet?
>> We have not, and we haven't paid for
anything.
>> Okay. And so, we have quotes for the
Yeti. I'm
>> sorry. Can I can I finish?
>> Yeah, please. Sure.
>> So, um, this year the initiative was
taken to to try to, uh, help eliminate
some of the, uh, to make things a little
bit more on the green side. Um evidently
uh the the thought process was um we
would do a less disposable plastic cups
um for water um and stuff in the
building as well as uh keeping the um
employees or allowing or the ability to
keep the employees hydrated by using
those things keep everything cold and so
forth and so on. So that was that was
kind of what the discussion or what the
suggestion was. Again, this isn't
something new. This is something that's
come every year. Um,
>> I've got a bunch of stuff that was given
last couple years.
>> I got that Pat. I just want to know if
you saw it and who approved it. Has been
approved. Where's who ordered them? I
usually I'm involved in that process.
This year I have not been involved.
>> Well, sure. Nothing's been approved.
Everything gets approved through
commission. Nothing gets paid unless you
guys pay say to pay it.
>> So, I understand. How many Yetis are are
we purchasing for the $7,500?
>> I believe it was enough to cover all of
our employees, sir.
>> So, we don't You don't know?
>> I don't.
>> Is it $20 a Yeti or $30 a Yeti? 40? What
is it? I have a Yeti. It's $20. I paid
for it at the Ace Hardware store. Okay.
>> I just want to know. I I'm not I'm not
trying to be difficult.
>> I'm sure you're not. Um the
>> it's a it's a co
>> a big monster.
>> Oh, you should have one. They keep your
they keep your
>> they keep your hot coffee hot and your
cold soda cold.
>> Wonder. Yeah. So,
>> if you could,
>> it's my understanding that um that the
uh purchasing the QPA and finances
arranged to make sure that they were
they were done appropriately. Um,
there's three quotes.
>> Um, and they look at the lowest quote.
>> All right. Good. Good by me. As long as
as long as you're good with it and
there's three quotes, that's sounds like
it's a good plan.
>> Well, so you guys approve it. So, if you
guys are okay with it, I'm okay with it.
>> Uh, I asked Pat, there's seems to be a
large number of budget transfers. Is
that because we had problems in our
budget or
uh can you explain the budget trans all
the budget transfers? Sure. I met with
our comproller um you guys uh appointed
to uh comproller a couple weeks ago. Um
and accordingly according to what um he
had mentioned um the transfers are are
mostly routine that are done every year.
Um, he did show me that last year's
transfer, uh, the first transfer of this
time of year was around $2,000 less than
this year's. Um, it's something that's
allowed by law. We're allowed to move
things around. Um, and I asked if there
was a specific reason as to why we were
doing it this year. Um, and he just
mentioned that, you know, promotion
contracts that weren't realized prior to
the budget being completed or weren't
um, actually put in the budget. um
estimations
um the and he indicated that the salary
and wages weren't entered correctly. Um
they weren't um they weren't according
to what the actual contract was settled
at. Um and he said that and there were
some unexpected titles that were u were
not considered and they were unsure of
prior to the completion of the budget um
which is not unusual or we have a
promotion or two or we create a position
or bring someone in. Um, and then of
course, you know, and I'm I mean to be
quite open, me going from part-time to
full-time, that's also part of it.
>> Okay. Uh, thank you for that. Uh,
resolution 298
and 299
are for professional services, but I
don't see that there's any dollar values
there. Should should we not have dollar
values associated with the resolutions?
May I answer to
>> Excuse me?
>> May I answer that?
>> Yeah, please.
>> Okay, that is a contract that we have
with our two vendors that take care of
our healthcare.
>> No, no, no. That no, I'm looking at um
the Phoenix Advisory and the Fleshman
Daniels
>> because they're done on a percentage
basis and
>> Well, no, I don't think they are.
I I think you're getting those confused
with the with the benefits, Johanna.
>> Maybe Pat knows.
>> So, I can research that. Like I I you
actually asked me for something
different on the email that you sent me.
So, I research something different.
>> Oh, okay.
>> Um like I said, I can I can get with you
tomorrow um and see what I
>> I just don't know if we're okay to
approve these without a dollar figure
there. So, I do
>> I'm I'm not real sure what we've done in
the past.
>> I do know that um the way uh we worked
it was our QPA has reviewed everything
prior to coming to um be put in front of
everybody. So, he's aware of it. Um I'll
just double check to make sure that that
was
>> So, I guess then I guess we could vote
on them and then amend them if they
needed to have a dollar figure.
>> That would be something the solicitor
would have to answer. Sir,
>> I would do that. That makes sense.
>> Okay.
Um, all right. And so, and then the last
thing I have is related to the ordinance
on the agenda. Um,
2025. I I'm thinking that maybe that
should be pulled in that um that that
title and salary was going to be for our
acting CFO/Payroll
clerk who unfortunately turned in his
resignation on Tuesday. So should we or
should we pull that?
Let's
>> 2025.
>> That's that's here. But what where's the
ordinance? We see the ordinance.
>> I have it here, but I don't have it.
>> Oh,
>> who has it? Go ahead.
>> It's on the back of the page. Scott
Well, it's a salary range
>> for the position of the controller who
has resigned. So, I don't necessarily
know that we need to vote on an
ordinance.
>> So, my suggestion would be sir is that
we did appoint him to that position um
and he has acted in that position as per
the state recommendation under DCA. If
we were to do away with the compensation
for that, we wouldn't compensate him as
the controller. Well, it look the way I
see it,
>> it's not person
>> to the individual who resigned. It's the
creation of the position with the salary
the salary range creation.
>> I would say do that because we at some
point in time want to hire a controller.
>> You're going to have another controller.
>> Okay. Well, I we've never had one
before, but maybe we will now.
Uh I I would think you do it.
>> We've never had
>> that way. You have that ability if
you're going to like I know you were the
mayor was talking about shared services
with another town for that. The
possibility of having a well, we have to
have a salary range in order to do that.
>> Yeah, I would recommend we we vote on it
uh today. We pass this new salary
ordinance in January anyway. So, if we
decide that's not a position we'll go
forward with, it doesn't have to doesn't
have to be on the next ordinance, but at
least it covers us for now.
>> Goodbye me. Thank you. I think that's
all that I have for now.
>> All right. Thank you. All right. We will
now open up public comment for workshop.
If anyone has any comment for anything
discussed in this meeting, please step
forward, state your name and address.
Good evening. Uh Dan Lovelin, 120 South
Jefferson Avenue, apartment 102.
Just listening to the workshop.
Move a little bit sideways, right? We we
all know what's happened with Lisa
McGlaclin.
Many of us think it's unfair.
You have folks resigning
from longstanding positions. You have
confusion about whether or not you want
a controller trying to make that
decision on the fly.
>> I I don't get it. Where are you guys
going? Like if if you're if you're in a
point where at a public meeting you're
trying to decide whether or not you need
a comproller position,
that's that's that's not that's not a
place to be, right? That should be a
discussion that you you should you
should have had well before this meeting
>> and and made that decision. And I and I
think you know what I what you're seeing
here is the chaos that's being created
by all this nonsense. The town shouldn't
be in chaos. It should be calm. And and
when you see this type of of of turnover
of long tenur folks and the type of
confusion that I just heard, it's it's a
little bit embarrassing. I I'll be
honest. If I was sitting in any of these
chairs, I' my face would be red just
thinking about what I just did.
That's all.
Any more public comment for workshop?
Steve Alman, 9003 Amherst Avenue, Mark
8. Um, at our last meeting, uh, the
mayor gave me the, uh, charge to, um,
ask people what they thought about the
Washington Avenue Road project. I did a
little, uh, showand tell.
Um and I went uh I had two sessions at
the JCC
uh two sessions at the library and uh
one session uh at Castles. Uh I I have
to say I really understand why you guys
run for public office. There's nothing
more delightful than getting out in the
community. I met 200
people that I really didn't know and I
had delightful conversations and really
good insights from a lot of them. Um
bottom line
uh about 50% were in favor of the
Washington Avenue uh program. Uh just
flat out. You know, usually if
somebody's uh in favor, they say, "Yep,
I'm in favor." and they're going into
the gym or into the library. Uh about
30%
uh were flat out against it and they
were the most vocal.
Um I had a a really lovely email from um
Ed Burgerer. Uh he and I uh had back and
forth communication.
He gave me some data about the
condominium that he lives in. There are
14 units and they had a condo meeting
and decided to vote against uh
supporting the Washington Avenue uh
streetscape. Uh he also said that uh the
owners of uh uh tomatoes and the lot uh
would uh f felt that their businesses
would be adversely affected by people
coming down Amherst Avenue not being
able to make a left-hand turn and a
right-hand turn into uh the Tomatoes
parking lot. Uh uh and he also stressed
that they would have to go around the
block, two lights and so on. Uh and uh
there were other people who expressed
that uh a lot of the people who were in
favor uh said that they thought that it
would cut down on chaos and make it
safer for bicyclist and um uh people
walking. Um, I had one bicyclist who
just said, "Yeah, flat out, I'm in love
with that idea." Um, and I had the
opportunity uh to talk to uh uh Mrs.
Burgerer. She was in Castles and I met
her for the first time. She's a lovely
woman and a family supporter of whatever
their position was. Uh, but she didn't
tell me. Um,
I uh uh spent time with the managements
uh at uh the JCC, the library and um and
castles. Everybody was remarkably
supportive and helpful in letting me put
up my little thing and uh and talk to
folks. Uh uh it it was just a marvelous
experience overall. about 20% of the
people I spoke with uh were sort of in
the category of well if it ain't broke
don't fix it and I don't really care. Uh
so that's about 20%. So it came down to
about 50%
in favor uh uh 30% vocal uh not in favor
and about 20%
uh we can live with it the way it is or
they don't care what we do. Uh so that
that's really the report I I took uh
data to hand out from the website. The
point I would make about that is I was
incredibly impressed with how few people
knew anything about Margate's website.
Uh I mean when I would say you know here
are the the the information that's on
the website they say how do I find the
website? You might keep that in mind
when you when you start uh building your
website. You know a lot of people just
don't get it. And I'm shocked because,
you know, I'm on websites all the time.
Uh you would think people would
go on Margate's website for all kinds of
information, but uh they're not. So
that's my report. I hope it's helpful
and you guys can see my little artwork.
>> Thank you, Steve.
>> And I thank you for the opportunity. It
was a lot of fun.
>> Thank you. All
right. Any other public comment for
workshop?
>> My name is Mary and Clemer. I live at 25
North Madison Avenue. Excuse me, I have
allergies. It seems that I don't find
out anything that's going on in this
town unless somebody tells me cuz they
read it on the Down Beach Bus. So, I
work I come and go at 4:00 in the
morning.
No one knows what it's like to have to
come when it's flooded and not be able
to use a street like Washington Avenue
cuz the other streets are flooded. So, I
don't I didn't know that this decision
was sealed, but I don't know what I also
don't know, excuse me, I'm not a public
speaker, why when we just had an
election, this wasn't on a ballot for
the locals
to to vote. I I don't understand why.
Can anybody answer that?
>> Washington Avenue.
>> You want to discuss about the referendum
with the traffic?
>> Well, years ago,
>> uh there was an effort on beach block
parking
and uh this individual made me did try
to put it on the ballot, but the courts
ruled that we couldn't attempt to
control traffic flow by way of
referendum and it got knocked out.
There's an appellet court case on this.
Uh there's also the decision affecting
Margate that you can't put traffic
issues on a ballot. And so that's one
good reason why it wouldn't be on the
ballot.
>> All right. But it's not just a traffic
issue at your
>> Well, this one's pretty much the issue.
But if I might if I might interrupt and
interject in all due respect, could we
not have, as I had asked, put it on the
ballot in a nonbinding
referendum?
>> I believe we could possibly.
>> So, we could have asked the public their
opinion in an in a non-binding
referendum.
>> Well, like we did
>> with the board.
>> Correct.
>> Yeah. That that maybe that answers
Marian's question.
>> Mr. Bloomberg. What my next question
would be, this gentleman's data is not
based on anything really scientific. If
you live south of Washington Avenue like
I do, I live on Madison. It's all oneway
streets. Now, Amherst is one way. I've
come home, believe it or not, the Back
Bay is not flooded, but the the beat the
Veterary Avenue since the new
construction is underwater.
So, no one's really taking the time to
clean out those sewers down there. So,
that's really really flooded. And if you
have to swing around and make a decision
like me, sometimes I can get a spot to
wait for the water to go down by the
dump, believe it or not. But I had to go
up Washington Avenue to get that spot.
So, I've lived here since the 70s. I've
been paying property tax since 1987. And
I I just I didn't know until somebody
informed me and then somebody else said,
"Oh, don't you read the down beach
buzz?" But if I go and vote every cycle,
if that was on this if that was on the
ballot, I would have voted no. So that's
my opinion. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
Any other public comment on workshop?
Is there a motion to close public
comment?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> Mayor Collins?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Horn?
>> Yes.
>> Is there a motion to adjurnn?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> Mayor Collins?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Horn?
>> Yes.
like to call the meeting to order,
please. Johanna, will you read the
statement of compliance?
>> The notice requirements of the open
public meeting act for this meeting have
been satisfied. A copy of the annual
meeting notice was sent to the press of
Atlantic City. Star ledger posted on the
Bolton board in the municipal building,
the municipal website, and filed in the
office of the municipal clerk. Please
turn off all cell phones.
>> Please stand for the pledge of
allegiance.
Attention salute. I pledge allegiance to
the flag of the United States of America
and to the republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all.
>> Johanna, please take the role.
>> Mayor Collins,
>> here.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg,
>> I am here.
>> Commissioner Horn,
>> here. Is there a motion for the approval
of the November 6th, 2025 regular and
workshop meeting minutes?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> Mayor Collins?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Horn?
>> Yes.
>> All right. We will now open up public
comment to resolutions on today's
agenda. So, if anyone has any comment on
any of the resolutions, please step
forward.
>> Is there a motion to close public
comment on resolutions?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
Mayor Collins.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Horn,
>> yes.
>> Johanna, will you proceed, please?
>> May I have a motion for the introduction
of ordinance number 20-2025?
An ordinance amending ordinance number
11 2025 fixing the salaries and
compensations of certain officers and
employees of the city of Margate City,
Atlantic County, New Jersey.
Motion
>> second.
>> Mayor Collins,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Horn,
>> yes.
>> May I have a motion for resolution
number 294-2025
authorizing bill payment and claims?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> Mayor Collins.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Horn,
>> yes. May I have a motion for resolution
number 295-2025
authorizing a transfer of budget
appropriations?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> Mayor Collins.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Horn.
>> Yes.
>> May I have a motion for resolution
number 296-2025
authorizing payment to Kmmore Home
Center.
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> Mayor Collins.
>> I abstain.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg. Yes.
>> Commissioner Horn.
>> Yes.
>> May I have a motion for the consent
agenda which consists of resolution
number 297205
through resolution number 30310-2025
authorizing Oops. Go ahead. 310-2025.
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> Mayor Collins.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg. Uh Johanna,
before I vote, um we wanted to fix the
dates in resolution
304 and 305 to be concurrent. Correct?
So, one says December through November
and then the other says um
through November. December through
November. Okay. So, it did it got fixed.
I'm sorry. Yes.
>> Yes.
>> Thank you.
May I have your vote, Commissioner
Bloomberg?
>> Commissioner Horn.
>> Yes.
>> Thank you, Johanna. We will now open up
to public comment. If anyone has any
comment, please step forward. State your
name and address.
>> Good evening. My name is Myra Heinman. I
live at 9009
Atlantic Avenue.
I've been coming to Margate when my
parents brought me as a child. I'm going
to be 80 years old next September. So,
I've been coming to Margate a long time.
I bought a condo at the White Sands and
I bought the house across the street.
All I can tell you is I have never felt
so disliked the way I feel now. It seems
that anything that is important to me is
not important to everybody else. I have
friends that have been working for the
city for 20ome years and I know them
inside and out. And this crap that's
going around with this animosity against
Commissioner Blumbberg and Lisa is crap.
And I think it's awful that you would do
this to somebody who's worked for you
for 20ome years
and go ahead and just hire somebody,
somebody else to do it. I'm a taxpayer.
I deserve
certain um respect and I deserve certain
things told to me about what's going on
in the town that I pay taxes to. So I
think you guys
and you ma'am
um need to start thinking about other
people other than yourself.
We're important too.
One other thing.
>> Thank you.
>> This No, this fire department and this
police department has saved my life and
I thank you very much for it. But just
remember what I'm saying to you and I'm
wagging my finger. You got no laugh all
you want. You guys have to understand
where we're coming from.
We pay your salary.
I pay my taxes. I want to be kept a
breast of everything.
Whatever money I was told that um a
check for uh uh somebody was paid $5,000
to do a background check or a check on
somebody.
How can you do that when I'm a taxpayer?
Don't I deserve the right to know where
my money is going?
My god, it's very quiet.
I just wanted to let you know that that
I am very very upset and hurt about
what's being done to my friends that I
know forever and know them in and out
that they are the most honest above
board people ever how you can treat
people like this. So maybe you ought to
think about it because um you know
there's no guarantee for anybody to be
reelected to an office.
Thank you.
>> Margie Real Margate.
Good evening mayor and commissioners.
Um, so at the last meeting,
for some weird reason, our business
administrator brought up the fact that
my husband mistakenly indicated on Harry
Hurley show that the Margate CFO was
suspended. Um, if you were listening,
you would have heard Vaughn correct him
or immediately Harry immediately correct
Vaughn and Vaughn agreed that he
deferred to Harry that that probably
wasn't the case. Um, the reason that
Vaughn was confused was because of the
exact wording of the first page of the
draft complaint against Lisa McGlaclin
by the city of Margate.
Quote, "Please take notice that the
undersigned attorney for the city of
Margate City makes emergency application
to the Department of Community Affairs
local government unit for an order
suspending Lisa McGlaclin from her
position as chief municipal financial
officer of the city of Margate City with
pay pending final decision in the above
captioned manner." It goes on to say
that there is simultaneous quote a
simultaneously filed complaint for
removal end quote. Now I can I hope the
audience or you guys can forgive his
misunderstanding and our
misunderstanding but it absolutely says
emergency application for an order
suspending the CFO and a simultaneously
filed
complaint for removal.
So,
you know, I wish I wish actually maybe
it was the suspended part rather than
being what it actually is, which is that
she's out on FLMA.
Um, because what that means is that, you
know, she is likely very distraught over
the possibility of losing her job,
losing her license, losing her pension.
um you know and and after 22 years of
loyal public service that complaint
verbiage raises even more questions in
addition to the numerous ones that have
been previously brought up by the public
and largely unanswered. Um so can you
tell me what exactly is the emergency?
So again, I think we've discussed this
the last few meetings. It I can tell you
it is it is uh very uncomfortable to sit
up here and have people, you know,
accuse us. I'll say us, but it's accuse
the commission of doing certain things
uh without having facts and and data.
But the reality is we can't we can't sit
up here and defend ourselves about a
personnel issue. Personnel issues are
handled internally and they they always
are. So, I'm sure you're aware of that
from when your husband sat up here. So,
those are things that we can't discuss
publicly. It's it's terrible. I wish we
could. I wish we could address things,
but we can't. The reality is that uh in
any case, um you know, our labor
attorneys will advise us. We have to uh
to act on on what they what they are
telling us. Um I wish we could discuss
more. We can't. I think all three of us
will can stand up here and say all we
want is the truth and I think everybody
in the audience would agree that's what
we want and hopefully we get to that
point.
>> The complaint is public so that's where
you know we're basing our questions on
um
the CFO has had eight of the last 10
years of perfect audits. I'm not an
attorney. I am a CPA, so I do know what
it means to have perfect audits. Um, and
it's it's a very high standard. Um, but
I, like I said, I'm not an attorney, but
my understanding is that there are legal
standards that have to be proven to
grant emerent relief action.
So, let's cut to the chase. I mean, what
exactly did she do that led to the
commission led the commission to believe
that without emergent suspension and
removal, this Margate cityloving
churchgoing employee and resident
is going to do irreparable harm to the
city of Margate? What harm is they
anticipated? How is it going to hurt the
city?
Why will it be irreparable and require
eent suspension and inevitable
withdrawal or sus uh removal?
I know you guys can't answer that from
what you're telling me, but these are
answers that the public want to know
because, you know, it seems that the
city is doing irreparable harm to Lisa
McLaclin. Um, and it's going to be very
very difficult for the city to pay uh
put a price tag on that. Um, even if the
allegations were true, which
demonstrabably they are not, they still
don't justify a request to terminate
your CFO on an an emergency basis.
I thank you for your time. I think you
should seek new advisors.
again. Uh Dan Lovelin, 120 South
Jefferson Avenue, apartment 102. Margie,
so just listening to Margie speak, the
optics, right? The optics matter. You're
in the public eye. When you think about
a conflict of interest, the the reality
is people don't feel comfortable about
conflicts of interest if there's an
appearance of impropriy, right? Even a
hint. So, I'll go for a couple of
examples.
Not not taking a shot at you, mayor, but
you just motion for a payment to your
own family business. Not saying it's in
inappropriate
from a technical standpoint, but the
appearance of that, right, little
sideways.
You have a subordinate of Lisa
McGlaclin's who is politically
connected. Her his h his wife is
politically connected. There's a rumor
out there that part of this is
politically charged. That this is a
payback to Claire Swift for something.
That's a rumor that's out there. If you
can't address it, you can't address it.
But it's a reality that the public
believes that that's happening. If it
is, it's disgusting, right? The person
who's leading the charge is suing the
town.
Suing the town.
>> That's incorrect. So you dropped your
lawsuit.
>> There is no lawuit.
>> There's no lawsuit. Okay. So that was
>> I I do I again
I believe I believe again in full
transparency. People need to understand
there there are tort claims out against
different people within the city. It's
not uncommon. This happened. It's
happened for the last 50 years. It's
this is uh it's a pre-notice of
litigation. There are no
>> there are currently no lawsuits
involving personnel in the city.
>> There are torque claims.
>> So I I get the fine line. I get the fine
line.
>> I'm named in some torque claims.
>> Commissioner Horn has named in some
torque claims. Commissioner Blumbberg is
named in some torque claims. What we do
and what we have an obligation to do is
remove ourselves because we can't be
biased in the analysis of am I wrong? Is
Commissioner Bombard wrong? Is
Commissioner Horn wrong? So what we do
is we use a third party labor council to
investigate those claims. Every single
torque claim since the three of us were
elected together has been investigated
by third party labor counsel. Some of
them are resolved and we have reports
that you know clear maybe the our names
clear other employees names. Some of
them are currently under investigation
but they're all that is the the
appropriate way to handle it. And again
the desire is is always to seek the
truth. That's what we're doing. So you
can say, you said it earlier, chaos.
Chaos is caused by people trying to to
to destroy what this is. Margate is a
great town. It's being it's this
perception of what is going on. It's not
true. So you can again, you can hear
things on the street and the rumors.
>> I would say check facts before you start
believing some of those rumors. And so
so to your point to your point right you
bring in a third party because of the
appearance of impropriy and and the
possibility of impropriy right but we
know that there's tension between Moran
and Lisa. So, how is he in a position,
right, with all of the chaos that's
going on, whether you whether you
whether it's real or imagined, right, we
we are you're in the public eye, right?
Been there, there now myself, right?
There's a reality to being in the public
eye. And and putting yourself in a
position where it's clear
that there's not an impropriy is
important to calming the chaos that
you're describing. Right. It takes it
takes that that potential for these
rumors to spread the way that they have
been out. So, I'm still confused as to
how Pat Moran is in in in a responsible
charge for this investigation, which is
the appearance that that comes out of in
the public. Right. And I I get, right?
I've been in a lot of situations where
there are things that are said that are
not accurate.
I I think it's really the responsibility
of the council to make the public
comfortable that there isn't that
impropriy. Whether it's a rumor that's
false or not, you have to position it so
that the public is comfortable you're
doing the right thing. Clearly, that's
not where we're at, right? And and it
may be it it may be a hard thing to do,
but this is somebody's life, right? and
and and then you see all the drama
that's created by it and and and I I
appreciate it. Mayor Collins, you and I
have had a lot of conversations. I I've
done a lot of different things in my
life. I've been in a lot of positions
where I've had to deal with this type of
thing. And you have to do things that
are painful sometimes. And you have to
you have to make sure that folks,
particularly when you have the number of
subordinates that you have in this town,
right? If they feel uncomfortable,
you're going to have the type of
resignation that you just saw. when when
you look at the public if they feel
uncomfortable you're going to have the
type of chaos that you're seeing and the
type of confusion that you're seeing.
So, so I think you know whatever
whatever you see that's there you the
approach should be very clear to the
public
and to the employees that what you're
doing is independent of any personal
conflict of any other tort claim lawsuit
whatever right you if if you need to
bring in an independent person to run
this thing and and take the conflict
between my Pat and Lisa whatever else is
going on out of it That's what you need
to do. The the fact that Pat may have
hired somebody to do an investigation,
whatever happened there, right? If if
you're at that point where it's almost
an independent counsel kind of thing and
and the three of you need to agree on
it, then then that's where you need to
get, right? You can't you can't just let
let this thing go on the way that it's
going on.
>> And again, Dan, we can't speak about
specific instances, but in every case
where there's a personnel issue, we
follow the same protocol, and that's
what we're doing here. I can't I can't
tell you if employee A is right or
employee B is right or if there's a
dispute. We try to handle things
internally. It's done all the time. I
can Pat Power in public works, we just
talked about this the other day. We have
personnel disputes happen everywhere. We
have issues. We He tells me anytime
there's an issue, he tries to resolve it
himself as a department head. If he
can't because of X, Y, or Z, sometimes
we go to mediation. If we can't get
through it after that, then we go to the
third party labor council and we address
it. We're handling things. We're
following protocol. We're doing things.
There's no bias. The intention is for us
to be out of this picture, so there's no
bias. So, I'm not I'm not saying that's
not the case. What I'm saying is the way
the way that it's being handled may be
the way you've always done it,
>> but maybe that doesn't work in this
case, right? Maybe you need to kind of
think outside of of those normal lines
and get to a place where you reinstill
confidence not just in the public but in
your employee base, right? You have you
have great hardworking officers, fire,
police, right? You you hear about it all
the time and and and and your public
works team does a great job. Everybody
that works for this town is hardwork,
right? and they deserve to be
comfortable that they're not going to be
in a place where where they are made a
victim out of some vendetta whether it's
real or perceived in somebody's mind
it's real right and that's part of
that's one of the leadership challenges
in any organization public private
whatever you have to deal with the
reality that people's perception is
going to drive their behaviors and this
type of
this type of chaos whether perceived or
real is a real risk to the to the safety
of the people that are out there doing
their job every day because it's a
distraction and those distractions lead
to problems and and you can see the
tension that it's caused here in the
public as well. So I I I we could go
back and forth on this all night. I I
would just ask you to really consider
whether or not a different approach
would help to deal with all this chaos.
Thank you. Thanks.
Vreel, 6 North Mansfield Avenue. Uh,
before I get into what I was going to
talk about, I do want to just get all
the game of semantics off the table here
because I did run the notice of a
torture claim across a former judge in
the county. And of course, he said,
"Yeah, it's not legal action." I said,
"Well, if you're an attorney, would you
recommend that the person who's the
target of the possible tort claim get an
attorney?" He said, "Absolutely." And I
said, "Why?" Because it's potential for
legal action. So, let's not brush it off
like this is nothing. It is a potential
for legal action. Now, let's talk about
this recorder system that we have. When
I was running for mayor, we didn't have
a recorder system. We had our meeting
commission meetings upstairs. I didn't.
Rim Ross and Marcowski did. And the
meetings were at 3:00 in the afternoon
and they weren't recorded. So, one of
the things I ran on was bringing the
commission meetings down here and doing
them at night and having them recorded.
And the reason that I ran on that was to
hold people accountable for what they
say. So you could go back and look at
the recordings. So Mayor and
Commissioner Horn, I think you're going
to owe some people an apology. All
right? because on November 6th, um, I
asked why you would vote
on moving forward with a complaint
if you knew that the allegations were
inaccurate. According to Commissioner
Blumberg, who runs the department,
and you quote, and this is 55 minutes
into the meeting, there was never a vote
on any complaint moving forward. So that
is false information.
Here's the problem with that. After I
got down, two other people got up and
said, "No, we were in the room. We saw
it. We saw you go into executive
session. We saw you leave executive
session and there was an agreement to
move forward with the complaint. Now, I
don't know how you get to an agreement
without having some type of internal
vote. Don't shake your head cuz on
October 9th, 25 minutes and 28 seconds
into it, when you guys come back from
executive session, Solicitor Abbott
says, "Why you went into executive
session? You're back from executive
session." And now he says, "This will
move forward. The complaint is ready to
go. After meeting with Commissioner
Blumbberg next Monday at 11:00 a.m. and
meeting with Lisa's attorney Monday at 1
p.m., unless there is resolution, the
complaint will be filed. So what that
indicates is that when you went into
executive session, something was
discussed and there was some agreement
to continue moving forward. if you
didn't come to resol resolution. Now, I
understand you may not have filed the
complaint.
But if that's what you were trying to
communicate
20, let's see, 55 minutes in on November
6th, you missed the mark because
everybody that was in this room, their
jaw dropped when you said it. Okay. Now,
mayor, you probably you actually can
answer these questions, but I'll let you
off the hook if you don't want to. How
long you been in business?
>> Been in business.
>> Yeah. How long you been in business?
>> My personal business?
>> Yeah. How long have you been in
business?
>> Me personally or the business itself?
>> How long have you
>> have I been
>> Yes. been in business? How long have you
been managing people?
>> Managing people?
>> Yeah.
>> Uh, let's see.
15 years, let's say.
>> Have you ever hired a private
investigator to investigate one of your
people?
>> No.
Could you imagine the morale on your
people that are underneath you, their
colleagues, if you did hire a private
investigator?
>> It would be negative, right?
>> So, I've had to terminate many
employees.
>> I didn't ask that. I asked if you hired
a private investigator.
>> I'm speaking and if you want to ask me
questions, you're going to let me speak.
At least show some respect.
>> Okay. Yeah.
>> So, uh yeah, I've had to terminate many
people. I've had many people people quit
on me. I've had workplace
uh problems and disputes.
>> It's not the question I asked.
>> You're an embarrassment. You I'm just
You are
>> beg your pardon. You didn't ask the
question, Mr. So, Mayor,
>> the way you're treating me. So,
Commissioner,
>> you should be ashamed of yourself.
>> I I You should go listen to your
recording. Commissioner Hord, would you
rather work for a company that
investigates a 22-year-old a 22-year
employee with a private investigator, or
would you rather work for a company that
doesn't investigate a 22-y old employee?
>> I respect your passion and your
friendship. And it's nice what you're
doing.
>> However, your means, the way you're
going about it, I don't necessarily
agree with.
>> A lot of people don't agree with what
you guys are doing as well. So, let me
finish off here.
We can't say that much. So, we sit here
and let you come up and grandstand and
do your theatrics and we have to sit
here and just listen. Some of what you
say is true, but not all of it.
>> My understanding is you could have
settled this last April, but you didn't.
Okay. So,
>> do you not like the way we're handling
this or do you do you want to hear what
our answers or do you just want to sit
there and try and embarrass someone?
What do you care how
>> do I care?
>> That's not the point. The point is you
want to stick up for Lisa and that's
great and that's noble. We didn't vote.
The three of us, all three of us agreed
in executive session to do whatever the
solicitors recommended. We're not
attorneys. We're not labor attorneys.
>> So,
>> we take their recommendations.
>> Okay. So, let's go forward with this.
>> I have a question for you, Von. Sure.
>> When you were mayor,
>> if several employees came to you with
complaints, what would you do? Would you
get it investigated?
>> Uh, several employees did come to me
with complaints. And we never hired a
private investigator. By the way, I had
a different solicitor than you because
according to the BA, the solicitor both
recommended and approved the hiring of
the of the private investigator. So, you
might want to fire find yourself
different advisors. Now let's go back to
this. On October 9th, I came in here so
you know why I'm doing this. Not just
because of my friendship, because there
is something called organizational
dynamics and behavior. On October on
October 19th, I came in. I said
because of the items I just mentioned,
you've hire a private investigator. You
hurt the morale of the existing
employees and you make the city less
marketable to future employees. And what
did we just hear?
A complete surprise.
The second employee out of a three
department
uh uh crew has now resigned. You are now
running a $40 million budget with an
accounts payable clerk that is not a
CPA. That sounds like, what was the word
you used? Chaos.
That sounds like chaos.
I've managed a lot of business and I
know you have, mayor. It's not how you
run a business. That's my point. It
doesn't just have to do with Lisa
Calibes Mlaclin who is a dear friend.
It has to do with that there's a public
complaint that one commissioner has said
is inaccurate. And if you just scratch
at the scab a little bit, you see it's
inaccurate. It has to do with the advice
that you're getting. You could settle
this quickly and quietly. Don't be angry
at me for coming up here to put pressure
on you to settle. That's what this is
about.
>> I want us to settle. That's what you're
saying. I want you to make this go away
quickly and
>> and settle.
>> You think you're going to win this? You
really think you're going to win this?
>> Is that your solution?
>> My solution when I see a bad action
that's going to cost the city a lot more
money is to cut my losses. That's what a
good business and a good fiduciary.
>> So whenever anyone in the city
>> I didn't say that.
>> Wait, I'm going to say because I have
had department heads say, "Wow, should I
just file a torque claim when I'm ready
to leave and I'll get a payout?" That's
the pattern you said right now.
>> So
>> that's the risk.
>> Is that what you would do
>> without any investigation?
>> I would not have moved forward on a
complaint that a commissioner said was
inaccurate on the record. I would not
have hired a private investigator.
Please don't try to project your
mistakes on me. Now, here's what I see
as an outsider coming at you guys. Hey,
I'm not wishing this. I'm saying from an
experienced person, as an outsider, it
looks like you're going to end up
settling with Lisa. It looks like you're
going to end up settling with him cuz
he's going to eventually sue you. I
don't think you have anything to worry
about so far from what I've seen with
all this crap. And at this pace, I'm
assuming, like you just said, you're
going to have to settle at least one or
two more people. So from a fiduciary
standpoint,
>> why are we gonna have to settle with one
or two?
>> I'm assuming other people are going to
line up just like you said. You're the
one who just said it.
>> I did.
>> Right. So why did you ask me why I just
said
>> settle with anybody that has that?
>> I'm not going to settle with anybody
that has here's the edit guys for
payout.
>> I think here's what it feels like. It
feels like you guys somehow got roped
into other people's personal agendas and
vendettas.
>> I don't know if you did. It's what it
feels like. If I'm you, I change all my
advisors out because this is not how you
run a city. I never saw this over a
personnel disagreement. I never saw a PI
over a person. Heck, I can't even recall
having a court claim processed or or or
filed against me. And you're claiming
it's everyday business. I I it's
remarkable. Anyway, thank you for your
time and I hope you have a wonderful
Thanksgiving.
Sharon Simon, 424 North Derlo Avenue.
Right, we all just need to take a breath
here. Um, this is very uncomfortable.
I'm sure it's uncomfortable for you and
uncomfortable for everybody out here. It
creates a lot of emotion. You ran for
office and that's part of it.
Unfortunately, people get to come up and
they're very emotional and the fact that
they're attacking you, it comes with the
territory, right? So, um that's why I'd
never run for office. I don't like to be
yelled at. Um
it's very uncomfortable. Hostile
meetings is what it is. Hostile
everything. So, I agree with everything.
If there's something wrong, it needs to
be addressed. I agree with the people
who said it's how you address it. It's
how the community sees it, right? It
can't be about I like Lisa, you don't
like Lisa. It's not what it's about,
right? What's going to happen? What's
the process? What's the timing? And
please consider for the hostile work
environment
to bring in a professional because
whatever you want to call them lawsuits,
whatever just makes it worse. The anger
what's going on making it worse. There's
professionals that can come in and work
with all of you with your employees and
I suggest beg you to do that because
it's not fun. It's not good. It's not
nice. Sucker for you, sucker for
anybody. Thank you.
>> Do we have any more public comment?
>> Steve Alman, 9003 Amherst Avenue, Mark
8. Um, I spent 40 years as a
photojournalist.
I worked for three presidents of the
United States. I worked for the Queen of
England. I've worked for a lot of prime
ministers. I've seen government at its
best and at its worst. I have watched
Lisa since she first was hired do a
remarkable job. And over the years, she
got better and better at it. Uh I I I I
can attest to that. Uh I really
the 200 odd people that I spoke about
earlier were my neighbors as these
people are my neighbors. I saw uh Mayor
Real's administration.
I didn't agree with a lot of what he had
to say then. I don't think I agree with
a lot of what he's saying now. It's
inappropriate for uh an employee of this
city to be attacked in the way that some
of the employees have been attacked. I
don't know the details of this
litigation. I'm not supposed to. It's
not for the public to know what happens
with an HR situation.
I know the things I've heard here, but I
don't take them as fact. I know that uh
one employee his job
his job title is to investigate when a
complaint comes before him. And if he
uses an outside investigator,
I'm assuming, not knowing any better,
that that's part of what his tools are
to do his job. I don't know Lisa's side
of the story. I haven't had the pleasure
of sitting down with her to find out her
side of things, but I do know this.
I have sat in that chair for 25 years
since I came home to Margate. I sat
there because the sound system used to
be terrible and I couldn't hear what
people were saying. But for 25 years,
I've seen all of the administrations.
I've supported Mari for 18 years, Mari.
And I am very proud that he can
sometimes be a contrarian, but he always
has his facts in order. And when he
doesn't, he says, "I don't know." That's
a really remarkable thing.
Commissioner Horn, I really admire your
guts in saying what really is that not
everybody in this room knows the facts
because you know I don't know the facts.
Somebody wants to enlighten me outside
of this room, I'll be glad to listen. I
know that the fire department, the
police department, uh, public works, I
imagine you all have contracts that
Lisa's been involved in negotiating and
you have good contracts. Your health
insurance is good because Lisa was
involved.
But if there is an issue,
we all have to trust to the process. I
trusted Lisa. I certainly trust the
police department. fire department's
been remarkable in helping my family and
all of you are my neighbors and are
deserving of the benefit of the doubt
and respect and I really resent when
respect is not given to you. This is a
pretty dogone good heads, uh, heads of
department as well as commissioners and
mayor. And I thank you for letting me
get that off my chest. Thank you,
STEPHEN.
>> Do we have any more public comment?
>> Is there a motion to close public
comment?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
Mayor Collins,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Horn, yes.
>> Uh, Scott, is there
close session? Do we want to
>> do
>> move into close session?
>> If you want to do it and you're
>> here, here we go. If you want to
consider possibility of a shared
services agreement with perhaps another
municipality, I would suggest you go
into close session so you can discuss
that and discuss terms, compensation,
and how you want to go forward if that's
what you want to do tonight.
>> Okay. I'll make a motion for close
session.
>> Second,
>> Mayor Collins?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg?
>> No. I this is nothing that I'm aware of.
I can you tell tell me a little more
what what is it that we're going to be
discussing?
>> It's a basic discussions on how to
proceed in your department.
>> As I understand it, commissioner, you
with the resignation, he's going on to
another job.
you you need someone else in there to
assist in the in your department to find
>> and the email that I got today was that
the business administrator was going to
reach out to some other town so and I
approve that. So what is there to
discuss an executive? Well, because
we're nowhere near close to
>> excuse me,
>> if you reach out to another town,
>> he has to be armed with what are you
willing to do? What are you willing to
pay? What what would the
>> first you have to gauge the interest of
the other town? Ventner already told us
no.
>> That's that's incorrect.
>> Initially,
>> that's why I said I'd like to really
discuss discuss. It's your department,
sir. If you don't, we
>> I I I would like to have some
information before we get in and bring
in my fellow commissioners. I have got
nothing. I've got no information on what
it is you're even thinking. Maybe you
could call me tomorrow and we could do
that. How about that?
>> That would be great. Thank you.
>> Good.
>> So, we think no, not necessary in that
instance.
>> There's there's no information yet,
Mike.
>> Okay. That's I think we do need to talk
about
>> at some point in time. Maybe we will
>> how you're going to do it. Now
>> if I don't know when this resignation's
effective, but we certainly don't want
to have a problem with issuing payroll
or anything else. So,
>> you know, do what you want. You want to
you want to wait two weeks?
>> You got it. I'll talk to Pat tomorrow.
>> Okay. Is there a motion to adjurnn?
>> Motion.
>> Second.
>> Mayor Collins?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Blumbberg?
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Yes,
>> it's over.