CITY COUNCIL 10/09/2025

I can attest to that.
>> So,
>> yes, I am. I will do the
>> All right. Just in case.
>> Got it.
I guess
>> I guess he
>> I don't know. He didn't sign.
659
>> 59.
>> They'll correct me if I'm wrong.
>> Let's call this meeting order. will rise
for a full
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
deputy clerk may we have a roll call
please
>> council member deanilis
>> here
>> council member Dill.
>> Council member Gerity
>> here.
>> Council member Johnston here. Council
member Mcwigan
>> here.
>> Council member Owen
>> here.
>> Council President Habercorn
>> present. Also present is Mayor Tap,
Administrator Frost, Deputy City Clerk
Jim Papa, City Solicitor Smith, and City
Engineer Snider. Pursuant to the Open
Public Meetings Act, adequate notice of
this meeting has been provided. The
agenda for this meeting is posted in
city hall and on the city's
websiteggov.org.
Pursuant to city code A2669-9D
and to afford everyone an opportunity to
address the governing body, the public
may speak only one time and not to
exceed three minutes.
Do we have any communications?
Not hearing any communications. Uh let's
go to the mayor's report. Mr. Mayor,
>> here we go. I have there few things. Uh
uh October 25th, 4 to 6 is a Saturday.
We have trunk or treat. They do this
every year now. Uh it's on the corner of
Harbor Lane and Bay Avenue. So take your
kiddies and dress them up and walk
through and it's uh actually it's a very
nice event. Uh trick-or- treat is
October 31st, 6:00 to 8. and the Summers
Point Police Department will have extra
patrols out there. If you're driving
around, just keep your eyes out, you
know, cuz these little kids throw all
over the place as we already know. Uh, I
want to, uh, take this opportunity to
congratulate two employees of the month
over at Shore Medical. Uh, one of them
is the emergency department health unit
coordinator. Her name is Deborah Alman,
as well as endoscopy nurse Christina
Stifler. uh she was September, the other
one was August. Um you know, and they're
great employees and I think I can speak
for everyone. We're very thankful to
have Shore Medical Center here. Uh and
then lastly, I'd like to wish uh we have
two employees at birthdays today. Shelby
Heath is one. Shelby's not here. She's
celebrating her birthday. That's why we
have the lovely Alison Gioa here as well
as Tanya Tanya Hancock in the clerk's
office. uh want to be able to wish them
both a happy birthday from all of us.
And then lastly, we had a uh
little meeting uh with President
Habercorn, uh Council Mcwigan, myself,
we met with Ken Wallace, we had our city
engineer,
and we were taking a look at the
intersection of Broadway and Maze
Landing, Summers Point Road and seeing
what we can do. Jason Frost was No, you
were not there. That's right. Yeah,
>> but we're looking to see what we can do
to try to alleviate some of the traffic
and congestion that is there. Uh, you
know, it's only going to build up, as
you know, in the summertime. It's it's
it's terrible trying to get out there.
So, we're trying to work something out,
and it was very receptive. Um, we do
have some grant money that came in for
uh Broadway to make some of these
improvements. Uh, we're uh kicking
around some different ideas. is the
engineer is going to come back to us and
then we'll probably meet again and
hopefully we'll be able to do something
to fix that problem. And that is all I
have.
>> Excuse me, Mr. Mayor, if I may remind
you, there is a grand reopening of Shore
Hardware.
>> That's right. Saturday and two, the
ribbon cutting will be at 11. So, that's
correct. And all the elected officials
are uh invited to partake in.
>> How did I forget? I was just there today
buying the nuts and bolts.
>> How did I forget that? Son of
>> there. Anybody else have anything else
for the mayor to report?
>> No, I'm good. Thanks.
>> Uh Mr. Frost, administrator's report.
>> Nothing,
Tom.
>> Nothing.
>> Greg,
>> uh just two things. The uh showroom
pedestrian project continues. And then
the other item is uh I have an update on
the Route 9 paving specifically where
the water company um has all the uh
trenches along Route 9. Um the water
company's supposed to come back next
week during the night and pave the one
lane where the trench is and anywhere it
crosses. They're not doing curb to curb
because the state is coming back and
repaving Route 9 from Summersport Meline
Road to Chapman. Uh that's going to not
happen until fall of next year, but in
the meantime, this will, you know, help
alleviate some of the ridability
concerns and um at least it should be a
lot smoother once that they'll mill and
repave just the one lane, so it
shouldn't be, you know, bumps and uh
settlement issues.
>> Yeah.
>> Sweet.
>> Anything else, Mr.
>> Uh committee reports?
>> Go ahead. Go ahead, Janice.
>> Okay. Um, the historical commission met
uh last night on uh three different
properties. 920 Shore Road, they had a
uh unanimous um
resolution to designate it as a landmark
property in the historical district. So,
um that's the old shoe store.
>> So, um that'll open up some doors for
the owners to hopefully make those
improvements really soon. Uh they also
discussed 122 Gibbs and um
three and 435 Bay Avenue. Um
they were existing certificate of
appropriateness applications. So the um
435 Bay Avenue is the brewery. They did
have to make some significant changes
and um I I guess they'll have to come
back again, but um Gibbs Avenue was uh
approved. So
>> So the brewery was design changes.
>> Yes. Mhm.
>> Anything else?
>> They changed the name of the brewery.
>> Yeah, it's a Bay. What is it?
>> New brewery.
>> Bay. Oh, I thought it was Bay Venue.
Bay.
>> Wait a minute. So they did change the
name of the
>> They had to change the name.
>> Yeah.
>> From secret spot to I thought it was Bay
Avenue Brewery.
>> Bay Avenue Brewery
>> is what I was
council.
>> That's all I have right now. Thank you.
>> Council member
>> uh just wanted to give you an update. I
went to the rec board the other night to
talk to them about uh the Fourth of July
weekend for next year. We were talking
about doing a big celebration with the
historical society and the city as
partners. Uh 250th anniversary of the
signing of the declaration of
independence and it's also the 140th
anniversary of the city of the burrow of
Summers Point, not the city of Summers
Point. So, uh the rec board loved the
idea. We had talked about this at EDAC.
Uh EDAC loved the idea. We talked about
this at council. What I'm going to look
for right now is I'm going to make a
motion that we go all in on this. Uh I
have the makings of the start of a
committee, uh some sponsorship and
everything else. But before, you know, I
want the council's blessing to do this
for the Fourth of July weekend and we'll
develop this as we go along and I can
make a formal uh application to the rec
board to use the facility.
No. Uh, so I make a motion that, uh, we
do the 250th anniversary, uh, July 4th
weekend at the beach.
>> So, it's going to be the whole weekend
then.
>> Well, we're going to do a whole bunch of
events for the entire weekend and we're
going to try and make it. Years ago, uh,
several of the bars in town used to do
scavenger hunts
>> and we put a program together that we
were going to do and then COVID happened
and we were never able to do it. But
it's kind of like a history scavenger
hunt that goes through the whole entire
weekend and it involves the business
association, a lot of the businesses and
everything and trying to get everybody
in town interactive
uh on something and it will end at a
certain spot in town to be determined by
figuring out what the uh answers to the
questions are that we put in the
scavenger hunt and everybody hopefully
shows up there and they get a t-shirt.
Yeah, for doing that. But we're working
on that. And I got Mr. Mcwigan has
volunteered to do that. I got Lynn
Mchuan uh is on board and we're starting
to put some other people and everybody's
welcome to to join in and help us,
>> you know, the more help we get. But, uh,
you know, we want to do a lot of
different stuff.
>> I just have a question.
>> Sure.
>> I might be the only one doesn't know the
answer, but what's the difference
between the city of Summers Point and
the Burrow? Well, originally Summers
Point was part of Egg Harbor Township
and then 140 years ago they became their
own burrow and then the next year they
reinccorporated as a burrow for who
knows what reason and then in 1902 they
incorporated as a city. So I guess we'd
have to Google burrow and city to find
out what the difference is in that and
it could be could be the form of
government. Somebody raised their hand
right there. Does he know the answer?
>> I think
good trivia. Yeah.
courts of burn.
>> Yeah.
All right. So, with that, I make a
motion.
>> Can I get a second? Second.
>> Second.
>> All in favor?
>> I opposed.
>> All right. We'll uh we'll keep you up to
date, but we're going to we're going to
start on this probably next week and uh
get back to the rec board at the next
meeting and do a formal application and
>> yeah, roll with it.
>> Cool.
>> All right. Thank you.
>> I think last year was we signed up with
the re Yeah, the revolution and the
250th
anniversary of the country in the state
of New Jersey. We actually formally
joined that through the summer's point
by a motion. So, we're staying true to
the fact that we want to celebrate the
uh 250th. So, anyway, any other
committee reports?
>> Uh, council president.
>> Yes, sir. Mr. Nolan.
>> Yeah, it's a recreational arts. Uh,
Summers Point Recreation is hosting the
arts class for seniors. Uh, shout out to
uh Summers Point Arts Commission as well
as the noise museum for the grant to
assist with making this possible for
recreation. Seniors are encouraged to
register beforehand. The space is
limited. 20 participants. Registration
can be made um through the summers
parade wreck uhgmail.com
or 6099279088
extension 105.
Um classes will be held on the following
uh Wednesdays from 10 to 11:30 at the
senior uh center on North Amber Road. Uh
basically they just have on uh yesterday
but uh the other three dates are um
coming up on October 15th, October 22nd
and October 29th. October 15th will be
still life pastels.
October 22nd will be natural
watercolors. At the end of the month,
abstract mixed media collage.
Um, so that's uh what's what's what's
going on with the uh in town as well as
um
on October 25th as well as from 10:00
a.m. to noon. Uh there's going to it's
going to cost $20 per person. Uh same
location, the senior uh community
center. Um it's going to be a uh full
collage of uh colors. Uh the instructor
is Christine O'Brien. So, you know, if
you're into painting and whatnot, uh we
welcome you to join. That's it. Lots
going on with that
following town. If you have a chance to
look, there's a lot going on there.
There's uh any creativity you have in
anything, you can sign up there and they
have a lot of opportunities. Anybody
else have a committee report? All right.
Not hearing any committee reports. Um,
I'm going to need a motion in a second
to uh approve the regular meeting
minutes of September 25th, 2025
and the executive session minutes of
September 25th, 2025 as to content only.
May I have a motion?
>> I'll make that motion.
>> May I have a second?
>> Second.
>> Any comments?
>> All in favor?
>> Any opposed? Not hearing any opposed.
the above mentioned meeting minutes are
approved. Back to the mayor here for a
proclamation.
>> Uh proclamation number nine of 2025,
breast cancer awareness month. Uh
whereas breast cancer is the most
commonly diagnosed cancer among women in
the United States with one in eight
women expected to develop the disease in
her lifetime. And whereas early
detection and prompt treatment can
significantly increase the survival rate
of those uh diagnosed with breast
cancer. And whereas the city of Summers
Point recognizes the importance of
raising awareness about breast cancer,
supporting those affected by the disease
and promoting research
into this cause, prevention, and
treatment. And whereas during breast
cancer awareness month, we honor the
memories of those we have lost to this
devastating disease. support the
survivors and stand with the families
and caregivers who provide unwavering
support. And whereas the city of Summers
Point encourages all citizens to
participate in activities and
initiatives that promote breast cancer
awareness, education, and support for
those affected by the disease.
Now therefore, I, Dennis Tap, mayor of
the city of Summers Point, do hereby
proclaim October 25th October 2025 as
breast cancer awareness month in Summers
Point and urge all citizens to join in
this observance by wearing pink pink
participating in local events and
supporting efforts I saw uh to find a
cure for uh breast cancer. Um,
as I said before, you know, on a
personal note, I have two friends that
uh two women that probably within the
last 3 weeks found out that they have
breast cancer. Uh, and these are people
that went through early detection. And
sometimes it just they got checked last
year and they go back for a recheck
again this year and it's there and it's
it's devastating. Uh, everybody, you
know, and males can get it too, but stay
on top of this. It's it can happen fast
and the faster you get to it, the faster
is your survival rate. So that's
keep that in mind. Thank you. Thank you,
mayor. Um, moving on to ordinances. We
have one ordinance on for tonight. Uh,
Madame Deputy Clerk, would you please
read
>> ordinance number 17 of 2025, an
ordinance of the city of Summers Point,
County of Atlantic, State of New Jersey,
regulating the operation of electric
bicycles on municipal bike paths and
public sidewalks, amending chapter 250,
vehicles, and traffic, article 8,
bicycles, skateboards, skates, and
scooters of the municipal code.
>> Council President,
>> do I do that now? Okay, just to make I'm
going to make one comment.
>> Under legal advice, I'm asking for a
motion to table this ordinance in order
to better define and refine it.
>> I'll second I'll make that motion.
>> Make the motion. I can
>> Okay, I'll make the motion to table
ordinance number 17 so we have time to
do some further research and hopefully
tonight maybe hear some opinions from
the residents as well.
>> I'll second that.
>> Okay. Um, based on having a person a
second, can we have a vote, please?
>> Council member Depampilis,
>> yes.
>> Council member Gity,
>> yes.
>> Council member Johnston,
>> yes.
>> Council member Owen,
>> yes.
>> Council member Dill. Council member
Mcwigan,
>> yes.
>> Council President Havorn,
>> yes. So, it is the uh ordinance is
tabled.
Let's move on to
resolutions.
I have a motion to open for public
comment on resolutions only. So moved. I
have a second, please.
>> Second.
>> Okay. All in favor?
>> I.
>> Any opposed? Not hearing any opposed. We
are now open for public comment on
resolutions only.
That would be uh unless it's specific to
a resolution, there'll be an opportunity
later to talk about at public session on
other topics. Okay. Not seeing anybody
that's up for public comment. Um may I
have a motion to close?
>> So move second.
>> All in favor?
>> I.
>> Any opposed? Not hearing any excuse me.
Any opposed? We are closed to the
public. Madame Deputy Clerk, resolution
number 223, please.
>> Resolution number 223 of 2025,
authorization of purchase through the
use of state contract vendor Rubber
Cycle LLC pursuant to NJSA482-12A
and NJAC 534-7.29C
for the JFK park playground resurfacing
project for the city of Summers Point.
>> Have a motion.
So move. I have a second.
>> Any comments?
>> Um, I just have a question. I know we've
been working on getting a grant for an
all ex inclusive playground. Is this
>> part of that?
>> Part of that. Okay.
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> Any other comments? Not hearing any
other comments. All in favor?
>> I.
>> Any opposed? Not hearing any opposed.
Resolution number 223 is approved.
Resolution number 224. Resolution number
224 of 2025 authorizing executive
session advice of council and attorney
client privileged communication
regarding anticipated contractual
negotiations with Brandy Wine Financial
relative to the potential construction
of a new city hall by way of a public
private partnership.
>> I have a motion
moved.
>> I have a second.
>> Second.
>> All in favor?
>> I.
>> Any opposed? Hearing any opposed
resolution number 224 is approved. May I
have a motion and a second um to open uh
to for the consent agenda.
>> So moved. Have a second.
>> Second.
>> Any comments?
>> Not hearing any comments. All in favor?
>> Any opposed? Not hearing any opposed.
The consent agenda is approved. Does it?
Um let's see here. We have um
those two there. So now we go to old
business. Do you have Okay. Old
business. Anybody have any old business?
Not hearing any old business. Uh there
are two things on for new business. It's
an approval of a social affair permit
application for Grace Lutheran Church
for an event on November 8th, 2025 from
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. There's also a
another um social affair permit for St.
Joseph's Church for an event on the 24th
of October, 2025
uh from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. I'm
assuming all the paperwork is in with
the police chief and everything's good.
Yep.
>> Uh can I get a uh approval for those
two? All in favor?
>> I any opposed? Not hearing any opposed.
Those two are approved. Do we have any
other new business?
Not hearing any new business. Um Mr.
Frost, would you like to discuss the
bills, please?
>> Certainly. Uh, this evening we have a
bill,
14.
In addition to that, we have
1,673.
>> Okay. Okay. Um, I have a motion open for
public comment, please.
>> So move.
>> Second.
>> Okay. All in favor?
>> I.
>> Any opposed? Not hearing any. We are now
open for public session comments. Uh, we
ask that you state your name, your
address, and is three minutes. Thank
you. Rob Hopkins, Summers Point. Let's
start with something we can all agree
on. Safety matters. Nobody wants to see
anyone wheeling down the bike path at 30
m an hour, weaving through families or
pedestrians. That's a real issue. But
your ordinance doesn't solve that.
Instead, it creates a vague,
uninforcable law that burdens our police
department with yet another impossible
task.
Did the public safety committee review
this ordinance in the past two weeks?
>> Not in the past two weeks? No.
>> Did the Did the police department review
this ordinance
>> in the last two weeks? Yes. Where are
the recommendations for that and why are
they not publicly available?
>> At its introduction, at its
introduction, Councilman Dill asked if
the police department had reviewed this
ordinance
that you and Councilman McGwigan had put
forward. Councilman Dill then
specifically requested that that police
department review this ordinance and
provide the recommendations before
tonight's meeting. That was smart and
responsible of Mr. Dill. Yet here we are
again, cart before the horse horse,
moving ahead without that input, without
those recommendations,
no transparency, and it's certainly not
respect for our police department. It's
disrespect.
And yet, despite that lack of review or
communication, Councilman McGrigan
actually commented to you, Mr. President
Haborn and commended you for getting it
on the agenda. To blindly push forward
an unreviewed ordinance that impacts
children's safety, public accessibility,
and law enforcement, and then praise it
for simply being fasttracked could not
be more anti-safety and anti- police.
Mr. Habercorn, you told the public this
ordinance was similar to Lynwood's and a
continuation. That was a false statement
and a lie. Lynwood does not have a ban
on electric bicycles. What is They
adopted a reasonable common sense
regulations, speed limits, signage, and
more police presence, not an all-out
ban. It's a lie and a gaslight to the
public, just like Ordinance 13 of 2025.
To call the regulations misleading, it's
a prohibition. Anyone who has seen
children going to school, Jordan Road,
Mainland High School, who rely on
electric bikes for transportation to
school and athletic activities, know
that they need somewhere to ride safely,
not in the street. Your proposed ban
would push those children off a safe
path and into traffic, detours, and road
construction. That's not safety, that's
a liability. Beside the fact of the
disregard of the dwindling number of our
children left in this community, it also
pushes many of our older residents who
use electric pedal assist bikes for
exercise and mobility, oftentimes
recommended by their physicians. Now,
back like 2020, they will be threatened
with a fine for trying to stay active
and healthy.
Lastly, I would like to ask this
respectfully but directly since Council
President Habercorn is the sole founder,
organizer, and weekly participant of the
walking group that often uses the city's
bike path, park, and recreational
facilities that would ban electric
bicycles. Would it not be appropriate
for him to recuse himself from voting on
this ordinance to avoid a biased look of
either way?
I urge the council to reject this
ordinance and instead work with the
police department firstly the schools
the residents to create a balanced
regulation that provides and promotes
both safety and accessibility for
everyone.
>> Thank you.
If I may just for the record
reserve any comments to when it's good
for the order.
Um, Teresa McCormick, 29 Gibbs. I have
an issue with the tax department and I'm
trying to understand what your control
and compliance is for that department.
Mainly because
>> Yeah.
>> 29 Gibbs.
>> That's right. So, mainly because there
was information put into my property
records that is not accurate. So, is it
randomly that anybody can put
information in there? And I'm going to
start with the whole story. I could not
wait to buy a house down the shore. I
bought my house in March of 2023.
The first two months I'm in there, I
received a notice saying that I did not
obtain an permit for an EV outlet on the
side of the house.
I didn't put it in. I don't know how the
COO got put through, but suddenly it's
my problem. So, I called the tax office
or the whoever I'm supposed to call and
they said, "Oh, don't worry about it." I
said, "You have to go after the prior
owner." So, that was done. Foolishly, I
did not get that in writing from
anybody. Okay, that's the first thing.
Then, the second thing was a few months
later, I received a notice that my taxes
were increased effective the date of my
settlement. So, now I owe back taxes and
forward taxes for the full year. I
called Sean Gaskill
and he told me that it was because I put
an addition on without a permit. I
haven't even been in there months. That
was there. It was in the ad that I
purchased it on, etc. So, he said,
"Well, you can go fight it, but you have
to pay this tax right now." I said,
"Well, it's through my mortgage company,
so my mortgage would be getting build."
He said, "No, you will be fined and you
will also um
pay interest, etc." I wrote a check,
went over, dropped it off, paid it, went
up, filed an appeal. I went to the
appeals court, sat there all day. So, I
go in, I had listings back to 2016
showing nothing was done to this
property. Nothing. Okay. I couldn't go
back any further. That was as far as I
could find.
So, in the meantime, I'm upset because
I'm going to sue the prior owners
thinking I'm living in an unsafe house
with work that was unpermanent work. I
owned a house for 20 years. I always had
a permit. I know how this works. I have
a permit now for the HVAC that's going
in. I put a new roof on. I haven't even
been there that long. And I care about
my house and the community that I live
in. So anyway,
I go to court and I bring all of this
documentation and they tell me they
don't want to hear it. It has nothing to
do with everything that Sean told me in
person and over the phone while other
people were in that office. So flat out
lied.
So they said it's based on the
assessment. So apparently the day I
bought the home, the property value
increased immensely.
So now fast forward, I'm looking at my
mortgage statements and I see that my
mortgage company paid Summer's Point
because they also build them.
>> So now I call Summer's Point and I said,
"I'm having a hard time because now I've
paid you. I was threatened with late
fees, t you know, everything." and they
turned around and they said, "Okay, we
sent it back, but you have a whole thing
here about where you had property work
done without permits." I said to her, "I
have already been through this. I have
not done a thing to my house other than
paint it, put on the roof, and like I
said, I had to get a zoning permit and a
HVAC permit to get this work done, which
I'm still waiting on approval for.
So, thank God I still have heat and air
before this goes. and hopefully I get
the permit before then. So, here is a
house that I could not wait to move
into. So excited. And this is what I'm
dealing with with the city. And then
furthermore, I see an article in Margate
where somebody sold a house and they're
out $1.5 million because they did they
sold the house without the proper
permits. And that's what's on my record
in your office. So, I need to understand
how we resolve this and what are your
controls in compliance that you just
allow somebody to put false documents in
somebody's property that could
financially break me.
>> Mr. Smith, you knew with this?
>> Yes, I did. And I went to court.
>> I I don't know. I can go through my
papers right here, but we could spend
all day on that.
>> Oh, I I remembered you. You were with
Sean, right?
>> Y
>> standing next to him.
>> So, I'm going to call you. You listen to
my story that day.
what you're telling the faculty
may not
understand.
>> What What do you mean? I have I have the
>> Yeah. Go ahead.
[Music]
I'm not worried about the taxes. I paid
them. They're on my record. What I'm
worried about is that you said that I
did not get permits for work and I have
records going back to 2016 right here
showing that there was
>> I bought it in 2023. We don't know that.
>> I have the I have all the pictures from
the house. I did a video of it to bring
to court that day because that's what
Sean told me my taxes were based on.
>> So he lied.
Write
it down.
>> Sure.
>> And I will put something in writing
either way.
>> Okay.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Take your time. No rush.
I'm Jim Smley. 901 Pennsylvania Avenue,
Summers Point.
lived in this town for 80 years.
I know I look good for my age, but I'm
not I'm not going to be combative in any
form. What I do want to do is uh express
to not ban ebikes and scooters and
whatnot on on the bike path for city
property because it's unfair to the kids
to have the have the scooters and
whatnot.
My my proposal is to educate them and
the way to do that is
public officer
>> when the when the police not as uh
uh Anthony Dustachio was before
>> he had a great rapport with the kids
they would pay attention they would he
would be able to teach them plus
probably get public safety funding from
the state but we have a prime
opportunity to educate regulate and
create good citizens. The proliferation
of ebikes is not the fault of the
youngsters, so let's not punish them for
it. We don't send soldiers to battle
without proper training or police
officers per performing their duty
without training. So why do you assume
kids should know how to safely operate e
e vehicles when handed their devices? We
have two schools in town where they are
cath audiences. So each let's teach them
the rules of the road, safety and
judgment, courtesy to others and
kindness and helmets required for all uh
e e vehicles.
We used to have a public safety officer
at join road school in Thors Avenue,
Anthony Dustachio, who had a great
report with the kids. So let's get a a
couple of safety officers to school with
the proper on proper handling and
respect. You'll build a wonderful
relationship between cop and kid and
great memories for both of them. The
bike path uh road through Kennedy Park
and the recreational fields are the
safest places in the entire city. So if
sidewalks are off limit also that puts
them in the streets and traffic. I hope
that that would be totally unacceptable.
Our streets are not wide enough for a
bike lane. Shore Road, no road or main
arteries with heavy traffic and higher
speed limits. That makes the bike path
the only north south corridor to travel
safely. The bike path at Ocean Heights
Avenue has a split rail fence to create
awareness for traffic. So add more split
rail fences, especially to the blind
corners. The southeast corner of
Maryland Avenue uh and Connecticut
Avenue also has a blind entrance that
will reduce the speed to approach to the
intersection. Other hazardous uh
crossings could be similarly addressed.
Uh resend your use of field required
permit only on the recreation fields.
Kids need open spaces to burn up excess
energy. Uh, as a president of 30 80
years, I grew up on the on the ball
fields here. The, uh, you could still
keep a couple of the fields for
organized sports, would open up the
rest, put in some exercise equipment, a
handball wall, uh, bike path or whatever
else that and let them form their own
teams and just play one-on-one
basketball. I have great memories of
those fields and the kids from all over
town would drift in for an impromptu
game of fetch football, basketball, and
just play on the swings or just let them
go to their computers and cell phones
and get their electronic mind melt. Uh
next, let me address your fines and
community service. Uh $250 andor 7 days
community service. Uh $500 or 10 days
community service. 1515 days community
service. Serious, we're talking
recreation, not major crime. Uh
let me
I would favor hours of uh three four
hours of community service. Uh since
monetary farms are paid by mommy and
daddy and the job learns nothing but
where a couple hours washing windows at
city hall, mopping the floor at the
firehouse or planting some crepe myrtles
when our shadeless bike path would
deliver a clear message of don't mess up
and be a better resident community.
Lastly, many adults and seniors use
their ebikes uh and and vehicles to get
to work and give some civility. Go to
the store or exercise. So, don't impede
them. Do not ban e vehicles. Teach them
to be better citizens and address this
head on instead of blowing it off to
wash your hands of a problem, a solvable
problem. Thank you for your time and I
have a copy for each of you. Thank you,
council member.
>> Thank you.
>> That was perfect.
>> Thank you for your time.
>> Good evening.
>> My My name is Jim Oswald. I live at 500
Pennsylvania Avenue in Summers Point.
And you know what? I was back I was here
back February of 2023
which is 32 months ago and some of you
were here some of you may not have been
here but asking you to be proactive on
ebikes
and now you're being reactive. I'm
somewhat disappointed it took a July
tragedy to make you become reactive.
You should have been proactive 32 months
ago. And I was told back then that until
the state legislates ebikes, you can't
do anything. Well, as far as I know, and
Tony Smith, I'm I'm not criticizing
anyone. It's still held up in committee
in the state, but it is what it is. You
know, I am an ebike owner and on top of
that, I'm an e-car owner and I've
learned a lot of things since I bought
our ecard. And that's that myself with
my ebike. And as a kid bicycling or
whatever you do, you rely on sound. As
you're going to an intersection, if you
don't hear a car coming, you can blow
right through the intersection. We all
did it. We all do it. But with my car,
you can't hear my car. I cannot tell you
how many times I've had people walking
right in front of my car because the
engine doesn't work. It's electric.
Makes no sound. Maybe I hit a stone in
the road. But you I I tell you what,
right now you stand in front of my car.
Just the other day, my wife and I had a
guy in front of us walking 10 feet in
front of us. Never heard me behind it.
So that's that's a consideration that
you know there's there's many e e-cars
on the road with ebikes
but ne nonetheless um the main issue I
have
that I witnessed over the past several
years is that the overwhelming concern
is the issue of minors.
It is minor who don't understand the
rules of the road andor do not have the
brain maturity. In addition my concern
also includes insurance. a minor runs
into a parked car and I get dinged with
an insurance claim. When I bought my
ebikes, the first thing I did is call my
insurance company to find out who's
who's insured. If my car if my ebike
hits a car, am I insured? And I got
insurance on that. I don't know that a
15 or 12 year old kid on a scooter can
get insurance. That's a huge concern. I
had a deer run into my car in
Pennsylvania, 120 pound deer, did
$13,000 worth of damage. an ebike with
one person on 150 pounds at 20 miles an
hour. I don't know what the damage is,
but that's catastrophic.
I believe what should be also included
in this ordinance is, and this is big,
is one rider per bike unless it's
equipped to hold more. My daughter lived
in Switzerland many several years ago
and they ebikes were all over the place
and they had ebikes that had two riders
for a bike. I have never seen one here
in the United States. I know they're
they're manufactured. I've never seen an
ebike with two seats on it, but I see
many kids riding with two and three kids
on it, which is really scary. There's no
way a 12, you know, just the other this
summer, my wife and I saw three girls,
young girls probably 12 years old. Three
kids, three girls on a bike. Ebikes
weigh 50 lbs. My weight, mine weighs,
ours weigh 55 lbs. So imagine three
girls probably 55 50 lbs. and an ebike
weighing 50 that's 200 pounds. There's
no way in this world a 12 year old girl
can balance that kind of bike. So, you
know what I ask you to put in your
ordinance? It's if they're designed for
one, they must be written by law. And I
know it's enforcement. Also, I think
helmets, you know, I think, you know,
solicitor Smith, you know, I think in in
New Jersey, 17 years old and under must
wear helmets. Enforce that because they
don't write, they don't wear them. You
know, I think the key to all is
enforcement. Can you engage the local
schools to assist? in the school board
resource officer crossing cars and PTO
will help simple registration of bikes
parking their bikes
at school they should have a
registration and a helmet I cannot I can
tell you 95% of the miners riding past
my house do not wear a helmet blows my
mind that parents don't see kids leaving
or arriving back home without helmets
parents are not enforcing New Jersey
laws a 16 in addition a 16-year-old
driving a car and they run a stop sign
has the same fine as me, but driving an
ebike just needs to attend school. Why
is that? 16 year olds. I'm I'm a senior.
He can go, they can go, she can go to a
school and I get a $250 fine. Minors
aren't given an easy out and seniors get
fined. I know the rules and on top of
that, I know the rules of the road. I
don't think 16, 15, 14 year old kids
know the rules of the road.
>> That's true. Three minutes.
>> Okay.
>> Thank you. Parents must be held
accountable.
>> Thank you. Amen to that.
>> Amen.
>> Good evening everyone. My name is
Leticia Nunes and I'm a parent that live
in the Summers Point Apartments on Miss
Landing Road and we are here to
um talk about a concern that we already
have our from our kids going to school
every morning. And I got Soila over
here. She's the one that is very
concerned about it. We want to express
our deep concern for the safety of our
children where we live in the summers
point apartment complex on mandland road
who must walk to school every morning
due to a lack of transportation for some
children's some children's according to
the board of education there is not
enough funding to provide transportation
for all childrens as a single model I
feel that the rights of all childrens
are not being considerate while we
understand that the distance between
their home or homes and school Jordan
Road may be considered too short for bus
service. The reality is that the street
they must walk on are extremely
dangerous.
There is a heavy traffic on the morning,
limited sidewalks and the absent of
crossing guards in some areas creating
serious safety risks for childrens. As
parents, we are deeply concerned that
something tragic could happen while they
are trying to get to school. We order
the city and the board of education to
reconsider the transportation policy or
offer an alternative solution such as
superbide pedestrian routes, crossing
guards or expanded bus service to ensure
the safety of our children's. The lives
and well-being of our children must
always come before any distancing. Thank
you for your attention and commitment to
keeping the children of our community
safe.
>> Thank you. Thank you,
>> Mr. Schneider. There's some work, I
believe, that's going to we're trying to
get some money for for the sidewalk over
there. Is that correct?
>> Yes. Uh we did apply for a grant from
the state for that um for pedestrian
improvements for the uh the south side
of SS Park means landing road um that we
applied for 350,000 for that because um
because of the grades of that section
there you have to do a fairly large
retaining wall along majority of the
walkway. So it's not as easy as just you
know installing sidewalks as typically
is the case. Um so we have to do a
retaining wall but we are looking at
different funding opportunities. Um our
grant consultant Mr. Rattella also said
he believes we should hear back within
the next 30 days or so if we got that
grant or not. Um depending if we do or
not we could pursue other opportunities.
There's other grants available.
>> Um it is a county road so ultimately the
county is going to have to approve
anything we do also.
>> Okay. Thank you. What about to get to
try to get the transportation for all of
them?
>> So that would have to be through the
school board.
>> Um that would be something you talked to
the school board about.
>> I already talked with them. They saying
they keep saying the same. Oh the
distance is 1.7. It's like I say already
it's not the distance it's the safety of
our children.
>> Correct.
>> And I'm single mother. I don't have a
good card. I have some illness in my
feet. I can walk my daughter. I can
leave my daughter walk from some point
apartment to Jordan road even it's not
crossing guard anywhere and sometimes
when I had to pick it up she had to take
my daughter or I had to take this kids
because it's not any safety
>> okay
>> so I want that all of you guys put on
feet like a single parents
>> thank you
so much
>> thank you
>> not seeing anyone else that wants to
speak. May I get a motion to close
public portion?
>> Have a second.
>> Second.
>> Thank you. All in favor?
>> I.
>> Any opposed? Not hearing any opposed.
We're now closed for public session. Um
payments of the payment of the bills.
May I have a motion?
>> I have a second.
>> Second.
>> All in favor? I.
>> Any opposed? Not hearing any opposed. Do
we have any comments from the governing
body?
[Music]
I I I do. Council President, go
>> ahead, Mr.
>> Uh last night I attended both uh open
house fire department one and two. I
appreciate all our volunteers out there
here at Summers Point. Um basically, you
know, the call of duty. I mean, it's
never easy to, you know, we leave your
loved ones and go out middle of the
night, 3:00 in the morning, 4 in the
morning. first responders. I appreciate
everything they do as well as our local
Summers Point Police Department as well
as OEM.
>> Thank you. Anybody else have any
comments?
>> All right. Not hearing any comments on
that. We all good?
>> We're good.
>> All right. Um let's see. We're going to
be going into executive session. um be a
brief recess before we go into executive
session. And anybody that would like to
stay and uh hang out in the lobby,
that's okay with me.
>> We're not looking to take any action.
>> We're not looking to take any action
coming out. So, thank you for everybody
coming out. Thank you for your comments.
Uh there was a friend of mine that just
passed something along to me and I I
probably shouldn't share this, but I'm
going to do it anyway. He said,
"There'll be people that are going to
throw stones at you. You don't have to
throw them back. pick up the stones and
build something positive. Thank you.
Have a good night. All right.