April 23 2026 Ventnor City Commission Meeting

All right. Thanks, Jim. Good evening,
everyone. I call to order uh this
evening's commission meeting, April
23rd, 2026. U please rise for the flag.
>> Pledge allegiance to the flag, the
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands.
>> One nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all.
>> Thank you, Eric.
Um,
Lisa, roll call, please.
>> Commissioner Langraph,
>> here.
>> Commissioner Mento,
>> here.
>> Mayor Creable
>> here. Lisa, would you please read the
open public meetings?
>> Pursu Pursuant to the Open Public
Meetings Act, adequate notice of this
meeting has been provided. The agenda
for this meeting is posted in city hall
and on the city's website.
>> Thank you. Would you please leave the
live stream announcement? The city of
Ventner offers live streaming and the
option of public comment via remote
access as a convenience to the public.
In the event remote access is
unavailable for any reason beyond the
city's control, the city will not pause
or stop the live meeting. The city
reserves the right to discontinue remote
access at the discretion of the city for
any future meetings.
>> Thank you. Between uh item E and item F,
I'd like to introduce Tom Cheró to
present um the introduction of the 2026
budget on PowerPoint. Is that right,
John? Tom,
>> yes.
>> Could you help him with the slides,
please?
>> Okay, I'm going to go through this
pretty quickly. Uh some of this is
really background u information that
goes kind of goes handinhand with the
budget. Uh the first slide you see is
the annual debt statement. Uh this is
the first document that's required by
the state to be filed. This gets done at
the beginning of the year. And you'll
see it shows the debt for the school
debt for the water and sewer utility and
then the municipal debt. Those all
together uh equal $97.8 million. the
school and the sewer utility do not
count against uh the limitations on our
debt. So that's where you see those
listed as a deduction. And the net debt
then is 464
million.
On the next slide, that's a continuation
of the annual debt statement. And what
you'll see is the three uh years 20 23
24 and 25 the equalized value of our
real property at 3.2 2 million going up
to 3.8 million and then 4.4 million. The
average of those three years is 3.8. And
that's the number against which our
limitation is placed. And the 1.21% that
you see, that's the percentage of our
debt in comparison to the U equalized
values. The limit statutory limit is
3.5%. So you can see we're in in good
shape there. We could have a lot more
debt if it was necessary.
The the next slide, Jim, if you stay
with me,
Jim.
>> Slide, Jim. Thank you.
>> This is a a comparison of the debt that
we have uh compared to the
municipalities that are our neighbors
mostly to the south of us or all of
them, I guess, to the south of us. Short
towns that are similar to us. Uh I I've
heard comments about Ventner having, you
know, the most debt of anybody and this
this comparison shows you that that's
far from the truth. Uh in fact, only
Longport, Avalon, and Cape May have
less. Uh and Cape May is only slightly
less. All the other municipalities,
Brigintine, Margate, Stone Harbor,
Wildwood Crestr, North Wildwood, Seile
City, and Ocean City all have more debt
than we do.
The next slide
just shows you uh the surplus fund
balance uh going back to 2016
uh when at the end of 2016 there was
$3,55,000
in surplus the next slide next page
you'll see that at the end of 2025 that
number stood at 9 million so uh I think
we've done you have done a great job
over the course of the 10 years in
managing this using it appropriately as
a revenue source in the budget, but
while still maintaining a a healthy
balance that puts us in a strong
financial position. Next slide
is the actual summary of the 2026
budget. The you'll see the first column
is the current budget year and the
second column is the prior year and the
third column shows you the change. Uh
one of the things you'll see that's a a
big change is the state and federal
grants. This year you're looking at at
this point in time 1,77,000.
Last year at this time it was 121. That
really is meaningless as far as taxes go
because that's offset with it's a these
are grants that are offset with an
appropriation. Um down below you'll see
appropriations
and the total budget is $42,675,000.
The uh that includes the reserve for
uncollected taxes of $2.6 $6 million.
And I want to talk about that very
briefly. Uh people frequently confuse
the reserve for uncollected taxes with
the receipts from delinquent taxes. They
are two very different things. The
receipts from delinquent tax, which you
see up above, is anticipated to at
$900,000. That's what we expect to
collect from prior year's delinquent
taxes. The reserve for uncollected
taxes, which shows up on the
appropriation side, is a non-spending
appropriation that we're obligated to
put in our budget because we are the
collector for everybody. When people
write their checks, we collect for the
county, we collect for the school, we
collect for ourselves. The county and
the school get their money whether we
collect it or not. So, uh, to just
illustrate, if if each of us had $10
million budgets, the total levy would be
$30 million. We'd have to collect $30
million in order to fund those three
budgets. But we know when we send the
bills out, we're not going to collect
100%. We we're going to collect 96 97%.
that difference of what we know we're
not going to collect is the reserve for
uncollected taxes that we have to put in
our budget as a uh non-spending
appropriation. So, it just artificially
increases the levy in order to make sure
that everybody gets the money to fund
their budgets.
The next slide is the appropriation cap
calculation
and we'll just jump right to the bottom
line that we are $429,000
below the cap limitations. So again, no
problem there.
Next slide. Summary of general revenues.
You'll see surplus that we're
anticipating to use in this budget is
4.6 6 million compared to 4.5 million
last year. So we are using a little bit
more uh receipts from delinquent taxes I
already mentioned at 900,000.
Miscellaneous revenues 2.5 versus 2.3
and total general revenues 11.3 million
compared to last year's 10.4. So overall
an increase of 900,000. That's not all
going to be raised in taxes.
Current fund appropriations
again we're seeing 26 versus 25 total
operations within capped 27.9 million
5,000 contingent total operations within
caps is 27.9
the detail when you break that out 17.1
is salaries and wages and 10.8 is other
expenses.
The next slide is the deferred and
statutory charges. These are pension
costs and various insurance. So the
public employees retirement system,
that's $762,000.
That's actually a slight decrease from
last year. That's the pension
contribution for all of the non I'll say
civilian, all the civilian employees.
Social security is for also basically
the same group. Police and fire do not
pay into social security. Police and
fire retirement system is $3.2 million.
So almost five times what the peers
pension is. Unemployment is 160,
Medicare 250. We're contributing 70,000
this year to the lifeguard pension. That
is an increase over last year because we
have had uh I think two more
retirements.
And then the total of deferred charges
that fall within the caps is 32.8
million.
The next slide is a summary of general
appropriations. See the same 32.8
million carried over here.
We're putting $200,000 in capital
improvements. That's again that's down
payment money that we put in the capital
improvement fund to use for the 5% down
payment required on any bond ordinance
that you introduce. Municipal debt
service of 4.2 million is actually a
little bit uh reduced from last year's
4.4 million. There's another uh list of
deferred charges that when you look at
the full budget document on sheet 28,
you'll see those listed. Those are
payments on bond ordinances where uh the
uh we only can sell bonds in increments
of a thousand is it le
>> and these are
>> increments of bonds. the three the 317
on on sheet 28 those bonds.
>> Yes. There. Okay. That number is the
breakage on the ordinances. Like if you
do an ordinance and you're authorized to
borrow 957,41142.
We can't issue a bond for all that
little junk at the end. So all that is
accumulated on there and is one that the
$200,000 that we have on there needs to
be funded. We're not going to go out for
debt for just for $200,000. So we're
paying it off as you go. Right. Okay.
Uh, look down a little bit further on
that sheet, you'll see $1.3 million for
school debt. That's correct. The school
debt is paid in our budget as a type one
school district. And then again, you'll
see the same $216 million for the
reserve for uncollected taxes. And the
grand total of $42.6 million.
The next chart is the effect of the
local tax on our homeowners. This is
just the municipal portion. And if you
slide down about middle of the page,
$350,000
property assessment, that's about where
the average assessment is in 2025 and
26. So if you follow across the 350, the
total tax that that property will pay.
Again, keep in mind this is not the
market value of the house. This is the
tax assessed value. So is a little over
$10,000. The local portion of that is
40. I think it's 4600. I'm having
trouble reading the small print here.
But if you follow all the way out to the
right, you'll see that the the impact
the annual impact on that homeowner for
this budget is 213,000 $213
for the year. So that's about $18 a
month.
That's the portion that we control.
The next slide is the distribution of
those dollars that we collect. Again,
now this for every dollar that's written
to us, we keep 46 cents. The school gets
28 and the county gets 26.
And of the 46 that we collect or that we
keep, this is where it goes. local
taxes. Next slide, Jim.
This pie chart shows you where where
those local dollars go and 30% of it
goes to public safety. That's police,
fire, and beach patrol. Uh 21% goes
directly to public works. 14% is for
everything else. General government, all
the administrative offices, tax
collector, tax assessor, my office,
everything, everything that's not in
public safety or public works. Pension
and social security is 12%. Insurance,
this includes health insurance, general
liability, and workers comp is 11% of
the total budget. Debt service is 10.
And the reserve for collected taxes that
we talked about earlier is 6% of the
total
capital budget. We we have again a
six-year capital budget plan presented
proposes to continue the ongoing
improvements to the city's
infrastructure and provides the tools
necessary for the departments to carry
out their missions. These improvements
include the purchase of public works
equipment, improvements to streets,
purchase of police and fire equipment,
improvements to city buildings,
including city hall, the library and
cultural arts center, and the continued
reconstruction of the boardwalk. It is
important to note that the capital
budget is a planning tool and does not
appropriate any funds. Funds are
authorized by the adoption of bond
ordinances. So, the adoption of this
capital budget does not provide any
authorization to spend even one penny.
That happens in a by a different
mechanism by doing a bond ordinance.
And last, the water and sewer utility
budget has an increase of $440,000.
We are using $677,000
of a surplus balance of $815,000.
Because of the need to increase the use
of surplus, which will diminish the
amount of surplus available in the
future, and the expectation of continued
increases in operating costs, we're
recommending an increase in the flat fee
portion of the water and sewer rates in
the amount of $75 for 2026 with the
likelihood of another modest increase
needed in 2027.
Um, and and we could easily, I think,
justify doing more at this at the
present time. Um, since given the
timing, we really will only collect what
we're able to send out in time for
probably the third and fourth quarter.
>> Tom, is that that's 75 for the year?
>> For the year.
>> Or you have any other comments? I just
want to introduce Leon Costello if you
have any comments you want to take.
Leon's our um you've been doing this for
50 plus years to every municipality you
could drive to within day, right?
And um
if you have any comments on our over
overall headlines here on our our our
budget as we introduce it.
>> Well, Tom obviously summed it up pretty
well. And
>> thank you, Tom.
>> We we know that we're in a market right
now of rising costs and the costs are
exceeding what your revenues are.
There's no doubt about it. There's a lot
of tax increases, four, five, 6, 7, 8, 9
cents all over the place. You probably
saw some of them in the paper um the
past couple of weeks. There'll be
another one in tomorrow morning where I
go next. So that you'll see that one
come up. Um every town's facing the same
thing. You know, health insurance is
ridiculous. Um when you have police and
fire, you have two departments that are
very expensive. So it's it's tough on a
budget. Uh you take a town like Upper
Township that has no police, no fire,
it's totally different. You can't
compare what they're doing compared to
what you're doing. the the U ratables
are increasing at a decent amount.
That's something that's been in your
favor now the past five or six years and
I think that's going to continue. Uh it
seems like all the short towns are doing
very well. So I wouldn't expect that to
decline. Remember when you guys first
took office you were losing ratables
every year, not gaining ratables. So
it's a a dramatic change from that point
of view. It's not as much of an impact
as you think, but it is a help
nonetheless. If you look at your budget
document, you'll see on the the levy cap
sheet how much the new ratables actually
netted you in dollars. Uh it's not the
large amount that the public thinks
you're getting. Yeah.
>> Um that question I was at two meetings
yesterday and came up in both towns.
What do you do with all the money we get
from new ratables? Well, the one town
you got $44,000 worth of new ratables.
How far you think that's going to go?
>> Yeah. So the actual the actual number is
like $330,000 in new taxes that the
added construction and 25 brought in. So
it it's not $28 million that you know
it's 40 330,000 of $42 million budget.
>> So in the face of the
>> It helps but it's not the savior.
>> Right. Right. Mhm. Yeah. It's good that
it's gone up not gone down.
>> Right.
>> So all in all it's it's obviously a good
budget. um you're not alone in where
you're at and when you have large public
safety that they're they're costly and
in today's world they're needed. So you
it's the an evil that you have to have.
I've done this in many other towns and
you're no different that if
you provide services and pay for
everything that the private sector
doesn't want to do because it doesn't
make money, you're stuck with everything
that doesn't make money because if it
made money, somebody else would be doing
it, not you. So, we're at the mercy of a
losing proposition as far as we you're
going to dump the fire department
because it's cost too much money. No,
you can't. you know, are you going to
raise fees that every time somebody has
a run, you charge them $5,000 to do an
ambulance run? You can't do that either.
So, it's not profitable. That's why
government does it. And you're same
everywhere.
>> Well, ambulance billing is one reform
that we did make that started out 10
years ago making $15,000 a year and is
up north of 300, I think.
>> Yeah, you're in 300. Yeah. Yeah.
>> So, um
>> we're not billing more. We're just
>> we're just collecting what was what was
not collected in the past.
>> Yeah.
>> Right.
>> Once are being built.
>> You know, one of the other things and
credit our insurance uh consultant,
you know, for getting us out of the
state plan.
>> This would have been another 15% of
insurance costs on this. We were able to
knock that down from what the state was
proposing at 30 another 36% increase. We
only were 15 16 something like that. And
I think it's working so far. I mean, I
haven't heard any complaints from staff
that
>> a few little things, but that's to be
expected.
>> Glitches, but they they'll work through.
Um, you know, Terry Flynn and his group
were able to he was trying for the last
four years to get us out of that. Nobody
wanted us,
>> right?
>> He kept plugging. He kept plugging on
his like eighth or ninth pitch to a to a
group to we went out self-insured
partially
>> and was able to save us a significant
amount of money
for taxpayers and and to get basically
the same coverage for our staff.
>> Right. And state health nets already
announced they're not going to be any
better next year.
>> Right. Yeah.
>> I know. Yeah. That's why we had to get
out of that system. And
>> so the employees save money with the
change because they pay towards their
health benefits.
and and the more the health benefits,
the more they're paying. So,
>> so that was that was a help not showing
up.
>> So, tonight is just the introduction,
believe it or not, after all this time.
So, at least two people need to say yes
to move along and we'll have the public
hearing on May 28th,
>> which the public can comment on anything
that they want and we'll address their
questions at that time.
>> Great.
>> We want to do that now. Um, we are going
to
>> Yes, we should now adopt the resolution
introducing the budget.
>> Yeah.
>> Right. I believe
>> Lisa, you have that right. I
>> believe I have a comment sheet here.
>> Just Tom, again, thanks for that
presentation. You had given that to us a
couple days back and very helpful. Yep.
>> To get through pictures, everything.
It's great.
>> I think we should charts.
>> I think we should send it out to every
employee.
>> Yeah.
>> Send out the employee. Yeah.
>> I'm serious. So, I mean, some will look
at it, some won't, but it's educational
and where the money's going.
>> Okay,
we're going to put it on the website,
too.
>> Yeah, it'll be on the website for
anybody, but staff should get it. I
would agree with that.
>> Yeah,
>> I actually did a shorter version of this
that we posted in 2024. Nobody saw it.
>> You guys didn't even know it was there.
>> Leon, thank you. And Amy, thank you. You
know, I know you guys were crunching the
numbers and
we appreciate everything you've done.
>> Yeah. And not just this year, but uh
over the past 10 years, you've been our
in our in our camp here. And the fund
balance shows that, right? From 3
million to 9 million in 10 years. That's
something that creates stability. It
gives us gives us some security.
>> It helps to control tax increases.
>> Helps us. Now, if if I remember
correctly, when you guys first came in,
that was a really bad budget, your first
budget, because of the fund balance that
was
>> they used it all up.
>> Yep.
>> All of it.
>> Yeah. And and if if you'll indulge me
for just a moment, I I do want to also,
you know, compliment Amy and and point
out that, you know, she does most of the
work of putting this budget together.
all of the background documents, all the
spreadsheets for salaries and wages and
all the billing for insurance and all
the stuff that arrives at those numbers.
That's all her work that she does.
>> Great. Thank you.
>> Again, great job for us. We appreciate
it.
>> Yep. And um so without uh further
preamble, we have item F, which is
resolution 2026-108.
Um, municipal budget of city of vendor
city county of Atlantic for the fiscal
year of 2026. Be it resolved that the
following statements of revenues and
appropriations shall constitute the
munition municipal budget for the year
2026. Be it further resolved that said
budget will be published on the official
website on Friday, April 24th, 2026. The
governing body of the city of Vner does
hereby approve the following budget for
the year 2026. May I have a motion as
described?
>> Introduc motion to introduce resolution
2026-108.
>> Thank you. May I have a roll call,
please?
>> Need a second.
>> Give me a second.
>> Second.
>> Commissioner Langrath.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento.
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Creable.
>> Yes.
>> Notice is hereby given that the budget
and tax resolution was approved by the
commissioners of the city of Ventner
city county of Atlantic on April 23rd,
2026. The hearing on the budget and tax
resolution will be held at the Ventner
Municipal Building here on May 28th,
2026 at 5:30 p.m. at which time end
place objections to said budget and tax
resolution for the year 2026 may be
presented by taxpayers or other
interested persons.
That's it.
>> Thank you. Thanks, Ler.
>> Thank you, Leon.
>> Yeah.
>> Thank you again.
>> All right.
um PowerPoint
what I was talking about today.
>> Huh?
>> I have I have a digital copy. You want
this?
>> Yeah.
>> All right.
>> I'll tell you who.
>> I got one.
>> No, I'm not giving mine away, but I want
another one to give away.
>> All right. and see somebody for dinner
and I want to give that person a copy.
>> Oh, I see. Okay. Item G is a
presentation by our favorite grant
writer, Jim Mutella.
>> Good to see you again, Jim.
>> Good evening. Uh Jim Martell,
Associates. Um we were asked to put
together a little summary of the uh
grants that the city's received over the
last decade. And uh you you have a copy
of a a memorandum from me that
summarizes those and uh it shows that we
received the city has received about $92
million in funding over the last 10
years. Now um we work in several towns
and uh the dynamics are different in
every community but uh our job is really
to just prepare the applications. It
takes a team to make this all work
together. And uh you know, part of it is
your professional staff, your
administrator, your CFO, your engineer.
Um they're a pleasure to work with. They
they know that it's important to get
things done and to be be prompt. And uh
that's that's key uh because to the
people that are giving us grants or
providing grants to the city, they want
to know that there's not going to be any
issues. They want to know that the
community is professional and reliable
and is going to use the money properly
and that's something we have here in
Venner. So that's uh very important. Um
in addition, relationships are very
important. Uh you as elected officials
uh have good relationships with the
county, with the state, and with the
federal legislators. That's key. uh they
all provide letters of support and again
that provides credibility with our
applications when we submit them to to
various agencies. They see that other
government agencies are working together
with you that there's no friction,
there's no issues. That means a lot and
uh that certainly bodess well in
venter's favor. Um another thing is you
execute well. Some towns get grants and
don't use them.
professionals to
>> we we know how to spend it.
>> Well, you spend it.
>> We know how to spend it.
>> You know how to spend it. And it takes
your professionals to do that. You know,
going out to bid, executing, doing the
construction management, making the
projects work, making sure they're done
properly is all critical. And um that's
real critical when you're applying a
second time for funding, which we've
done many times in Benner. And then you
have a capital plan. So I have, you
know, basically your engineers have put
together a capital plan that provides a
roadmap for where we're going. So none
of this is really made up. It's not that
there's a whim that do one thing one
week and something else the next week.
All the projects we have uh pursued
funding for are in your capital plan.
There's something been vetted uh within
the community and there support. So all
those things come together and that's
why you've been been so successful. Um
that $92 million includes many major
projects which are outlined in the memo.
Um obviously the boardwalk project is
underway right now. Uh uh lead service
lines throughout the community. Uh sewer
improvements and water improvements,
road improvements, park improvements.
All those things are um have been done
in the last decade and have been done uh
uh repeatedly in many cases. We also
have about 11 a little over $1 million
in applications that are pending right
now.
>> Um, as you know, we just submitted an
application for this building uh for
$750,000 for uh historic restoration. We
have a $2 million application before our
congressman for uh congressionally
directed spending for the boardwalk. Um,
you know, certainly a lot of work's
being done now, but more is needed and
uh that's something that's been a a
priority for the city and certainly a
priority when you when a legislator
looks at it and they look at Vetner. I
mean, part of the largest boardwalk in
in the country, uh, that it brings
commerce to town to the community that
it's a tourist attraction for many
people. It's easy for them to jump on
board. So, that's uh, a project we're
working on. Uh we have a $ 1.5 million
grant that's still pending for ski beach
improvements. Uh we have a $6 million
grant that's pending for uh storm water
improvements for Vetner Heights for the
two pump stations. Now FEMA has um been
on pause for two years basically. Uh
when the new federal administration came
in, they dismantled a lot of FEMA. a lot
of the staff left uh FEMA and basically
funding was stopped. Um just last month
uh the the courts ruled 21 c 21 states
uh sued the federal government uh so
that the FEMA money would be released.
Uh the courts agreed on that and last
month the FEMA funding was released. So
now they're starting to restaff um and
uh they're accepting new applications.
So hopefully this $6 million project,
which is critical to the city, will now
it's already been uh identified as a
project that qualifies for for funding.
Now we want to push and get it over the
threshold.
>> So Jim, is this comment here select it
for further review a positive?
>> Yes, that is a positive. They can reject
it or or accept it for further review.
So yeah, so when you when you speak to
your legislators, remind them about
this. a $6 million project. It's all
teed up. Just needs to be pushed. Um,
in addition, we have a uh uh one of the
mayor's uh favorite projects. We have
$880,000 application in for tree
planting uh throughout the city. And uh
you know, city again, you didn't go
about this in a uh haphazard way, right?
>> You did a city-wide inventory. you you
did your your got your plan certified.
The inventory is complete. Use that
inventory to then apply for grant funds
for trees and uh we had a meeting last
week with D about this application. Uh
they had some comments. We provided
additional information. So that project
is alive and and and possibly could be
funded in the next month or two. So,
also the um the funding for Ski Beach,
that application is probably going to be
decided in the next two months also.
Good.
>> So, uh that's on the on the uh docket as
well. And then there's things in the
future that I just want to mention to
you. Um
the uh federal government is accepting
applications for a program they call
CMAC. A city has gotten this money
before for Veter Avenue. Um, we had
applied a couple years ago for Atlantic
Avenue for the synchronization of the
signals. Um, and that was not approved.
That was about a $600,000 project. Um,
possibly that might be something you
might want to reconsider.
Uh, block grant funding is available
through the improvement authority,
through the Atlanta County Improvement
Authority. Uh that money can be used for
ADA improvements, has been used
primarily in town for ADA improvements
on the various streets and certain
buildings. Uh can be also be used for
parks and that could be a couple
hundred,000. It's just potential. And
then earlier this week, um and I know uh
this was circulated
amongst the uh let's uh the elected
officials and the staff. uh DOT came out
with their grants. Um municipal aid, you
you that's a you always get about
$300,000 for uh road paving. So that's
one application. And then bikeways and
safe streets to transit. Um they all
that funding is is available and due
July 1st. So that gives you a quick
overview of where things stand. If you
have any questions, I'd be happy to
answer them. Jim, who do we reach out to
in regards to the ski beach
improvements? Is that state or ski
beach?
>> Ski beach. That is a nonprofit. Um, and
that it's being
it's interesting. The city's already
gotten funding from this source for the
uh bulkheads and uh it's the um ocean
wind coastal resiliency grant.
Basically, when Orstead started their
project, their commitment was to put X
millions of dollars aside for resiliency
projects, and this is that money. So,
despite the fact that they're not here,
that money is still being um
designated actually are the Atlantic
County uh representative in this group
is Brian Jackson.
>> Oh. Works for Stockton.
>> I know Brian, I can reach out to him for
resiliency. Yeah. So, it's docks
improvements. It's it's the
>> considering Yeah. Because it's eroding,
>> right?
>> So, the what's happened that ramp there,
there's if you boat and you try to put
your boat in there, that ramp drops off
and it damages people's boats. It's
eroding into the the bay as well as that
shoreline there erodess. So, we would do
shoreline protection there. Probably not
in a bulkhead form, more of a shoreline
protection, other methods. So,
>> Yep.
Well,
>> yeah, I know Brian well. Yeah,
>> there's no point.
>> No, we'll do it together. We'll double
team. Go after him.
>> I love him. He's a great guy.
>> The bikeways uh application. What What's
leaned on there for um for design? Is it
the the the the
study that was done in the past? Is that
what they
>> It be one of those projects. Yeah. Yeah.
There are several projects outlined in
there.
>> That's a very competitive grant. There's
only a million dollars available
statewide. Uh, you know, but certainly
communities like Vendor have received it
in the past.
>> Look into that. Yeah,
>> this is fabulous, Jim.
>> It's good stuff.
>> So appreciate having you here and what
you've done for us. And if we had to
borrow all this money, it's like double
>> Yeah.
>> the current debt we have on the books,
right?
>> Yeah. We have We just went through that.
>> 45 million.
>> Yeah. We have 45 million in debt. This
is 90 million that you didn't have to
borrow.
>> Yeah.
>> Right.
>> And Jim keeps all of this in his head.
>> Keep all it in his head.
>> I know.
>> For all the towns, too. I've had this
conversation with them. I'm like,
>> imagine when him and Leon are out having
lunch.
>> Yeah. Right.
>> Thumbs that are coming out of our head.
>> Jim, Wednesday at noon, SuffK Avenue,
we're gonna do a ribbon cutting for the
section of the boardwalk. Love to have
you there.
>> Great. Thank you.
>> As you help get this this money for us.
So,
>> um
>> hopefully the weather is better
>> than what's been forecast, so should be
good.
>> Great.
>> Wear a rain coat.
>> Yeah, this is epic, Jim. I mean, this is
really when you look at it, it's uh it's
that it's that slow and steady wins the
race kind of a
>> it's that kind of thing. I mean from
from stuff the smallest one I'm seeing
here is $36,000 for fire fighter grant
for PPE stuff
>> but it goes all the way up to the 7.1
for the for the boardwalk.
>> It's $92 million worth of value over 10
years.
>> Yeah.
>> That the fact bears that we could use we
could we used in other we use that that
funding in other ways or or more in
smarter ways.
>> Right.
>> Thank you.
>> No, definitely. Well, it's it's really,
as I said at the onset, I mean, it
really takes an organization. Uh there's
a lot of towns that uh could could do
this uh and don't and don't and don't
make capital improvements either. Uh so,
uh you know, it's it takes everyone. I'm
hopeful for the trees because as you
said the the green the green team
debates the types of trees add infant
items
and so it's it's that kind of passion is
the kind of background that you're
talking about that
>> and and that's important.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Great.
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> Can I before he leaves can I make a
comment?
>> So I' I've known Jim probably almost as
long as I've known Leon and he's he's a
man that does this with a smile on his
face. It's always there. It's It's like
it's sewed on.
>> Um, but he he's kind of like an un
unsung hero to all of us. His his
fingerprints are all over South Jersey
and projects, you know, from the Ocean
City Causeway to the stuff that he does
for us is just the the amount of things
that he's been involved in helping
communities put together is just
astonishing.
>> Just start putting his name on the
plaques.
>> Yeah. His name's not on it.
No,
>> he needed Jim Ral total.
>> So, not only as a as a private
businessman, but he's he's done his
share of public duty as well, and he's
always been the consmate professional.
>> The architects get their name on it, the
engineers. Why not the guy who got us
all the money for it?
>> There you go.
>> Right.
>> Yeah. Okay. Thank for the boardwalk.
Thanks. They come up with good.
>> Thanks, Jim.
>> All right, we're ready to move on. Y
Good stuff.
Uh we have no department head reports,
no capital discussion. The following is
scheduled
um for action in the portion of the
commission meeting. The meetings of
Maria, I believe you have to abstain
from the March 12th
minutes.
>> That is J K. um
uh is bond ordinance 2026-008
uh the phase one. Uh Tom, do you want to
put some um some detail on this for for
all of us?
>> Sorry, I zoned out a moment there. What
what are you asking?
>> Bond ordinance for phase one of
Winchester Avenue water main
replacement. Do you or Lance would you
like to put a put comment in on this?
This is bond ordinance uh appropriating
$1,500,000
for phase one of the um bonds for the
city of Bner.
>> I think
phase one of the Win
>> Yeah. So, this is Winchester Avenue from
uh eventually it's going to go all the
way down to the the public works, but
it's going to run from uh and even the
other side. I think phase one is is
Jackson, not Jackson, Fredericksburg to
public works and then it jumps over and
it does the other side in phase two.
>> Got it. Thank you. And uh includes uh
planning, design, construction,
engineering, preparation of plans,
permits, documents, construction,
inspection.
>> Correct.
>> Great. Thank you.
>> I believe Delasio is working on this
one.
Um
we have no public hearing and adoptions
this evening. We have a number of
resolutions
>> from uh A to W here. Um starting with uh
three new tax abatements. Um resolutions
uh 109
for uh 5201 Atlantic. Uh resolution 110
for uh 5201B Atlantic and 5201A
Atlantic. Uh resolution 111 is for 5610
Edgewater. Those are all tax abatements.
Um the next resolution is 112. Uh this
is um a uh reorganization or statement
of organization for our emergency
operation plan through Chief Cahill.
Can I ask a question on the tax
abatements?
>> Yeah.
>> I want to make sure I got it clear. For
residential properties, when they have a
tax abatement, they're still paying 70%.
>> Yeah. It's an incremental thing.
Correct.
>> 70% a year of the taxes. They're not
they're not paying
>> they get an abatement on the improvement
only.
>> Yeah.
>> Right.
>> But it's different than businesses. I
think residential they're paying 70%.
>> Yeah. Um we discussed this in the past.
It's uh it's just on the improvement,
not on the land.
>> Correct.
>> But
>> and it is different structure between
the And cat's looking up right now.
>> Um
>> Oh. Uh yeah. Yeah. If you don't mind,
there's it's right in the ordinance uh
for for tax abatement. I believe it's
five years. I don't believe it is it is
graduated.
>> I think it's 70% year.
>> It's not graduated. It's fiveyear
abatement. five-year abatement of the um
>> of the improvement
.
>> Um it's an often um discussed because it
feels as though there may be some, you
know, preferential treatment given to
folks that are building. It doesn't
really amount to um I I've in the past
I've looked at it uh less than $300,000
at any one given year.
And
>> yeah, so here it is. I I'm having a hard
time seeing tonight, but first calendar
year following completion, 70% of the
taxes otherwise due. Second calendar
year, 70% of the taxes. Third, 70% of
taxes. Fourth, 70% of the taxes. Fifth,
70% of the taxes. Thereafter, full
taxes,
>> but only on the improvement.
>> Only on the improvement.
>> So, it's a part of a part. So, as you
were saying, you hear this rhetoric
sometimes that
we're giving the store away and you
don't need this and these they're not
paying taxes, but they're paying 70%
will be taxes on the improvement.
>> Correct.
>> Five years and then it's 100%.
>> This was put into place prior to our
administration to help folks rebuild
after Sandy. That was the the key
towards this thing to bring new homes in
that were damaged. um to give folks a
little bit of an offset to help rebuild
the product that was damaged under a
massive supertorm. Um can't call it a
hurricane because it stopped being a
hurricane about a mile offshore, but it
damaged a lot of properties here and
that's why it was implemented and it's a
it's a good program. There may be a time
to sunset it, but I don't think we're
quite there yet.
>> No, in fact, they just extended it.
>> We just extended it. Yeah. like year or
something ago in 2025 you did an
extension for I think for another five
years.
>> Yeah, I think so.
So that's residential properties,
commercial org.
>> Commercials also have a if they are in
within the um
is it only within the redevelopment
zone,
>> right?
>> That's a different plan. That's I mean
it's different. So
>> yeah, but here it's like the first year
zero, second year 20 mentioned.
>> Yeah. Third third year
50%, third year 40%, fourth year 60%,
fifth year 80% thereafter the full in
commercial,
>> right?
>> Commercial gets gets
>> commercial's graduated, but it is still
just the improvements.
>> Yeah.
>> Not the not the land. So, so it it it's
there's a perception, but there's also I
think there's a it's a you know,
Philadelphia has a 10-year tax,
>> right?
>> These are things that when and I still
think personally I still think we have a
lot of areas that are from from Sandy
that haven't been improved. There are
certain areas and and it makes us
competitive in some ways. I think
there's a lot of projects that would not
have been executed without it.
Absolutely. As a
>> as part of the thing that makes us
competitive when you look at the cost of
build and the carrying cost. This is
something that gives us uh I know for a
fact there are different individuals
that would not have built.
>> Yeah. I I wanted to ask it and confirm
it because often
you read or hear things that seem to
imply it's zero,
>> right?
But I think the better question is what
does it do for those for the residents
overall without those projects? We may
not have that development that may not
even though our our ratables don't
really are not one to$1
without those when they become full
taxed at the at the full rate. The the
the the overall tax base has been
improved.
>> Agreed.
>> More than it could have.
>> Yeah. And and keep in mind this this is
not just for storm damaged properties.
We have a lot of housing stock that has
outlived its useful life frankly and
this gives people the incentive to make
the investment to make the improvements
so that you don't have dilapidated
properties uh that are becoming eyes. So
it's it it's working it's working for
us. You were smart I think to continue
it last year and to continue it.
>> Yeah. All right. Is that it?
>> Yeah.
>> Nothing on that. No, not not pushing.
Um, so we talked about 20 uh 26112,
2026113.
Uh, this is a refund for recreational
camp that uh someone could not attend.
2026114.
Um, this if you'd like to add something
to this, Maria, this is a resolution um
establishing a policy for approved
totally disabled tax tax exempt
veterans. So, it creates a standard if
I'm understanding correctly, is
something that you worked on. Yeah, it's
um it's clarifying the exemption to the
date that it is approved by the city,
which is usually the date that the
person makes the application provided.
Um it's an approvable application. The
the appropriate documents are provided
to um Bill Kthers.
>> So, it's done some standardization to
it.
>> Yes. Yeah. U before it was sort of
open-ended. When does it start? Can can
they go back five years? Right. But now
it it solidifies
>> starts
>> beginning date. Yeah. Good.
>> Good.
>> Okay. Um 2026 1115. This is uh
authorizing seasonal part-time
employment. This is for our special
events. Correct.
>> Yeah.
>> Yes.
>> Aaron McDev, right?
>> Yes.
>> Good.
>> She'll be great.
>> We were happy to get so many
applications. It's a good sign.
>> Yes. For volunteers.
>> Whole summer job. And she can take
pictures while she's doing
>> she does these.
>> And we got good applications.
Unfortunately, we can only hire one. So,
kept them all on file file for whatever
happens in the
>> Shouldn't say volunteer. They are
employees, part-time employees.
>> Y
uh 2026116. This is approving traffic
signal synchronization agreement with
the county of Atlantic and authorizing
the uh exe execution of the same. is
just finalizing some paperwork for the
synchronization that is already in
place.
>> The project that um Jim talked about
briefly, the traffic signals on Ventner
Avenue from Oxford to Jackson, um they
originally were on the county plan,
county monitoring plan that they used
for the rest of Ventner Avenue, Dorset,
Wellington, and all that. This will
allow us to come into a full-time
agreement on that. So, they will be
synchronized where it's a system that
doesn't change the lights running down
Ventner Avenue until a car comes up on a
side street. Um, it's done through
cameras and monitoring system that way.
And if you've driven all the way down
Ventner Avenue on mornings, it's great.
>> It's green as far as the eye can see.
>> I will attest it is wonderful.
>> I take it every morning is great.
>> I did it yesterday. Not one light. Nope.
>> That's what we want to do on Atlantic as
well. Great.
>> Great. Great. That we're definitely
getting a lot of positive
from a lot from from all over. Um
synchronization one uh 2026 1117. Um
this is approving rates and charge fees
uh for the for this calendar year for
recreation department. This has to do
with basketball. This is just a um this
is just an a an addition to the fee
schedule for basketball.
>> Um
>> it's it's the fees for all the summer
camps.
>> For all the summer camps. Well, we're
just amending one.
>> We're amending
>> because we never had a basketball fee
>> and this is the putting the fee in for
basketball.
>> So, the rest of them didn't change. I
just saw the one. Yeah. Right.
>> We did prior we did them already.
Everyone's correct. The last
>> 2026-118.
Uh, this is authorizing a seasonal
part-time employment for the Department
of Public Works. Lance, do you have a
comment?
>> Um, just guys that are coming back for
seasonal. Um, right. Almost all of them
are from last year or years prior.
>> Beach cleaning. Uh the guys you see
cleaning, you know, picking trash and
things like that on the beach and on our
streets. Um all guys that that are
coming back for a year from last year.
So it's good good to have him back.
>> And Mike Miltonberger, I understand, is
like 40 years.
>> Yeah, I was going to say something about
that. I'm like, you know, he's going to
get a special star or something for
coming back. But uh that's his zen. He
rakes the beach. That's his zen time on
out on the beach doing that. So early
mornings, he loves it.
>> Great. Um, so and here we have uh one of
these uh one of these volunteers in the
audience here, Jordan Glick. I want to
pull point him out specifically in a
minute, but this is um resolution uh
2026119.
Uh this is appointing members to the
Vendor City School Board. Um we are
reappointing Mike Adina 516 2026 to 5:15
2020 29. Uh I spoke to him he's uh uh
today and thanked him for his continued
service especially in the part in the uh
areas around uh facilities. Uh Carly
Impuriel
um is also uh now a formal u member from
2026 to 29. she was uh completing a
previously um
>> vacated
position,
>> right? So when we first, if you
remember, when you first filled that
vacancy, she was um filling an unexpired
term,
>> right?
>> So this will be her first um three-year
appointment. So she'll be from May 16th,
26 to May 15, 2029.
>> Right. And I want to thank Jordan Glick
here if you if you uh for staying with
us through all the the uh interviews and
the conversations and you've shown that
you really have a passion for this
position and um if you have uh we can
take a minute if you if you have
anything you want to say but uh we will
be voting on you uh in in uh in the
regular meeting down the road. Again I
appreciate you coming stepping up
>> processing.
Thank you, Jordan.
>> I think the first time a volunteer for
the board of education has actually come
to this resolution. So
>> that's right.
>> Thanks for showing up.
>> Yeah.
>> Oh, sorry.
>> Sorry, Maria. She was she was mentioning
to you. Oh,
>> sorry.
>> Sorry. I think
anyone has the money spent
>> right
so everyone just spending all this money
in terms of all the you know the grants
so I think that's out there I don't know
the chair right now
>> I I agree with you I think those are
those are things that kind Unless unless
you come to the meetings, unless you
follow
>> it, you know, other things to do
>> and enroll for the um newsletter.
>> Yeah, newsletter puts all this stuff out
there.
>> Yeah.
>> But not everybody gets that. But I want
to make a comment. When I met with
Jordan and I met with Carly
individually, not together,
>> but they each said to me, "You can't go
wrong with each other." You know, Jordan
said, "You can't go wrong with Carly if
she gets picked." Carly said, "You can't
go wrong with if he gets That's for our
buck."
>> Very graciously of them. They each said
the same thing. I don't know if you plan
on that, but it worked.
>> Thank you, Jordan.
>> Um, so on that
>> uh 2026, uh, next resolution is 202620.
This, um, this is something I'm very
happy to to to, uh, to read. This is
authorizing full-time employment to, uh,
Isabella, called we call her Bella Zeni.
Uh uh so tonight we'll be voting on a
resolution to formally appoint her as a
full-time police officer here in Veter
City. Uh she's a VetNer resident. Um
she's been serving the community over
the past three years as a class one
special law enforcement officer. You've
probably seen her working on the beach,
the boardwalk, and farmers market as
well as uh parking enforcement. Um in
addition to her year her day-to-day
responsibilities, uh Bella has provided
um me practical uh at my at my request,
she provided me with practical feedback
on our parking inform enforcement
policies and procedures. Sort of a boots
on the ground example of what works and
what doesn't work in different
neighborhoods. Um and I was happy to see
that uh to to just interact in that way.
Um and it's helpful to um she's always
helpful uh how we serve our residents
and visitors. All this while she earned
her bachelor's degree in criminal
criminal justice at Stockton. She's
already been sworn in to begin training
at the police academy and we look
forward to welcome her back for a
swearing in ceremony once uh that is
complete. Uh and again appreciate her
her hard work.
>> That's how I wrote it on my thing. Bella
with an exclamation point. But love
having her back. Well, not back but
moving forward in her career. Yeah.
Yeah. It's um it's a challenge and we're
we are lucky to have her. Um so moving
forward uh 20 26121
uh this is authorizing Delasio
Associates along with qualified purching
agents to prepare plans and specs uh to
bid the Portland Avenue drainage
improvement project. I don't have too
much.
>> Yeah, just about $24,000 for them to
design the plans and put them out to to
bid and manage that bid.
>> Okay.
>> So, Portland Avenue is an issue. Yeah.
>> Uh 2026 122. Um
this is authorizing person to request
proposal for food and beverage
concession for the fishing pier kiosk,
beach and cart service. This has already
been u advertised, I believe, so folks
should know about that.
uh 2026123.
This is um authorizing hiring of
seasonal part-time employees, salary
adjustments for the city of Venner uh
police department class one special law
enforcement. So we are having I'll just
take a quick note here. We're having two
return um and one with experience. We're
also uh the chief and I uh discuss this
and we are implementing it. Um, we're
gonna have a police officer rotate from
time to time and um and and join them on
the board on the boardwalk. Um, I think
it's a good a good thing to to just to
have different ways for the police to
interact and also act as as mentors to
these uh six individuals.
>> It will be starting um on May 11th.
>> Good.
>> So um two returning and one with
experience.
Um, this to me is a big quality of life
issue.
>> Tim, are we getting what we want or are
we having a hard time?
>> Uh, we I I asked them to authorize nine
um in all and six were what we could uh
or six are are the ones that for various
reasons some didn't make the the cut.
So, um um I would authorize some
overtime for them if during certain
things um just to to have I think I
think there's a a deficit of during high
traffic times on the boardwalk. Um but
also part of this with the with the
specials is they have a pretty set
schedule where they rotate through areas
that need parking enforcement and then
onto the boardwalk. So my I I think they
um they tend to to equalize their cost
to the city. if you have any are always
there for this.
>> Yeah, we did we did better this year in
terms of the numbers of people that
applied for for this position. What we
are having serious problems with is
recruiting police officers, full-time
police officers.
>> Uh they're they're just and that's a
problem apparently that almost all
municipalities are facing that young
people today
>> for a variety of cultural reasons and
whatever don't want to be police
officers. So we're we're really having a
difficult time with recruitment. So, put
the word out. We're we're actively
looking for police officers. Uh the
police department's actually trying to
recruit. We they posted a notice where
we were would be open to taking
intergovernmental transfers. Police
officers from other civil service
communities that would be willing to
transfer here. They got no takers. They
got three applications, none of whom met
the criteria. So, so that that's a
problem going forward that I'm not sure
what the answer is, but uh it it's a
difficult issue.
>> We round table this every
because of a combination of things of of
injuries of retirements of uh of of
frankly them finding work that either
suits them financially or logistically
where they live. We've lost a number of
police officers in the last year. So, I
think we take these new six recruits.
You know, the the minimum age is 18.
Um, but uh and there's training involved
as long as they're the right kind times
of individuals. I I didn't think of this
until we just talked about it, but like
Bella, there may be an officer in there
somewhere in this group of class ones,
but it's hard to it's hard to say.
>> Um, but it's no
>> it's very young. Y
um but we can get into those details
about how much we're down. We are down I
think five at this point.
Um
so I'm glad to have them on board just
in time for the summer. Um next is
2026124.
Uh this is New Jersey refunding field
rental fee to Cape Atlantic Skyhawk. So,
this is a refund uh in the uh for a
field rental fee. Uh resolution 2026125
is authorizing a change order for the
boardwalk uh preservation fund program
reconstruction from Cambridge to Jackson
Avenue. Those things happen along the
project. if you have any
>> all kinds of buried old peers,
bulkheads, water manes. Um there was one
section where we couldn't drive piling.
We had to do uh concrete ground, some
other concrete type of
>> designs on one of the ramps. They ran
into an old seaw wall.
>> Yeah. From when the pier was when this
they did the municipal buildings out on
the pier,
>> right? If
>> you look at those old photographs that
was all there, all in the way, right?
>> So, a lot of that is is exactly this.
So,
Yeah.
>> If you haven't had a chance to walk out
there, it it's fantastic.
>> So, we'll get that chance Wednesday. So,
>> okay. So, we're nearing the end of that.
>> That'sund almost $178,000 in changes,
which is kind of minor compared to what
they've done
>> in in percentage of what the scope is.
Yeah.
>> Yeah.
2026126.
Um, this is uh
>> checkers
>> beach tags. So, we have uh part-time
employment for 37 beach tag
representatives for the beach the age of
14 to 18, two supervisors. So, it's
quite a team. Um they are they are worth
uh worth their weight and gold on the
beach patrol. Um so I appreciate them
coming out um considered recreation
aids. Uh resolution
any other comments there? Nope. 127
2026127. This is certification of the
annual audit. Uh accepting the annual
audit 127 and 128 is tied to it. This is
approving submission for corrective
actions for which there are none. There
are no major findings in the audit. So
um
again a testament to Amy and your team
and uh and Tom
>> and work
>> and Maria. Thank you.
Um 2026129.
Uh this is a refund for a duplicate tax
overpayment.
Uh 2026130.
Um this is uh authorizing the hiring of
clerk one name of Lisa
Boella.
>> You got it.
>> To start on the 11th.
>> Yep. She's in a replacement of when Amy
moved up to office vacancy.
>> We're bringing in another Lisa to back
us up. So,
>> excellent
>> bunch of interviews. A lot of the folks
that had applied for the finance job, we
interviewed for this job and this Lisa
came out of that. So,
>> can never have enough Lisas and Amy's.
>> Right.
God, it's good to have doubles.
>> Oh, there's the other Amy.
>> Uh 2026 131 moving forward. Uh this is
uh general support for the bill by uh
Senate Bill 1608 that requires the D and
New Jersey infrastructure bank to
provide priority for principal
forgiveness on environmental
infrastructure project loans to
municipal areas to municipalities in
coastal areas. So this is money that has
already um uh we have already taken
loans out for environmental
infrastructure. Th this is a resolution
supporting legislation that would have
the I bank do this.
>> Yep. Excellent.
>> There's a smaller program in place. This
would emphasize that and expand it. And
we need this for the leadline service
and even some of the water tower mine we
hope to get back.
>> Great. All right. So, that completes, am
I correct? The the um intent agenda.
Yep.
>> The uh by consent.
>> Yep.
>> So, we only got to W.
Uh next we will have approvals of bills
into payroll. I have no discussion items
on my agenda. Anyone else?
>> No.
>> Uh we'll have public portion. So uh at
this point uh we welcome participation
by interested organizations and
individuals during the workshop. Um
however in order to for the commission
to conduct business on the most
productive matter uh please keep the
comments in workshop uh limited to three
minutes on uh per person on issues. If
you wish to address the commission,
please step up to the microphone at the
appropriate time. State your name and
address.
Tom, do you have any comments? No.
>> Mike P.
>> Uh, this is regarding anything in the
public portion uh items discussed so
far. So, if you have something in
general, we'll
>> item so far. All right. Thank you.
We recognize Mike Wezen.
Mike Wein, 326 North Dorset. Um, I was
listening to the police
uh part and finding recruits
a 100 years ago when I was in college.
Dade County could not hire a police
couldn't get police anywhere. So, they
offered an incentive for police officers
to come, which I thought was everybody
would run down there. They filled their
incentive because it was during that
cocaine crazy time.
>> Miami Vice
and they filled their police
department that way. If you remember a
few years, well quite a few years ago,
Atlantic City offered
an incentive for a police officer to
live in
>> hot. Yeah. Where they wouldn't I know
it's it's tough for young people to even
buy anything here anymore. So, it's just
a couple ideas I have. Thank you, Mike.
We that that occurred to me in our last
meet. I have a we have a standing
meeting, the chief and I, and and he's
looking for any kind of uh anything.
>> He's gone to um to all the criminal
justice uh programs in the area and
spoken to the directors of them to try
to, you know, reach out directly to the
people that are getting these criminal
justice uh um degrees. uh he's done, you
know, we do some workshop where he in
the past we've done uh workshops at
Stockton and and local pools because
you're right, it's it's it's the it's a
logistics for you know, some of the
people we're looking at are from uh
North Jersey and uh
>> to move down here it's
>> down here it's expensive.
>> One other comment, uh this young man is
awesome. His mother was on the board.
You know, it's legacy. It's He's
extremely intelligent and I I hope he
didn't hear me, but uh he's a good guy
and it's a good choice.
>> We're happy you moved back into town.
>> Yeah.
It's it's definitely a challenge.
Thanks, Mike.
>> Um with that, um we have a motion to
close the workshop.
>> Any other I'm sorry, anyone on the Zoom
platform that wishes to make a comment
on topics we've discussed so far at the
meeting? Anybody on Zoom wish to comment
on any of these items, please raise your
hand in the Zoom platform or within the
chat feature and you'll be recognized.
No
motion.
>> All right.
See you guys.
>> Motion to close uh the workshop portion
of the meeting.
>> So moved. Second.
>> Second.
>> Have a roll call. Lisa.
>> Mr. Langra.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento.
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Creable.
>> Yes. May I have a motion to approve
minutes?
>> So moved.
>> I'll second. I have a roll call.
>> Commissioner Langrath.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento.
>> Yes. Except April, what is it? 12th.
March 12th. March 12th. I'm sorry.
>> Mayor Creable.
>> Yes.
Uh I have ordin have a motion to
introduce ordinance 2026008
bond ordinance providing for phase one
of Winchester Avenue water main
replacement.
>> We'll make that motion.
>> Second.
>> A roll call. Lisa.
>> Commissioner Lang Graham.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento.
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Cbalt.
>> Yes.
>> We have no ordinance of public hearings.
We have no ordinance adoptions. We have
uh may have a motion to adopt
resolutions 2026-109
through 2026-131
by consent with no changes for the first
time.
>> Wow. I'll make that motion.
>> Second.
>> Roll call, please.
>> Commissioner Langra,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mento,
>> yes.
>> Mayor Kel,
>> yes. Wow. bills.
>> I appreciate that.
>> Um
Amy, may I uh may you uh read bills and
payroll, please?
>> Payrolls for this period 1,264,243.37.
Uh the payables for this period
9,619,82.34.
>> Thank you. Can I have a motion to
approve bills and payroll?
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> Roll call. Lisa. Commissioner Langraph.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento,
>> yes.
>> Mayor Creable,
>> yes. And no, no announcements or safety
reports. Any any commissioner reports?
>> You start with me?
>> Sure.
>> We have some events coming up. Um,
Saturday is the shred event and the
textile recycling at Ski Beach. That's
from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
>> May. Is there somebody called me T. I
didn't know that answer. Is there a Is
it rain or shine?
>> Yes, rain or Okay, great. Thank you.
>> Okay. Um, I'll give you the May events
and then we'll probably repeat these
next meeting, but um, people can get
this on their calendar if they wish. May
9th is the annual block party from 10:00
a.m. to 4 p.m. This is on Vetner Avenue
between Troy and Portland Avenues.
That's a great event. Um, it gets better
and better every year. And then Memorial
Day weekend, there are several things on
May 22nd through the 25th. The farmers
market, which is hosted by volunteers,
starts May 22nd. It's such a great great
market. I love it. It's the best market
around. May 10 years.
>> Yeah. 10 years, right? May 23rd is the
kickoff concert at Ski Beach.
May 24th is Kenny Whailing Race on the
Boardwalk. And May 25th is the Memorial
Day ceremony here at City Hall at 9:00
am. Would love to have as many people as
possible come out and and uh recognize
the day.
Um we still have sponsorships and
partnerships available for our events
and concerts. If you want to get your
business name out there or your name out
there, please reach out to our Donna
Peterson, our special events
coordinator. um
>> um to talk to her about sponsoring and
get some coverage for your business in
print and um vocally
>> locally. So that's all I have in regards
to that. The grace period for the water
bills has passed.
>> The taxes that are due May 1 has a grace
period of May 11th because the 10th
falls on a Sunday. So there's an extra
day there for everyone.
And I think that is
we did a lot tonight with finance.
That's all on Amy's report, but I don't
need to repeat it again. And um that's
good.
>> Great.
>> That's it.
>> Farmers market is probably I I hate it's
like you can't pick a favorite, but the
farmers market is probably one of the
nicest events that we have in a lot of
ways. Brings everybody from up and down
the t the island there, and it feels
like you're in in uh Market Central in
Europe someplace. It's like a that kind
of a vibe. Really pretty.
>> Agreed. Agreed.
>> Sure.
>> Yeah. Thank you. So, I briefly mentioned
the boardwalk. We'll be reopening the
boardwalk on Wednesday, April 29th at
noon at SuffK Avenue with a ribbon
cutting. Um, so like I said, I've been
up there a few times now. Been yelled at
for not having a yellow jacket on by the
construction management, but uh it's um
it's amazing. It really come came out
really well. Um, the detail that these
guys make, they actually, you'll see it
when you get up there. The center rail,
they actually chamfered the boards
coming into that. So, it's a nice
smooth, it's really well done.
>> Really, really well done. Very impressed
with the work they did. Went up there
and saw the lights the other night.
They're lower.
>> They prov but they provide better
lighting and meets actually the safety
criteria for standardized pedestrian
lighting on a on a walkway. So, we got a
half a foot candle throughout the whole
thing where we didn't have that before.
Yeah. Dark spots. It's more lights.
They're closer together. Um, but it is
brighter and a little lower intense
because the lights aren't as high up in
the air. So, you won't have that as much
of the the lighted sky. Um, tennis court
update. As you can see, we went by
there, the asphalt is down. It has to
sit for 30 days before they can put the
top coat on it so the oils the asphalt
don't don't bleed through. Um,
significant drainage improvements are
done there. Um, most likely the pavilion
improvements, the new concrete area and
that brick area and the pavilion is
going to go there and the sale kind of
thing we did over by the the building.
It's going to be done in the fall.
>> We don't want to do that during the
summer. I mean, we want to open the
courts as soon as possible. We don't
want to have the contractors there when
people are playing and enjoying the
space. So, we're going to probably wait
till October to come back in and do the
pavilion in those areas and the
landscaping and all that. So, so we
would have like they got delayed by the
weather like everything else did. What's
that?
>> To say what?
>> I'm not a signed person. I don't need
that to tell them it's soon coming. I
don't need that. That's They'll complain
no matter what we do. So, um, Newport
Avenue, um, land Newport Avenue stage.
Uh, we ordered the landscaping there. I
walked the site with Rick today. spoke
to Matt Dorne, uh, our our engineer,
about doing some different things with
that bulkhead that runs along, um,
parallel to the boardwalk, but on the
park, the playground side. We're going
to work something with that temporarily.
Overall plan probably next year is to to
put a new bulkhead there. Not a full
bulkhead, more of a retaining wall. Um,
and cut that old ratty bulkhead out.
It's not functioning anymore.
>> Street side. Um, street side probably as
well as the where the playground is.
That L-shaped thing there. Street side
isn't as bad as the one on the um,
street side a little more complicated
because the streets there and that's a
major project. If I just have to cut
down the old bulkhead below grade and
put in a new 10-ft deep piling, we're
>> I think this the street side may be able
to just be capped and and resurfaced.
>> That's what we're going to do. We talked
to Rick today. Our guys can can do that.
But the wooden bulkhead along the
playground's got to go.
>> It's got to go. But that's not going to
happen this year. It's too big of a
project. Um we will have the the um blue
mat running along that bulkhead for
walking and then a seating area for ADA
access. So So those things are in in
process. Uh the water tower is close to
being done. I want to look up Ernie gave
me a full report here on that. Not going
to read the whole thing.
uh the completed work the full interior
and exterior surface preparation and
painting of the of the tank bowl dome
and supporting structure all interior
access platform stairways and piping
supports are fully painted and ready for
final equipment remaining work um
transducer installation that helps us uh
mount the ultrasonic and pressure type
water level transducer inside the tank
um drain line replacement when we
inspected it the drain line that comes
out and dumps the excess water into the
bay fa failed. So, we have to replace
that. Uh rooftop structural completion.
A few couple weeks a couple months ago,
we had some additional costs for that
because some of the structural members
needed to be replaced. So, that that has
to be done in a water mixture
installation once once everything else
is finished. So, project's currently on
schedule. They anticipate completion
date by May 31st. Anticipate a return to
service right after that. We'll do a
final inspection, test everything out,
and put that water tower back on service
for the summer. We need it. That
provides a lot of water to the to the
city,
>> especially with the increase in
>> Yeah. Um, yep. Uh, peer house restrooms
up open and operational for the most
part. Some fine tuning up there, but
that should be good to go. Then our
public works guys are getting into their
spring cleanup. You'll see more of the
guys around, especially with our
seasonal guys starting this week. uh
cleanups, doing the beach entrances,
things like that. So, you'll start to
see them moving quite a bit.
>> I had a group um ask where they could
volunteer and one of the things came up
was street end cleanup. Is that
something that you would
>> We coordinate that with Rick? Yeah. Love
to have some people help with that.
Yeah. It's It's not pleasant work.
>> No. No. There. But that occurred to me
that that's a place that is accumulated.
>> Yeah, we could do that. It's hard.
That's where everything drains off of.
As people walking on and off the beach,
as many trash cans as we have, they just
don't seem to make it into the trash
cans. They make it into those areas on
either side of the ramp.
>> I was amazed at Stone Harbor many trash
cans they have on the street. They're
counted like within each block, they had
six.
>> Yeah.
>> On the on the main dragon, Stone Armor.
>> So, anyway,
>> that's it. Thanks.
>> Yeah. Um,
uh, one thing I have, uh, two things.
Uh, the fire department has seen an
increase more than 200 calls more this
year at this point in the year versus
last year. Has a lot to do with the
frozen the weather we had.
>> Um,
>> um, also want to say that we are in the
beach tag session. If you noticed
already, there are people already coming
in for beach tags.
>> Oh, yes.
>> You can get a one-on-one with Lisa for
that. Yes, you can.
>> Um, there so before the lines because
there are lines every spring in the on
the weekend.
>> Memorial Memorial Day weekend.
>> June 1st will be here. June 1st is the
>> $20 will be no senior tags on June 1st.
>> Okay.
>> So, right now, senior tags are 350.
Regular tags are $10. June 1st, it's
just one ticket, $20.
>> So, get them now. Senior tickets are 350
now until June 1st.
>> May 31st.
>> Well, May 31st.
>> June 1st. $20.
>> Got it. And uh and uh Park Mobile goes
online on
>> May 1st.
>> Yep.
>> So all that is uh No, spring showers
bring May flowers. Um here we go.
May flowers bring pilgrims.
Sorry. Sorry. Uh the last thing I have
is
>> I just got that. Um,
>> that was a bad joke,
>> but funny.
>> It's my Yeah,
>> I love it. My daughter. Sorry. Uh, I
have one last thing. Charlotte Joseph is
our most recent ventner centarian.
>> So, we have a a proclamation to read
hereby, whereas Charlotte Joseph was
born and raised in Atlantic City. And
whereas Venner became Charlotte's home
in 1959. And whereas Charlotte was
instrumental in starting the New Year's
Day polar bear plunge along with
National Night Out here in Ventner.
Whereas Charlotte served on the Ventner
Community Association holding the title
membership chair and whereas Charlotte
was married to the late Daniel Josephs
and is the mother to the late Mark
Josephs, Jeff and Donna Josephs, both of
Ventner. Now therefore, it be resolved
that the mayor and Venner City Board of
Commissioners offers its admiration,
congratulations, and very best wishes to
Charlotte Josephs on her 100th birthday.
>> Would love to meet her.
>> Wow. When was her birthday?
>> Her birthday is May 21st, 2026. I will
deliver this to her.
>> Awesome.
>> Yeah.
Um
that is all I have
um with commissioner comments and
reports. If anyone has any uh public
comments, uh this is a point where we
welcome participation by any
organizations or individuals during the
regular workshop. Um if you wish to
comment on anything ventner related, we
ask that you keep your uh that you come
up to the microphone. There's no one
here. Anybody on the Zoom platform have
any comments about uh Vner in general? U
please raise your hand and
um Jim will announce
your participation.
Anybody on Zoom wish to make any
questions or comments?
Fans? Nope.
Okay,
hearing none. May I have a motion to
close public comment?
>> So moved.
>> Have a second.
>> I'll second.
>> Second.
>> Roll call.
>> Commissioner Langri,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mento,
>> yes.
>> Mayor Kel,
>> yes. Uh, we have no executive session
this evening. So, may I have a motion to
adjurnn?
>> So, moved.
>> Second.
>> Roll call. Lisa.
>> Commissioner Langri.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento. Yes, Mayor
>> Creable.
>> Yes. Meeting adjourned.