January 8 2026 Ventnor City Commission Meeting & Workshop

Jim, are we all set in Zoom?
>> Yep, you're all good to go.
>> Thank you. I'd like to call to order the
Venice City Commission meeting of
January 8th, 2026. Uh, can I allow you
to rise to the flag salute, please,
and to the republic for which it stands,
>> one nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all.
>> Got it.
Thank you. Uh, roll call. Lisa.
>> Commissioner Langrath
>> here.
>> Commissioner Mento
>> here.
>> Mayor Creable
>> here.
>> Um, can you please read the open public
meeting announcement?
>> 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. Could you please read the
live streaming 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, Lisa. I just want to a
comment before they all uh leave. We
have a number of local dignitaries here
for our reorganization meeting. So this
evening we have uh uh Senator Vince
Paulino was here earlier. Uh our
assemblyman Don Guardian was here and
thank you for always coming to all our
events. Uh um we have uh um Commissioner
Mike Ruff is here. Um and we have uh
Commissioner and Chair John Rizley is
here as well.
>> John,
>> um we have
>> we have Sheriff Joe Donahghue is here.
Thank you. And we have Under Sheriff
Mario Suarez, who is also a high school
uh graduate of mine. We both class of 85
uh Atlantic City High School
representing here. And um uh I just want
to thank you all for coming and visiting
us on our reorganization meeting. And I
see members of the public. We have a
fairly short um uh agenda. A lot of uh a
lot of the same types of things. We're
uh just appointing new uh members and
then we have uh some time for public
comment.
um afterwards where there's some
discussion. We'd like to h have hear
some of your comments about parking
specifically around the Troy Avenue site
if I'm assuming that's what you're all
here for. I'm hoping that's what you're
here for. And uh we also have another
new person at the seat. Uh Cat at front
is is part of our reorganization is
reorgan is reappointing our existing
um uh attorney for representation and
you'll be sitting in now as our uh our
data our day-to-day as Miss Cercio is
apparently on the mast head now.
Congratulations to her. Right. And
she'll still be with us for uh legal
representation and labor. Right. Great.
Welcome.
Um so moving forward with the agenda uh
we have no presentations. Thanks guys.
>> Thank you all for coming out. Happy new
year.
>> Um we have uh moving forward here. We
have no presentations this evening. Uh
we have no department head reports. We'd
like to see that start up soon. Um
uh capital discussion. Um,
and the following items are scheduled
for action at one at the 18 portion of
the commission meeting. Um, we have a
capital discussion, Amy.
>> Not at this point.
Right. Uh, we have no
minutes since it was a short kind of a
holiday. Uh, and then we have one
ordinance introduction 2026-01.
Uh, this is the u establishment of a cap
bank three and a half%. Do you want to
make any comment on that, Commissioner?
>> No. Do you have anything you want?
>> No.
So, this is something we do over
here. It's again, that's what a lot of
these items are going to be. So, I'm
going to read through them. Uh they're
really uh I think we've all they're
really uh re reading. There are some
very minor uh conditions on our next
agenda item, which is resolutions by
consent. So this is uh resolutions uh 01
through uh 043 for this year. The first
is as I mentioned before um is Blay
Weinberg Curio
is the uh resolution 01 that is uh
reappointing them for as city solister.
Uh 002
is also Blaney Weinberg Curio as Labor
Relations Council not to exceed $40,000.
Uh 003
is resolution of our continuing uh
auditor at Ford Scott and Associates uh
and uh not to exceed $64,000.
Um I want to really thank them for the
work they do. They really put things
into a clear, concise uh presentation
for us.
>> Especially for me.
>> Yeah.
>> When I get the dummy sheet,
>> right?
>> Here's what this means.
>> There's a lot of moving parts and they
do a great job. I
>> I personally feel there's nobody better
>> and Leon's been around a long time. I've
had him in my prior life as auditor. And
>> how he keeps every municipality stuff
straight. Yep.
>> Is amazing.
Gives us the best advice.
>> Very amazing.
>> Gives us the information we need. fact
that he's tied into this state very
closely. So, um, and when he advises us,
we listen to him despite some of the
other advice we get.
>> Yeah. Some members of the public might
not realize how important that is, but
there there are course correction things
that we all have to do and he looks he
makes the spreadsheets when was with Tom
makes them look forward or five years
into the future so that we can make
those course corrections. Right.
>> You hire the best, you listen to them.
>> That's right. Um, so after that
commercial for Ford Scott, we returned
to our programming uh 004 is uh Archer
Grinder as our bond council uh not to
exceed $25,000. Also, uh we do have a
really good team. That was my takeaway
from from this is that the team that
we've created of professionals has been
really supportive and and um top-notch.
Uh 005 is uh appointing Joel Feistman as
our bond council not to exceed $15,000.
Our bonds are are our ratings continue
to go up as the city becomes more
financially healthy and he's uh the
person behind the that that effort um
with obviously the rest of the team. Amy
as well. Um Jim Retella uh is on 006.
Another real rock star here. Not to
exceed $60,000. As a teaser for my
comments, we recently received just one
of the of the of the um the grants that
he's responsible for helping uh craft.
We're receiving $960,000
for streetscape improvements on the
Dorset Avenue corridor. Um this is uh
Jim Retella has been uh doing this for
in such a uh he again can uh helps helps
the city in ways that you've seen um
with our boardwalk with with our uh when
and now and our our biggest gateway uh
at the Dorset Avenue Bridge.
>> Yeah, we should have him do a summary
again back to when you guys first came
in office in 2016 because he's gotten
the city millions
>> compet and these are these are
competitive grants. there were more than
60 60 cities going out for this and we
were one of the higher higher awards.
>> Um, and that's money that's directly uh
a benefit to taxpayers because we're not
using that those we're not encumbering
those dollars over time to make these to
make these efforts.
>> Um 007 is uh appointment of Hank Roard
for general tax council not to exceed
$50,000. Again, these are
reappointments. Um 008 is appointing
George Brown as appraiser for the uh
state tax court. So this is uh uh uh
doing appraisals for when we do get um
uh folks that are uh uh
are challenging their taxes. Um 009
is a resolution appointing uh Cynthia
Cotton as part of our HR team and our
civil service not to exceed $12,000.
She's been an integral part of that with
uh with uh Lisa to help our civil
service become compliant to continue to
be compliant. Uh 010
is our health insurance broker. Um uh
Jersey Professional Benefits Consultant
uh not to exceed $12,000. Uh 00011
is uh financial group LLC continuing
disclosure agent uh not to exceed
$1,500.
Uh resolution uh 012
is municipal finance advisor of record
not to exceed $10,000. This is uh NW
Financial Group has continued uh to be
our financial adviser.
>> And just to comment, this is a a uh
professional we need when we go out to
borrow funds. You have to have people
that know what's going on in the market
and can advise you properly. And the
disclosure agent is a requirement also
when you're when you have uh outstanding
debt.
>> Right.
Right. A lot of the lot of lot of moving
parts there and we're continue to be
happy with their work on these. And then
our insurance um uh this is appointing
insurance agencies uh Eugene Syracusea
as part of our GIF
our management consultant for the GIF.
Um you know the the work the GIF has
done has saved us as a municipality
countless dollars. I I know Maria you
can attest to that that they the um as
that part of the GIF that we qualify
for. It's not every city that can can
can qualify for that.
Um
014 is uh um reappointing uh Atlanticare
as our medical surveillance for
firefighters, police and public works
and any new hires. So this is for drug
testing. Uh 015
is employee assistance uh EAP with uh
behavioral uh appointing Atlanticare as
our as for behavioral health services
for 2026. This is part for our
employees. Uh 016 is appointing Lexipole
not to exceed $20,5122
for police training.
Uh 017
is uh ex is an agreement with emergency
training and consulting. This has to do
with our uh ambulance medical director
requirement. Um 018
is um the resolution of pointing our um
municipal alliance um committee. So this
is the Lisa this is the the municipal
alliance. So that is the um sorry what
was
>> the drug and sub drug and substance
abuse program.
>> It's grant funded also
>> grant funded also which we we we will
get to as well. Thank you. uh 019.
Um this is for um for compliance during
bidding. This is uh appointing Lisa Hand
as our public agency compliance officer.
Shout out to Lisa.
>> Sorry.
>> 020 is a resolution uh 2026 as a contact
person for practice of uh liability and
helpline for the municipal joint
insurance fund. This is Lisa and Tom
021.
Uh this is appointing uh class 3 members
to the planning board. Uh this is for uh
Lance
>> Langraph.
>> So uh you're uh part of our um shift in
as a result of Roman leaving. There's
some movement in that.
>> Not with this
>> not with this one coming up that this is
your reappointment.
>> This is just me reappointing. This has
to be a member of the governing body.
Yeah.
>> Has to be a member of governing body.
>> Who of the three of you serve on the
planning board? mayor or the mayor's
designate and then one of the other two
needs to be appointed by yourselves. So
this is the class three member.
>> Yeah, they specifically make them
different classes to confuse people,
right? Is that the
>> That's probably the reason 38 years and
I don't know everybody's classes on the
board. That's
>> You don't. Yes, you do.
>> I do. Well, some of them
>> need a scorecard. There's someone
there's Lisa knows
>> four is the general public.
>> The general public.
>> Gotcha.
023. Warren, we're going to help you.
One is the mayor.
>> I know.
>> Two is another city official who's
>> okay.
>> So that's
>> three is you.
>> Yep.
>> Four is a member of the public. Members
of the public there.
>> It sounded much more complicated when
Lisa described.
>> All right.
>> Keep the simple tunnel that that's Lance
does know he c he was being said I was
being facicious. You can't.
>> All right. Fair. I I feel I feel brief
now. Thank you.
Um resolution 023. This is uh create
part of the Ventner Arts Alliance, the
Ventner Creative Team. This is part of
Sue Van Dy and her effort to
>> We skipped 22.
>> Oh, did I miss 22? I'm sorry. Uh 022. Uh
this is um resolution appointing a fund
commissioner James Pinowski.
James on the in the air there. And Joe
Nazelli. This is uh for the GIF. Thank
you, Jim.
Um zero back back to track to 023. This
is uh appointing members of the creative
team of the veterary arts alliance. Um
this is Sue van dyn and her efforts to
not only um uh bring culture but also to
look for grants for those effects to to
city of Vner. Uh 024
is uh restating reappointing everyone on
the uh the green team advisory committee
for 2026. I do sit in on almost all of
those meetings and I want to thank them
for the work they do. Um they really are
a a dedicated group of citizens that
reach out to all other uh some of them
work on different boards and they were
especially with the tree initiative we
had on the ventner avenue that they
really um really do uh care deeply about
the environment and um bring us uh
almost candid ordinances for us to adopt
uh since from the bag ordinance um and
on. So I want to take a minute to thank
uh to thank them and the green team. Uh
025 is a resolution uh this is the
resolution uh for the planning board as
a result of one of our U members who was
a class three
>> four sorry see class four. Uh he
resigned. Uh and Tim Coup is taking is
filling his the balance of his um his
term. And we have two other uh uh
members moving up the ladder. And um uh
and I guess that's enough to say about
>> and a new member
>> and and one new member, John Van Dy, uh
is added to this list. So John Vanine
and his family have been building in
this city um for generations. Uh so
we're happy to have
>> If I could say a couple things on Roman.
So Roman was reluctantly resigning. Um
just couldn't really do the job anymore.
he didn't didn't want to bring the board
down. Um he did agree to help us with
the master plan. Roman is a retired
planner from North Jersey, Mars County.
He was their planning director for the
county. Great asset to have on our
planning board. Um a lot of forethought
in what he what he would vote upon on
applications.
>> But uh as we come through our master
plan, he will be on that kind of ad hoc
committee that that um that we're going
to work through. So
>> I'm glad to hear that. Uh, the one thing
I really appreciate about Roman was that
he would call and just want to sit down
and go to lunch about and talk about the
things that that he thought that the the
vision for the city, the things that
were um that that he could help with.
Um, again, a really dedicated volunteer
with the background that he I think he
worked on some of the largest projects
in in in Morris County. Morris County
and uh and a and a and a and a uh really
really um a pleasure to work with.
>> Um thank you for for mentioning that and
and and I'm looking forward to John Van
Dy and his his his uh his his experience
as well.
Um 026
is
a resolution appointing uh Chief Wooten
as
um police custodian of records. So and
all of the
uh benefits the herin
>> here added to the list
>> for zero dollars. No. Um please
custodian of record um uh is uh is for
2026 20027 is um New Jersey uh authority
at um is the tax assessor resolution um
appointing uh Jersey authorizing the tax
assessor to handle appeals. So that is
our tax assessor. This is Margaret
>> to hand. Oh no, I'm sorry. No
>> to Bill. Bill, excuse me. to handle tax
appeals which he's already done. This is
just memorializing it for this year. Uh
resolution 028 is uh that is the tax
collector in charge of in uh interest
and delin delinquent taxes uh after the
due date. This is allowing her uh um
allow to continue the work that she
does. That is 0 to8
>> gives them a grace period.
>> Gives them a grace period of 10 days.
Right.
Uh 029
is authorizing the tax collector to
produce property and/or sewer tax
refunds and cancellation of refunds or
delinquences of less than $10 for the
year. So she can do that without having
a meeting uh to to memorialize it. Uh
030
is establishing uh rules of order for
these meetings and conduct for city
commission meetings. something we we've
continued to do. Um 031
is designating the locations for uh
public notice. So this is a benefit of a
new law at tax of 2025 which allows us
um with some stipulations and provisos
to selfpublish
our public notices. So, this is kind of
a new uh law that we've all been asking
for because of uh not having to uh
publish these in the newspapers. Um we
have some stipulations and and
procedures to go through, but the
majority of the year won't have to uh we
won't have to um issue notice and it it
may also save us some time uh when you
have things um correct
>> in uh electronically. So, does that so
we we were waiting for
>> deadlines to be published and so forth.
So, tell me
>> that's correct. So with the with the way
the papers are now, there's it's really
hard to publish because like we our laws
have to be in print,
>> right?
>> And like for I'll use an example, the
press of Atlantic City only prints three
days. So we have to for me, I have to
hurry up after our meetings to get it to
them ASAP so I can make my guidelines so
we can adopt an ordinance at the next
meeting. If not, I don't make my
statutory requirements for publication
dates. So, the new law came out in 2025,
and it's not, like I said, it's not just
us. It was a big mass effort. Um, and
they're going to allow municipalities to
put a special spot on their website for
legal notices along with a hyperlink um
to the state of New Jersey is going to
have like a database. So, that's also a
requirement. And Jim thankfully has
been, you know, we're working together
with that. Um, as of right now, the
requirement for us is we are required by
law to be able to put our legal notices
on our website and to be in compliance,
we have to notify the public two times a
month for 12 months. So, I have a legal
notice that I will place in the Lanc
City Press
>> um twice a month for 12 months and then
once that's done, then we've met our
legal requirements. My understanding is
March 1st, by March 1st, the state has
to give us that hyperlink.
then we can have it on our website.
March 1st, we can start utilizing our
website for legal notices.
>> Um, as but we will continue to have to
post our legal notice. You know, our our
ad out saying that we have this website
that you're going to go to and it's
going to do it, right?
>> You don't have to do it after 12 months.
>> Correct.
>> Yeah. So then January
>> year or just continuous?
>> No. January of 2027, we'll have
satisfied our requirements for this for
this law. So when things are emergent
that we like in some cases we had some
some some things that we wanted to get
meetings scheduled and set for um we
won't we'll be able to do that in a more
timely manner.
>> Great. So for me it's going to be a lot
it's going to be great because I I can
do it right away and I if there's a
holiday it backs up the press you know
because sometimes they have to have it
before and then we don't have a meeting
and I can't get it to them in time. So,
it's really going to help us to be able
to be smoothing for all of our legal
notices that they can be put up the next
day. Great.
>> We don't have to wait for a week.
>> Great. Thank you for that.
>> Uh 032 is um authorizing public employee
bonds, something we do every year. Uh
033 is um setting the temporary budget
for 2026. Again, something we do every
year. Um
034 is uh is state of New Jersey uh
Atlantic County State New Jersey
self-examination of the 2026 municipal
budget. Um is that self-explanatory Amy?
Are we 2026 self-exam compliant Tom? Or
>> we we are uh I think the cycle is every
three years have to be approved by the
state. But if you uh satisfy all the uh
requirements of the local division of
local government services, you can do
self-examination and you're not subject
to waiting for them to approve the
budget. You can go ahead and and do it.
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> And so this is the year that we are
eligible for self-examination.
>> Excellent.
Uh 035 is designating our bank
depository. So these are just naming the
banks that we can utilize. Uh 036 is
adopting our cash management plan for
the fiscal year.
>> It's another annual requirement.
>> Another annual requirement.
Um
037
is appointing Matt Duran of Palestine
and Associates as the engineer through a
non-fair and open process. So this is
going to be our Lance. Do you have any
>> Yeah. So um our city engineer has been
Ed Stinson for quite some time now. Um
he also represents the city of
Brigantine and he came to us and he said
you guys are keeping me way too busy.
He's semi-retired and he asked if he
could have someone else step in and he
suggested Matt. Um which is kind of one
of the smoothest processes you can hand
over.
>> Ed worked for Matt for probably most of
his career as an engineer. Um Matt was
an engineer here in the city for quite
some time. Uh he recently merged his
firm Dorne Engineering with Palestine
Associates. Um what we now get with Matt
is the backup of a full engineering
firm, right,
>> as our city engineer.
>> Um which is very helpful. Um we do have
a pool of engineers to do the specific
projects, but what this allows us to do
is is um instead of having for these
smaller type things like we had a
meeting today about the sanitary sewer
coming out of this building,
>> right?
>> We can now go right to Palestina for
that
>> to get that work done, right? um quicker
than going out to bid to our six um pool
of engineers which is coming up. Yeah. I
think one after this. So Ed has done a
great job for us. I've known Ed for most
of my career as well as Matt. Um he was
just you know needed needed to step back
a little bit in time and he suggested
Matt which is a a fantastic um I don't
want to say replacement but a a standin
I'll say.
>> Gotcha.
>> So thanks said for his years of service
to Ventner and our community. So does a
great job for us.
>> He really does. He's really accessible
all the time. Answers all the questions
you need. Puts them in as as plain
English as an engineer can. And
>> that is true.
>> And um but uh is is a a is a great um
great ass has been a great asset to the
city.
>> Um moving on.
>> Yep.
>> Uh 038 is appointing uh Jeff safety
coordinator uh Donna Peterson. Is that
in the room?
>> Sitting right back there. Ranger.
>> Uhhuh.
>> And you're in the safest seat in the
house.
>> Great. She will coordinate it. Um 039 is
identifying our pool of engineers as
mentioned. So this is our pool of
engineers. Something that you really
champion to have us the ability to to to
sort of uh shift into whoever's the
right person for the job and have them
preset. And I mean you
>> so what we do is we go out to a request
for qualifications RFQ um in November
December and they these folks send in
their that's why our packet is so thick
this month because all their information
is in there right
>> um we get hourly rates
>> qualifications for all their staff and
then what we do is we have a we have a
slew of different folks here we've had
Palestine Associates Delasio R&V Arthur
Chu ACT CME Kers and Ed Stinson would be
one of those guys that will come back to
help us a little bit as we need it.
>> What we then can pick if it's a Arthur
Chu is one of the easiest guys to get a
bulkhead job done from,
>> right?
>> He's he's done a lot of our bulkhead
work for us. He does a great job and
it's rather inexpensive. Um Collier does
traffic work for us. Um they did all the
intersection designs on Ventner Avenue,
right?
>> Um ACT is also an environmental company.
CME is just a large engineering firm as
is R&V Delasio and Palestina. full gamut
engineering firms that they can do
anything we need. So we have a great um
shotgun approach to getting our
engineering work done. And by the way,
we share this pool with the city of
Margate,
>> right?
>> Um so they use the same engineering
firms as as we do for these projects. We
collaborate on on who we choose, but
these are the guys that we've been using
for most of the time we've been in
office.
>> Great. All right. Thank you. Uh 040 is
appointing emergency management
coordinator and deputy municipal
emergency coordinator. This is as a
result of uh Tom Halpin's retirement. So
Jeff Moore has taken those positions and
some others I believe on that list as
well. Um again it's normal um uh
housekeeping for that sort of thing.
>> Just for clar he's one of our firemen.
>> Right. Uh exactly. Uh 041 is authorizing
uh local emergency managing planning
committee LEPC for a three-year term uh
from December 1st 23 to November 30th.
Same thing. This is as Tom Halpin's
retirement as a firefighter and and
inspector and part of the emergency
management team. Jeff Moore is moving
into that role, also a firefighter.
Um
next is 042.
Um
this is tied into the municipal
alliance. This is uh Atlantic County uh
New Jersey supporting the governor's
council for substance and use disorder
grant. This is a grant that we typically
receive every year that is uh does a lot
of the funding for the municipal island
alliance and their efforts within the
city. Appreciate what they do.
Um
resolution 043
and this is the last one is uh
appointing POGE to coordinate and
perform alcohol and drug testing
throughout the city uh service not to
exceed 6500. They are been doing this
for a number of years for us and
continue to.
>> Any questions? No.
>> That is all of the resolutions we will
have uh we will we will approve by
consent. Then we will have uh approval
of bills and payroll.
>> Mayor, can I just say something to
clarify for the record so that there's
no confusion. There was a earlier
resolution that named Atlanticare
relative to uh medical surveillance and
drug testing.
>> The difference between that and this one
with Pogue, Atlanticare does all our
pre-employment stuff. Pogue is the one
who actually does the drug testing when
there's cause to or random drug testing
as required by law.
>> So, so that's the difference between
those two,
>> right?
>> They're Thank you.
>> Um I don't have any dis uh so we'll have
after that we'll go we'll have bills and
payroll. I don't have any discussion
items
listed. Uh so at this point we can open
the meeting to the public for items that
we've discussed so far. I see a lot more
people in the room than we typically
have. Is uh is just as a general yes or
no. Is everybody here to talk about the
traffic uh at Troy Avenue? All right. So
um this partic we're going to get to
that at the very end which is going to
happen pretty quickly after we do our
formal meeting u where we can talk about
anything. If there's anybody online we
can also talk about that as I have a
brief uh some some comments and and some
images to show um the on that topic. So,
we can just wait for just a few more
minutes. I appreciate you all being
here. Um but at this point, I'd like to
open the meeting to open to the public
for items that we have discussed so far
in our agenda. I have a motion to open
the public.
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> Roll call. Lisa.
>> Commissioner Langra.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento.
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Creable.
>> Yes. I have a motion to close the
portion uh the workshop portion of the
public meeting and call to order the
regular portion.
>> We didn't we had
>> Oh, sorry.
>> Sorry. Slow down.
Any public comment on anything we
discussed so far?
Jim, anything online for anything we
discussed so far?
>> Is there anybody on Zoom who wishes to
comment or discuss on any of the items
that have been discussed so far? Please
make yourself known by raising your hand
or within the chat feature and you will
be recognized. There will be another
public portion at the end of the
meeting.
>> No.
May I have a motion to close public
portion? So moved.
>> Second.
Thank you. Roll call. Lisa.
>> Commissioner Langraf.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento. Yes.
>> Mayor Creable.
>> Yes. Okay. Now, may I have a motion to
close the port the port the workshop
portion of the meeting and call to order
the regular portion of the meeting?
>> I'll make that motion.
>> Second.
>> Roll call. Lisa,
>> Commissioner Langra,
>> yes.
>> Commissioner Mento,
>> yes. Mayor Creel,
>> yes. We have no minutes to approve. We
have uh one ordinance introduction. Can
I have a motion to open ordinance
2022-001
for introduction?
Make a motion to introduce ordinance
2026- 0001.
>> Second.
>> May I have a roll call, Lisa?
>> Commissioner Langra.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento.
>> Yes. Mayor Creable.
>> Thank you. Yes.
May I have a motion to adopt by consent
resolutions 2026-001
through 2026-043
as described earlier in the workshop
portion. Make a motion to adopt
resolutions by consent 001 through 043.
>> Second.
>> Roll call. Lisa.
>> Commissioner Langrath.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento. Yes.
>> Mayor Creable.
>> Yes. All right.
>> Amy, we have uh we have approval of
bills and payroll.
>> Payables for this period $2,78,396.97.
Payrolls for this period 1,333,6331.76.
>> Thank you. I have a motion to approve
bills and payroll.
>> I'll make that motion.
>> Second.
>> Roll call. Lisa.
>> Commissioner Langra.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento.
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Creable.
>> Yes. We have uh no announcements or
safety report. Uh Commissioner comments
and report. Would you uh would like to
go first?
>> Ladies first.
>> All right. Um
we um I'd like to congratulate our um
staff member Sari who um took the
certified municipal finance officers
exam and passed. And for the three of us
in this room that have done this before,
this is a big deal. It's a really
difficult test and uh it takes like
eight or nine classes. It's like eight
or nine semesters of courses and you
really have to study but you learn a
lot. So, um, she's really, um, valuable
to the city, and she's one of those
people who will do whatever is asked of
her, no matter how complicated or how
uncomplicated, and she just spearheaded
our Big Brothers, Big Sisters drive. And
it was one of the most successful ones
we had this year. So, she's um a very
valuable employee that we're lucky to
have found and have. And she's been with
us, I don't know how many years now, but
maybe about 10, 15.
10 or 12. Yeah. So, um, congratulations
to Sar. Um,
and that's in our finance department and
Amy is our CFO who also has the license
and she's busy doing what she does this
time of year, which is primarily budget
and, uh, just went through a whole
payroll conversion. Um, which was very
successful to a new company and, um,
getting into year end, I guess. Now,
also, I guess you're getting ready for
year end now, too. Um the other office
under me is uh tax assessor and tax
collecting and that's pretty much
business as usual. And then we have
events and we're planning our 2026
season uh finalizing the calendar. We um
have a site called Recesk where vendors
sign up for participating
and uh as we did last year we have
sponsorship opportunities for our
concerts and uh last year those
sponsorship um increased significantly
um and they you know the sponsors got um
I think uh they were pleased with the
coverage they got as a result of the
concerts. Um our re most recent events
we did the polar bear plunge with the
VBA and that was very successful and um
we have some let's see there are no
upcoming events until April and uh but
we remain busy behind the scenes
coordinating what needs to happen with
logistics, permits, vendors,
entertainments for everything that is
coming up and it can't come fast enough.
We can't be out of winter fast enough
personally. Um,
and we will have our uh events. I think
we may already have them. Do we have
already have them up on our site, Donna?
Donna is our special events coordinator.
We do have our events up on the site for
the year as anticipated right now. Okay.
And um I think that's it. Do you want to
add anything?
We're good. Okay. Good. Thank you,
>> Commissioner Langraph.
>> Sure. Just touch base on a few things
with public works and and things going
on in the city. Um, if you've been up to
the boardwalk lately, you can see
they're making some progress with the
piling. The bench um sections are
underneath the pavilion now. They put
those in today. They may not be m fast
fashioned, but they're there. Um, slow
process, but they're they're moving
forward. Um, a little bit of a hiccup
there. There's a water mane that runs
underneath that boardwalk that loops
around two streets. We have to replace
that, which we're doing probably next
week. Good news is we don't have to shut
down any roads to do that, which is nice
because it's under the boardwalk. Um,
water tower out in the Heights. You'll
start seeing the work starting there to
renovate that structure. Um, total um
revitalization of that water tower,
including repainting it when it's done.
Uh, pickle ball and tennis courts precon
meeting is January 15th, which is next
Thursday. So, that start date of that
work should be in the next week or so
after that. Uh the courts will most
likely be shut down on the 19th as we
have to start taking things down. Um and
getting ready for that construction and
demolition project. Um let's see. Sewer
and water talking with Ernie. Um Ernie
is still here. He's in the back there.
He's our superintendent of of water and
sewer. Um Veter Gardens Plaza, the work
out there has been completed. That was a
complete renovation and reinstallation
of new piping with that storm water
system. Um the pump station there is
work is complete which basically
replaced pump two. We now have to do
some work on pump one just to be
serviced. Uh we now have radio control
of that system so we can turn that pump
on and off remotely. Not we don't have
to get there to do it. Um that should
have been done when the this thing was
installed but it wasn't. So we we ended
up putting that in this time. So, um,
looking through
lead service line project continues,
bi-weekly Zoom meetings with all parties
included. Uh, public outreach should be
starting later this month. Um, city
hall, if you noticed, uh, the last two
Fridays we had to close. We've had some
sewer issues here in the building. It is
a old building. It's over 100 years old
and it is struggling to uh keep up with
modern-day uh plumbing needs. So, we had
the last two Fridays which is through
the holiday which has kind of worked out
for everybody. Um we had to close the
building down and we did some repairs to
the sewer lines leaving the building out
to Ocean Avenue. There's further project
to be done there. We're still having
some some issues with that old system.
So, that'll be coming up next. looking
at public works. Um
the POSAI inspection findings have
closed out, which is a good thing. Pio
is a state agency, federal agency that
comes in and inspects our facilities and
make sure our employees are safe and
doing what they do. Um there's always
things that those guys come in and find,
but we've we've closed those out. We've
fixed all the things they've needed us
to fix. Um the sweeper, our Elgen
sweeper is down, out of service right
now. Uh we are looking for a temporary
replacement for that. Um, that's the
newer sweeper. You saw the old one, the
old Pelican running around today.
>> So, the older one or the newer one is
they're they're having a problem with
it. We cannot those folks that know it
can't figure out what's wrong with it.
>> It's got an electrical issue. We're
working on getting that fixed. The
meantime, we may have to rent one to
cover the the cleaning of the streets.
>> Still under warranty. It's not that old.
>> No, it's it's over it's almost four
years old. Yeah. Um, we are going to do
a demo of an electrical unit coming up
uh in next Friday. Uh, if you guys are
around noon time, be Republic Works.
It's a smaller one um that can fit into
a lot of the streets a little bit easier
and the nooks and crannies and things
like that. And it's it's fully electric.
>> It's a much more expensive piece of
equipment, but there's probably a
$500,000 grant that subsidizes the
purchase of the electric equipment. So,
>> we're looking at it. We saw it at the
League of Municipalities. We're looking
at it. Um, it's already talked about
pickle ball and already talked about the
city sewer, city hall sewer. So, that's
it. A lot of ins and outs of the city.
>> Yeah,
>> thank you. Thank you. And thank you for
the uh as quickly as we can get the get
the issues uh taken care of over the
holidays.
>> We purchased a new cabinet for the
>> and the the police department.
>> Excellent job for the police department.
>> Today's crisis
>> vanity. I shouldn't say cabinet.
>> It was today's crisis. Yes.
>> Have to get a new vanity in there.
>> And um uh I just have two things. Uh I
want to speak uh briefly about the uh
Bureau of Fire Prevention. So um we're
getting into our year end um
uh that that that bureau does uh
inspections, demonstrations, and
presentations, walkthroughs,
investigations, as well as special
events. Over the course of 2025, that
that bureau performed 157 residential
and merchant tile uh inspections, 59
life hazard inspections, also eight city
properties, and five houses of worship
were inspected. Um these inspections
require 110 reins inspections to gain
compliance with the New Jersey fire
code. There were also 96 permits issued
and um as well as other all the other uh
uh requirements that they do the
demonstrations and presentations at
national night out, fire prevention week
and career day. Uh they they for local
schools. Uh they definitely this is a
this is a group that gets um does some
public engagement at the senior center
as well and at the shalom house. Um they
familiarize the rest of the department
with the drills and all the platoon with
high-rise buildings throughout the city
as well as VECC, the vendor plaza and
the ventner fishing pier. Um you know
these are these are the people that
prepare us for the um the the for those
types of events uh when we need them to
be. Uh there's currently four personnel
um and they take uh number numerous
classes to remain uptodate on
technologies and best practices. uh also
provide mutual aid for local u arson
task force and investigations with the
police department uh when needed. Um uh
they also uh inspect all of our all
these mobile food vendors. We have uh we
have uh mobile food vendors in the
summer for our uh uh for our our farmers
market, our block party, our summer
concerts. The more active the city
becomes, the more we rely on these uh
this department to keep us safe. So, a
shout out to them for another another
year well done. Um, and then, uh,
briefly, if I can, I just want to
reiterate the fact that the, uh, the
entire administration, uh, was happy to
see that we were awarded a $960,000
grant from the state of New Jersey,
Department of Transportation,
um, Governor Phil Murphy's commitment to
community initiative was the name of it.
Uh, a competitive grant process. These
are the kinds of things that are the
result of us doing study participating
in things like the pedestrians study,
right? Just like we did studies uh for
nuisance flooding in Veteror Heights
that can set us up for grants down the
line. These that's this is the cut this
is we're reaping the rewards of work
that we've done in the past year. So I
think this is really exciting. We're all
kind of thinking about this in the back
of our minds. We've had conversations
about what it could look like. Um, I
want to also thank Atlanta County
Executive Denny Levenson uh for their
partnership and cooperation uh with a
shared with this is a shared roadway.
So, we're working together. Um, they
have committed to doing uh improvements,
aesthetic improvements and mechanical
improvements to the Dorset Avenue
Bridge, which is an iconic um postcard
event uh postcard image of the city of
Ventner. Um, so bringing that we're hope
we're uh we're talking about having that
improvement and having the streetscape
improvement to create uh it's going to a
more walkable space with trees,
sidewalks, landscaping, benches, bike
racks, traffic markings, other
enhancements to to make it a more
walkable, welcoming streetscape. And I
would say that it it will also en
encourage growth and give a sense of
place to that area which has always been
>> I'm so excited about this cuz I'm in the
Heights, you know, and I kind of always
felt like Dorset was like the step
stepdaughter or stepson of the rest of
the city. But I know we've talked about
this for years even when I was the
administrator and either there were more
critical things we had to apply for that
were critical.
>> We've been applying for
>> and then we've applied for this too many
times and we finally got it. So, um I'm
super excited.
>> Yeah.
>> And I know you guys are too. Yeah,
>> it is. I mean, like I like I've said in
the past, you know, this is a handshake
with the rest of the public that comes
to the city of Ventner. This is a really
when you start to think about when
you're driving to Ventner, uh when you
start to see the the the streetscape
changes to a more commercial space that
the um I'd like to see us focus on um
lighting. I think that's one of the
things that the city at night becomes
not as welcoming to have that to to
those businesses around that area. The
street lighting and you had mentioned
the the light lights with baskets, the
local lighting.
>> Um I think that combined with our our
our master plan in the works to create
more, you know, uh halo type lighting
around street around businesses to make
those sidewalks our sidewalks are very
dark throughout the city. So, this is a
chance to get this area right and say um
you know this is a real welcome to
Ventner opportunity um uh for with
street lights and lighting utilities,
new sidewalk, gutters, curbs, driveway
aprons. Um you know, it's strangely
$960,000 doesn't go as far as it used
to, but it's a big it's a big event.
>> You call Atlantic Avenue that we got
800,
>> right? when we put another three or four
into it, 300,000 into it to get what we
wanted.
>> Right.
>> And this is for as far as territory
about three blocks,
>> right?
>> Yeah.
>> Might be four, but I think the more of
the commercial and we we we've discussed
limiting the bulk of the improvements.
>> I I guess for the public
>> for the public, we're not talking about
the whole
residential areas,
>> right? We're talking about the business
area.
>> Yeah. Yeah. It's a and that was the
that's the that was the that's the
piggyback here is that it was designed
it's designed to help ADA compliant
surfaces to make it more um uh street
lights uh tree plantings perennials
ornamental grasses and other
landscapings um traffic markings things
that were part of the traffic and
pedestrian study that was done years ago
are also imported. This was identified
as one of the more um dangerous
crosswalks that sort of thing. So all
that all those kinds of things are going
to be addressed in this.
>> It teaches you not to give up. I mean
you we've all been at this for a while
and you can't always get them when you
want them, but you got to keep applying
and keep applying and it's a long
process. So sometimes
>> I mean this is probably we probably made
this application how long ago? This one
a year maybe now.
>> At least a year. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> And it's finally getting select it and
then award it.
>> It reminds me
>> then they give you two weeks to do it.
>> Yeah.
>> Get a design, get it built. No, you're
right, Maria. When we first decided to
enter into public service like this, I
rem you know, you think you can get all
your your 100 day plans accomplished in
a 100 days. And these were these were
kinds of the things
>> 10 years ago. And um it reminds me of
something that uh uh was said at one of
the last uh mun league of municipalities
is that most elected officials um the
things they want to do are either
impossible or illegal.
And and
>> so we we we were swinging uh for fences
on some of this stuff and this is a this
is a this is going to be part of that um
handshake and an effort to show what
vendor can really be. Uh so I'm looking
forward to the public engagement side of
this too. There'll be a design process.
I already reached out to the to uh the
the uh to to Jim Retella to try to get
some kind of time frame so we can share
with the public when they can when we
can have open public meetings about the
design and and input. All right.
Um that is all I have and I would say if
uh what do I do?
Um
if I So now I have a uh if I could ask
for a motion to open the meeting to
public comment with the one provisor
that I have a few things to say first
before we open it to public comment. Um
>> do first and then
>> so want to do that. So I have some some
comments briefly. Um, so because I know
that most folks are here uh because of
the Troy Avenue development that's
underway, um, I just want to uh have a
few comments and then we'll open it up
to public comment. We'll ask you all to
come up to the microphone and state your
name and address and then we'll be all
ears to hear what you have to say. So
Jim, could you just uh start with that
first slide?
Um so in in anticipation of that
discussion, I just want to set some
context um so that we can have a
productive discussion and um sort of uh
and lean into the the issues of parking
and traffic and neighborhood impacts
around what was the Troy Avenue school.
And I want to make sure that my um my
comments aren't uh I think it's
important uh that that all the people
here are heard. I don't want to sound um
in any way uh condescending or
um or uh I I really want to hear what
the neighborhood um is reacting to here
and wants to speak about. So uh
hopefully we can lay the groundwork for
um for improving this discussion. Um,
but to set a tone for this area, if you
look at the map, then there's a fully
built out coastal city. So, we have
limited land, as we've talked about, the
millions of dollars that we spend on its
aging infrastructure. These streets and
lots were established long ago
in much of Venner's development plan.
Its density, its mixeduse character,
which is the area that we're we're
looking at there around Troy Avenue,
that sort of greenish yellow space.
>> Block 23.
>> Uh block 23. Thank you. Um
>> 123.
um uh was set uh decades ago and
reflects the city's history as a
walkable shore community, not a suburban
model. And that has a lot of effect on
the the the idea that um what what
parking is to those individual spaces,
right? These conditions are not new and
they're not unique to this project,
right? So, the property history and
legal reality. Um if you could go to the
next slide that zooms in on the lot,
Jim.
So, the Troy Avenue site has been
privately owned since 1987.
1987. So, almost 40 years ago, the city
lost all its real um I I want to say
influence, but it's it's we we were not
the property owners since 1987, right?
The city the school board sold that
property at approximately 1.7 million.
From that point forward, the land became
private property governed by the same
zoning laws that apply to every other
privately owned parcel and the
surrounding neighborhood.
So for nearly 40 years, the owners of
that property, now the second owners of
that property that now own it, not the
city, have the legal right to develop
the site under existing zoning and
development standards. The property
could have been developed by right,
which means without any variances,
including the construction of multiple
single family homes up to 46 residential
units by city standards that exist on
the books without simply by applying for
a building permit that
>> no, they would had to come in for a site
plan for site plan approval.
>> But the density on that lot in the
mixeduse zone preevelopment plan, right,
>> was I think it was four, like you said,
46 units. Yeah.
>> Right. So that type of development um
likely would have resulted in a greater
residential density, fewer public and
professional uses and far less
opportunity for input by municipal land
use and ourselves. Um so what the city
can and can't do the vendors these
ordinances are not discretionary.
They're laws. We can't arbitrarily deny
or downsize or simp simply because it's
unpopular or controversial. uh it would
the same legal the same legal
constraints apply to this property owner
and every property owner. So reasonable
people we can all disagree or agree
about what whether the project's ideal,
but it's important to separate the
preferences from the legal reality and
focus the conversation on what the
city's authority is. Um what we did do
and what we were able to do um was
discuss with the um
with the builders during that
redevelopment
>> redevelopment process
>> process. If you could go to the next
slide.
>> Um they revi revised their plans to
include 33 townhouse developments that
does not require variances. Right. This
is fewer units that would have been
built by Wright and it reflects
adjustments made through the re review
process. They came to the building
department. The building department held
them to more of an aesthetic
um level of con of adaption. The first
units that came to us were very um very
stark in their way and didn't really
reflect the uh the community residential
community. So they've done a lot of
things uh including uh that we feel
makes them more aesthetically especially
uh for this conversation they pushed
those buildings back further away from
the street made them le so the overall
appearance I think is going to be less
dense than some people may imagine
because these are they're they're
keeping all the street trees the front
mo mostly I think the biggest thing to
to keep in mind is that um uh what we is
the adaptive reuse of uh of the of the
building in front. If you go to the next
slide.
>> So Tim, for my clarification, that could
have been 47 units. You said
>> 47 single family home.
>> They would have removed both buildings.
So they both old school buildings,
>> right? So the homes that you see on
Betner Avenue now.
>> Yes.
So through the discussion with the
builder and their and their the builder
and the developers concern or I guess
they're they're wired in a way to
adaptive reuse of of buildings. This the
the the city um did do uh two things. Um
we
um we suggested uh different uses for
that building. the the the inclusion of
restaurants and outdoor seating and that
is really the some of the limits of what
we've uh offered along with some
aesthetics. Um the this is also
important to recognize that the
neighborhood is one of the most densely
built and popular area of Ventner. Over
decades these development patterns have
evolved organically. So, um uh the
reality of the parking in the in the
area is much different from the reality
of the um of the of this development.
These these homes will have three
parking places each with three bedrooms.
And if you go to the next slide.
So, the the image on the left is the
area of concern and we'll just leave
that up. Um the the the developer did do
um traffic and air quality findings and
I can I I imagine there are going to be
some groans to this but the pro the the
analysis uh according to the traffic and
air quality assessment uh I'm taking
this from that report there are limited
additional traffic um uh impacts there's
no lack of service is what what they
call which is uh during uh peak hours
the traffic impacts will be localized
ized. Um they did do a significant
study. The air quality is uh is no
significant degradation and the
surrounding road network uh is already
urban in character and projected t
volumes remain within acceptable
thresholds. That's from a study. The you
know I think it remains to be seen um
when the buildings were built. But um uh
in short, the study confirms that the
residents already experienced daily the
dense neighborhood with existing con
congestion. And this project doesn't
fundamentally change that condition. And
so what we're going to focus on tonight,
and if I'll ask people to come up and if
they have comments, I'd like to take
them down and take their names and
numbers. We can discuss them in more
detail. But I'd like to hear about um uh
we'd like to talk about uh the parking
issues. um uh the flow, the quality of
life impacts and are all legitimate
concerns. Um this is something new and
different to that area. It's it's
probably the largest project that's uh
residential going on. Um uh but uh we're
not it's not about uh reopening zoning
decisions that are already settled under
the law. So I just want to make that
clear. I hope I have. Um, but we want to
talk about local your local parking
concerns that you have on these streets
northern. Um, I did I have been for
months and especially in the last few
weeks been uh driving up and down those
streets. So, I see the challenges uh
that you have and I have my own uh
concerns about how the the the traffic
patterns and the curb cuts and the um
the parking. I am a resident of the city
for 25 years. There are three or four
weekends of the summer where I have to
park two or three blocks away from my
home. I I know these are real uh
frustrations. Um uh so I want to so
again I don't want you to take my
comments and what I've said so far as
dismissive. I'm simply trying to state
the facts that I've gathered in this uh
in this project and throughout the
conversation. I think Vendor continues
to try to balance the needs of our our
full-time residents with our seasonal
visitors while respecting all the the
land use laws and um the goal is tonight
is to listen and understand what your
impacts are uh and and hopefully
identify some reasonable steps. I've
asked the police chief and captain here
also to take notes. Um if uh so if
anybody has any comments they'd like to
share um please come up to the mic state
your name and address
>> and you can get in line
different topic that's why I jumped up
so fast the trafficer
ventner I actually have a different
topic so that's why I jumped up so fast
before you got into the uh Troy Avenue
traffic
>> um Tom I do want to thank you I had the
same question about the uh drug testing.
So, I want to thank you for clarifying
that. And what I wanted to ask was the
flags in the hallway at the library were
taken down and I was told and that's why
I want to ask you to confirm or or tell
me why that it was there was setting the
motion was setting off the fire alarm
and the fire department was reporting
there too often for no reason. It was
that the reason or was there another
reason?
>> I hadn't heard that. But I see I see our
public works superintendent saying yes.
>> That's exactly the reason.
>> Y was is something relatively new
changed because those flags have been up
since 2006 2007 without a problem. Has
something changed?
>> We put a new new HVAC system in and it's
probably moving more air than it
>> that's that's so
>> the result of putting a newer system in
to heat and cool the place. Is there any
thought to
>> We'll figure a way to to put them back
up
>> and hang them lower.
>> We'll figure a way to put them back up.
>> We had to put a bar at both ends of it
and put them so they're not moving.
>> Moving so they're below the the eye.
>> We'll work on something.
>> All right. And I don't know. Just a
quick history question. Do you know what
those flags were?
>> Do I?
>> Do you know what they were?
>> I do not. They were uh each flag that
the country has had since 1776 as they
were old came in uh and flags or stars
had to be added which was July 4th of
each year that this state came into the
union. They had to change the flag. So
that was all the flags that the country
has had. So it's a little patriotic a
little bit about history. So I'm glad to
hear that you're going to try to put
them back up. So thank you and happy new
year and merry Christmas to each of you.
Happy new year, Tim.
>> My name is Victor Pearlman. I live at 16
South Ain Avenue, which is between
Ventner and Atlantic Avenues. Uh, thank
you for the opportunity to make some
comments here. Uh, Mr. Mayor, you've
referred a number of times to South
Troy. In fact, I think that most of the
people here uh including myself uh are
more concerned with South Avalon Avenue,
which has some unique problems. Um as I
look around, I see that uh nobody on the
city side of uh the bar of court um
lives on South Avalon Avenue. And
because of that, uh, there's no reason
for you to have experienced firsthand
the disaster that summer parking is on
our street. As I said, it's has some
unique challenges. Uh, one is that it's
one of the only streets in the area that
has parking on only one side of the
street.
The, uh, in addition, about onethird of
our homes have no driveway. Because of
that, in the current situation, we're
starting out with
more cars belonging to residents than
there are spaces on the street.
In addition, we have a large, very
active synagogue on one corner. We have
an apartment building on the far corner.
And around the corner, we have now a
Dollar General store. and a large nail
salon. And in the summer when parking uh
requires payment on a number of the
streets, the patrons of those
institutions all want to park on our
street. Um being one block from the
beach also means that there are people
who drive and want to take their uh
large amount of gear to the beach but
don't want to have to take it carry it
from home. So they drive, drop it at the
beach and then look for the closest
place to park. And that in our case that
means our block gets invaded
and the connection with the new
development that that's that is a lot of
houses, a lot of cars
and
adds to a situation that's already
stressing the residents. uh to a great
extent. Mr. Mayor referred to several
weekends in the summer when you have to
park two or three blocks from home.
Well, that's pretty much every day for
most of us in the on South Havlin Avenue
during the summer season.
Um, since we're not talking about
approval of u developments, including I
see next to Sapor, the field that was
going to be a beer garden now has a sign
indicating there are going to be four or
five or six town houses going in. Uh,
again,
>> that's not what was approved there.
>> Apartments, yes, but commercial on the
first floor and apartments above.
>> Okay.
>> With park.
Um,
in order to be uh something more than
just a complainant, let me suggest that
you already have a system in place in
North Beach that seems to work, which is
permit parking for residents. And uh I
also have a house in Center City,
Philadelphia. We have permit parking for
residents there. Uh it seems to me that
that's the uh most sensible solution to
this problem.
I thank you for the opportunity.
>> Thank you. So, I got your notes here. Um
I I and we'll discuss permit parking
again. Um the Avalon is the is you said
south. So the you're talking about
Avalon which dead ends into Atlanta into
Venner Avenue.
>> It's correct.
>> Yeah, it's a it's it's definitely it's
definitely a tight a tight street. So we
can we can talk about it more. I will
say that a lot in my survey of this
area, a lot of the homes there have
three to four to six bedrooms and
virtually no
individual parking for them. And I'm I'm
I'm I'm cautious about permit parking.
I've had discussions with our police
department even recently where the the
the permits don't afford you a parking
place. They would mean you'd have to
have an ordinance in place to limit
parking to a certain number of hours and
it would choose that would mean it would
deter deter some people from parking
there. But um in in some ways um there's
there's a lot of arguments that that's
an ob even within our own department
that that's an obsolete way of handling
parking. I
>> I think that its real benefit would be
that it would limit people parking on
the street to the people who live on the
street.
>> But it really in actuality it doesn't.
>> It doesn't do that. I don't I I think
that it what it limit what it what it
affords you is because the street is a
public space and what the only thing it
affords you is the ability to park there
and not get a ticket for a certain
period of time. So the people um uh in
other words we would have to enforce a
4-hour limit and like like we do in the
North Beach area. And I think it's
questionable a lot of people in North
Beach area dislike that. Um, it's gotten
I think uh it's got to be looked at, I
think. And
>> is there any reason why the 4hour limit
is carved in stone?
>> No.
>> Thank you. Thank you.
>> What limit would you Just curiosity. Um
>> um I wouldn't have an hour limit. I
would simply during summer months allow
only residents of that block to be able
to park on that block.
>> It's a public street.
>> Yeah.
>> Street. You can't you can't prohibit
people from parking on a street. You can
do it by hourly limiting it. And just
for some history, the whole reason why
it's permitted there's permitted parking
in North Beach is because of the
casinos. Back when they first were
built, the employees for the casinos
were not allowed to park at the casino.
They either had to park in one of the
remote lots and take a shuttle bus or
whatever. So what they would do was they
would drive to the north end of of of
Ventner and the south end of Atlantic
City and park in those neighborhoods and
catch the Jity in because it was cheaper
because they would charge them to park
in these these remote lots and it was
faster for them. So that was inundating
these neighborhoods. So that's why those
parking permits were were implemented
and they used to be only three hours. We
changed it to four hours because of the
movie theater. If you go to a movie,
movies are long these days. or the last
one I went to see was 3 hours plus
dinner and you're four hours. So, we
extended it from I think it was two to
three before.
>> Yeah.
>> We we made it four hours to accommodate
that commercial use in that area. Um but
that's the reason why it was done in
North Beach and we get
>> we get complaints both ways. We want it
everywhere else or we don't want it at
all in North Beach. So, it's a
>> no purp for residence. You have to prove
residency
>> and you can get visitor passes too. You
can get visitor passes, but it really it
it uh what you're describing is we've
we've talked about it and it uh to give
just residents
authority to to have their own it was be
like um it's a prop it it would be like
it's it's like giving them a prop
property in other words and and it's
public property. We have to it's a it's
a it's a public rightway.
So if unless you have a parking place on
your property and that's what I tried to
mention in in some like Avalon Avenue
and I'm looking at the images of it here
those homes were were not really
designed with driveways and off streetet
parking.
>> Mhm.
>> They're they're designed for someone to
take a train in from Philadelphia.
There's one of the homes on your on
Avenue was actually in a postcard
because it was designed as this duplex,
which was probably a modern thing back
in the day. And it it was designed for
people to take a 2-hour train ride to
Atlantic City and then a 30-minute
trolley ride down Atlantic Avenue to
their home. And that that's obsolete. So
that that's the challenge that we have.
And unfortunately, it's a reality of
Avalon and some of the areas in the that
that we mentioned around. I mentioned
Troy because that's the that's the
landmark. But you're all affected by
that. And I I honestly truly in my heart
of hearts don't think that and I might
get some jeers, but the homes that are
going to be built there are going to
have three bedrooms, not five or six or
four. And they're going to have three
individual parking places. And what I
see in that neighborhood is even when
folks have parking places or garages,
they're not used as parking places or
garages. And I'm not criticizing. That's
just a that's just the human behavior
that's happening there. So it's so No,
but I appreciate your time and I I I
took notes and I'll bring them to the
further discussion
>> and and I think there are workarounds.
Uh for instance, uh perhaps extending
the period of a parking permit beyond 4
hours.
>> Maybe.
>> Thank you. You're welcome. Anybody else
have any comments about the
space that we're
get comfortable?
>> Hi, Warren Castina.
>> You have to state your name and your
address, please.
>> Warren Castina, 19 South A.
>> Um, you introduced this by just talking
about flow. So in addition to our
parking challenges, Avalon Avenue is a
oneway between from Atlantic to Ventner
currently used by all fire rescue and
emergency vehicles to get to Ventner
Avenue
>> and then they go left right. I I
envision a whole lot of additional flow
for those 33 residences that are
currently or planned to be built because
that's how they're going to get from
Atlantic Avenue to the other side of
Ventner Avenue just like fire rescue.
So that's going to be additional flow
issues. We have the synagogue with a
camp during the summer hours with lots
of kids
>> in addition to all the other traffic. So
just food for thought as as a flow
issue.
>> Could I just pause for a second? Jim,
could you bring up the lot plan design
for the second slide? I think it is.
>> So Appalain Avenue dead end
>> one more back the plan. Yeah. So if you
can see I'm I is that the vendor avenue
Avalon Avenue is the T-bone directly out
of the entrance. You you can see like a
>> we're dead center from right
>> the professional building.
>> Nice view of the front of the
professional building.
>> I wish they would straighten out the
sign because it's but that's another
issue.
>> I go there for my chiropractor. I know
it's the same thing. I drive me crazy.
>> That's not how they build the town homes
but besides the point. So, so I'm not
sure I understand because the the the
the clusters of town homes are going to
have their own independent street that
runs uh parallel to Ventner Avenue and
if there's any there's any cause for
fire that in that in this particular
development and I realize you get you
get you get traffic down to Atlantic uh
left and right when people
>> from Atlantic to Vent
>> from Atlantic. So when they're coming
back from a call, they're going down a
>> oneway street. That's how all fire
rescue.
>> I'll ask them to flip a coin and go down
another street every other
>> oneway streets. This is how they get
>> So how did
>> get to vent there?
>> I got I got you. I now I understand
because I you know because obviously
they're they're closer to the to the
source than that. So all right.
>> So it's just just a potential flow issue
down the road.
>> Yeah. Appreciate it.
>> Thank you. Tim, I have a question for or
for clarification. The 4hour parking
permit applies to who?
>> So, and I'll try to answer this briefly.
There's a zone from Jackson Avenue to
>> Okay,
Victoria.
>> Victoria on the other side of the So,
from Jackson from Atlant Atlantic City
border to the Wawa.
>> Who's applying for those four hours?
They are anybody that has a that's a
resident. They bring in their address
and to the building department. So,
Lance's going to mention and they they
can they we've raised they can purchase
it for to to eliminate their their need
to to they to park more than four hours
in those zones.
>> Exactly. But I heard a comment like
extend that four hours. That sounds like
something you wouldn't want to do. Well,
I guess what the the goal of that would
be that you could have that if you live
in the the four hours is really designed
to do two things
>> only for the residents.
>> Only for the residents, but it's
designed to keep people to to to
>> residents apply for the permit that
allows them to park there 24 hours.
>> Correct. Correct.
>> The four hours applies to people that
don't have a permit that are visitors.
>> So why would you want to increase the 4
hours? Okay. But I think the gentleman
said let's increase.
>> Yeah. So here's to answer your question.
I
>> that's what I'm trying to get to. It's
actually at that trend when I
>> I thought it was me.
>> So, no, you're right. So, the 4hour
limit dissuades people from staying
longer than
>> that's for visitors, not
>> extend it, there would be more cars
there for longer periods of time. So if
so the question and then and then I I I
I find from an enforcement standpoint
that the the the the the width and
breadth of the 4hour zone is almost is
difficult to enforce, right? Because
they they So
>> you're not allowed to mark tires
anymore.
>> You're not allowed to mark tires
anymore. By the time you have one one
shift on, four hours goes by, they've
done other things. they've gotten to
other, you know, they they have to they
have to prove that this person is
>> never never moved a car,
>> never moved their car and it's difficult
to do and
>> came back,
>> right? And so there's ways of doing it,
but then um uh so but should those
should those folks be should our police
officers be doing that or are there
other things that they should be doing?
Right. So anyway,
>> yeah. So the four hours the permit is to
allow the homeowner to park there 247.
>> In other words,
>> four hours applies to the visit. In
other words, in your benefit, if
somebody make it two hours is what
you're saying. So if somebody goes to
the beach, so in if you're people want
to go to the beach, they're going to
have, you know, they're not going to go
to the beach on that block and park is
what's going to as the result is what
the gentleman is, I guess, his goal,
right?
>> Anti- beachgoers,
>> but regardless, you don't want to extend
it,
>> right? It's all right. All right. Thank
you. Uh, anybody else have any comments
that we can uh take to our further
meetings? You have to bring up yourself
up to the microphone. State your name
and address. And
>> hello, my name is Monik. I live in 2
South Newport Avenue. Bloom store. I
have questions. Bloom store. 2 Southport
Avenue.
>> Bloom.
>> Yeah. I I live upstairs in my apartment
in store. Right. I have last summers I
have 13 tickets,
parking tickets. I live over there. I'm
residents. But where I parking? We have
no parking. They have meter parking 1
hour for $2. I leave over there. How
many money I drop that meter? So who
they give the resident permit for
parking? What happened the Newport new
people who lives over there because one
blocks try near the Newport you
residents over there the parking right?
>> We had the conversation this summer I
think you and you and I when I came in
the
>> Yeah. But we don't get it yet. I don't
know. I have no no information. Nothing
get it. What I get me and my wife two
people have two business I don't go
anywhere I have to pay
>> Mhm.
>> 2 hour a day for two hour per hours.
>> Two these are these are not your res.
You own the building I own building.
>> You live and you live above.
>> I live upstairs and I have business in
downstairs.
>> Mhm.
>> Right. I pay every single day $40 for
the parking for the the street parking.
>> $40 for Park Mobile.
>> Okay.
And I plus I get ticket because I don't
move. I get ticket.
>> Right. Yeah. And I have business like
since 20 23 years,
>> right?
>> Yeah.
>> So what what is the permit? She say
there's permit resident permits. So we
get a new people get a permit for the
24-hour parking.
>> We that's a discussion. We're not saying
we're going to do that. No,
>> that's what this gentleman brought up
was to add parking permits for
throughout the city.
>> So what happened south the Atlantic
veterary sides like a jitney side, they
have permit my house over there too. My
my father and my my brother get the
permit over there.
>> But this side over here, I don't get no
permit.
>> Right. So I explained why there's
permits up there
>> because of the Jity service and the
casino workers. If we were to remove
that, you would have and and Jitney,
excuse me, casino workers still do that.
They still park in that area. And if
there were no parking permits required,
if you're a resident, you would have an
inundation of casino workers parking in
those neighborhoods again or visitors to
the beach or anywhere else. So that area
because of what it started as as a
casino employee kind of deterrent is why
that that's the only reason it has
permits.
>> I I know I my question is that the
casino employee use that one is a long
time. Now is casino every casino have
parking. They allow parking
>> one parking. So I've been I used to
believe that on but 13 years.
>> So I see over there nobody use car for
the jitney much than than 10 years ago.
>> Right.
>> Correct.
>> So is nothing useless for the permit
over there. Over here resident business
areas over here for the bars over there
and all this business area. And who
residents over there? They have no
benefit for their parking.
>> Right. So, your parking issue is um you
got you're saying you got 13 tickets in
the summer.
>> Yes.
>> Because you're not you're not getting
them during the winter because there's
no parking enforcement now. You're
talking about strictly in the summer
during the three months.
>> Three months. 13 tickets and one car.
>> And one car.
>> Yeah.
>> So, parking permits would not cover the
metered spot. Someone in the chat
mentioned that,
>> right?
>> But what I will say is if you're in the
chat,
you have to come on Zoom to raise your
issue. You can't just type in the chat.
So we we will keep records of your
questions, but if you want to say
something, you have to kind
>> You have to turn your mic. You have to
turn your camera on and give your
address.
>> Let Jim know. Put your hand up and he'll
let you speak. But
>> yeah, we'll put you in line. I
>> I don't have an answer for you. I I I
don't there we wouldn't be able if we
provided parking
>> for everybody who has an apartment
>> in our commercial areas.
>> We I don't know how to answer that
question.
>> Yeah.
>> Um again, part apartments in urban areas
typically focus on folks that don't have
cars or they use public transportation
most of the time. You're a different
animal. You have you have your business
downstairs and
>> you live upstairs. In Philadelphia, for
instance, you have to purchase a a a
parking space or in any other urban
area. So, this is not that much
different from that. Although we're not
Philadelphia, we can try to work out, we
can try to look at this, but the reality
of that location is that it's an it's a
resident it's a mixeduse development.
So, there's so there's it was designed
for people to be in a walkable
community, not necessarily a car vehicle
community. there's no parking on site,
right? So that that the the while the
while your while your frustration is
real and I'm not mitigating I'm not I'm
not giving any there's no it's
completely uh reasonable to be
frustrated about it. The reality is that
there's no parking in that residential
site. So the the the what the city does
and what what I would off what I would
argue for is less is a longer grace
period of free parking and that um I
don't think that a permit issue in that
area at first conversation is the right
thing to do to add another layer to this
but I'm open to the conversation if it
can be proved but um the there's uh you
could also maybe discuss the idea in the
past uh we discussed the idea of selling
parking lots in the spots in the
municipal lot, but that was um that was
something that u I think we all agreed
was not uh a long-term uh
>> wouldn't mind seeing the the data on
that lot in the summertime.
>> It's
>> other than other than Fridays when it's
full, right until noon,
>> right? So the the idea that it could be
it would have to be put out to open bid
though. It would have to be something
that So these are all public spaces. is
all that parking that you see, there's
no way for the city to grant anyone
ownership on any other any type of pro
of uh because you're owning now a
portion of the curb that you did not own
that that that takes away a portion of
the curb to some other person and that's
not it's not really fair. Am I stating
that as light as as plainly as I can?
But the uh so you're you're uh um you're
in a pickle. I have questions. 7 years
ago, the Doug B is a captain over here.
They give us permit pay for the $30 per
month. They you let us use for the use
the parking lot for the one car for the
$30 $30 a month. Since I've been 2000 to
2017, they let me use I pay every every
month I come in. Lisa know very well. I
pay for the permit for my two cars
>> and they let me use and suddenly they
shut out.
>> They had permits to park in the
municipal parking lot
>> and now the last five years they shut
off. They said no more permit,
>> right?
>> Why don't you bring that back again? So
city get a
>> again that's the the fairness of that
>> right
>> is is you know
because you live in that neighborhood
you get the the benefit of that. That
parking lot's for everybody.
But we I'm just say we want to pay for
the but not for every day for $40.
>> But other other folks also willing to
>> but who's a resident for that particular
area for the two uh that Newport that
only that size
>> not about the size only for that church
area and that two three apartments only
not
>> how do we limit it to just you folks
>> every taxpayer pays for that every
taxpayer is paid for that the
maintenance and the upkeep and the and
the portion of that tax. But why don't
you just city allowed the who the
residents?
>> We can't we can't answer for previous
administrations. We saw that happening.
That's not a a appropriate way to meet
out parking spaces.
>> Yeah.
>> But I appreciate your comments and we'll
take them into advisement, but I think
we have to keep keep the comment moving.
We're meant to keep this at three
minutes per person. So Okay.
>> Thank you. You're welcome. Does
>> anybody else in the room before I switch
to Zoom have any comments on the the
parking concerns?
that development's going to offer.
Jim, no. See none. Jim, anybody on the
Zoom platform raise their hand and wants
to speak about the um the uh the parking
concerns in the vent professional
campus?
>> Yes, I have a Marlin. Um
you can
>> Majora I'm trying.
>> Yep. You you're unmuted. You go ahead.
>> Oh, I can talk. Okay.
>> Yep. you're here with us. If you can
turn your camera on and
>> No, we we're not turning any cameras on
after
>> No video, just voice.
>> Okay.
Um,
well, you know, I can relate to
everything I've heard so far.
>> Sorry to interrupt. Can we have your
name and address, please?
>> Oh, I'm sorry. Marlin Majora, 6618
Ventner Avenue,
right across the street from the um
um professional building.
Um, I had a lot more to say, but I'm
gonna I'm going to reduce it to
basically agreeing with my neighbors on
Aelin and saying that um, the permit
zone has worked successfully in
Ventner's North Beach for 40 years. This
permit zone was originally initiated,
which I did my homework and you know
this, um, to reduce anticipated
congestion from casino employees parking
near Jity stops. The permit zone was
expanded in 2020 to include Weimoth,
Little Rock, and Victoria Aves, citing
the fact that is Venner's most densely
populated area, and residents were
concerned about the additional traffic
the new movie theater and restaurant
would bring. This would be to me proof
that the permit parking does work for
residents in hightra areas, which we
have just become
with the addition of 33 condos.
So, I'm a proponent for um parking
permits.
I mean, at the very least, yes, I know
it's hard to enforce, but um or, you
know, maybe at the very most it
dissuades people from parking there.
They'll be like, "Well, let me look for
somewhere else to park."
>> Okay.
>> All right.
>> So, just just to that area of Ventner
Avenue is is metered, right? Metered
Park Mobile, correct? Yes.
>> So, you wouldn't be able to park there
with a parking permit,
>> right? But I could park on Troy or
Avlyn.
>> Correct.
>> Yeah. No, I don't I'm not asking for
anything on Vetner Avenue. That's a
horse of a different color. I realize
that.
>> Okay.
>> All right. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Anyone else on the Zoom platform wish to
discuss?
>> Yeah. We move Katherine Francis. There
you go.
>> Hi. Yes. I'm Katherine Francis, 25 North
New Haven Avenue. So, for those that
don't know, we are the big corner house
that just spent a ton of money um to
completely remodel. Um we came to the
planning board um you know, and did all
of the work ourselves. We did not hire a
lawyer. We gave, you know, two uh extra
parking spaces, right? We actually made
our driveway that had a garage that was
unusable for a car and two parking
spaces. with the variance. We now have
three parking spaces that are my own.
So, I am not here to talk about my
particular parking situation, but I do
agree with the residents. 90% of what we
do in the said casinos that everybody is
mentioning is tell people that they can
do some that they can't do something.
And guess what? 75% of them don't do it.
And they never even worry about parking
in that zone that says it's permitted.
So, I would agree with the other
residents and the president, the woman
that was just on before me so nicely put
out exactly what you guys wrote when
that was done is the reason that you
should at least consider that. I think a
2hour limit to your previous thing of a
visitor parking would absolutely in our
area as you mentioned Lance um we don't
have the movie theater, right? So, a lot
of people here aside from beachgoers
because that's going to be all over our
town. A lot of people here, I think the
two-hour limit is working because
they're going to residential stuff,
right? They're going to the liquor
store, they're going to the nail salon.
So, that two hours, you know, does make
sense to at least let some people park.
My other thing again is on flow. You
stated, you know, at the beginning, Tim,
I I respect that we did a traffic study.
Um, I was at the other meeting to hear
when they did the traffic study and I
think you opened by saying I guess we'll
see once it's built because you as well
just admitted to all of us that you
agree that potentially by you driving
down there probably more now as this
project's going on. My husband and I
just built a lovely balcony to which our
office sits next to. And the fire
department can probably attest to this.
All day long in the winter, all I hear
is blaring horns. Why do I hear blaring
horns? Because the intersection of North
New Haven. So, let's let's stop about
Troy for a second and start talking
about New Haven for a second, right? If
you look at the corner of New Haven and
Winchester,
I think a lot of this I know you know
the firehouse is there. I know we all
see it. But if you don't live in this
direct area, you don't understand
daytoday what we need for our emergency
vehicles. We have watched cars in the
winter drive four blocks the wrong way
up Winchester Avenue
because of the way when you come down
New Haven right from Ventner to
Winchester Avenue. You can't see
anything because we have to have the
crosswalk and then we have to have this.
So the cars that are coming whether it's
down Troy or whether it's down New Haven
have zero visibility coming up and down
the street right that is going to be
where all I believe it's seven or eight
houses are actually going to have their
driveways back out onto Winchester and
take up those parking spots. So again, I
know this is about parking, but I think
when we're looking at this as a whole
around there, we need to talk about some
potential traffic lights or at a minimum
emergency lights, meaning that if the
guys are coming out of the firehouse,
that corner of Winchester and New Haven
right there, lights need to be flashing.
People need to be stopping. You can't
see the stop signs very well or the one
signs. And my concern again is going to
be those intersections of Troy in
Winchester and North New Haven in
Winchester. If I'm we're the horns are
blaring by the way because people are
almost running into each other. They're
coming down. They think it's two lanes
coming down Winchester, right? Because
of the parking spaces and the way we
have the line on there for the fire
trucks to be out there. So they come
down as two. They try to turn left and
right. So, all I know we are limited on
time, but I think the parking thing, as
we've stated, just kind of stinks all
around town. So, I appreciate that, you
know, these houses will have parking,
but I think those residents that aren't
as fortunate as me to have three parking
spaces in my driveway deserve the
opportunity to at least get a shot at
having a permit. And I do think we need
to continue even before the full
production of those homes to look at
that traffic and really talk to the
police, the firefighters, and the
residents maybe right directly there on
how you're going to ensure the safety of
my son and all of those kids and the
residents that walk that area to and
from the beach because as soon as the
lights as soon as we get an emergency
and as soon as you've got cars trying to
come in down and go through that cross
street that you're referring to, I think
there's any way you could have recreated
that without this structure being there
is what I'm getting at. So the study
that was done was done on what exists
now. But I don't think given our
difference in not being a city but being
a beach town as we've said, not this is
not Philadelphia. This is not New York
City, right? Look at these kids riding
their bikes. Look at these things
happening. I I'm really concerned about
the overall traffic flow and that leads
to the parking conversation. So, thank
you for the time and I'm sure there'll
be many more discussions.
>> Thank you. Um, I like the idea of uh
some type of signal lights and
additional stop signs or traffic in that
area, but I'll leave it to the the
professionals in the planning to
>> it makes some couple things we can do
from a public works standpoint is more
signage, one-way signage, no left turn
signage. Um, paint arrows on the street.
We did that with Cambridge Avenue right
here. That was a problem there.
>> That's it. Hasn't stopped at all because
I still see it, but it stops,
>> right? and the the double line that um
that the Katherine Francis recommended
is um is going to be obsolete. That's
going to have a different pattern. So, I
think that the striping on that uh it's
across from the doctor's office and
their their cur they have a large curb
cut and then the and then there's a
number of angled spaces. All that is
going to be redesigned.
>> Yep. Um, and that and that single lane I
I I agree that looks like it's such a
it's the these are some of the widest
streets in the city around this area and
that's part of the ne that's part of
what um what can happen in those those
four streets, those wide four streets.
So, I think there's definitely um I
don't remember exactly what the layout
was from a streeting layout for the new
design, but I'm uh but we can take
another look at that before it gets any
further. Just as an anecdote, they are
planning on starting demolition, I
believe, in September for the rear
building.
Anybody else on the Zoom platform have
any comments?
>> Yeah, we have a Jay Pearlman.
>> Yes, thank you very much. Julian
Pearlman, 18 South Avalon Avenue. Um,
just to echo what several speakers have
said, I think that the parking permit,
the policies behind it seem to apply
with full force here. I haven't heard
any reason why they wouldn't uh make
sense in this situation. I think a
two-hour parking limit given that there
isn't that movie and dinner concern um
would be appropriate and and mitigate a
lot of the concerns that we have. I'd
also note, and I might get cheers for
this, that presumably there is a fee
with the parking permits and that would
generate revenue for the city. Um, also
I would just note based on experience
the turn from a South Ain Avenue onto
Ventner Avenue making a right as you
dead in in the building. It is very
difficult to see traffic coming from the
left because of how close cars are
permitted to park on Ventner Avenue to
Avalon Avenue that presumably and and
you might well know if that's a cause of
accidents in that area. um it will
certainly be exacerbated
um by this new plan. So it might be
appropriate to uh reszone the parking on
Ventner leading into Avlyn so that as
you head down Avalon towards Ventner to
make a right or a left turn you can see
to the left and it's not ob obstructed.
Um and it might also be appropriate to
consider a parking light there. Thank
you.
>> Thank thank you for your comments. Um
just briefly the the revenue isn't
really um substantive. It's really meant
to be a way of uh uh it has it to give
somebody a value that's part of um what
it it's it may sound like a cash grab,
but it truly isn't. Um you have to
charge for it. Um the the 20 foot the
corner the rate the the the view I think
is something that the city suffers from.
the sight triangle, the 20 foot corner
sight triangle. I think those uh uh are
typically used by um large trucks in
that zone for loading and unloading. Um
and then um I think the the police
officers can attest that there that's
probably one of our most calls is when
people are uh are are parked in that
triangle. It is for that reason. It's
not a spare parking lot. it sometimes.
That's why you see in new designs, you
see these extended um crosswalks and the
new designs on Veterary Avenue and
they're and the complaint is that
they're taking a parking place, but
they're really not. The 20 foot sight
triangle is what's is what you're
referring to. So, um
>> the issue is when we take when we take
federal money for projects, state and
federal money for projects, the federal
standards are much higher. They measure
that 25 ft from a different location.
And if you go down Ventner Avenue and
look down some of the side streets, um,
Oxford and those streets, you'll notice
that that that 25 ft starts at the point
of curvature coming off that side street
back. So, you do lose a parking space,
>> right?
>> So, what happens is they come down and
inspect that or we don't get the grant
money,
>> right? It's a compliance issue.
>> It is. So, it it's it's problematic. Um,
that intersection that Mr. Perma was
talking about, I'm looking at it on
Google Maps right now. That's
probably feet. Yeah,
>> I'm looking at this sight triangle there
and it's just not
>> it's a small triangle
>> and if we extend that, you're going to
lose
>> you're going to lose one of those plots
>> at least part one parking space. So,
understanding the safety precautions
there.
>> Um,
you know, maybe some additional sign is,
hey, be careful, dangerous intersection
kind of thing. Might we could talk about
that with PD and something. I mean,
maybe look and see if we've had a lot of
accidents there just to see.
Yeah. Minimal. Okay.
>> Yeah.
But the as to point you pointed
out, there are some curb cuts in that
area that are not legal as well. I think
that if it was reshuffled and the curbs
were corrected,
>> yeah,
>> you could pick that spot back up.
>> That's true. That's true.
>> So, thank you for the comment.
>> Anybody else on the Zoom platform uh
wish to make comments?
>> Anybody else on Zoom wish to make any
comments?
Anybody
in the in the chambers wish to make any
more comments?
Don't be shy about anything.
Uh opening up to any uh any other
comments about anything else? We can
make we can uh hopefully have a continue
this conversation. Um I have some
emails, folks. Um, as I said, the latest
that I've heard is that the fire
department is going to be using some of
the rear building for training. Um, uh,
with, uh, which is always, uh, a benefit
for, um, things like, uh, high-rise
ladders,
um, working within, uh, you know,
buildings and that sort of thing for
training new officers. Um and the um uh
we look, you know, we look forward to
more uh conversations and hopefully um
um bringing this to uh to fruition. I I
I did uh just get going to note um uh
there was uh speaking of traffic, uh
there was a a VCPD arrest for hit and
run. A lot of hard work, a lot along
from the detective bureau. Um, so, uh, I
want to thank them for the vigilance
every and and so if you have any, uh, so
I think you made you made a press
release on that. Um, the officer was,
uh,
Snyder was the lead
and detective Damian Sanchez. So, thanks
to them. Uh, and then and the the uh,
the person who was hit, the 90 year old
man, 96 year old, right? 92 is
recovering.
So
>> long road, but he's recovering it. But
great job, guys. Really please tell the
officers.
>> Yeah.
>> And and that was that was really
diligent police work. You didn't have
anything to go on.
>> Yeah.
>> You had his his video camera from Bloom
Liquor, right?
>> Yeah. Thank you for sharing that.
>> Appreciate that.
>> Thank you.
>> That was uh that was nothing to go on.
>> Yeah.
We got we got a plaque we headed your
way.
>> Thank you guys.
>> Thank you.
>> Appreciate it.
>> And
>> but uh and also the police department.
Thanks. Uh I know the holiday is a time
for all of us in private world and to
enjoy ourselves and our family, but the
police department has uh it's like
they're it's it's a different kind of
sense for them. And I appreciate the the
time and the effort that the whole
department puts on keeping us safe.
Appreciate it. Yeah. So, um,
>> no executive session.
>> I see. No public.
>> Executive session. Any comments?
>> We got a closed public comment.
>> I have a motion to close public comment.
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> Roll call. Lisa.
>> Commissioner Langra.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento.
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Creable.
>> Yes. Um, and we have no executive
session. May I have a motion to adjurnn?
>> So moved. Second.
>> Roll call. L.
>> Commissioner Langra.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Mento. Yes. Mayor
>> Creable.
>> Yes. Meeting adjourned.