AP City Council Mtg 6/15/11 / Interfaith Neighbors to Create City Jobs

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AP City Council Mtg 6/15/11

Tax Assessor agenda item removed from agenda before meeting.

Terry Reidy, City Manager, says the topic wasn't “ripe” yet.

Interfaith Neighbors Introduces Asbury Business Incubator

West Side Entrepreneurs Especially Encouraged to call Roger Boyce

732-775-0525

Amended Budget with 6% Tax Increase Passes
AR is Late again – 6:15 pm or so/ Have to dock my pay

Workshop – Present council members James Bruno, Sue Henderson, deputy mayor, acting as mayor, John Loffredo, Kevin Sanders, Clerk Steve Kay. Mayor Ed Johnson on annual vacation to Virginia.

City Atty Fred Raffetto – explaining pedi-cab ordinance/ req’ts for 3 different types of licenses/ may be way to have license for boardwalk or to limit to streets/ prohibited 12 noon to midnight right now on bdwlk / will wrk it out with Madison Marquette

Terry Reidy, ATM machine proposal –

CFO Christine… recommends Welsh ATM Systems, Ill.…similar fees, surcharge revenue made diff/company has mobile satellite offices, no charge to svc machines/ kiosk goes ar’d machines/ electric avail in areas where w/ be placed/

No questions from council

Matters to be introduced by council –

John Loffredo- not doing things on our list?

No they were cancelled/postponed (?)
Interfaith Neighbors presentation – Paul McEvily/ assoc director / colleague roger boyce – gives bkgrnd, Interfaith svcs all of mon county, but based here, where operating 5 programs now/ 440k meals a yr for seniors/ dept of labor contract youth corp / under 25 help them get diplomas/

Celebrate Stars project/ 33 atkins av celebration 3 pm Monday/ application tax credit investments to build on west side/ see paul booth’s story last week’s coaster/ 25-35% complete/ winter setbacks weather/ occupancy march 2012/ about to launch new intitiative adult dev center/ roger w/ direct that mission/ focusing now to expand help to job creation/ business incubation/ none in mon and ocean, but sev’l in state of nj/ phusical space wh new companies can get space and help as entrepreneur/ (council is reviewing handout) Philadelphia/ the enterprise ctr/ created many jobs/

Business acceleration – we’re consultants to businesses in area/ ex second life bikes, from zero to 2 paying jobs/ help w/ business plans…career academeyies partnership mon ocean biz dev ctr/ this fall community college courses/ visitng nurse bldg for first courses/ bus plan writing, incorp papers, and a third

Asbury business incubator – one of storefronts in new bldg on springwood w/ house a small business/ companies who do have 80% success rate/ Call Rogr Boyce Dir, Interfaith Neighbors Business Development 732-775-0525

How we measure success – by creating jobs, small orgs in town doing fine wk wnt to broaden their…mny small firms …tolerate economic setbacks/ more info in your packets/

Paul – while not limiting help to AP entre hoping get people from city, locating on west sidehoping table top, kitchen businesses will seek their assistance. Very happy reidy, demairas, Gilmour, advisory capacity, as we launch

JL – sounds wonderful, Sue Henderson “Great”
Matters to b e intro’d by council

SH – land uses, bldg heights, masking, what dif bldgs used for/ committee has asked if Mad Marquette or Asbury Partners have presentations to make to comm. june 22nd/ to make a formal presentation or so/ mtgs 6 – 8:30/ everyone jst so involved in the process/ at Homeowners assn mtg kept asking me about North Beach, what about north beach, honestly we’re jst getting to CHall/ Very diversified very good group/ know public wnts to hear / get involved, asking comm. if it’s time to invite pub but comm. doesn’t feel they’re ready yet for public involvement/ redev area is really much more than no bch so..

James Bruno –

Report on outside dining ready?

FR – not ready yet

JB –

JL asked Reidy to chk again on ouside dining areas/

JB – sunset bridge?

SH – I attended mtg still pretty much in planning stages/ leading people up pine st.

JB – going to get busy…some said s/use 4th ave, any studies on that?

TR – I’ll follow up on that

JB – hurricane/ figure out where…? Hurricane season

TR – following up w/ garrett..i don’t hv a plan back yet

JB – pkg meters

TR – soft opening last wkend, people told don’t hv to pay etc. police told tk easy at first/ fines can be issued/ but office start 6/13

JB – ambassors?

TR – spoke to Ramona thornton about training/ construction connection, wh used to be Asbury works/

Kevin Sanders - had a graduation

JB – special officers

Council w/ tk action on litigation personal injury in nature/ w/ tk action apprv settelement Mellino v AP and Hancock v AP
Open session –

Rita Marano – 8th ave/ wondering what line on budget meant

TR – hrg tonight on amendment to budget then gov body w/ be voting on budget

RM – do you hv a lawayer on paryroll like employee

TR – yes our labor atty since 2005, doesn’t get benefits/ salary every 2 wks, decision I made and recommended to gov body/ mst city’s labor attys get pd by hr/ did analysis what we werer paying before/ city was paying well ov 250k for very little wk/ this wasn’t a lot litigation/ so yes made recom to gov body flat rate/ court hrs, etc. huge savings to city/

RM – how much

TR think he started at $95, a little over $100k now/ 2001 or so city paying maybe qtr million dollars/ hvg someone there to guide dept w/ advice/

JKL steve has done excellent job for us

RM – bldg interfaith is bldg/ will pay taxes

TR – senior center no, but rest of bldg yes/

Louise Murray – lkg over ord for pkg meters/ ques re. area ocean av 5th av down to bergh, think someone may have forgotten to mark street for meters/

JL – is there a spot not marked

TR – where?

LM – sev’l ar’d the little horn at 5th ave, but it goes…

After salvation army

TR – so its right after that, I’ll check it out/

LM – if its oversitht pls take care of

TR w/ will do

LM – how many on your committee – sue hen

SH – about 25 people

LM – can I find out who’s on that comm. and whether they’re qualified

SH refers her to jerry scarano who req’td and has all resumes on there

Jerry Scarano – how did signs get put on meters courtesy of council?

Why did each of you run for council?

JB – to make a difference

SH – time has come I feel I can mk a diff

LH – after living here for 26 yrs decided to do something to correct hings see wrong

Kevin Sanders – to make a difference

JS – really feel u shd reconsider about collecting health benefits/ thnk txpayers need to see your suffering the way they are/

Myra Campbell – gives me grt pleasure – today my street was paved///

Not enough people oj west side empowered themselves/ but proj not over I’m not going away/ slum landlords throught w side/ raccoons running thru/ photos of people hanging clothes on fences/ fire grills on front porch/ prob a fire violation/ quality of life issues/ maybe way code enforcement can wk to clear of/

Frank soffex - thanks for mvg garbage on ridge av/ springwood abandoned hse garbae removed too prob caused raccoons. But 1314 summerfield house lks like about to fall down/ seen kids playing in that area…even if you jst cut the grass, but code enformcement needs to go there

Carrie turner – for Madison Marquette – cultural free zone/ spk w/ council and capt. Flash tonight, want to postpone , one wd charge a fee other would not/ as Madison a little proetective of what’s going togo on there.

JL – I did spk to capt flash and terry, I don’t see a problem w/ it very small area/ just so you know very unobtrusive/

Capt flash – no problem tabling it tonite

Tom R. Rogers, president Speed of Service ATM, Inc., Ocean Ave, Belmar, 732-681-6776…Wall Twp – tonight's decision on ATM vendor, CFO recommend co out of Illinois/ I also oper a rest in Belmar, seen proposal offer is crazy one/ an unachieveable number they’re offering/ they’d lose $2k a yr, drop ship machine, use outside co for svc, maybe 7 days downtown/ if we get call w/ be there same day/ may not be to benefit of the city/ I’ve been in Wall Twp…yrs/ if decide to go that way I know we’ll be tlkg next yr…lk at svc issue, less downtime and a local co.

JL – but say …if they don’t wk out in one yr, they’re gone/ your bid was for f5 yr/

Wall guy – contract listed in paper was for 5 yrs/

If it’s a co out of Eatontown, this company was on dateline few yrs ago/

Joe Woerner – which way is road amended/

John kaplow – tried w/ city to arrange an access channel to show these council meetings I’m recording, which w/ be shown totally unedited when they’re shown, jst wanted opp to pt that out/ second I was up here 2 wks ago I said I hoped didn’t hav to get lawyer/ mr kay’s office and mr reidy helped me to get the information I requested/ jst wanted to let council known my request was met/
Council Business –
Liquor permits renewed to 2012 / all appr’d [Fish/Asbury Blues]
Second budget amendment – TR lets start by explaining process orig intro’d march 16th, then amended april / exceptional aid req’t is that city cut budget before state aid, 101% incras. Re’cd $10m from state went down to 47%, other pc is any muni gets transitional aid is re’d to sign memorandum of understanding in which city pledges to get apprls for all ex. incrs staffing before does/ has to ween self off we’re going to wk w/ you and transition off of aid/ this is second amendment lowers from 14.7 to 6.2% / in accordance w/ state of nj approx $250 per hshld to increase taxes/ important to know, cities throut nj radical changes laying off over 100 polic officers in Trenton/ then 30 days later rehired 50 of them/ Camden layed off 50 or 60 firefighters/ story in paper entire blk burned down cdn’t get enuf fireman to fire/ this budget maintains the svcs of the city/ w/out this roller coaster/ well over 100 pol officers laid off homicide rate gone up 7 mos. Not do things put employees in danger// nothing scares investors in city as radical behavior /had stable government…/ been vry successful in attracting state aid and level of svc/ intr’d new charges, fire alarm, able to recoup sev’l 100 thou to help support budget/

We’re in process of complying w/ red lite summonses/ outstanding summonses patty green’s going after/ there’s an agency goes after and pays city…patty green said let us try, approaching that/ towing ?...ways of recouping costs for svcs we provide/ doing not at exp of residents/ fire dispatch

Kaplan (city's auditor) –

Adds $600k in grants eases tax burden/ reduces am’t to be raised from $13.?Million down to …?

Takes advantage of insur approp decrease/ $460k budget cut / bond principle reduction state recommended we do// city can’t adopt budget until state vetts these/ but state has reviewed and has given app’l to pass tonight

TR – we modified helth benei program/ 31% increase in benefits cost/ went thru all employees to decrease …program/ in 2011, horizon BC/BS premiums jst out of sight/ able to modify benefits lower from 31% to 6% increase in premium, which was actually a decrease in cost for city

JB –

Good budget, got back from unions cpl of million, mks up for much of what state cut back on aid/ asked what done to reduce dependency / also in arbitration / big pc of city’s full recovery,

JB – next yr not going to get savings fr health benefits

Everyone’s going to get increases/

TR – you’re saying we’ll hv challenges you’re right/ we’ll continue to have them

JB – in this form of g’v can we have a financial commi or…

TR – yes

JB – so we can infor about the budget process/ hard to do a plan bec…?

TR – under gov christie on eof goals they have is to mkt it more predictable process/ what I like about what state is doing..mayor and I and cfo went down to dca/ walked us thru changes we’re doing/ encouraging us to adopt as many self help ideas as we cd/

JB – reductions come to?

$650k more this yr/ we’re paying off a $10.5mn loan/ basically/

TR – they’re increasing our tax bill yeah.

TR – when we anticp revenue for pkg meters it was conservative/ so did projections on 50% rather than 100%...if after summer we think …conservative estimate to begin with…

JB – 14 police cars?

TR – yes

JB all at once

Mark Kinmon – patrol 6/7 or 10/12 at a time/ we’ll phase out a lot/ we picked up some plain cars last yr/ 3 or 4 w/ be junked.

SH – thank tery and everybody for amazine wk they did/ keeping pol and fir intact and not losing anybody/

JL – did they use a formual for raising our tax?

TR – article about ap rec’d transitional aid/to get towns hv to prove that w/out it taxes on typical home wd be more than $250 a home/ how they came up w/ it don’t know

Public comment on budget –

RMarano - terry, every tx payer in city paid $250 wd it include multiple dwellings

TR – it’s avg assessed value, if home/ business whatever assessed at $140k your taxes would go up $250.

Higher co-pays for doc visits and prescription/ all employees are being assessed 1.5% to pay for insurance/ u can waive getting health insurance – say spouse wkg for city has health insurance doesn’t need it/ in past say $30k premium emplouee wd get $15k, benefits city in that that employee isn’t tkg the plan and the carrier doesn’t include that employee in the plan’s overall experience (use of benefits). Now if u waive coverage mst you can rec’ve is $5k.

RM – hate to break it to you but that doesn’t go on in the real world, if u don’t need it u don’t get it/

TR – oopen your mind to it…if I’m an employee and no waive policy, what is incentive not to take insur/ my spouse has insur but why not might cover what …we saved $250k because we had this plan/ now that cov’ge not that much better/ anyone who doen’t hv plicy like that is missing the boat/

RM – in real wlrd put them on p/time and no one gets insuarance

TR – if I as here for birthday off, I wd neve hv called it that/ it’s a personal day/

RM – so bottom line how much are we paying for family plan now/

TR - I don’t know what premium number is now/ pay into plan 1.5% of salary into plan/

Kaplan - % of premium instead of salary, in future, state req’t

RM – did y put freeze on

TR – salary increase from… to… was salary increase/ city lost arbitration, said can’t afford these increases/ unions to their credit negotiated, fiound savings equiv to what our increase was/

RM – dispatchers in fire dept ?

TR – will go this month.

RM – Police?

TR – not yet in negotiations now/ mst processes in play now

RM – maybe should start charging charities a tax/ Housing authority…

Non profits and churches hv to pay, becz there is no money…

Vernice McGriff – we got pkg lot by train station/ talked about yrs putting meters in what’s the problem?

TR – matter of process, has come up at pkg comm..

VMG – tlked about on many committees for yrs. Need guard on mem’l av side/

TR – don’t disagree I’ll put that on my list

VMG – yes put that on the todo list

JS – we need gps systems on muni cars/ all muni veh s/hv city crest on them/

TR – I agree w/ you, we lk’d into cpl times, dif systems, kinds r/time monitor etc.

JS – private sector for month of feb paid month for 15 days work/ ther’s 4 wks/

TR – wait tkg recommendations seriously, feb which is 28 day month, so it’s 15 day…

JS – 35% for health benefits w/ go into effect 4 yrs from now is that when you’ll giv up your hlth benefits?

Take wk form code enforment and give to police dept…fire to ck up on complaints of over crowding/

TR – I w/ tk every request and investigate it/

JS – conferences like hsg auth who then step down after city paid conference fees/ they shd hv to show reports of what they learned or accomplished

TR – we’re hrg things about hsg auth don’t know what’s goind on, but other depts. Of city tk classes, training, conferences…good exper. When go ea dep hd trks training/ hold people accountable after going to conferences absolutely

Louise M – sick days/ when I went to see Christie, sick days they had to pay out for …the boat check they call it b/c so huge/ if u don’t use it u gotta lose it/ not for nothin’ but who’s chkg your sick time/ other employees checking?

TR – supervisors

LM – I was on council, I saw those numbers//

TR – cdn’t agree w/ u more/ starting fr philosophy of sick time/AT&T used to hv policy, not going to say …fortunately I’m very healthy…but it’s an issue everywhere/ mst employees don’t like to abuse it, but if u do/ we’ve gone to people’s homes to ck on them/ there were benefits 20 odd yrs ago/ 280 sick days, if didn’t use it when retired got paid up to / CFO says antoher step down now 135 days/ now limit $15k most u can take w/ you. LM says days should be protrated according to employees hr rate at time each hrs were earned/ TR says accounting nightmare/

JL – great discussion $18bn a yr to a terrorist country, liv in state pays more in tax to feds, #49 in what we get back/ we wnt to go after middle class and make them pay, bec this state’s legislature doesn’t go after our share/ better lk at the bigger picture//;

End public session/

$120k mellino/ hancock $15,000

Salary chief police

LOST POWER

Public hrg july 6th… cost of cars etc.. missed

Bond financing program/ execution of delivery rev bond to 2011/

Debate as to whether s/ pass atm ordinance, cloud over bidder/ do hv business in Eatontown/ we can chk into that/

Kevin S s/be brought to next mtg and asked the allegations,

Council agreed w/ that/