Asbury Park Council meeting – April 6, 2011 AsburyRadio’s Reporter’s Notebook – Comments, corrections, spellings, clarifications are one way you can participate in this process. Just send me your message as a comment and I’ll post it. We don’t entertain anons though.
Council Present: Susan Henderson, John Loffredo, Mayor Ed Johnson, Kevin Sanders, and James Bruno – Steve Kay, city clerk
Blue Bishops Hailed – Named April 8th for the basket ball team
Citizen Angels - Volunteers - Lauded by Mayor and Council
State Coughs Up $10, 372,000 This Year
City Looking to Cut $1.6M from Budget
Meeting Ends in Discourse over Meter Contract Going to Solo Bidder – Bruno is sole objector
Audience Faults City for Health Premium Awards
6:40 pm – Late Arrival Workshop Meeting
In Progress Brian Grant, city engineer dir. Of Public Works –
Presenting option for new pkg meters to council.
2 yr service contract, asked extended warranty of 5 yrs price/ in ans to Bruno.
Bruno – we asked last time if it’ll take tokens
Mayor – no cash, credit card, set up via cell phone.
BG – can hv temp cards for limited time use/ advertisements for local merchants on receipts/
KS – can it be programmed to a specific address? For residential use.
BG – no
200 block of waterfront so more meters/ cbd w/ be 40 meters. 135 meters altogether/
JB – do ? know about it? How did they find us, this co trying to brk into nj?
BG – they knew we were going to advertise/
JB – we hv to adv in something that will span more than jst tinton falls…when we’re lkg for something like this
We hv appox $80k leftover from trans ctr project/ painting of canopies abround trans ctr/ we hv to sandblast old paint to get it right the first time/ open to all contractors, intend to adv in coaster / try to save money adg in coaster than app.
JB – pkg – thought we’d get mor of selection than jst one
Mayor – can we post on city web site?
Gilmour – can’t hear him
Mayor – yes we should – to Gilmour
JB – lst yr we jst missed out on grant…transportation, wondered if we cd apply real qk this yr.
Mayor – terry jst got a nocie requesting an app.
Terry Reidy, city mgr – there’s been a lot of conversation/ everyone knows first yr muni of nj hav req’d adopt budgets of 2% cap or hold referendum to exceed it/ this eveing gov body w/ hv resolution that we’re not going to referendum/
People refer to it as 2% cap…but there are variety of exceptions to cap, re AP certain pension costs…exceptions, in 2011 budget w/ be april 20th introduction/ city of ap cd incrs taxes by 19.5% and still be w/in 2% cap/ so jst to put guidelines in perspective/ res tonight w/ say if city wanted to go ref wd be eligible/
Gilmour – Tom, city commerce dir and head of UEZ/
Hsekppg issue/ 09 bid for mktg svcs/ 2yr time/ prof contracts s/be issued for only 12 mos at time/ so renewing now for M studio and Synergy productions/ some spec event pol recommended don’t apprve/ sandblast asked to hold on south side instd of north side of CH asked if council wd consider/
JL – there’s no agreement w/ Madison Marquette to do that
Mayor – at some pt we hv to decide about mv events to an event bch/
JB – something about putting a curtain up
Mayor – can’t hv significant portion of it closed for an event, when so many people want to use beach.
JL – well alrdy hav permission for north side, don’t want them to be hardship///
JB – won’t need lifeguards jst put sign up no swimming. That bch hasn’t even been open since 69.
Mayor – fence will run all way to water…
TG – Monmouth Med wants to use ? for raising $
JB – all these events coming to city to raise money, can’t they contribute some to the city, say for 4th of July or our other celebrations?
Mayor – seemed to agree it should be explored.
TR – 3 items on pkg agenda/ when some of us wnt to Trenton to local finance bd, lk’d at our self-help efforts.
City Atty Fred Raffetto: So 3 items from the executive session for gov body to lk at/ towing rates , second is hote
TR - l tax/ allowed by statute/ LBrnch has tax in, greater close to $400k from hotels/ state runs entire program, CFO says/
JB – sure they’ll take that away too
TR – city gives state state gives back….Flase Arlarm ordinance, startled by number of false alarms our dept…1,782 false alarms, Fire dpt responded to ….581? procedure this is to track false alarms and pay penalty if caught. Costs us firemen being somewhere else.
JB – alarms in bad weather go off all time/ I know which ones we get false alarms
TR – jimmy that’s a very good pt.
JB – older buildings trying to upgrade but they go off/
TR – matters to be introduced by city council
SH – dep mayor jl and myself are on waterfront advisory comm.. we met once, last mtg cancelled due to death. A rep from Mad Marquette and from state were there. Next mtg is next wk/ Dog licenses or w/ be fined/
JB – pooper scooper bags…sunset av dog stations bond st to atlantic park on sunset on 5th not one/ 602 5th ave. ??/
JB – 4th of july parade, we may hav money for fireworks but won’t be like last yr/ we need sponsors
Mayor – congratulate the Roots Harmonies exhibit, if not gone to library shd get there. Excellent exhibit/
TR – pol chif announcement
Chief – atty gen’l’s office we’ll be recg a $250k tech grant for tech projects, submit to state for app’l. on top of list for consideration w/ be surveillance cameras.
Fred Raffetto – asked whether who can use beach passes…muni can chg fees but not discrimate against nonresidents
2 items from exec session/ res shared svcs cty mon and ap fire dispatch svcs. Mofunderstanding antennas on top of Monroe towers, for video surveillance projct.
End of Wkshop – 7:20 pm
Public Portion –
April 15th, Alzheimer’s observance, representive of assn present/ Mayor reads resolution – Bdwlk gala at historic …in AP Music Memories in AP
Mayor - Champions in the room – APHS Blue Bishop Varsity Basketball Team 64-50 beat…established itself as power to be reckoned with/
Mayor – so often in press and media we’re told what they’re not doing and not achieving, we are very proud of your achievement/ you made this one town so very proud/ members of bd of ed w/ uspls stand/ pls join us up front/ basketball coaches to join us Hereby encourage citizens of ap to recognize the outstanding achievements of these young men, april 8th to be the Day of Champions in AP
Standing ovation – some taking photos/ School’s Supt.Denise Lowe “One City One Asbury Park” Connie Breach was able to arrange a dinner on april 19th at the Adriatic on Kinglsey St. for the student athletes.
Holiday Tour Drive – ask AP Police officer Connie Breach to come forward to distribute awards – special recognition tonight for individuals and companies who’ve gone beyond
Amsel Aaron & Grimm, company in Brick BJ Dowling, Eckland Recycling, Dennis Buckley on behalf of AP Elks, (Bruno jst as long as he doesn’t have his ruler out – Buckley says Thanks Jim) Buckley says Elks have charity events to raise money for scholarships for different groups, Rita Hoffman and MaryBeth McBride, freezing temps sorting toys in garage for ten yrs of undaunting devotion Beth Fodero…, Charles Guerara, retired teacher and owner of Georgies wanted to give back, despite the economy supporting every year… Danny Mckee, president of AP Little League $450 to kids baseball camp this summer/ box of bats and balls for the league…21 kids sent each summer to camp in PA, exper mst wd not have w/out generosity of Police Dept and others who hv an interest in seeing AP and children succeed.
Public Session –
Beth – Cookman Ave – what did u find out about all the graffiti in downtown
Chief – have some leads, sev’l members dept wkg on/ pos results
Beth – been doing own investigation, web stie of coalition art tank, hav may 14th final graffiti class w/ be outside on the wall. Don’t know what’s going on w/ all liaquor going on down town, who approves all that going on down there.
Mayor – come may 14th they better not be out there writing on the walls.
Beth – distritubuting copies of signs to council.
Jerry Scarano – Long Brnch / town wide garage sale apr 30th/ people think of cleaning/ may 1 house tour/ instead of 6 or 8, trying to get cluster of homes, ex. Buckley Funeral home and others by it/ cluster on Central Ave need volunteer homes, contact jim McGlynn 732- 610- 5470 / problems getting names requested thru OPRA fnd out did hv people opt out of health program, not one pub official opted out of the refund for not takg health benefit/ w/ $21k for health benefits could save a job for city employee/ putting
Myra Campbell – Mattison Ave, AP
Speeding down streets. I hv doc in front of me public engineering 12/25/11, I talked about strs and lack of progress, they said were on schedule, my doc says wd’ve been finished by march 25 on my street and dewitt, hvn’t event started on my street. Mentioned woman fell during last council mtg, and next day cones went up. And Construction company started at 7 am on Saturday. Ministers mtg too.
Chief – Speeding,
BG – schedules notes always say subject to weather, but overall constru endate is still intact, or on track. If heavy prolonged rain he won’t show up.
Mayor – I can def agree on the 7 in morning.he’s told 7is legal.
JB – but they’re wkg for us we can say 8 am.
Rita Marano – 2 wks ago asked what atty fees were befor judge Lawson.
TR – number we have now is…? Numbers associated with the litigation$50k covers pretrial, hearing in court of Lawson, post.
JB – we can’t use the escrow acct we hv w/ them…
TR - $51k paid out as result of litigation/ includes the arbitration too.
RM – what about Aaron’s bills $36k and $36
CFO - For variety of different cases, nothing for redev.
Vernice McGriff – and not rly being controversial
North beach, we shd start using it/ cultivating, whoever’s on that committee we need to start using north beach/ we’re one of the top beaches in area/ we could use the money/ That’s a dead end/ people coming into town we don’t wnt to lose them
Denise Richardson – Ridge Av
Commend whoever tk bushes down in front of trans ctr/ Brian stood up waved his hand – cameras already in place and those buying, if doing shared svcs w/ Neptune will they wk w/ Neptune?
Chf – intial instinct is prob won’t / they have quite a few cameras…something to lk at yes/
TR – who di that at trans
BG – thank you wnted to do for yrs/ landscaping w/ cost $4k so for now we’ll jst seed it. But I thank the resident for mentioning it.
End of public comment
Council Resolutions –
$1, 400,000 bill resolution
Raffles – social affair permits catering permits – all yes
Liquor license 400 main st. to 644 Cookman Av, app’d by zoning – all yes
Coral Bay llc rescheulded
Nominate bruno for insurance commission – loffredo’s nom
Loffredo – nom. for planning board - inaudible – believe this was Cerise Grillo
Refund over payment – bangs ave and other prop taxes sev’l
Multifunctional copiers, contracts not to exceed $25k
City mgr to adv for bids concrete pavers decorative, for downtown
Authorize surveillance cameras – all yes
Shared svcs dispatch fire dept w/ monmouth btyy\ Bruno absolutely not/ all others yes
Authorize sanding and painting at Trans Ctr/ got 3 quotes/ this is $55k to be paid from existing grant from DOT
Rescinding plan to hold referendum/ not trapped into budget..ref w/ allow us to / in ap only reason wd need ref if I wnt’d to raise taxes by 20% or more/ until we rec’d the state aid number don’t know/ in brick residents chose to pay their own garbage instead of raise taxes. For us it wd save $1.2 million if we did that/
20th of april w/ be hrgon budget introduced already/ next amendment to add in the $10,375,000 from state exceptional aid. Won’t be asking council to pass. w/ be figuring How to close $1.6 million gap and balance the city budget. $1/4million savings per yr fr cuts in police and fire/ on 20th hrg w be on the reduced budget/
All yes/
MStudio and Synergy prod for video – $100,000 not to exceed for mstudio, which is not expected to really exceed $50k because UEZ doesn’t hav more than that / and synergy also not to exceed $50k / These were originally proposed for two yrs, but Gilmour learned that they couldn’t be approved for more than 12 mo. Contract.
Salary for p/time employee – not raising current pay
Public hrgs on grease trap ordinance/ TR – regulates rests and putting grease into our sanitary sewers/ not evry restau is diligent about it/
Ordiance Financial agreement abv Asbury urban renewal –
This is on the griffin – allows city to modify pilot agreement it has w/ griffin/
RM – how many pilot prograsms do we have? [Payment in Lieu of Taxes – tax reduction programs used in development zones to attract construction. The city usually gets its share, but county tax is nil or nominal and no school tax is taken.]
CFO – I believe 5
TR – more revenue comes into city/ does go into general fund/ helps pay for services/ pilot agreement provides more revenue to city because not divided w/ cty and schools tax
RM – do you keep it separate so you can track it?
Yes
Oh, good how much is it?
Laughter –
TR – I can show it to you
JB – would only get half if went to conventional taxes
TR – pilot revenue goes to same plc as rest of property taxes.
RCA Project – 314 7th ave/ $33, 850.
JB – something wrong on meters if only one company bid on it…here we go again/ you have no clue sue henderson at all.
SH – I wasn’t here
JB – something smells again…bruno is tring to speak and the others are closing the meeting…I hv emails/ I hav the one you sent too
EJ – good night Irene
JB - - don’t good night me…
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