Tax Assessor 2 Yrs from Retirement Axed by Council

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Council meeting – August 3, 2011

City Manager: City Has Had to Borrow & Spend to Grow & Attract Business

Spending continues tonight w/ $1.12million Borrowed for leasing equipment

City Tax Assessor, Marylou Hartmann, Replaced by Neptune Twp Share Agreement

       Neptune assessor will take on Asbury Park on top of the Twp's needs
Parking Ordinance for Central Business District

Salary Ordinance for Fire Dept – 7.5% over 2008 – 2012

Fire-eaters gave up retro-pay for 08, 09 and 10

Curfew Ordinance – raises questions on ability to enforce


7:07 PM We’re late... –

Missed Commerce Dir’s presentation – see workshop agenda posted earlier today on this site.

Councilmember Jim Bruno asks about complaint of state of boardwalk boards in north end.

Bryan Grant – inch and qtr boards are drying up /(layer applied last summer) always a cosmetic measure, decking under bdwlk is worn out/ cupping is drying of wood/

[Jim Bruno started this discussion, as per complaint from Asbury tower, He is concerned and has asked what can be done by city…]

JB – asks about audit, can we interview the auditor?

Terry Reidy MCity mgr – yes, way to do it is read it, put ques together…

If council wants to go into detail on any aspect we’ll schedule it/

JB – I asked for brkdwn had to do w/ infrastrucutr wk / /we didn’t submit bills to EIT but paid vendors anyway. Can u help me out chris [CFO]

TR – I can... EIT didn’t pay city bk w/in fiscal yr/ so money came in late, but technicality from auditing $3mn shortfall

JB – so EIT’s fault not ours

TR – you wnt to tlk fault

Money didn’t get from …so when close out books cdn’t account for $3mn…

JB – so didn’t cost us, ok

Does council wnt to discuss audit –

John Lofrredo, Mayor Ed Johnson, and Sue Henderson say yes(Sanders absent) want to review audit.

John Loffredo (JL) – asking about some kind of a T at beachfront/ if someone has wheelchair/

TR – this is first yr we’ve had this / put there as an amenity/ unclear what they’re talking about

Mayor – can u in your comments mention the effort on the west side and partners in hsg/ national night out was grt event/ s/b every single day, not just one night. Everyone knows wats going on in that neighborhood, we hv to get involved can’t be afraid/ school – bk to, annual party aug 13 11- 3 pm

Fred Raffetto, city atty:

Council may tk action from exec session: possible ord amending titles for salaries / city eng and asst pub wks supt. Aswfsme union

Shared svcs w/ Neptune for assessing svcs, not be oct 1st, 2011/ This means city tax assessor will replaced by resolution tonight by Bernard Haney, Tax Assessor for Neptune Twp in a shared services agreement. The matter will not be discussed w/ the public because it is not being approved by ordinance.

FR: said he believes the savings being estimated is $30k to $40k/yr

TR – beach revenue – 688, 749. or $156k more than last yr

Parking revenues $532k from pkg, goal is $60k w/

Public Portion – at mic

Rita Marano –
Agreement w/ Neptune re tax assessor, why did this come up now? How much w/ we save? Woman has yr and qtr to go. Why pk on a one man office to eliminate people?

TR – thnk be more effic to enter into…w/ save money and achieve more efficiency

RM – how can that be more effic – sharing? More exper 25 yrs/ we know savings is not going to happen

TR – u don’t know that/ #2 w/ save money and w/ be...

RM – going to hv to pay her for another yr and half, lawsuit on your hands, what’s the rush?

TR – I gave u reason

RM – not good enough for me

And when u give parkg and beach proceeds it’s gross not net/ u shd say that/ bk to mary Hartmann important/ everyone in rm knows wk she does/ excellent wkr/ don’t know why u don’t let her finish out her time …

GAVEL –

WS Resident Lakeyva Jones- Summnerfield Av flooding agin

TR – u hav a car that was damaged in water on summerfield, insur co is chkg/ it’s a matter of whether insur co determines if city liable. /

Tim Harris - Atkins Av & Springwd Av improvement area/ residnts apprec. Once blk is updated… W interfaith’s wk wd suggest council revisit whole issue of pkg in that area / w/ park w/ hv w/ be shortage of pkg/ may wnt some type of resolution…

Joyce Grant –
Appreciate field day and your endorsement of open park for Bradley Cove area/ reads from quote from Brian of iStar/ we are open to hvg conversations in respect to oopen spc and conservation but at this time townhouses plan is in place/ however, he is oopen to discussions w/ council. Ques since you’re on record agreeing with this w/ you discuss w/ cty freeholders to hv..

Mayor – it’s already begun

JG- The discussions? Really?

Mayor – yes

JG - Thank you very much

Joe Woerner – is there any time line? Spkn to pk employees…process is hey tlk to iStar and key appraisal, $ to agree to/ process that is started ? what ecxacly

Mayor – I’ve had mtgs or contact w/ rec comm., all freeholders, w/ APartners/ I’m really on the outside right now, I know [to Sue Henderson[ you’re getting ready to dicuss plans for north/ as far as timelines…I’ve learned in this bizness/

JL – I’ll be honest they indicated to us, it’s money and everyone’s lkg for money w/ theis be the project…I think we hv to convince them [county] that is this is the best place for park.

JW – should be sep from what committee doing t’w nite, but…BEEP

Bond street hairdressing shop owner – problems pkg/ traffic tickets no where to pk/

Mayor – city engineer and dep mayor just down there going over plans/ designated pkg for businesses and residents/ trying to identify spaces for residents, biz owners and emoployees so others w/ be for employees. Roll out after labor day

Aug 9th pub rel pc from pkg auth be ready, says Brian Grant. 5:30 pm Tues mtg if you’d like to attend – mayor

Woman - City pkg lot?

Mayor Lkg at all those spaces…

Louise Murray - former councilperson
- on bdwk few times in evening – signs no dogs or bikes how are u enforcing? See violations #2 read or heard, AP not being best dressed town ar’d/ it’s so true/ wd be wonderful if u cd ensure no bchwear/ nothing worse than to see someone who thinks hey lk good in a bathingsuit slither up to a bar/ u gotta get drunk really fast to put up w/ that/ Jimmy your dad wd never let anyone like that on bdwlk here/

Mayor – u know you’re right. I’ll ask mgr to address dogs and bikes in minute, but in this day and age ltd resources wd love to chase down everyone not dressed right but this ord is our opp to chg, how we deal w/ gangs, truancy, if hv to push for all it w/ be for that ordinance – curfew, etc. – bez hv to save our young people/

JL – don’t u think we shd instrut by example?

Mayor – asking can we also address dogs and bikes

TR – louise is absolutely accurate turns to Chief police

CKinmon – spkn to people issued summons, not every time

Jerry Scarano – LB

Health benfits/ I know u get pat on back and stipend, but don’t know anyone who doesn’t wk f/time who gets benefits/ if u wnt higher stipend s/ req it/ but healthcare is benefit/ how can u hold bk on city wkrs benfits/ or jst wait for state to tell u not going to get anymore as tied to extraordinary aid

How much is city going to save if combine

TR – initially $30k

RM – [Questions is this best time to share assessor in light of state-ordered revaluation] Did we sign off on that yet?

JS - [On borrowing] understanding where she [Rita] was coming from since 10 yrs ago city only owed $5 mn now $58 mn at least

Myra Campbell – DEP did mandate atkins place be dismantled/ my complaint has been who’s been overseeing this project/ asphalt brik and forget other material, it was clrly being recycled on our street/ When city engineer was asked who gave app’l or when, he said he didn’t know/ Lucas construc donated $24k, as per Coaster, did any of that come from AP? WSide Citizens united is an active part of back to school day/

TR – brian went thru explanation…sev’l times named certain mat’ls as illegal …DEP says not illeal/ mistake was made was allowing mat’l brought in to be crushed/ dep was aware when visited site. It was the mat’l fr outside that req’d the permit/

BG – this is an EIT project administered by the state/ w hv dep come down for bimonthly inspections/ progress of job. They sign off as well as brian/ aware of crushing operations/ once outside the zone became violation/no penalties issued, situation been abated.

End of public comment portion
Minutes – app’d by bruno, mayor, Henderson –

Bill resolution $2mn current vouchers, $510k for bd of ed/ total over $3mn

Raffles - appd

Tax officer for city of Asbury park – appd

Panosonic computers not to exceed $40k

Personal propo to Bradley bch /canine cage sold for $10

Sewer plant 503 sunset ave to ? didn’t get am’t

Shared svcs Neptune for assessing svcs / final vote tonight

All yes/

Auth city mgr MOA w/ city youth corp

Salary ord for titles city engineer an asst pw supt/ sept 7th mtg/ state w/ review all labor contracts/

Jb – when we hv the pub hrg on it w/ it show 2011/ 2012, or w/ it jst show the maximums?

Jb, no – others yes on those salaries / Kevin Sanders will vote via phone/ Sue H calls him

$1, 050,000 leasing capital equip’t/

Open to audience

RM – 4 affirm votes are needed

Pls explain ord again

TR – this is a leased eq’t / all partic in mon cty invited to partic in lease agreement/ if wnt to partic ask them what their number is, once submit number becomes overall bonding number/ u only pay on what actually bond for, regardless of what amount you say uo want to bond for// invited *on-site computer to do analysis of the computers, they’re the ones who service them. All were 3 to 5 yrs old/ $25k for office furn for sen ctra/ social svcs and city mgr/

RM – weren’t there two electric cars in there

No

RM – there are new cars

SH – hybrids

TR – 5 vehicles

sev’l 2 for code dept, 2 for construction, van for sen citiz, minivan for sen center/ and hybrid for city mgr

RM – why is that? Why do you need a new car?

You’re going to say it’s over the yrs but no one asks about the debt svc

It’s not fair yur borrowing when you can’t afford/equip't only last a few yrs but pay for 30 yrs


TR – in order to run city hv to have things, personnel, doesn’t happen w/out spending/ equip’t in we need/ we auctioned off our fleet 27 cars, we’re being strategic in buying what need to provide the svcs. Everyone/ u included/ wd be asking why don’t we hv svcs/

RM – we’re over our head in debt/

TR – city has to keep mvg forward…when I came in city was stagnant/ we’re much better now/

RM – u jst raised our taxes 18c and now you’re borrowing again.

TR- taxes don’t get reduced

LM – how many towns jumped on this program? 12 jumped on it out of 52? Are they in bad shape too?

JB – asked how much bonding for…how does the public know what those vehicles are? Public has no idea what getting?

Ordinance states can go to $1,120,000 and up to 5.50% interest

VOTES -JB – no on bond ordinance, SH, Kevin Sanders – by phone, JL, Mayor, all yes

JB – had asked how public willknow if substitutions in list are made/ FR suggested it be posted on the web



Don Sammett, City Redev Dir -Amend CDB plan pay fee equal to a structured pokg stall/ dev havn’t pad into that fund they’ve fnd ways of getting around/ cost equal to impact lk of pkg has on CBD as a whole. So w/ be asked to pay into fund instead for improving pkg all over downtown. All yes

Ordinance on Curfew –

JB que –

Fire Dept

Chief Keddy – academy training, steps salaries range from an academy fireman at $38, 127 to start, one in his 7th yr wd make in 2011 $88, 350

TR - Isn’t retroactive for 08 and 09, dept gave that up, so retroactive kicks bk in this yr 2011/ this is ex how wer’e trying to save money/ they’re tkg comp instead of OT pay, reduced health benefits/ pay 1.5% of salary to health benefits/ part of this yr and 2012/ all yes



8:35 pm adjourned