ready the May 22nd council meeting La brand city council will now come to order roll call please Mr Vieira I'm here Dr vote here Mrs whts here Dr Sul is absent Mr dangler here can we please stand for the pledge allegiance pledge allegiance to the flag Madam clerk I hereby certify the this meeting has been published in the newspaper in accordance with the open public meeting act and posted as required by law thank you uh this evening we have a very very special um presentation one of our own the junior firefighter Joseph Valentino winner of the National Junior fir fighter of the Year award amazing accomplishment and the mayor will thank you come on up I'm going just turn this this way Joey it's a a real Honor on behalf of the council and myself to present this to you uh I'm going to read it but I've known the Valentino family I've known Joe his father was grandfather and Scar to say his great-grandfather as well but uh great family and thank you for all you've done for our community so this is a proclamation um I'm going to read this but Joe won uh Joey won a national award recently where he was honored down in uh outside Washington in Virginia on April 26th and we have a proclamation for him Joe why don't you come on up and I'm just going to read this um whereas Joe V Valentino is an active Community involved senior at Ocean Township High School in Ocean New Jersey he's a proud third generation volunteer in fire service as a member of both the Oakhurst indpendent host company in Ocean Township as well as our independent fire and engine truck company number two here in the city of Lawn branch uh whereas the Long Branch fire department is a department he holds in special regard and created and organized the volunteer recruitment drive for his Eagle Scout service project canvasing homes utilizing social media appearing at community events and making appeals to community organizations ultimately reaching 35,000 residents and increasing the roster of the volunteer firefighters here in Long Branch by 25% and I may add that's a you know very difficult thing to do to get nowadays to get volunteers for anything so Joe thank you for that which obviously resulted in a 25% increase in volunteer firefighting members here in Long Branch and as um result of those recruiting efforts and volunteer Service uh Joey uh was awarded the Robert bullet feny medal which is a Long Branch fire department award as well as the Boy Scouts of America Mammoth Council uh named his project uh the recipient of the Glenn and Melinda Eagle Scout service award uh and he's actually under consideration for an Eagle Scout project of the year at the national level uh in addition to his volunteerism in Two Fire companies and being an eagle scout uh he has achieved five Palm Awards he's a member of the order of the arrow and the National Honor Society he's engaged in his church community and serves in multiple leadership roles in school um through Mr Valentino's extraordinary service leadership he's an exam an example he came to the attention of the national Volunteer Fire Council again a National Organization and he was he was named the National Junior fir frighter of the year at their annual awards banquet in Arlington Virginia just this two weeks ago on April 26 so now therefore the mayor and city council the city of laor Branch hereby Proclaim their enthusiasm appreciation for the extraordinary level of community service and commitment exhibited by Joseph V Valentino and congratulate him on receiving his well-deserved recognition as National Junior firefighter of the Year presented this 22nd day of May 24th and again Joe on behalf of the city council and council president dangler uh congratulations thank you much I just want to say thank you um for everything uh first want to start off for thinking the fire department especially um Chief B bud and um Chief Jo Valentino My Own grandfather who has been an amazing world matter my whole life um also want to it's a true honor to um be um the the third generation father of my family not only because it proves how strong um the the fire department is but how true how how um how like true and strong um a family relationship and how strong a bond can be with a father and son um because it has it went through so many generations and uh I just want to I finish start saying that um it's very important to me um that um if you have a heart to protect and to serve your community no matter where you come from um we we we need more people like you uh in our community because uh the the one thing that L branch and every part PO is not is is not always short of is people who believe in truly believe in um everybody is worth protecting and everybody is um um um makes a city stronger so just want to say thank you for everything and it's a true honor thank you so much [Applause] I need a motion to approve the minutes of the May 8th 2024 meeting so moved second roll call Mr Vieira yes Dr vot yes Mrs whtas yes Dr Su is absent Mr dangler yes consideration of ordinance public hearing and final consideration ordinance 0924 the ordinance authorizing the sale of one property on 200-202 Belmont Avenue Long Belmont Avenue Long Branch known as block 280 lot 15 to I AJ Belmont LLC pursuant to Redevelopment agreement this ordinance was introduced on May 8th 2024 and authorizes the city of Long Branch to sell to sell vacant property pursuant to the Redevelopment agreement I need a motion to open a public portion of this ordinance only some move second all in favor I I opposed if there's any members of of the AUD of the public that has a comment to make on this ordinance only please come to the podium state your name and address clearly for the record you will have 5 minutes and may only speak once on ordinance 09- 24 is that Vincent laort 33 Ocean terce Long Branch requesting one minute notification if needed the ordinance quote whereas I AJ proposes to redevelop the project area I did by constructing there on two single family houses end quote what is the configuration of those two two single family houses actually well there it's two single family houses and we actually approved the Redevelopment agreement at the last meeting and the configuration was actually attached to the Redevelopment agreement I don't know whether the clerk's office has it I don't think I have it in front of me are they freestanding yes yeah they're single they're detached if that's your question side by side or one in front of the other side by side side by side on 0726 acre well the the the the redeveloper owns the other two lots and we own the one in the middle so the redeveloper owns other Lots also it's not that's it's not just all on this property so all right let's get clarification on this the two single family houses are not restricted to this ordinance the restrict the two single family houses are going to be built on this property and adjoining properties is that correct that is correct City owned property was any attempt made by the city as far as this property on Belmont Avenue or the one at 105 Long Branch Avenue in resolution 122 tonight to approach Habitat for Humanity for affordable housing did the city take any initiative to to contact Habitat for Humanity not that I'm aware of no would have been nice there's a severe need in this city severe need would have been nice if the city had compassion for its residents who are struggling to have had affordable housing on City Lots but then knowing the history of this Council there is no [Music] conscience I need a motion motion to close some move second all in favor I this this is the second reading of ordinance 9-24 I need a motion to adopt the second and final reading and advertise according to law roll call I'm sorry second Mr via yes Dr vote Yes Mrs whtas yes Dr s is absent Mr dangler yes ordinance 10-24 an ordinance authorizing the the purchase of block 436.02 Lots 29 and 31 the city of Long Branch from the Department of Transportation this ordinance was was was introduced on May 8th 2024 and is to authorize the purchase of block 436.02 Lots 29 and 31 in the city of Long Branch from the New Jersey Department of Transportation and in in incorporate set properties into the to pocket park located on block 436.02 Lot 27 in the vicinity of Ocean Avenue Ocean Boulevard in Atlantic Avenue I need a motion to open a public portion of this public portion hearing of this ordinance only so move second so move all in favor I I oppos if there's any any members of the public that have a comment to make on this ordinance only please come to the podium state your name and address clearly for the record you will have five minutes and will only you may only speak Once on This ordinance I need a motion to close so move second all in favor I I opposed this is the second reading of ordinance 10-24 I need a motion to adopt the second and final reading and advertise according to law so move second second roll call Mr viea yes Dr vote yes Mrs Wht yes Dr Su is absent Mr dangler Mr dangler yes on uh 11-24 is being pulled yeah council president um if if I can um uh I just mentioned to you that we need to hold this for two weeks because there are some technical amendments we may have to make okay so what I would ask that since this is on for a second reading that technically you need to table it uh to the next meeting you need to formally table it by vote to the next meeting and Madam clerk you need to read advertise it okay uh I need a motion to uh to table and or pull ordinance 11-24 for the next meeting so moved second have a roll call Mr Vieira yes Dr vote Yes Mrs whtas yes M Dr s is absent Mr dangler yes ordinance uh 12 12-24 and ordinance amending chapter 296 storm storm sewers of the code of the city of Long Branch by creating article three privately owned s salt storage this ordinance was introduced on May 8th 2024 and is to establish requirements for privately owned salt storage and other deicing materials on the properties not owned by the city in order to prevent said materials from being exposed to storm water need a motion to open the public hearing on this ordinance only some move second all in favor I oppos if there's any members of the public that has any comments to make on this ordinance only please come to the Podium state your name your name and address clearly for the record you will have 5 minutes and may only speak once on ordinance 1224 I need a motion to close some move second all in favor I this is the second reading of ordinance 1224 12-24 I need a motion to adopt adopt on the second and final reading and adverti according to law [Music] so second roll call Mr Vieira yes Dr vote Yes Mrs whtas yes Dr Su is absent Mr dangler yes or for introduction ordinance 13-24 this is the first reading of of ordinance 13-24 entitled ordinance amending chapter 345 zoning attachment one green development checklist of the code of the city of Long Branch this ordinance is is at the request of the Long Branch environment environmental commission amends chapter 3 345 zoning uh attachment one green development list I need a motion to introduced on the first reading according advertised and posted according to law and set for public hearing of June 12th so move second roll call Mr Vera yes Dr vote yes Mrs whts yes Dr Su is absent Mr dangler yes public participation resolution public excuse me public participation for resolution and for General comments I need a motion to open the public portion of the meeting for all comments some all in favor I if there's anyone in the anyone in the audience that has a comment to make they may step to the podium state your name and address clearly for the record and you will have 5 minutes and may only speak once Vincent leapor 33 Ocean terus Long Branch requesting one minute notification Mr Martin at the last council meeting I had asked you if you had the opportunity to review the 2022 Pier Village 3 garage it to which he responded quote I have more important things to do to occupy my time end quote also at the last council meeting your response to my question concerning the perer village 3 garage and that it should have been both a land and Improvement assessment you responded quote I do not value assessments or value land end quote Mr Mar these answers are very compromising to your fiduciary responsibility as a CFO to this city indeed Mr Martin had you proofed the garage order you would have realized the 30-year tax emption for the garage no longer financially exists and you would have readily realized the garage should have been put back on the tax rolls which reminds us Mr Martin has Kushner as of yet provided three years worth of audits for Pier Village 3 no sir no Mr Martin this evening you've introduced the municipal budget resolution 124 no doubt the figure quote amount raised by taxation end quote is the basis of this budget so indeed Mr Martin the value of Assessments and the value of land is an essential critical component of this budget which as a Chief Financial Officer you would have paid particular attention to especially the tax abated pilot figures of this body concerning the figure realized in Pilots Cash 3 million 71,9 46 not with standing the significant underassessment of the city's pilot properties the amount lost by the schools in 2023 from the pilots approximate 1,382 375 an example of this abusive underassessment of pilot tax abated properties as the $220,000 ridiculously low assessment of kushner's 40,000 foot of retail at the base of the Lofts residential condominium complex of perer Village 3 what's troubling is that the actual loss in Schoolboard taxes would have been significantly worse had the pilot projects been assessed accurately outside those receiving tax abatements the rest of Long Branch must shoulder the loss school taxes from the city's pilot projects particularly the John palone 30-year perer Village 3 tax abatement and tax exemption equally little blame is States senator gopal who heads the State education committee and in whose legislative district again has been viewing these tax abatements and their hammering contributions to the Long Branch Board of Education to the people of Long Branch when you get whacked Taxation and you get whacked good keep in mind Governor Murphy state senator gopal to assembly leaders Peter Paul and donlin voted to lift the 2% Municipal cap to foot the bill to cover costs for the state cut back to the board of education copal donlin and Peter Paul are no friend to the taxpayers being they've been around here and they've witnessed the John palone 30-year peer Village three tax abatements and tax exemptions so people when you got to cut the checks for the taxes you know who to look at goal Peter Paul donlin palone and Council 5 minutes for a perpetration of junk government anyone any a motion to close the public portion of the meeting so move second all in favor I I Madame clerk are there any changes to the list of resolutions no changes have been made thank you we can take the list of resolutions as a consent agenda in a motion second roll call Mr viea yes Dr vot yes Mrs whts yes Dr Su is absent Mr dangler yes yes applications there are none miscellaneous business for the good of the order councilman via good evening thanks for coming out tonight it's nice to see new faces and please come and we like to have peace the audience I want to thank the fire chiefs back there as usual they keeping us company here I want to so congratulate Joe Valentino for the junior firefighter volunteer it's amazing what these firefighters do for us volunteer to get out of bed they do whatever it is and to start that young and be that recognition is something for the city and for the family so congratulations Joe and also want to s a big uh shout out to the public workers uh public workers weeker so big shout out for all our public workers for what they do for our SI City and with that good night and thank you for coming councilwoman vote thank you council president just very Bri briefly my regrets that I could not be at the meeting in person tonight but I have been on the phone the whole time to stay current so hopefully next time we will be there in person thank you Council woman Wiis I also would like to thank everyone for coming out this evening and um congratulations Joey for job well done you're great inspiration to everyone in this community thank you and we'd like to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day uh hope to see you at the events this weekend thank you mayor palom thank you council president just have a few announcements to make the uh Pride flag raising is Friday June 7th at West End park at 600 p.m. join us for live music and the raising of the pride flag cruise to the Jersey Shore car show is Sunday June 16th that's Father's Day from 9:00 a.m. to 300 p.m. at the Long Branch prominade this year will be our 29th car show in Long Branch uh Long Branch fund days will start on June 19th check our website for the full schedule at La branch. org um we continue with our free art classes and events continue at the Long Branch Arts and Cultural Center again check out our website long branch. org for the latest exhibit and class and event schedule and finally the uh Long Branch fire and history museum is open uh check our website and long branch. org for the schedule but I can tell you that it will be open this Sunday from 1: to 4: admission is free uh we have some very uh unique pieces uh in the uh uh in the fire and history museum so if you haven't been uh please uh check it out thank you all for coming this evening and have a great um Memorial Day weekend and um thank you thank you thank you I also would certainly like to congratulate uh Joseph Valentino that is an amazing uh an award to get a national to be recognized nationally um and you can hear the passion and he spoke very well in regards to uh the fire department and certainly his family so congratulations again thank you all for uh coming out this evening and uh enjoy the holiday weekend that is here have fun be safe motion to adjourn so move second second all in favor [Applause] I can't believe I forgot to mention that that's