The meeting opened with a motion carried to table the surf school instruction vendor award, which the city solicitor recommended addressing in a future meeting. The city manager provided updates on various construction projects and expressed gratitude to residents for their patience. The completion of paving and ongoing road projects were highlighted, and the mayor commended the city manager for his coordination of the construction projects.

The council discussed a proposal from the city manager to amend a resolution regarding passenger transportation bus permit fees. The amendment would change the fee schedule to include vehicles carrying nine or more passengers. It was clarified that the Chamber of Commerce and a local tour company would handle the online permit process, with the city manager emphasizing the need for public outreach and enforcement of the new permit requirements. The possibility of involving code enforcement and police, as well as reaching out to the AC Jitney for private transportation permit requirements, was also suggested.

The issue of bus parking was addressed, with the police chief being permitted to allow overflow buses to park on Pittsburgh Avenue based on seasonality and events. Various fee structures for parking at the Welcome Center lot, city streets, and hotels were discussed. The council also considered the introduction of an ordinance for lead-based paint inspections for certain residential rental dwelling units. After debate, it was decided to remove the short-term rental portion of the ordinance and proceed with the long-term rental provision required by statute. The suggestion to set up a subcommittee to review the issue of short-term rentals and educate the realtor community on how to implement the program was made. The city solicitor proposed an amendment to the ordinance to include an exception for single family and two family seasonal rental dwelling units.

The council voted to pass an amended ordinance related to short-term rental regulations and to form a task force to evaluate the ordinance. Planning Board Chairperson Bill Bazer and other officials were nominated to be part of the task force. Additionally, the council passed code sections regarding prohibited parking and loading zones which were already in existence but required codification.

During the public portion, Stacy Shan raised questions regarding the raising of fees for passenger transport bus permits and clarified the distribution of the collected funds. The council moved on to the consent agenda, which included items like the minutes with numerous abstentions from different council members, and removed an item related to a surf camp.

The city manager updated the council on the progress of the 2022 audit. Most issues identified in the previous audit were addressed, except for the contract for GASB Actuarial analysis to the Lifeguard pension fund, pending the completion of a state audit. A change order for the Quanis Park bathroom project was proposed, needing verbal approval from the council to keep the project moving forward.

The council discussed the installation of parking kiosks, allowing credit card payments and syncing license plates into an enforcement app. The Deputy Mayor and a council member participated in a book Brigade event to celebrate the grand opening of the County Library’s newest branch in Cape May. The Mayor expressed gratitude to various parties, including the citizens of Cape May, the county, the Department of Public Works, the Recreation Department, the Convention Hall, and the police department for their efforts.

Public comments covered topics such as road work completion, a request for a stop sign, updates on discussions with the Housing Authority regarding working-class housing, concerns about electric bikes on the promenade, and the practicality of the lead-based paint inspection ordinance. Additionally, a publication about upcoming coastal zone regulations was highlighted as an important issue. The council also received a request for a town hall meeting in 2024.