##VIDEO ID:qu5TyWMViZk## adequate notice of this meeting has been provided to the co-star the official newspaper of the burough bmar and the Asbury Park Press on December 13 2023 and notice of this meeting was posted on the bulleon board of the municipal building take roll call councilwoman Donovan here councilwoman Kenny here mayor bco here councilman Rondo here and councilman Lis is absent please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance the United States of America rep for it stands one nation indivisible Injustice please remain standing for a moment of silence for our troops their families and our first respond thank you Workshop discussion I'll start off uh it's really not a discussion but I'm sure all the council has seen the uh remediation started on 1200 Main you haven't seen that for the public um and I just wanted to let you know that uh have to thank Mr Kain and our engineer for coordinating that and making sure that it's not interfering with uh children entering and leaving school and also have to commend uh superintendent Alvarez he sent out a great notice to the parents about uh what was happening and and again the hours so that it wouldn't interfere with the uh children going and coming to school um second thing I believe Council was interested in an explanation on resolution 24176 okay that's a resolution that we have tonight for an emergency resolution for additional funds uh being basically designated in the budget for legal expenses okay just give me a second here and I'll bring that up my understanding that let's just back out when we do a when we do our budget we estimate how much money is going to be spent in in particular line items and it's basically a an educated estimate or educated yes now if what happens is if during the year we're we're going to spend more than what was anticipated in that line item uh we have to let the uh department of public affairs knows that we're essentially amending that line item to a larger number uh it's not has nothing to do with the fact that we're you know using more money it's just that we're allocating it to a different to a different uh line item we're taking money from someplace else and we're increasing that line item because of expenses that we didn't foresee right but the overall budget totals all stay the same so that's why if you look at the uh the resolution it says that we're going to have an emergency appropriation uh for $125,000 and according to the statute we can't do emergency Appropriations for more than 3% of the total operating budget which for 20 23 was [Music] 584,000 have and in this case uh I I believe it's mostly due to the fact that we had a lot of litigation expenses related to the affordable housing so that is basically why we need to do this resolution I have I have two questions about that if you don't mind um one you said that this was increasing the overall budget but was being appropriated from other parts of the budget can you tell me where those other parts are I don't know offand but as the year goes on uh you know and money is being spent there are some line items where where we anticipate spending you know X thousands of dollars we didn't spend that much so we have essentially extra money in that area so I'm sure the CFO is using those funds collecting those little bits from different line items to come up with the uh moving those monies into that appropriation um actually I li I have three total questions the second one is um we're only still in September if there are additional legal fees will this have to ur I don't think I think we've estimated that this is going to cover for the whole year according to Mr Kane yeah and finally because this is a large sum this apparently is my question always what happens if we vote against it that's a good question um I guess then we can't continue to pay our attorneys for any fees and we won be represented when we need to be represented just to clarify what happens if we don't pay attorne Mr M they tend not to do the work for you sir litigious people are they thank you question I I have a question so are we anticipating this is going to happen every year then with all of this affordable housing that we have coming and all the attorneys and the time that we need to prepare for all look the top of my head I have to think and hope that this is a a one-time situation because once we get the third round approvals uh we won't be in the same position we are that we found ourselves in this year so that the affordable housing expenses should be much less in terms of attorney fees than than we had this year because we'll Al we'll be on track at that point and it'll just be the normal everyday Redevelopment uh fee Redevelopment legal fees to review things that are coming in on a regular basis but I don't anticipate any litigation expenses like we had this year right and so because you feel like this is under the 3% you're not anticipating an increase in taxes again next year because of this bump no this is not increasing the amount of money that we're spending overall it's just it's just allocating it to a different line that's all it is we we're not like the Federal government we can't print money and and work in in a deficit you know situation we we have so much and that's all we can spend thank you any other questions on that okay any other matters for Workshop yes I actually have one more thing that I want to discuss so in the shade tree commission it came to our attention that a law was passed last year that um it's called a tier a ms4 per that is now required for you to take any tree down on your property no matter where it is so not only the planting strip but now you have to have a permit to take down any Tree on your property so that is going to um increase like the number of amount of permits that we're going to need that's going to increase the amount of you know applications that we're going to need and certainly um code enforcement and all is going to have to be involved we are also going to have to rewrite or amend our ordinance moving forward stating all of this so this is all things that we are working on with the shade tree commission we've already done that and that ordinance was passed as part of the uh d uh mandates um this isn't something that Belmar thought up um every town had to put these ordinances in effect or uh risk not getting um state grants U for storm board protection projects so it's really was really forced down our throats um and I think it maybe earlier this year I think we we put it into effect so um there may be exceptions off the top of my head there may be exceptions for for residential for single trees or something of that nature it seems to stick in my head but uh I'll take a look at it okay thank you so much other items to Workshop okay uh let's move on to petitions I did not receive any petitions next approval of minutes I have a motion to approve the minutes of the September 10th meeting second hi anyone oppose reports of council is next uh councilwoman Don the townwide garage sale is this weekend uh it is now too late to register unfortunately um but you should go out the list of the houses that are participating is available on all the B our social media um tourism is welcoming everyone who is interested to come to our next meeting coming up um we have luckily the um New Chamber of Commerce has up interest in tourism commission as well so we're really excited about new ideas coming in um as far as the environmental commission goes I met with residents around Silver Lake last week I think it was last week time class um who are very excited about how the lake looks um they're excited about the Lesser number of piece um and we have had a few occasions now where a new flock has flown in and I'm pleased to report that the new service came quickly and disbanded the geese so great um please everyone if you're interested at all the Belmar cornhole tournament is October 6th that is a fundraiser for the softball field on 13th in Maine um it is at bar on Sunday October 6th doors open at two um to register with a two-person team for the tournament is $100 to come in kidsree with food uh $30 per person and you can go to bitly that's bit. lore cornhole to register um finally uh there is the Run for the Fallen that is Sunday September 29th at 8:45 on Ocean AB you can cheer them on as they run through Belmar and stop at two hero markers the first marker on Ocean Avenue is at the North Boulevard Beach entrance and is in honor of Carlos Gonzalez the second marker on Ocean AV is at the flag pole between fifth and sixth and is in honor of Campbell McKenna this is a really great event it means so much to the families that everyone comes out I encourage you all to come um thank you thank you uh councilwoman Kenny thank you um real quick uh councilwoman Don when's the tourism meeting again sorry while she's looking Delmar cares is hosting a free concert on um Monday October 14th 6:00 to 8:30 the at the Atlantic Wind Ensemble that is the Belmar car breast cancer support group so come out and support that free concert um Recreation just up up again the basketball signups second to eighth grades Happening Now Youth Club signups third to eighth grade still going on and the annual trunker treat is happening October 25th um that is going to be in dempy park not outside the school not outside this parking lot it's going to be at Dempsey Park uh if you're interested in entering in your car pre please reach out to Barry at um Recreation um the next Ada meeting is on October 3rd and just a couple things around the school b elementary is I I mentioned this the last meeting doing a conv relation program this is a workshop for empowering the school Community to tackle digital dependency and mental health challenges so this is we're um this Workshop is going to invite all parents and families to gain valuable insights into your child's dig digal habits and learn practical tools to support mental health and positive Tech use at home I think this is a really important initiative that Belmore Elementary is doing and I myself am going to try to make it to this um this is Thursday October 17th from 6:00 to 7: p.m. uh St Rose grammar school has their first P PTA meeting on October 8th and there is the Scholastic Book Fair at the grammar school on October 15th and 16th St Rose High School wants to remind everybody that they're having their wathon from Friday October 4th in the morning I think it's at 9: um high school they're hosting their open house October 2 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and sats are going to be given on October 5th at St Louis high school so if you know someone who needs to register for SATs they better do it now better you than me um and oh oh yes the St yeah the St toal Society for St Rose is on the 28th that is this meeting this weekend and that tourism meeting is theth Wednesday the Wednesday the nth there you go and that's it thank you councilwoman rero thank you mayor um I want to remind everyone to see if they've enrolled in the property tax relief program anchor um if you've enrolled and received payment last year you should be automatically enrolled this year filing deadline is November 30th this program offers property tax relief to New Jersey residents who own or rent prop property um so if you were a New Jersey resident owned or rented in 2021 and property taxes were paid on that home or residence and your gross income was 250,000 or less you can get 1,000 to as much as $1750 back uh the benefit amount increased by $250 for residents who were 65 or older in 2021 this year um so if you need more information or you want to check out your benefit status go to anchor. nj.gov the belmare public library the next board meeting of Trustees is October 21st the public is um very welcome it's at 6 p.m in the downstairs Library it is Hispanic Heritage Month and the library is celebrating three events um this Thursday they have the Latin dance party uh 6 p.m at the Taylor Pavilion featuring The Rafa Boys Latin beats party Band and the taste of Latin America provided by belar Z San Jo saiche um also there's Hispanic heritage field day which is October 5th at the library um from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. family fun activities outside and a tour of the wonders of Latin America inside the library and then lastly coyote an Off Broadway musical board in Belmar uh meet Belmar native Tim mccor and members of the cast and crew as they discuss the musical its story and the issues surrounding it and that's October 17th at 6 p.m. Taylor Pavilion please visit the library website at www.bar library.org to learn more about these programs and other events uh bmer Housing Authority the award package for the community funding Grant from Congressman Smith's office is supposed to be available in the next four weeks so we're grateful for that um once the funds are received they can go out to bid on their much needed facade work um also we have our belmare military and Veteran Banner program has started um and we've already received several new applications for banners to honor these Hometown Heroes uh we have applications in the front office at Burrow Hall and a link online at Burrow's Facebook page and their website if you go to the website it's under applications um like last year we will have sponsors to purchase banners for veterans who themselves or family otherwise cannot afford uh please call the bur or contact me directly M rondinaro bm. if You' like like to donate and be a sponsor this year or you know of a veteran who like to be honored uh lastly Belmar history and railroad fans the belmare historical society is having a free event at the Taylor Pavilion October 1st at 7:00 p.m. railroads tourism and commuters at the Jersey Shore uh speaker and adjunct history professor at Mammoth C Mammoth University Bill Elwell will lead us in an exploration of the railroads and their effect on the Jersey Shore through the lens of timetables and advertisements rail ra Road artifacts will be available for viewing including items from the BHS archives so bring the whole family and ride the rails through time that's it that's it you sure okay I want to know if Maria came up with ride the rails through time that is 100% Belmar Historical Society they are awesome and once again my counter reports here have CED everything possibly that has happened and I have nothing to report so let's move on to uh I guess the public session on the agenda resolutions anyone has a comment or question about a resolution on the agenda please step forward state your name and address can I have a motion to close the public session I'll make the motion second all in favor I I can I have a motion to adopt the resolutions as listed on the consent agenda I'll make that motion second councilman Donovan yes councilman Kenny yes mayor Buca flesco yes councilman Rano yes okay and next we have three ordinances the first one is second reading and public hearing on ordinance 20249 this is an ordinance amending chapter 19 traffic to amend section 12 parking times limited on certain streets this is open for public comment if anyone would like to speak on the ordinance please step forward I have a motion to close the public hearing motion I all in favor I have a motion to adopt ordinance 20249 motion second councilman Donovan yes councilman Kenny yes mayor Pesco yes councilman rero yes next is second reading and public hearing on ordinance 20420 and ordinance amending chapter 25 section 1.4 State uniform construction code fees this is open for public hearing if anyone would like to comment on the ordinance have a motion to close the public hearing motion second I have a motion to adopt the ordinance motion second councilman Donovan yes councilman Kenny yes pusco yes Council round narrow yes and last one is ordinance 20242 this is an ordinance amending and supplementing chapter four division of Treasury functions uh revising fees this is uh for first reading and introduction do I have a motion to offer the ordinance motion second councilman Donovan yes councilman Kenny yes mayor vusco yes Council rero yes okay now we're on the public session uh just remember to please state your name and address when you come up to the microphone and I remind everyone that there is a five minute limit so I'll remind people as they get close to that limit badges in uh 2020 cost $72 for the season and N9 or $10 daily in 2024 they cost $80 for the season and $12 daily so we didn't make more money we just charged people more the incident of August 20th had nothing to do with badges even Chief Scott quotes quoted as saying he wasn't arrested for not having a badge the incident is about the unnecessary use of a choke cold and aggressive takedown of an unarmed Citizen and a man that should not be paid to carry a gun as a bmar b Martian I personally want to apologize to Liam Mahoney for the way he was treated and if the rumors are true that the man that was using the choke cold was rehired for the next year there are just no words if we don't start looking at the truth we all Li lose George Floyd was murdered and Surfers lives matter Jim diorio 2117 8th Avenue two quick questions um there's been a lot of press in Lake Como and North Boulevard with the annual reassessment program um belmare is not in that program but I was you know reading uh a lot that they the state is going to try and get everyone on an annual reassessment program or I I don't know that the state is MTH county has that program but it's my understanding that we still have the option to not be part of that and we will not be part of that program okay and the second quick question when we have the affordable uh Housing Trust Fund that we're uh building up can legal fees for affordable housing be taken out of that trust fund you know I don't know for sure and I don't really want to make make a representation you know in public i' have to ask our Redevelopment attorneys that's possible I just thought it's a pretty clearcut question yeah I it kind of takes that extra legal fee of our I'm looking to see our Municipal budget you know the affordable housing litigation fees are not um we're not allowed to take the money out of the um the trust fund however um the the affordable housing activities by the Redevelopment attorneys would be payable going forward to a certain extent I'm not going to quote the percentage but there's a percentage um that there uh that we can spend for the those purposes but not the litigation no I'm not talking about past expenses uh future exp going going forward yes to to a certain extent not not unlimited well it could be as long I think it's it operates as a cap okay thank you very much else we'll get to the mic thank you uh you forth Avenue um I didn't get a chance at the last meeting to thank bmar police and U Emergency Medical Service uh for the quick response uh I had on uh June 26th uh you know I fell on the concrete floor and broke a couple more bones and uh the first respon rolled me onto a stretcher and carried me to the ambulance and transported me to Jersey Shore Medical Center uh and they didn't break any more BS uh during my absence from public meetings I tracked the affordable housing issues with the co-star and uh the buroughs and website YouTube videos uh with all the proceedings there was no mention that all four intervenor properties um are located in the coastal area uh I I can't believe that this is Belmar um residential development is regulated in the coastal area pursuant to the coastal area facility review act CAF now there were four properties I guess that were interveners uh uh the 10th Avenue uh project probably won't require a caer permit because it's below the regulatory threshold which I believe is 25 dwelling units the three the three plus acre property between the railroad and Route 35 received an individual CF or permit with approved site plan grading plan uh so erosion plan everything in detail and U that permit was issued on January 2nd 2024 and the developer U Got approval for uh 223 uh residential dwellings along with other improvements on the site and the state approved I don't know about a half a dozen drawings uh or plans a proposed njt cfro plan uh a site plan uh drainage and utility plan uh sore erosion settlement control plan and construction details all approved by the state of New Jersey so I guess by the way I wanted to mention that the and njd did a very good job um they did a good job creating and and uh preserving uh Scenic vistas of the Shark River Estuary especially uh those Vistas that you can you can see you would be able to see in late afternoon uh the approved uh joints were prepared by Dynamic engineering which uh I believe they have an office right here in belmare Plaza um not the Russo drawings uh so my suggestion here is uh remove the Russo conceptual plan drawings uh from any agreement and replace them with the njde approved plans um I didn't review uh the other two projects because they have not yet received CER approval but I think that they both of those will exceed the uh regulatory threshold of 20 I believe it's 25 residential units in any case please don't sign anything incorporating Russo's plans um because uh I see real conflicts there with the approved D CHS thank you we pass on your concern to our attorneys any other comments I have a motion to close the public session and adjourn the meeting motion okay all in favor