e e e go okay so I that is going to go beyond seven days just see out because of lot everything I got to go through it um but I just St everywhere you e e e e you how it get okay I'm G back there [Music] that's e take the Apple you I it Sor El how are you same old and you know leave all right spe for that's and resolution 20491 not act does that mean that that's page three there should be a page three on your paper turn it over oh it's all right I was already say talking about public comment so that's gonna happen after the happen after the executive session oh that's s [Music] well it was more like 12 [Music] put chair on [Music] I my and thank you so much energy jet little time that candy there any where you want you don't have that mind your mail is yeah that's just that's a revised agenda with all the goodies that you didn't get off I mean everything else ER is my foot resting your yeah got it we [Music] problems no yeah they there I usually okay no I know I know but I usually have to get I didn't see it earlier that's why it's not funny States I wish to announce that the 48h hour notice is required under the open public meetings Act was femail to the Asbury Park Press the coastar and the new co-star on December the 7th of 2023 that a copy has been placed on the bulletin board in the burrow office that a copy has been filed with the municipal clerk as a courtesy to the public this meeting may be attended via Zoom if for any reason the zoom portion of this meeting fails or is disconnected the inperson meeting will continue when action can and will be taken providing there is an inperson quar MR Noble here Mr gubitosi here M Mahoney here Mr Weber here mayor Fox here okay sorry um welcome everybody to our seventh meeting of the year I will continue to emphasize that we will have disagreements but our voices should be constructive uh we want a brighter Bradley Beach and we'd ask everybody to join in that Journey ask everybody to gauge their tone going forward we are all neighbors um of prey loaded budget or not budget pre loaded agenda tonight I think a pretty good budget but a pretty loaded agenda um we're going to start with a budg budget Workshop uh be a 2024 discussion it'll be an overview of the uh 2024 budget um just give me a second here we go um so we started this budgeting process last fall with departmental reviews we also put a focus on austerity and cost reduction uh at the end of the budget uh cycle in 2023 and we've had some success with that um I provided the council a budget message something that we hadn't done in Prior years but it's an important improvement over prior years it provides some insight and actions on some key components of the budgeting process and it covers about 20 topics like revenues health insurance general liability workers comp insurance costs police topics Debt Service cost reduction opportunities allocation methodologies and talks about our two utilities um I'm going to start with just two very quick slides uh and then I'm going to turn it over and I want to introduce uh Mr Ricky Garts who is our um CFO as of January 1 of this year Ricky want to raise your hand so people can see the back of your head here um I'd also like to thank the the team that focused on this U over the last particularly the last two months uh department heads uh acting ba uh DeMarco former interim ba farbach U myself to an extent and of course uh Mr Gs so with that um Michelle could you put thank you okay make it big if you could Erica make the big you guys can't see the angle only two sides okay not sure you can see it start this is pretty um I'm really just kind of setting uh setting up Mr here a little bit I don't mean in a bad way I mean a good way so this Top Line says Brad Beach so um our tax our taxis are um our total tax levy when you add up every things School library County Municipal Levy um this year we're we're pegging at about $20 million it's up from 19788 last year uh so you can see the history of our Levy from 199 20 2019 2024 the net value of the burrow is also very um an interesting um journey in 202 2019 uh we had about a billion three of value of of Assets in the burrow homes and businesses in the burrow that number has grown to 2 almost $2.3 billion and that's the kind of numerator and denominator that develops your tax rate I didn't put a tax rate in there uh you can see the behavior of the tax rate over the last four or five years has been downward I'm not a big fan of tax rate I like to look at it as an indicator the real indicator is your spend um so our absolute tax increase and and now I'm just going to um this again is this is real for 21 22 23 24 we still and it's not it's not easy to see this but all the county numbers here here and school numbers are estimates they're pretty close they're not going to change a lot we don't believe but um what we're going to spend our time on tonight is really the local Municipal Levy that number uh is about 8 8361 uh and it's up 3.74% uh if the numbers come in like we hope they do for the county um uh School Etc our total will be about 3.2% increase but again we don't we're not there yet we're focusing on this yellow line one number though that's not the change is the library number you can see that's the biggest increase of all the library allocation or Library cost is based on appreciated value of assets so we don't have a control of that number and so it's basically that's a dictated number and you can see the growth of that number from 2019 it's almost doubled in that four or five years and it's all based on appreciation so not a lot we can do about that um next slide uh Michelle now I'll turn over to Ricky so I mentioned a few minutes the budget message um it's about a nine page document I said has about 20 to I just wanted to highlight four right now five I'm sorry um and the budget um the message there is not only a a quantitative message is a qualitative message so the first point here is a qualitative point which is we needed to build better organizational capability in finance um I believe we do have um probably the most competent CFO that we've had in my tenure in Mr Gars um he's got extensive experience he was in the auditing business prior to being a CFO he's currently CFO in our town in Ocean Township and in plare and he's he's done an exceptional job uh along with Alison Gavin who s currently our full-time person we are adding part-time clerical ad and we're actually just shifting one of our front Des people half time to the fact so that it frees up Allison so she can do more account analysis with Mr Garts so that's the first thing that I think is is been a strong Focus very top line and again Mr gar is going to get into this our Revenue profile it's decreased by about $134,000 and that's basically three components we didn't take as much Surplus and utilize as much Surplus our tax increas is $31,000 if if nothing changes and we had about a 35,000 reduction between state aid grants and delinquent taxes it's not a lot between the three three numbers Appropriations we were able to reduce by about 61,000 62,000 and that's basically what we're operating with our salary and wages and our other expenses so pretty significant reduction on the salary wage side and then other expenses are about about 125 cost savings um we haven't talked about cost Savings in in a formal way and we are doing there this year um we were able to identify about $183,000 of cost reductions that we've made beyond the austerity that we've tried to put in place really trying to watch your nickel and dimes we have taken um some reductions on the staff side and on the other side so we're happy about that and we're going to keep focused on that and I know uh Meritt uh the austerity program doesn't end uh with the adoption of this budget we want to keep it in place because one thing that has generated for us um pretty good reserves going into next year and then the last thing is an opportunity cost we actually calculated what the opportunity cost is on 319 marraine with the um interest property tax Etc that's that's an opportunity for us for about $150,000 so um this is just a very high level the kinds of things we're trying to focus on so Revenue pretty flat spend pretty flat had a good focus on cost savings and had um and then we trying to continue to focus on that opportunity so with that I'm going to turn it over TOs and let him go you need a microphone repe no I'm pretty good okay Melle well wait good evening everybody everybody e I'll begin you you've all been presented uh this document that we have in front of us which is the summary budget this is a form that I've used in uh the municipalities I've represented as opposed to the big book to make it a little easier for to follow I hope that helped everybody in that Pro process here it is now so you have in front of you as the mayor referenced um the overall budget at this point is flat compared to 2023 um the 23 budget anticipated a100 th000 to balance your budget we're only using $700,000 in the 24 budget that drop of $400,000 has to come from somewhere so your resources on the uh revenues that you have in your budget are limited you had certain revenues in your 2023 budget that didn't get realized so the conservative approach that we're taking here is is that what I have in this budget is going to be realized without a deficit there's certain items that were in last year's budget that had a deficit and that's why Surplus wasn't rebuilt completely Surplus if we used a million one we only rebuilt about $500,000 of that last year okay so on the front sheet I summarize where your current tax rate is going based upon the please stand up stand up so we should we M maybe yes just stand up whichever whatever I'll stand up not a problem thank you sure is better for everybody that's same for me wherever you come from okay um the budget that we uh presented to you here as I was saying the uh drop in your Surplus and your uh revenues that you have that you can realize there aren't that many opportunities to increase revenues to offset the tax levy increase that we're proposing you'll notice that the statutory requirement for your library is going up 11.42% which is not controlled in any way shape or formed by the council it's required by law so it's got to be at a minimum to $ 76,5 5857 what can be controlled by the council is the 3.74% that we're proposing which is well through the $300,000 that the mayor had referenced in his slideshow overall that rate would be 4.3 % than the tax back down below I've given you a summary of based upon the average assess value of a home of a million 046 right now the municipal tax rate alone would go off roughly $135 a year as opposed to $444 that occurred in 2023 per home per home 135 for the municipal Levy for the municipal Levy correct strictly yes you're only talking about Municipal Levy that's correct I want to make sure people hear that that is correct so um you've all been given this prior I know Mr gubitosi has asked uh several questions that uh We've attempted to answer just about all of them uh so at this point uh not going line by line in this budget I'm here to respond to any other additional questions you may have on what we have presented here one thing I I'd like you to put up uh Ricky is um the um Circle rep punishment Melle has that yes Michelle can you put up the Surplus for punishment please H up okay this was a a late email to the council where I've analyzed your 2223 and 24 fund balances for the current fund the sewer operating the beach operating utilities uh you'll see in 2022 your Surplus at the end of the year was $1,895 th000 at the end of 23 it's $1,310 th000 my estimate for 2024 would bring up the, $310,000 to a465 the Appropriations that we have on here for my estimate lapsing of $600,000 should be easily attained and as I pointed out prior because of the conservative approach that we taken on all the miscellaneous revenues they will be realized where you'll see in 2023 add a deficit of $81,000 so there's $100,000 swing there from 23 to 24 the sewer utility at the end of 22 had a, 910,000 you pretty much rebuilt all of that in 23 where you're a, 825,000 in 24 we're using a little bit more in Surplus to balance the budget so I'm estimating that you're going to be down about 20 $200,000 to, 650 on your sewer and on the Beach utility you end at 22 with $919,000 you end to 23 $752,000 and I'm estimating that you'll have $662,000 at the end of 22 based upon what I know and what we can realize yes Mr good so Ricky number one thank you for getting this to us as you mentioned it was just an hour or two ago um but so many questions I I don't want to I don't want to bog the our audience down with a lot of details but at a very high level we came close we basically didn't replenish 970,000 in 2022 whatever the exact number was it's almost a million dollars in 23 this is the first the council's getting a chance to see 2023 data um I mean we you did provide us with or you or a member of mayor's team provid us with a Excel spreadsheet that had a thousand rows miscellaneous information but it's best I could tell the total of that spreadsheet um was $38,000 more than the Appropriations that you provided to us in a summary I asked why the totals didn't agree I never did get that answer so I haven't really been able to utilize that that detail you know the Thousand row spreadsheet but because I just want to understand why the totals don't sync up but I'm seeing now in 2023 as you just mentioned to the audience you expect that we will have lost or maybe it's already official we have not replenished $600,000 more more of surplus so you know as much more clarity as anything else uh for the folks joining us by zoom and for this audience our Surplus in two years has come down from almost 2.9 Million to 1.3 million so we're down almost I don't know roughly 1.5 a little over 1.5 million I think heading into 2024 um which by my standards alone is is not is a really bad situation I know that it happens um I know we had a very disturbing audit report for 2022 um but I guess I'm curious if you could just spend a couple minutes explaining how you're beginning to see some optimism in 2024 for example uh the laps reserves 600,000 it seems like an extremely large amount what can you share with us what's happening there based upon the information I was provided for the 123123 end so this is a council Workshop so he is here to present to the council I just want to be clear thank you for your thank you for your comment and your opinion thank you I'm sorry now we can hear now thank you thank you Ricky yeah that's great thank you Lauren so help me out with the question again I apologize you know so I'm looking at contributor you know I really appreciate that you at least this very preliminary projection has us stopping the bleeding a little bit and and adding a little bit to Surplus uh looks like3 40,000 or so um but I was wondering why like what makes you optimistic given that we only replenished 600 uh 500,000 we replenished 500 we lost 600 we replenish 500,000 for 2023 but we're anticipating that we can borrow of 700,000 so you're and you think we can beat that if reading we didn't replenish 500,000 in 2023 we lost 500,000 in 2023 from beginning to end okay because the Surplus came down 5 57,000 or something 500 right we didn't replenish it we lost it yeah we lost 600,000 yes we I think we're not on the same page I think we replenished 500 we lost 600 is that correct well in my terms replenish means you put back in yeah so what's left over is what we didn't put back in we went from a million 895 to a million 310 yeah we didn't put that back in we did not replenish that 600 that is correct we're on the same page there okay good so my question now is simply if we only replenished 500,000 last year and we didn't we replenish 22,0 and22 we've been on a bad track but you think this year we can have an anticipated surplus of 700,000 and replenish not only that but but have some excess uh revenue of I know one and a half 150,000 give or take so my question really is what's driving your optimism how are you getting us from replenishing only 500,000 last year 22,000 the year before how are you getting us back up to 850,000 of re of replenishment as I pointed out earlier the $100,000 swing in the miscellaneous revenues because of the conservative approach we've taken should be realized you lost $81,000 last year on what you anticipated we're going this year more conservative approach to say we're not putting money in we know we're never going to realize okay the second aspect here is the appropriation reserves okay the records I was given at 123123 indicate that you should easily reach $600,000 in appropriation laps okay and that's the number where I at least for one would like to be able to see that at some point if if you can share that with us sure just so I understand the drivers that it's a I mean for again for folks in the audience in 2022 we we we had lap reserves of about 70 grand then we had about 300,000 now it's almost doubled to 600,000 so it's a it's a big number it's a good number to have but it but again it jumps out at you like okay what what happened somewhat uniquely in in your eyes in 2024 so so could I let me ask you a question that I think supports that we ended the 2023 budget we went into an anal a cost analysis and austerity kind of a mode we we showed up there we we realized about $183,000 in reduced U spend in 20124 2023 we when you look at our budget in 2023 and our spend interest I think I just our Reserve at the end of the year is million dollar million dollar correct given the austerity that we've had and what we've already encumbered for 2023 that million I'm not saying the million but that million shouldn't be eroded like significantly I would think based on what I'm seeing is that a reasonable assumption that is the Assumption I making correct okay when we say another question I have I I've asked this question earlier I don't necessarily have an answer yet but the mayor references this austerity program and and that was provided back to me as high level description of something we've done to cut costs uh I know Mr Mayor you referenced it again on your brief presentation that it generated $183,000 reduction in costs correct from that staff reduction was 125,000 also in the mayor presentation salary and wages he sees as being reduced 186,000 so between I'm not sure I guess question number one what's the difference staff versus salary and wages because two separate mbers one was a reclass um we reclassed uh one of our uh code people to uh we reclassed him out because he's no longer in that I'm going to fracture this a little bit 125 is real reductions in either attrition it's primarily attrition the 120 C realizable attrition that was taken okay the 125 so that's staff attrition right the um the 187,000 of salary and wage what's that exactly 125 of that's attrition and then the balance I think is some rec classes is that is that thing from part-time from employees who were full-time who have gone down with right I'm sorry so mayor just said 125 of that is attrition is are we saying I say coun number twice no when I'm saying attrition I mean people that are no longer here or we've saved money on those you know they're not here and we're left right so we're taking productivity gains you know we're doing things differently there is a portion that have gone full-time and part-time I'm not including that in the um attrition number okay so the 186 number I'm looking at the mayor's presentation uh Ricky I presume you might help them get some of the numbers pulled together if if not if you don't know where these numbers are come from then I'll let you off the hook but I'm just curious because in general I'm I my broader questions that the audience should know I've been asking off and on for last two weeks a lot of my questions are focused on how do we get to the new salary uh salary and wage numbers for DPW for the police and I'm not saying that our budget numbers are incorrect they may well be correct but but I don't understand them and I just would like to have some of your time to talk me through so I get a better understanding of them um what I don't understand would be $187,000 salary and wage reduction coupled with 125,000 attrition it's not coupled with it's in that 183 is 125 it's not 300 something, on P five of the budget message it goes through and delineates the $183,000 by area I'm not talking about 183 right above that Mr Mayor no no I I I understand that but within that is that 125 that we've um ated out two full-time employees and they've not been replaced so we did at trit out people and we've been able to take some productivity gains there in addition we've gone for some full-time and parttime so it's not an additive one 183 plus 186 plus 125 it's not okay just mayor the this is your number right 186 and 125 right these are separate buckets but they're not that is within that okay this is just this is just identifying and saying we can clearly say we have $183,000 of cost savings within the budget all is this other expenses 58 part of that 125 right okay so you just presented Appropriations reductions and cost savings reductions so you're saying of the total Appropriations reduction I'm referencing this as a specific I'm calling out cost reductions okay cost savings because we were challenged at the end of last year's budget to look at Cost reduction so we did a lot of work as you can see here in that area and identified $183,000 okay so okay so let me Ricky let me go back to your numbers because these numbers are not particularly helpful for me personally page two of my document details the $186,000 line by line page two of which document one that you share with us today well you actually had this this hasn't changed a lot from two weeks yeah no no no well in that has right there each line item that change for their $186,000 no understood and and in fact that's that's current fund correct correct because I looked at current fun but I also looked at three allocations to the beach and the and the sewer because I was trying to understand what's happening with total salaries and wages so pre- allocations um I didn't understand and I've asked this question and I know I've copied you on these emails I don't know if you've seen or even if you've answered them yourself but I've asked questions about the police I've asked questions about DPW and the answers I got again I'm not saying they're wrong I just don't understand them and people are not doing a particularly great job explaining them to me so is that something I've had no access to you until tonight but is that something I can have time hard person to get to trust me all right will you are our see B um and and I've already shared with the mayor I don't plan to vote in support of any introduction or ultimately adoption until I get some of your direct time because I my guess is you know all the answers Mr Gs was available last Wednesday for a budget hearing which you all decided you weren't available for so I just want to be clear to the public there was a public for please there was and and if we're gonna go there I asked over 100 questions over 187 questions no it was 125 125 now I'm the reason I asked questions is because I'm looking at stuff and I've got some accounting background nowhere near as much as Mr Gs but enough to have a legitimate question absolutely out of those 125 I roughly roughly I didn't count them felt comfortable with 25 responses there were roughly a hundred questions I asked that did not give me an adequate response and if I'm going to somehow be challenged for for canceling a meeting that I told the mayor the week before I'm not going to this meeting until I get answers I told the point of the meeting is to get answers Mr gbos that's where the I no the point of the meeting was to cover answers I would have received from my questions I asked and I got two rounds of non answers for most of my questions and I'm not going to sit here in front of our residents and in front of people on Zoom doing what I'm doing right now I'm not going to keep doing this I've got it even if I even if I cut my own questions down which I don't think I think it's a disservice to the public but if I cut my own questions down to 30 of the most important I don't want to take this audience through 30 questions and I don't want to put Mr Garts on the spot to answer 30 of those questions in front of our public you want to give me private time with our CFO I welcome it you tell me to ask him 30 or 40 or 50 questions in front of the public and you know what M Marco I'm not going to do that it's just not thank you so as I said I'm not going to do it Mr Garts I'm not trying to put you on the spot I really am not I'm actually thrilled to be able to get a chance to chat with you but I've already told the mayor I can't support any of the budgets even if they're even if they're good accurate really perfect numbers I can't support them until I understand them and I've got I've got questions all over the place that I believe you can answer but some of the answers I received are are embarrassing they're very poor so I I actually don't believe you provided the answers I'm just sharing that with you um okay um I don't really have any more questions for you Mr Gs other than other council members or or maybe the public so a fairly stable budget year on year when you look at our Revenue you look at our Appropriations a reasonable uh re build of surplus and if you look at our Surplus one point I'd like to make on that is our current Fund in 2022 was about a 26% Surplus the Surplus relative to the budget it's pretty significant it did go down to 16% last year but it's back up to 17 and a half percent um in the discussions I've had with Mr Garts on this and and if I look at the sewer utility and we haven't talked about the Beach utility um yet but um I think were in a good position around the replenishment of those surpluses and I think we're utilizing a reasonable amount so this brings us to not a significant increase a fairly stable increase of 3.74% um I really haven't heard from anybody else and I'd like to hear from the rest of the council I'd like to hear from you Mr Mayor why do you think it's reasonable have you got answers to the 100 questions I've asked do you have answers to them I would suggest that we've answered more than your whatever you said 187 whatever it was suggest all you want you did not answer the question well that's your opinion and that's an unfortunate opinion I'd really like to hear from the other Council people because this is a little bit of a broken record for the last three years um my view is we we make every attempt and to say to criticize the amount of work that went into answering those questions to me is disappointing that that you would do that because people worked hard to answer those questions so Council who yeah I don't think all the questions were answered quite I'm asking you about the budget yeah um I would given the amount of expertise that councilman buosi has on these matters I'm following his lead and I he I let him answer the questions I've been following it blowby Blow and getting the answer you Rie some of of course I have and some of his I have the same questions that he has what are your question some of those have I mean are we going to go through this tonight yeah okay no John 60 minutes we 60 minutes to go through it I'm trying to get a sense of where you are on the budget so I'll just give one example sure Mr G and I guess this is for you I don't know so salary and wages for the police we have it going down I don't have it in front of me it's like maybe 50 Grand or something like that okay we got the chief's retiring Chief has retired maybe that's the assumption why that's going down okay but it's also kind of obvious it's been presented that we have other things that are affect that like um obviously we're down one officer so we should be adding that that should be adding costs the PBA contract that was signed last year has like 4% increase that should be making it go up net net it should be going up at least we think s wages should be going up but it's going down so we don't understand that and the answer that we got was yes this this accounts for the chief the chief's retirement but the question was posed with all those other things that I just mentioned so that's just one example of a question we don't understand it's going that direction not the other direction so where are you relative to the stability of the budget year on Year where are you to the you just ask me ask my question I'm asking my question no no I'm asking you where are you relative to the excuse me we police um 3.74% increase if I look at one of the towns very closely here they just came in at 7.25 I think we've done a pretty good job at at really stabilizing in a highly inflationary couple of years we took some hits last year in Revenue it it hurt us but I think we're on a stable path if I look at the last four years the average Municipal Lev is up about 4.5% this is less than that fouryear average what I'm trying to get from everybody is is 3.74 in the realm of your expectation you know are we cutting five cutting five people from DPW I don't no we're not well how are we getting there is the question we answered the question on DPW we have two I said did you read the budget me message The Bu it I'm looking at the budget numbers well unfortunately part of that was a budget message that articulates what we did in DPW so my question on the 3.74 do you is that in the realm of reasonability in your first we didn't get access question last year when when it was like 133% okay so it's like convenient you're asking it this year but you didn't ask it last year so and I'm not in the business of comparing us to other towns okay I'm very much interested in figuring out how we got to these numbers therefore that's why these questions and I want some of those questions answered some of them are answered I'll give you that you know fair is fair but I think some we still have questions about doesn't mean that there's not answers doesn't mean they can't be answered um it's I want to understand it better so that I just give you one example so since you wanted me to ask that question ask it and can we get it answered instead of May badgering here I'm not badgering you C I'm I'm sorry you please public Mr keer look the conversation you guys are here you have there's a time for the public to participate there's a time for this is their discussion time right that's what a work that's what this Workshop is so we can't have people calling out every time I I you know we know we sit here we'll be here till 1:00 get here with 1:00 in the morning before and we listen to every single person that comes to the microphone so please he if they they can argue all they went up there this is quiet time in the audience please thanks so assuming that these numbers are good numbers they're correct all I'm trying to get a sense of is is 3.74 in the realm of your expectations that's all I'm trying to understand my job is not to sit up here and assume that everything I'm presented with is good and correct my job is to understand how you arrive the numbers okay so it it very well could be it very well could be until I understand it that's where I'm at and I don't think I think collectively as a body up here when we understand it you will you will get our support on the budget and until we do understand it I don't think you're going to get our support on the budget and you know this is coming on the heels of the of the audit that we just got from 2020 this an unreasonable position for somebody sit up here okay so in the mayor's message where they talked about um the public work salary wages and police salary wages what about that explanations do you not understand just so we can better understand your questions because it lays out the number of people not being hired back the amounts so what don't you understand about the summaries that were provided I'm not asking about ppw okay I don't have that in front of me like you okay okay um we have an ordinance regarding the police and the number of people and how many people in which position and whatever my understanding is that we're down one and unless we're going to change our ordinance about that we're going to have to hire somebody so that adds to it but again that's just one of the several things that I think should be making police Sal just go up so I'm just you know I was badgered to ask this question Mr Garts and and I have and like I'm hearing from everybody except for him so I don't understand like you know if you don't have have the information in front of you to answer it that's fine I get that but if I look at the police line item it's going down $6,900 not $50,000 so I'm not really sure with $50,000 is coming from okay so is that the number you're referring to or it's go the point is it's going down it's going down yes uh I know there was an allocation of uh over to the beach for how much time they use at the beach so I know the salaries over at the beach have increased the specifics I'd have to get to bottom line of it okay I don't know what my head what was officer by officer that was the percentage that was okay because and and one other thing I mean in addition to the the chief retiring we should take at way we're paying a large we're paying out lifetimes worth of you know SI time vacation time and what he else doing that third of it but it's a pretty big payout so that's another thing that we should be that should be going on and that St to that so and and my intent wasn't to Badger my intent was to say I we need to get a gauge this is a budget we're submitting to youall to to say this is what we think is a fair budget it's got It's a quality budget it's got good stability in it we made painstaking efforts on cost reductions we tried to identify opportunities and we're trying to do is gauge where are we that's what we're trying to do so and my expectation would be that you could give us what that what sense of that is so I'll I'll stop and ask uh Council woman myom where she's at uh well I've been questions U some of the questions I'm not um happy with the answers and when you talk about you know you want to go back to the 3.2% what we're being shown here is a top down analysis right so top down analysis begins with a narrative and a conclusion and this is what we're showing people B up analysis begins with the data so I think that what we've been doing here and the questions we have is starting with the data so I can say you yes from what you've shown me your narrative your conclusion looks good but I can say from the questions that I have the data doesn't jive with the top with the top down analysis so for instance DPW yes and I read the mayor's message okay I read it all right so DBW I think it's only like a 3.2% increase and in salaries and wages I think though overall it's like 15% however no it's a decrease it's a it's a decrease okay well that's even wor okay so but what's going up in DPW are the expenses the salary and wages for the janitors and the cleaning people I guess right because they needed to get paid back they called laborers but the laborers nobody knows pardon I apologize for that for the laborers so if we take out that amount of money that we're paying them the amount of money that actually is going to tpw to um the people if we take out the the laborers and the that number is actually a lot less so you know when you extract that number it's a whole different B wax um I asked about why in the New Jersey American Water there's Appropriations expenditures and a look back for 2023 and I was told that's something New Jersey American water does and I'd have to contact them but it's on a schedule that we received in our packet um and expended and look back are not the same number and then we have a new number for recommended um the library excuse me the court costs for alen Hurst and Avon are Revenue but they're also an expenditure and I understand how that can work but it has to be within the appropriations of our overall cost but these answers that were given to me are not great and the final thing is um I was and I hope this wasn't written by you um Mr Garts but um when asking about salaries and and Personnel whoever wrote back to me said it is quite common for departments to complain or object to the loss of personnel it is also quite common for departments to seek additional staff to respond request for service 2023 budget reviews and Council manic directives made it clear the reductions and costs were needed staff reductions respond to this directive what is the definition of council manic I don't know Council Ma so at the end of 2023 I can I can explain that end of 2023 not end of 2023 I'm sorry end of the budget process at the end of 2023 we agree to take a very systemic approach to cost reduction okay that's what we did we and one of the reasons I believe that we have the reserve that we have coming out of 2023 is that we did operate in a very austere manner so that's going to pay us dividends with this bu with the um with the Surplus replenishment and and and I would challenge I've already had a good discussion with Mr gar that I hope that we can exceed his expectation on that because our mindset hasn't changed around that we'll continue on a very austere path that was something that I think it was done by resolution that we would do that and we did that so that's a compliment that's what that's a compliment yes Council manner that just means pertaining to a council person do we know who wrote that I I authored this with um one other person GRE Faron corre yes great and I so does that answer your question sounds like Mr farbach um so I just want to be clear do you understand the fact that this was a directive that we took very seriously and one of the reasons we put this cost reduction bucket on that message was this is the fruits of that that labor so $183,000 of reduction we've been able to bring into 2024 and I think generate more um excess in 2023 versus what we spent so we've got a million dollars of budget in 2023 that we didn't spend and I'm hoping that we enjoy a lot of that because the other thing is I think what we what we've encumbered to date and what we've come as additional encumbrances I think I think we're going to be hopefully pleasantly surprised because our mindset is around cost and payment people are everybody's doing purchase orders the right way if people are not requesting funds um the appropriate way would tell them about it so we haven't taken a very auster approach and I can imagine there's a few department managers in the room that would um probably nod to that in that in that context so I just want to make that point Thank You council president where do I begin okay so last year first of all there's been so many emails going back and forth as you can tell by I feel people that are very well-versed in this subject in finances and Audits and of course it's councilman kosy and councilwoman Mahoney in addition to councilman Weber who's been up here for how many years now so for me to add more questions on top of that I didn't feel was necessary especially after last year when it was in uced with a promise of answers to those questions that were never answered so I would suggest that when you put together a team involve a council member someone that is very well-versed rather than a volunteer resident because then they get the answers and we don't waste time we have seven minutes left for public comment and I don't want to say anything else because I would like to hear from the public so my I guess my question though is around do you believe that we've got a level of stability and quality in this and it's number one number two is 3.74 in the realm of your expectation no it's not it's not so what is well I would say no increase would be the best but I mean we we're we're every year we're taking money out of savings to make things work and the savings goes down and down and down and to me that's a problem again I'm not this expert in this I'm an expert in land use I mean maybe I just earn the the Bur a million dollars with my my um suggestion for 319 Lorraine there's only so many miracles I can do in a month we have to remember that 319 Lorraine is not a profit Center and we as municipality can't operate it as a profit real estate Prof but it can go into our our Capital funds but anyway okay my my comment stands now back to this the comment you made about the savings account we this isn't a this is a balancing act when you look at our fund balance analysis that um Mr gard's put together we do see that we've got 177% U 17 and a half% up a point and a half on the current fund and pretty significant around the um sore and Beach utility 25% of the Beach utility although that's reducing we need to talk about that for a minute and on the sewer it's about 77% it's down somewhat but it's still we still have a pretty significant um uh fund balance there so it is a balancing act that you try to balance cash flow you try to keep your fiscal house healthy at the same time I can remember two years ago when I added up the fund balances we were we were at $5.4 million that's $5.4 million of the people in this room's money that have been taxed and are sitting in balances I'm not saying that we shouldn't have balances the question becomes are we in a in a reasonably fiscal good State I think we are and I'll ask Mr gartz that um given those the fund balance analysis because I know that councilman gub toi's big question was on the fund balance analysis and uh I think Mr G tried to really take a serious look at it make sure we uh felt good about it so I don't know if you want to comment on your confidence and on the overall fund balance analysis or you know you you do planfield you do ocean um you know you CFO of those two towns maybe on a relative basis I mean which and I'm putting on the spot here a little bit I saw I'm sorry that's all right um given the circumstances you know coming on 1124 I'm working with what was left here at the end of 23 So based upon what I've been provided I'm fairly comfortable that what I've given you on analysis for 24 will come to fruition okay and those balances do you think were in any kind of risk with those balances if they come to fruition in what respect um the amount that you know I don't yeah okay so Council goosi I guess question for you is is if all this plays out at 3.74 is that a reasonable Municipal Levy okay the absurdity of that question that you continue to ask it's not an absurd question I take exception I was going to explain why it's absurd can I continue yeah yeah you can but I I'd ask you to Gage your comments a little bit you said you've made that statement 10 times since I've been sitting here and it's it's very frustrating it's frustrating that we're misleading the public about what we are debating tonight 3.7 it's better than 13.2 yes as Miss vova said zero or negative3 .72 would make me feel even better but it's kind of an innan question because we don't understand what's driving the 3.72 and no one to my knowledge has given me answers that make me feel comfortable and I know councilman Weber you said this earlier no one's giving us answers that make us feel comfortable that this is a good number so when you keep saying do you think it's a good number how do we know we don't understand the underlying driver of that number when you say drivers talk to me about drivers Appropriations and revenue okay so in reviewing the Appropriations and revenue I'm not what I'm I'm trying to just get a sense of from everybody is is is this level of Municipal Levy increase my view of it is it's reasonable I don't agree that zero is a reasonable number and I this is another time I'm G to I'm going to put you on the spot Mr V you know most my first two years here we came in at a negative. 6% and a 1.5% um we had some changes last year that bit Us in the ankle and it was 133% if you take this 374 and those other three years it's averaging about 4.6% um I don't think you're ever want you you ever want to be at zero I don't think you ever want to be at 10 I think you want to be at absorbing inflation or trying to offset inflation where you can um so what I'm trying to convey or get a sense of is if there's recommendations on additional areas I want to hear them because I haven't heard that from anybody yet and that's what I'd like to hear now Mr Gars relative to increases just I'm just trying to get a sense in general terms uh what's any you would that any opinion that under the 3.74% I think all the circumstances considered it's fairly reasonable with the way costs have increased and what you've done to balance this budget to and the cuts that you've made and what you mention on the salaries uh nobody's ever happy with an increase I'm fully aware of that I've been doing this 35 years I've never seen anybody say they're happy with an increase okay I get that but at some point what would you like to do here I mean I'm open the suggestions if you on whatever you want to go further if your 3.74 isn't suitable but that's where we're at right now I I'd like to know do the department heads know about the cuts that we're all that you're all referencing because I mean are we not are we again Council whoever asked this question are we planning to not replace a police officer because if that's the case we have to change our ordinance is that part of our attrition plan Mr Mayor part part so we've had departmental reviews with all the department heads um when we finalize we haven't changed a lot from those departmental reviews but have they agreed to cuts of how many people three you're giving us a number of 187,000 yeah uh it's by department so by Department um how many people it's public works it's two um I don't have to schedule in front we can get that number okay it's got to be one really highly paid person or two you know 90,000 I don't want to give you a number that gets then quoted or I can get you that number okay but this is part of the austerity plan which was we sit back and we wait for people to quit and then we don't rehire in some cases yes and in some cases no depends on WE assess the position and say I think we can get by without this let's figure out how to resour this are we building in and don't please if we are doing this don't provide any number but I'm curious because I can't see it are we building in anticipated increases of any kind of offer local 152 yes we are and we would whatever that increase is it would be included 2023 and 2024 that's correct in 2024 that's correct then I really need to talk to Mr Garts about well the 2023 would be part of what we encumber and um would this schedule with the salary schedule change at if we we did a retro on the salary schedule after the contract will those numbers change yes are those numbers included in other parts of the budget so not to uh reveal that yes they are but they're it's covered I don't understand that the budget covers the contract as as we have offered it you saying it's worked into other area so in case we need to utilize it you can pull it out M Mone you had a question you shared with me and I I don't know if with you but I'm sorry but that's not that's not necessarily that that is a good practice because otherwise you're negotiating strategy is laid out straight out in the lineup so yeah I I didn't yeah that would be a conversation you would have private so that the contract negotiations and I did say don't share the number yeah so you guys are doing good thank you you make a good point you could discuss that in private and you haven't had that opportunity well we have we've had two weeks but I don't have that answer yet that I've been asking the question since the Friday that answer was provided that it was included in different parts of the budget I know I think it was something just like that it wasn't good what where is it doesn't add up and I it's an easy enough question for a talented individual like Mr Gart to answer I'm just I'm not sure Mr Garts is answering most of the questions have given me the most concern tell about the DPW cut the other cuts the one that kind of went very circuitous answer saying there's people always ask questions about Cuts yeah so that was but what was your actual question it was like why why can DPW manage the cut personel you mentioned right aren't we expecting a resolution an increase after the negotiations to their contract but you weren't you weren't saying do they like it or not like it you meant can they do their job because the answer is like you know some people don't like it when we redu that that was not your question if I understood it no um DPW has been able to accommodate the loss of one full-time person Finance has been reorganized as reviewed the governing body last December we will have to monitor the police department following the retirement of the chief these reductions May and may not be as far as reductions in staff can go without affecting service levels these will be monitored but if we monitor does that mean if we realize we need that extra person back in DPW we need that extra person on the police to meet our ordinance requirements we've already set a budget and now we're going to have to exceed our spend no we would we would assess it in 2025 and the police know that there may not be a replacement and DPW knows it will be a replacement yes and we assess in 2025 speaking of assessing in 2025 for the 2025 budget 2025 budget thank you um that just triggers one more of of my Myriad of questions that I I wasn't sure about the answer I asked a very pointing question about um the justification for how we are splitting uh meter revenues what I said y okay be between the Beach utility and the current fund correct am question was you know just so everybody knows we're the burrow apparently has a policy I just learned this over the last week or two even though I've been sitting here for three years um four years um that we apparently allocate some of the beach meter revenues to the current fund and I I simply asked the question why what's the justification for doing this because in my mind those are you know Beach oriented revenues I wasn't criticizing it I wasn't saying this is wrong but I said what's the justification because if the burrow gets sued because we're discriminating against people who who come from out of town by by uh short changing the Beach's Revenue we can Avon I believe got sued a couple I know three five years ago uh because they doubled their parking meter hourly rates and that was deemed to be discriminatory Belmar Belmar I was deemed to be just and you're missing the point if you're really worried about the Talent Mr Mayor well no I'm just trying to understand your question sorry the point being there was a discrimination suit one because they were discriminating against people from out of town who would have to drive in to use those meters because we don't own the beaches we manage the beaches we maintain them we get to recover any Revenue any expenses we need from that utility but we don't get to make a profit we don't get to shovel extra dollars in there or take extra Revenue out to help us get to a 3.7% tax increase so I simply asked the question um what's the justification for this and again I don't know Mr Gs if it was you or someone else but the answer was we can review this when we're developing the 2025 budget right I'm like well we're developing the 2024 budget right now why can't we answer that question right now yeah well so I think that the answer the the what we budgeted on the beach is $100,000 I don't know what year it was it was six seven eight years ago we started putting parking meters on Bradley Boulevard um the Assumption we're using is that originally that was put in place to do some repairs in silven Lake and it hasn't happened silven lakes in the current fund um my rationale on it was a couple fold number one um if we have $100,000 again in meters against the beach and we have whatever's over that 100 the allocates are current we don't have a good methodology at least I'm not aware of it and Mer if you correct me if I'm wrong to get B meter um dollars like what we get by meter I don't think we have that capability so it was somewhat of an arbitrary this let's let's stick with the 100,000 that we had and any excess will assume this um rally Boulevard related that's it okay well that's it but maybe you don't realize that we formally applied to the state to allow us to treat those meters separately and the state said no you can't do that so for us to be making that policy decision without sharing it with the rest of the council is just one more example of why we ask questions and why we would like reasonable answers you can't take those Bradley Boulevard meters and say we're entitled to use them for silen Lake there was a very specific application made by Kelly Barrett it would the application was rejected I've been yelled at by prior council members who said why aren't we saving that money for Sil and Lake we're not saving it because we're not allowed to well we'll look at but now we're taking it into the curent we'll we'll look into that hopefully this is serves to God bless you and I really mean that hopefully this this back and forth I'm sorry it's been as challenging as it has been but hopefully it gives folks a sense that we're asking questions the council is we're being asked to approve things without people answering the questions so I hope I hope that's been clear if nothing else well I would I would suggest that we have by and large answer those questions and we're not going to agree on that but when I look at the additions of this is copies of each iteration of those answers I think there's been a an attempt to do that uh maybe not and I know that the last thing that you were asking for was the Surplus rep replenishment we didn't get that into this package because we were working on it and there it is um so that's who we are but who answered the question on what it was depending on the question a lot of the answerers said the CFOs work out so a lot of it I believe Mr G probably it was a combination of either Meredith like I had a couple um I worked on the uh budget message uh with Mr farach um it was combination of people we also talked to Department people from the this this is not this is not a process that happened a week ago we've been working on this since the fall so that's what we've got well we got the budget two weeks ago correct so we've the council been trying to understand it for two weeks we got the budget on a Wednesday my first list of 80 questions 81 questions whatever the number was two days later Friday and the response was two days after that it was a non- response and it was yeah right two or three days Monday probably then I got another set of non-responses I was working and I was turning that around that was Sunday morning and I turned that around I'm just kind of let the turn that around the same day saying these are nonresponses and then I got an email the next day saying that's the right answer that's the right answer that's the right answer cut and paste it cut and paste it that's the right answer without any regard to my questions and if the mayor wants to pass that around I think the audience can see the the frustration that one person would have I I think there's going to be frustrations on both the sides of that because when somebody believes that they're answering a question coming out I'm sorry the truth is about to come out go ahead Mr Mayor finish no when somebody believes believes they're answering a question and they get a question on a question or that's not the answer to my question and it's not clarify why is this an answer to the question that that is frustrating frustration is a function of expectation our expectation was to provide those in a timely manner we attempted to do that um the expectation should be let me help this council person or that council person understand so they can vote for this that's the expectation not I do not agree with that in total because it's I think every Council person's responsibility to understand the budget ask their their questions I mean council president Den Noble said I have two questions but I'll wait till after councilman goosi this is you know from my perspective it's everybody's responsibility and I'm not saying everybody should be um you know have a masters in Municipal budgeting but it's not one person's responsibility to represent the other three that's in my mind inappropriate this is this is terrible I hope people are listening to this terrible well no I don't think it's terrible at all you're blaming three people I'm blaming anybody for anything please don't use terms it's everybody's responsibility these people are asking they're asking me questions every day good we have order okay um we can take a few minutes of questions maybe 10 minutes of question yes 56 Third Avenue um Larry you said that you were going to reassess some of the things that we're doing in 2025 so you're not even going to be here in 2025 that's kind of kicking it down the road isn't it there were one or two things we said we can assess in 2025 but that's kind of a cop out it's not a copout you're not going to be here well do you have a specific question r no comments just comment right will you tell everybody when they ask question maybe I'm confused maybe it's me yeah maybe okay thank you thank you yes 504 Central Avenue here um I I hope the authorities are watching this live we need a special prosecutor to do a forensic audit and I ask this Council body to not pass any budget at all based on the conversation it's only reinforcing how much trouble and how criminal this Administration is and until this mayor steps down not one dime should be approved not one dime thank you yes thank you hi Mary Backstrom 218 4th Avenue uh just a couple things the last meeting Mr Mayor cleed up they intentionally tend to shut down women up here so I'd ask that you let me say my comments uh and not use your Gabel if I'm doing something bad inappropriate we have one of our right finest right here he can he can hang out me okay I'd like to talk about a couple things first of all I trust and the reason why I voted for Mr gubitosi as council member is because I know his strong Finance background Kristen came in through a special process guess what her Finance background is just a strong and despite your attempt at gotcha questions for Mr Weber and miss denoble they had legitimate questions which again really weren't answered Mr Ricky I I could not get your last name I apologize Vicky CFO Garts g r TZ Garts thank you from a process opportunity I would say for you or anyone else presenting I don't care if it's to the council you could simply step behind Erica and talk and both the people in the audience here as well as the council see what you have to say rather than what we had which was your back TOS Mr DeMarco couple of things um that's a process Opportunity by living here's another process opportunity don't I would I would ask you to avoid patronizing the people that come out to these meetings which is what you did tonight we pay the salary that's fine but we're residents and we have a voice here too I don't care if they're presenting to the council it's very simple professional just stand over there it's very easy secondly I think the Optics are bad when you get up and you get back you get up and then you're on your phone that's just me you can take it or leave it third Mr Mayor you've talked about working with Greg fenot who M DeMarco you said it several meetings back that he was a volunteer he was volunteering so yes or no is he simp ly volunteering and receiving no compensation correct really and secondly why do we need Mr far back as you're the ba that's a question I would have we're in budget season and like last year I can tell already this is going to go on and on and on I come from a professional background I fin budget from 500,000 to 44 million the questions that are being asked actually are very straightforward questions we wouldn't have had to be here for an hour oh almost yeah an hour and a half if and and by the way process don't give it to the council a couple hours before the meeting um I had the same question about the the uh 187 decrease in salaries because it doesn't frankly line up with the summary I'm not going to get into that I appreciate the questions that are being asked I don't think Mr gubitosi should have to stand up there and ask these questions if you just simply be straightforward this budget this is not a big budget this this is not you know the municipal budget I'm sorry it's a budget and so they our council members should not be there and say well I just got it right and finally Mr Mayor we just had the results from the 2022 audit they were not complimentary I hope we take lessons from that because it's an embarrassment for all of us thank you thank you yeah re McGuire 610 BR act um it seems like it's unclear that the council doesn't know who messages are coming from so we're working on a budget and the council doesn't know if it's the CFO answering or if it's Mr farot the resident volunteer or if it's Len Fox so or merth to Marco or merth to Marco how how is that happening is are there not emails from the person's email address how is this communication happening no we're we're consolidating questions and consolidating answers to be efficient so I wouldn't call it efficient if people don't know who the answer is coming from what's the relevance of that we we pay a professional CFO for professional CFO work not for mayor Larry Fox to do the cfo's work or answer I don't do the CFOs look I can tell you that but you answer you answer his emails I guess because if the council's asking Mr Garts a question as our professional why are they not getting an answer back from Mr Gs but instead from a Consolidated group with no name because Mr G started on January 1st number one number two he's not the only person working on the budget there's a team of paperwork budget so we've had questions come in and we have talked them through Farm them out made sure that they made sense and systemically sent okay so you may agree with that or disagree with that but that's what done that's fine and um so I would request that Mr farach start showing up at meetings since he's working for the public even as a volunteer he's doing some heavy lifting and he needs to be here for questions to be answered Mr fx's in Spain for the next three weeks then Mr F should not be responding to budget questions if he's not here during this beginning of a budget season thought that was Mr fr so my other concern is that did I hear it right that $600,000 was not replenished into the anticipated Surplus for 2023 Cor after almost a million was not replenished for 2022 so now we're $1.6 million Shi in our savings account it's not a savings account sorry anticipated Surplus works like a savings account as far as translation for most people for the lb for will understand Mr FX well I'm sorry you know but sorry all you want so we're at $1.6 million shy and I just want to remind everybody that last year we were told that $700,000 was replenished into the 2022 into pavit Surplus and that was a big fat lie to our faces because only 22,000 do was replenished so we're now being told $600,000 only $500,000 was replenished last year and we have no trust that that's even accurate so guess what might be missing out of our anticipated Surplus if we follow 20 22's audit another 500,000 on top of the six on top of the million from 2022 so it seems like if we follow the same track from what the 2022 audit provided for the public we're getting close to not knowing anything about money oh wait we don't know anything about money we we don't reconcile over 20 bank accounts so if we don't reconcile over 20 bank accounts how do we know how much money we have and if departments can just spend out of those accounts and we don't reconcile them how do we know how much money we have so frankly we could have all of this stuff put in front of us but based on what we witness and what we experienced through last year's budget and now we have the audio which shows the lies that were put in front of us just like what was on the screen today there's no trust even if they're 100% correct Larry even if they're 100% correct we cannot trust it after last year we can't and now that we're 600,000 shy so we put we we also replenished only 500,000 last year of the anticipated Surplus guess what our CFO last year Mr bino estimated we would have paid back I believe it was 700 am I correct so we're 200,000 shy of that estimate thank you um last question yes Thomas Mr G um that was a very that the mayor made I'm sure you have an amazing resume I just want to let you know your predecessor actually Tau the class at Ruckers but apparently he didn't do a real good job for us here in Bradley Beach now um since you weren't here in 2023 the mayor proposed a 20% budgeting R and the council once they had access reduced that to 13.2 now my question for you is if we use 600,000 in in unrealized Surplus in that budget what was the true percentage that our taxes went up in 23 roughly 21 so we were lied to we were told that it was he said 20 it got down to 13 but he spent 20 anyway well when the mayor first said 20 it was closer to 30 because it was a much larger anticipated Surplus that we would not recover but you but you're right on the mark the 13.2% intended us to recover our Surplus and now that Mr B are shared that we didn't recover 600,000 effectively between Surplus and taxes we we spent 21 uh I'm sorry U yeah 21% so the true cost of the taxpayers in 2023 was 21% ex told it was 13 of the prior taex yes okay great so now we're there's this shopping going on about 3.7 well is it really 3.7 let me ask this um Mr how much of the an Surplus are you going to use this year in this budget for 202 there $700,000 so you're using 700 now my calculation says that right now we have about a million2 change in that accounts would that be accurate million three close okay great so so now if we don't put the money back this time we're going to be under a mil I mean this this is getting very scary to me we went we're 2.8 three years ago and and this is this is just a disingenuous process um as as a former councilman I'm horrified that this didn't start in January and you have the department heads come in here prove out their budget that's how we did in massan it worked out great people said you need this this year you need this next year th this is this is really scary and and I would advise you as Council people not to approve this budget until the 2020 pre- audit comes in because I I don't trust anything after this 2022 audit but thank you for the time and I appreciate all your compress effort to try to make something happen here because the process is really supposed to start in November but you weren't able Mr BS I have one more question uh you work in a number of towns do those towns have Council Representatives on the finance committee it would be a finance committee right yeah that would be appoint as Council so there' be a council representative on in Playfield they have a council person on the finance committee they have a finance committee that's made up of council members perfect thank you sir thank you okay um we've got two um I'm gonna ask Mr G I'm sorry yeah but we this is a workshop this is not a this is not we're really running over uh and we've got two things to to to um not to tie up Mr Bart for uh the next three hours uh I want to make two recommendations number one um the ordinance 20245 the ordinance to exceed Municipal budget of prohibition limits in establish with cap Bank um you all receive that it wasn't on the agenda I want to make a motion to get it on there and I don't know if you want to explain this and by Statute the uh state permits you to increase your Appropriations over 23 by 2.5% the statute also allows you increase it up to 3.5% if you show desire this ordinance is just customary that permits you to put this money in a bank if you were to need it for your future Appropriations it does not authorize any spending in any way shape of and we've done this every year for ever that's any questions on so I'd like the motion to actually um introduce um ordance 20245 second Mr Noble yes Mr gboi yes Miss Mahoney I don't I'm sorry I was still looking at this because I didn't get a chance to even read it I think we sent it out when did you send it out I just gave it TN now I just got it I just got it yest okay iil out today too many emails sorry it's all good really yeah I think it came out today yeah it came out yeah my had come out today okay okay um so sorry Mr CS okay questions could you could you explain this to me again and Mr Kon is it really hot in here or is it just all the can't take the sweater off okay all right thank you a new job okay thank you open door oh open that door okay sorry okay all right so what are we doing by Statute yeah the law permits you to increase your Appropriations by 2.5% okay you also can increase it another 1% which is what this is doing up to 3.5 which is the cap by state okay all this is doing is allowing you to go up to the 3.5% in case you would need these funds to appropriate at some point it does not authorize any spending if you do not do this then you lose that additional 1% automatically what mean by you lose it you can't use it you don't have the ability so this money goes into a bank account correct it goes into a bank account so it's not money yeah it's a cap bank it's appropriation it's an appropriation yes sorry it's not act okay okay Erica yes okay counc 11 I want to commend Council Mahoney for pausing reading asking questions understanding before she voted because that's the way you do it and I vote Yes too mayor Fox yes um the other um again so that Mr G has a introduction to tomorrow is that correct for for another town correct and you had one last night uh Monday Monday oh Wednesday that's right um and I think he's still got a little noodling to do on his one um tomorrow I wanted to make a motion to move up 2024 86 introduction of 2024 budget to by read only make a motion to move that up second Mr no no well I'm just saying to move it up oh oh in the meeting oh okay okay I'm sorry misunderstood okay yes that's fine Mr gubitosi yes Miss Mahoney yes Mr Weber yes mayor Fox yes uh okay with that I'll make a motion to introduce by read only by title only 2024 86 um before I do that Ricky can you just kind of frame a yes and no on this so I your requirement can I make a first just point before so the intent was to introduce and take the next 28 days to move towards any questions relative to move us to adoption so that was our intent so with that I'll shut up and let you talk good well the proposed budget as given is offered tonight to introdu option to be in compliance with the statute that we try you to introduce by no later than the first meeting after March 29th as pated by the division of local government services and this would be your next scheduled meeting so it was presented to be introduced so there's a lot of introducing going on around town right correct yes I think a week ago only about a third of the uh towns of Mammoth County had introduced but I think that number is going to climb dramatically this week so I just wanted to um let kind of everybody know from his from Mr G's perspective so I'll make a motion to approve 2024 86 reduction 2024 to be read by title on second order to v um Mr Noble like I said before we introduced it last year and a lot of questions weren't answered and I feel like there's still a lot of questions I'd love for Mr Mr gance and Mr councilman GES to get together and discuss this further um rather than again have a resident but was down in Spain so I think it just needs a little more work and I feel a lot more comfortable if that was done so I'm going to say no for now Mr G as I've been sharing with mayor I I have no intention of voting yes for any budget introduction and or adoption until I understand the answers my questions so I vote now M Mahoney uh I'm going to vote no and um I learned something interesting and councilman goosi can correct me once you introduce it there's only certain levels of which you can change the budget yeah well you would if you change by more than a percent then you'd have to reintroduce yeah right 1510 I think is it is it I'm not is it exactly one I can't remember 1% total 5% SES yeah so that it seems you know pretty restrictive and I don't think we're I don't think we're necessarily there yet to to do that um because of the questions so just to be clear then yes you can amend the budget after introduction to any level you so desire it's a matter of having a second public hearing when those percentages come into play correct that's unequivocally you can amend that budget to any level you want to after introduction just so we're clear that okay I I was I I gave that wasn't I didn't give you right answer I'm sorry because I think your question was that answer I think okay I I I have reservations because of how the budget went last year I think there were some constraints on that but still based on the questions that I don't believe answers to my questions which I don't believe are coming from Mr Gs I am going to vote no Mr Weber no and I hope we can get the questions answered and um hope that add some urgency to it all mayor Fox I'm gonna vote Yes um I think we've had two weeks of Q&A the net change in the budget in that whole Q&A I think has been $1,000 that's correct um I think the tests we've tried to put against the budget are reasonable I think that our spend level in 2023 and our austerity has given us a reserve um that will put us in a good stad in 2024 um I think introducing this budget and continuing on a path of asking questions and getting answers uh I would have said you know if you want to vote no vote no at adoption but I think we've got a good product I think it's a reasonable budget uh a lot of people have worked very hard on it um maybe a few people don't think that way but uh that's the case uh so that's my reason for voting yes okay thank you Mr G for coming good luck to you tomorrow in Ocean thank you thank you have a good evening everybody thank you point of order Mr Mayor could we move up the FY Bank proclamation to be the next item just cor back here I wasn't sure oh my goodness sorry to my office folks we'll make a motion then we move that up well we do back where's back she come on [Music] you're required to answer five budget questions that the back good good okay I will read this Proclamation I want to make sure she no I it's this SP okay okay so this a proclamation by World Bradley Beach recognizing the 140th anniversary of Carney Bank whereas Carney Bank was founded on April 18th 1884 it's called on Carney uh as Carney building and Loan Association and located in Arland to New Jersey now Carney New Jersey and whereas Carney Bank was created to help business suceed whereas over the years as Carney building and Loan Association grew the bank was rebranded to Carney Federal Savings in 1941 than carne Bank in 2015 whereas today Carney bank has over 8 billion dollars in assets and uh presence in 43 thriving communities and whereas the burough of Bradley Beach Branch was established 23 years ago in 2001 and whereas despite significant growth Hy bank has remained focused on personalized attention outstanding banking services and a commitment to being a good neighbor and whereas the Harney bank will continue to provide quality customer uh service strive to empower Prosperity connect the community and deliver trust for generations to come now therefore be it resolved the governing body of the B does hereby recognize the 148th anniversary of Cory Bank in the B of rvy Beach and throughout the State this day and April 2024 congratulations you very much and thank you no thank you very much everybodyy okay back to the agenda ER phone no I'm holding no that's my oh actually I can use this kidding here I just need a time thing okay so um where are we we are at um well let's do the um why don't we do the AR day and then we will do the uh get ready 14 okay um I'll just read this from here uh Larry here's not here whereas in 1872 the Nebraska Board of Agriculture established a special day to set aside for the planting of trees and whereas this holiday called Arbor Day was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska and whereas Arbor Day is now observed throughout the nation and the world and whereas trees can be a solution to combin combating climate change by reducing the erosion of our precious top soil by wind and water cutting Heating and Cooling costs moderating the temperature cleaning the air producing lifegiving oxygen and providing a habitat for wildlife and whereas trees are re renew are renewable resource giving us paper wood for our homes fuel for our fires and countless other wood products and whereas trees in our city increase property values enhance the economic Vitality of business areas and be and beautify our communities now therefore be it resolved the mayor of the burough of Bradley Beach does hereby Proclaim April 26 2024 as Arbor Day in the burrow of Bradley Beach and urge all citizens celebrate Arbor Day and support efforts to protect AR trees and Woodlands be at further resolve the mayor urges all citizens to plant trees to Gladden the heart and promote well-being of this of the future Generations so that is our our Day presentation or Arbor Day plation and we do have an arbor day are you all going to cover that you're going to cover that yeah we'll get it that all right thank you cover that now okay uh Recreation I want to just introduce Courtney papis she's our director of recreation she's uh got uh a number of bits of information she's going to share with us and take it away Michelle those pictures yeah sucking up the well in the meantime okay um I'm Courtney I am the recreation coordinator here in br and oh there we go okay so I'm going to tell you a little bit about what we've done the last year what I'm hoping to do this year and for years to come kind of some things that we're going to implement in town in in your exit so um in case you're not sure uh next slide Melle say oh next slide please Michelle next Michelle oh it may not be working it might not be so we so we have a bunch of different spots in town There's the actual Rec Center which is on Main Street um and at the W Center is the building that we use the to of and we have baseball field we have a playground we have a basketball court we have ch pball Court um and there's a t that goes on there um and the he oh give it a second so I it's it's really a good pitch so like people to see it there we are almost it's okay stop so this is just a list of stuff we do stuff at the baky cour we use the beach we have a lot of stuff that goes on it in a bunch of different spots in house um there's Sumer Camp um next slide please if it work next slide okay you just skipped it two I think I yeah that's it no no it's it's you're good um so this is stuff that we do all the time like you're guaranteed to find summer camps seven weeks in the summer we run a really great summer camp program um bot on the beach we have the bot leag May through October yoga runs on the beach meditation all of stuff May through October usually um I go to back to school Bingo which is really awesome this will be our third year coming up for back to school Bingo and the kids come with their families and we play Bingo and they book bags full of school to so it's a lot of fun for the kids and uh it's a ton of P for the parents um seasonal dances Halloween truck treat this will be our third year as well um back is kind of fun Council woman uh participated last two years um the r committee does their trunks people from town have done their trunks um and it's a lot of fun crosss and coffee is like a staple they love it the group of women that come every week are amazing um they enjoy it and look forward to it um Mother's Day and funy craft with kids let's just get given you guys do something you know next slide please okay so oh that is through easy ride and they come during bike safety Month in May and um they teach the kids little kids to figure how to how to ride how to ride Hess how to use signals to turn and stuff like that they're awesome um this is the stuff that we've added just in 2021 um it's a little long but some of my favorites I would say are breakfast with din was a huge hit um that was a lot of fun uh pickle ball lessons actually just started yesterday morning perfect we did it last year too but this year it like it it took off so um oh the boxing week has done amazing so when I first started it was one day week for one 8we season and uh now we have spring summer fall and a women's boxing league three days a week three different time and it fills up quicker than SE here now so that's been great the clothing um the chess tournament with this weekend as well and that was really cool we did a K through 8 on Saturday they can come in for lessons and then they did F style in Sunday and through that I actually found out that in 1929 Bradley Beach hosted a uh International chess tournament here at hotel line and that was really cool so uh next one um this is just some stuff that I am hoping to do this is also a short list of what I'm hoping to do if you guys ever want to visit me at the rec I will embarrassingly show you all of my poit notes um the ideas that I have but um pre to kindergarten summer camp program so at the end of the summer camp season there's about a 3 week window before school start and um I really wanted to fill it with something so I'm thinking pre kindergarten just to kind of help them with that transition back in the school um that kind of thing it'll just be fine this a two we short of a program Open R program for three teams to team is really important um I really just want to make sure the kids like know where they're going if they're like every Friday the re is open I know I can go meet my friends there hang out do homework whatever borrow equipment to play on the on the ground whatever so just a guarantee um day trips for the town I recently had a conversation with one of the residents about um Longwood Garden in Pennsylvania and I thought that was a fantastic idea if we can do bus trips and where we can all go together and do something cool at a town since I on of time um so again small desk come visit me with any ideas I always take not Courtney could I just ask a question on that that last point you made so y it's the senior meeting 3 four months ago uh somebody came in and talked about bus trips oh yes the seniors uh did have somebody come in and talk to them I believe about day trips yeah right so my question is that's separate than this bus trip that yeah that was yeah yeah that was um something separate that woman I believe if I remember correctly kind of like does all of the or it wouldn't be through the rec or anything that was like if they wanted to participate individually I think she builds trips around that okay this would more for Bradley okay I didn't know if she would build something around Bradley she's working with the seniors but I didn't know if she as a resource could do that for wck oh um I didn't talk to her about it but it's a really good question and I I have her info so I can reach out okay all right thank you um this is just how we stay connected to everything in town so we keep a really good relationship with the school um we recently just had the Board of Education assign um one of their members to our rec committee so that we're it's just one more point of contact just enough in the pool um but they're great Mr head is phenomenal um anything going on with the he's really super eager to just yeah sure we'll make sure the families know what's going on um senior club I'm there if they need anything I'm just there to help kind of thing um work with the tourism Department bbbc mwc sh services in upun city that's basically where a lot of things go on in up City that are now available to BR kids and vice versa so that's that's really awesome please um and this is how we get it all done so volunteers so Volunteers in this town are underrated if I could just say that I don't think I there's probably about a dozen of you in this room who have some type of volunteer connecting something badly um it's a group of volunteers as well um without their support and and drive to do things and get things done I don't know that happens that would be un successful so they're great they make things happen and they're always like let's do it so awesome DBW Camp staff P instructors re trust and Grant that's that's the BR of of the part um next slide please so we run mainly off of the r trust so most of that the the largest contributor to that is summer camp as you can see um programming gives it a little boost and we use that to supply equipment we we run summer camp off of that basically and that's that's everything you know um uh I'm having a brain function right now but the the day trips for the summer camp so we do a lot of stuff in time we try to make as much use as we can of Bradley Beach so we take the summer camp kids to the bowling alley we go to fin we go to it was the mini go we do Beach tricks so and this this makes all of that happen um cour could you talk about the the shared services thing with the city that we restored oh yeah um so that's because it's relative to some Camp yeah yeah yeah so yeah that's a big one for summer camp so there's a non-resident and a residency for summer camp and part of that shair service is allowing n city kids to participate in summer camp at the resident day um and they'll they do the same for us with certain programs in that two city as well um we were recently awarded two grants the local Improvement grant for 74,000 and the Municipal Rec grant for 265 the main priority for those is definitely the drainage system at the facility um and of course the courts both cours basketball tennis completely reserve it um I'm I'm particularly excited about the playround equipment um but yeah so need some work yeah I'm excited about the play job um next slide please it that's it that's it sorry I went too I not the every day 8:30 to 4:30 you can find me there um oh ma is Tuesdays and Fridays from top 3 open Play please come pleas hang out and uh yeah if you have any ideas or questions or anything like that I am available no it's great court and you um you know the things on the add the things that you've added I think are phenomenal and I I hear from a lot of people about that I heard somebody the other day said they're finally getting pickle ball lessons and you know when uh this Maran I know you tried countless times to get that off the ground so that's great um it's way more popular than I expected and B love the trucks yeah bot is wild yeah they love it Maan we just started and it's like I think we had like 20 people there Friday and they're like oh this one's coming this one like it's getting bigger so it's it's I had no idea but yeah they love it no it's it's credit to your your drive and your imagination around a lot of this stuff so I really appreciate everything you've done I think having somebody like yourself fulltime in this role is just been phenomenal for the for the community I really believe that so appreciate that yes I don't know if the council has any questions or comments one quick comments Courtney I've heard your name a million times I think this is the first time I'm seeing you in person I just want to say I hear phenomenal things than the rec center so thank you thank you guys I appreciate it thank thank you for letting me share and I'm just gonna she okay um I was trying to wait before to go but I will um we'll go we'll go to the next okay we're ready to go to the next agenda item which is public oh I'm sorry it's approval minutes so uh move to approve the minutes of March 27th Council Bus Mr Noble yes Mr yes M Mahoney yes Mr Weber yes mayor Fox yes um motion to approve the executive session minutes of March 27 2024 second Mr Noble yes Mr gzi yes M Mahoney yes Mr Weber May Fox yes um okay um mayor yes may we make a motion to withdraw stand by second 20489 319 Line Avenue bid package because we have to update the appraisal and you can when you get to the resolution right but I just want to say it now because I don't want make comments and it's getting all right oh so your point is yeah so we are um still awaiting some answers on a question that came up we I'll make a motion to table I'm sorry you want make a motion table a motion to table actually withdraw because I believe that we have to rewrite the bid package as well yeah okay okay do I have a second second Mr Noble yes Mr gy yes M Mone yeah Mr Weber I may Fox yes thank you may thank you we will now go to public comments on agenda items uh single instance speaker participant any agenda questions yes good evening I'm new to the game my name is l Calo I'm renting a house 407 Second Avenue and I was living here a month when my children were getting sick 11 and 12 year old boys basma and I had constant water infestation in the basement I went to the town and he asked what I could do I was told I couldn't do anything with the town because you don't have any cold so mold I was told to go to the Department of Health which I did they took measurements moisture in the basement was indisputable I moved the boys out of the house because at my own expense I did a mold test I have two types of mold black mold and penicilium mold toxic levels required me to move my boys out of the house and of course I did try to address this with the landlords I was dismissed very rudely and very fager today for the first time there was some process of remediation and that's only because I was able to get a Marini hearing a superior court Superior Court told me they had no authority over the town and the reason that topic came up is because when I went to BR the beach there what I could do basically I told nothing um two days later well that same day Steve waso called me and told me that there was no CFO on the house so obviously I was concerned that I had a lease but I wasn't supposed to be in the house because there's no certificate of occupancy two days later violation was posted on the door saying that there should be no occupancy in the house again I raised the issue with the landlord I was told to mind my business and I was told they take together with the p well I'm sorry the last thing you said was they told me to mind my business they were taking care of it with the 10 okay now I first came to the town with this concern December 16th the violation was posted December 18th and it took up until the end of January to get the testing done to verify yes it was more it's taken until yesterday today for the first time remediation was done in the interim I did have a Marini hearing the landlord was told by a court order that they had to remediate and come back and prove that the remediation was done or would be done in the meantime I'm living there payent my children are not living with me because they can't be in the house I have written lettuce I have lettuce to you we have spoken I have not have any response from Steve waso but on February 6 I did call him and he said oh by the way there is a certificate of occupancy somewhere between violation being posted on December 20th and February 6 the process of certificate of occupancy occurred without any inspection without anyone coming to the house and looking at the extensive water damage in the basement that continues right now every time it's rain I'm sorry could you give those two dates one more time I came to the Town December 16th spoke with Pam and on December 18th the violation was posted I went the co the co that you heard from Steven Soo told me that one was issued on February 6th now as recently as yesterday I thought that I was starting to see some light at the end of this very D difficult painful tunnel because I file a complaint against the landlord because on the occasions when they come to the house on the the cour order they've been very belligerent they've been the last occasion I was threatened I reported that to the police Sergeant um solora is very helpful and she told me that she was going to try to have Code Enforcement office and the department of he coordinate and come back to the house and do because there have a hole in the ceiling in the dining room for more that was coming in most of the water presence which still exists is in the basement they were coming I was I was told um after I filed a complaint that we had a meeting yesterday and someone named Murphy from C enforement came the same gentleman from the Department of Health was there as had come back in December to measure moisture levels and the sergeant was there I was told that the sergeant was going to serve the summons to the landlord because they were supposed to be there as well the landlord did not show up Sergeant could not reach them and in the course of a very circular conversation um Murphy I already know his name is Murphy because Paul Murphy Paul Murphy he told me that he didn't follow the landlord he thought the state the department of heal was falling heal know nothing about it so in an effort to clarify the facts as we he's just been kind enough to let me do here I brought him to the whole process he interrupted me a lot told me that there's no of enforcement he said I know that but I've taken other steps but I still don't understand why the town has not done an inspection of a property that the town told me they never to he said well we can't come in I said well why not he said because now there's a complaint of hoarding a complaint of what hoarding So Yesterday again although the town was President Forman help was present and the same police Sergeant who addressed the issue with me when I felt a complaint they couldn't come in because there was a complaint about wh obviously I didn't make that complaint course I can't know for sure but I would have to assume it was the landl but I just find it very interesting that that came out of nowhere the water is still in the basement I mean the presence of the water is still in Bas and the only thing they did today when the remediation process started was they put in a new door and a week later the water was coming in under the door any and when I say coming in pouring down the steps remaining in PS that's why there's mold so I'm trying to make a good life for my children we lived in Neptune up until now and my experience has been very regrettable very unfortunate and I should not be in a position but I continue paying rent and I have to have my children living else and I today that had one from the Town come in the house and look at the damages from the water that's causing the problem I have copies of the letters I've written I have the emails that I've sent I have the photographs that I sent and I don't know if I can show them to you again today or leave them with you I'd be glad to but I think that the quality of life that everyone here is trying to discuss a guarantee I can't say that I've experienced any yeah I was going to say could you grab the pictures yeah yeah and pardon me ma'am I didn't catch your last name so you're already in court with the landlord the landlord in January I held BR put in esro they fil the complain with Superior Court for that which fortunately because I didn't have the money so you're paying to rent the Des I was pay the rent in T and the good thing about that hearing was that it allowed me to say to the judge the reason the money is there but I didn't give it to them in January is because it became a mar here yeah and and so the court completed that the court ordered the landlord to do remediation come back to court proved that it's been done and have more testing done as of today the landlord said we don't have to go back to court that's not what we have to do and you didn't pay the renting so that's what I'm deal so I mean that's the I mean that's the Crux of your dispute is obviously with the land we we certainly take the of my dispute is that I'm paying rent to live in a home and I can't be with my children because I'm living in an uninhabitable home do you have an attorney for this no I don't I can't okay well Legal Services uh could also Services did not help me went through all of this with them guided me which was helpful they told you stop paying the rent they told I mean that's the that's the hook between you and the landlord is the rent when you don't pay the rent the landlord's obligation I've been paying is that's not the issue the issue is you weren't paying the rent of the land my point is is that you're already in the process that get you the recourse of your land if you give us these pictur of getting so so the the transaction is between you and the land the contract your lease is between you and land yeah but right yes also I was given a lease by two different Brokers that would PID commissions and nobody checked to see if there was a certific I understand but you're here at the burrow and so we have some we have involvement in this in terms of inspecting properties we have code enforcement well you give the pictur to the administrator administrator will bring in the code enforce Department the bur can supports tenants in ensuring that the housing that's in the town is up to standards in terms of whether you owe the rent there wasn't here that's seems like you're already in court there you already did any hearing the hearing the hearing determin that they have their rent but they they have to remediate the problem because I had two reports they paid for one I paid for the other and I paid for an expert to translated because M reports not most people understand it and the judge admitted the evidence as evidence not say and there are toxic levels in the home where I'm still living my voice is like this partially because it sounds like you were entitled to money back I want to make a home for my children but the judge ordered money back to you right no he did not so he they oh they have to remediate and then he's going to decide okay I understand them today they don't even have to here's how The Bu can help you give the pictures to the administrator we will ensure that code enforcement and number two there's a rule in landlord tenant court to ensure that the landlords comply with the housing standards that are put in place by the town that they have to have a CO and they have to have a landlord registration which we have here in the burrow and if they don't have that then they can't evict you you can just stop paying the rent they can't evict you right that's the that's how the burough is s in and we willing you give the pictures over here the administrator will get code enforcement make them aware of this property issue they check all the paperwork and they will go and if you will open the door um I believe someone will be able to come inside opening the door every time anybody knocks on okay yes is the first time they told me they couldn't come in so what we can do is our inspectors can provide you with the the you know inspection of the housing standards and the talent you're entitled to and you can use their findings any summonses things that are issued and you can bring those to court in your Marina Year and that that will help you in your relationship I well we'll keep doing it you problem is no come to the house and help the landlords to the obligations that might might lease protects me and ultimately I'm a parent paying rent and I can't res with my children I understand can't address that in Superior Court I was told that is not that is US supervision this B the bur is not in charge of enforcing your leas we're in charge of enforcing the housing standards that you can use as evidence to enforce your so we will make sure that our our people are responsive to and get you the pictures and whatever's going on there it'll be all documented and you can use that and you're unfortunate battle with your landlord I'm sorry the only worse than bad neighbors is bad man so I'm sorry thank you very I actually did have a question so all that you said somebody came and actually inspected for the mold and found really high levels I paid for mold and the landlord had to also do the same to present counter evidence because it turns out the report that they paid for was even worse so these were these were private contractors it wasn't you have to do I can't present it as evidence and even with that I had to hire an expert to testify and explain and only then was the evidence admitted as evidence not his at the Marine so it's this Mo there's no question no I I believe extremely dangerous and the answer by the way Mr mury said Alles on have that's not accept do I do that now that thank you again thank you thank you m yes oce par condomini um like the lady before me I've been waiting since December 15 with the co- Department I've got in illegal rental um according to the administrator over there which I got an answer about in December and then I re-inquired in March so there's obviously huge failings with the Cartley but getting to the consent agenda so I don't know have that all tied in um I don't want to lecture on the nonprofits that pass through here with their fundraisers however I understand the passrs we don't charge them I think it is in the best of rley beaching a municipality to take a deposit and then refunded things happen things that we cannot even begin to anticipate happen and again I think it would be a prudent measure um and you know I guess that's up to you to change things same way it's kind of up to you with the budget to uh change the ordinance of how the Beach utility is allocated um I find it hard to believe that our acting VA spend 25% of her time on reach utility um I would also like to say that when we lose employees things like lights that can't be replaced because we're short-handed um I'm delighted that you didn't go forward with anything with this budget uh it is my understanding that we have not replaced full-time employees with part-time employees it is the reverse and I have not seen personally an austerity program I've seen a waste program and clearly if you were to analyze certain expenditures I think you'd see that too um we had a presentation tonight income and expense in Rec Center really you believe that I certainly know is not the salary part of an expense for direct Center I don't see where that was incurred and yeah people love cross boards and coffee and spring that whole thing needs to be redone and how we charge ex it's not fair for everything to be on the burden of the taxpayers you want to participate in certain things you should have to pay same thing with after care you know I'm just tired of us putting the bill what the school chooses not to look forward um Mr goosi regarding pling um our previous CFO in his first presentation I asked numerous times about because he kept putting them into the current fund and I didn't know much about the Civil Life issue with that but I certainly knew that they were on Ocean Avenue in part of the beach um I kept asking I never got answers so uh that's another little issue or big issue because again to me those parking meters are Beach utility that's where the funding should go because while we're all trying to balance the budget for the burrow you can't leave the beach utility under State bus we know we've had issues with all of that before as well um interesting to me that you gave a proclamation to Carney Bank really and yet you're doing your payroll out of town Provident shame on you and how many times do I need to say it and then I would like to say I'm sorry Mr dear's not here would she complain this later yes this is the meeting for the council and mayor I do not come here to listen to M DeMarco and I would have said it to her face to berate and ber rude to the residents she can do that with me privately as she has her job is to sit here and not speak it is your job to speak our job to speak she's not part of the May she's not the mayor she's not the councel and she's not sitting with us the residents so that needs to be rolled in and I've said it before I've said it with the four previous administrators that we've had since January 1st 1921 I mean 2021 sorry showing my age there um I guess I'll save the rest in our next little conversation so thank you thank you for your opinions they not opinions asked uh thank you for your opinions anybody else yes J one talk with that I'd like to speak in support of resolution 2024 d88 this resolution is consistent with the recommendations of the uh students that we had at the last council meeting during the workshop but Scott came from Dakotas which had a lot of experience with municipalities and is related to sewer infrastructure particularly where municipalities are considering the sales what he said and would be consistent with this resolution is uh in order to proceed to The Next Step issuing an for a financial assessment of our C infrastructure would then result in recommendations or an analysis that for the benefit of the governing body would give you a pretty good estimate of what the value of the system is if would work to be sold having that information up front then would enable you to decide if it seems like it's a reasonable price based on where however you value it then you can take it to the next step if however the result of that is that the valuation is not likely to result in a sale price he good reasonable then you can just continue or we can just continue as a burrow to operate like we are but having that information up front I thought was a a a very good way of Expediting the whole process without going through a lot of additional studies and never getting an end would you that really makes sense I congratulate you for having this on the agenda I and with respect to that the other thing he said is with respect to the RFP in the Financial Consultant it should be very clear in the RFP that it should be an independent evaluation from a financial firm that's had experience with exactly this kind of analysis in other words an analysis to to determine the price and have had the experience of doing this so when they do come up with an assessment it's pretty close to what would actually happen in terms of the sale and U I've been pleased to work with the girl as a volunteer with respect to helping shape the RFP so it is written in a way that produces the information that you need in order to get the kind of evaluation remembering that the last time we went through this process of rfps we end up with apples and oranges from the various companies that submitted Cod Bo avoid that there's no reason to that process and I can say the reflection have looking at the RFP the way I'm not surprised so again as a volunteer all over my he when we get to that point Thank you thank you yes thir Avenue I'm trying to understand something this cap Bank was that an ordinance or a resolution ordinance an ordinance and you it's not on the agenda we motioned it onto the agenda you motion on to the agenda but how how did the public the agenda has to be on the agenda 48 hours in advance it's a fair point Mr car rules are not currently published I'll check on that so it's not to waste your time we've been down that road before so I just like to avoid it yeah I know thank you sir um I do want to compliment the council for uh voting down the budget introduction clearly there's a lot of work to be done and um I would say you know what let the DCA just come in here because we need a lot more help uh we need a lot more help also um the request for proposal I'd like to um to mimic Mr Mr shas's comments this is it going to be a great document to read it's going to be you know good base data for us to figure out what the real value of the system is um but also I would like to say really should not approve a budget until after the 2023 audit is complete because then we will see real data on mayor Fox's 2023 austerity program which he touted so much tonight okay it can't be talk anymore it's got to be real numbers and and that's what we need it can't be fake we're done with fake numbers but uh thank you very much thank you yes read 414 Monmouth Avenue um mik I have a few questions and that's with regard to the 2024 budget discussion have an opportunity to ask um why do we have two Bas are we the only municipality in the state of New Jersey that's operating with two B we don't have we have one b no we have two where well answer question we have one ba uh that doesn't seem so um our prior interim um ba has been referenced numerous times acting currently um on uh employment uh issues on budget uh it sounds as if Mr farbach has been a part of the process for the budget uh planning for 2024 it seems to me that we actively have two Bas and this has been going on now for six months um I mean is this volunteer VA stepping on the toes of the current ba not not at all nope okay we we clearly actively have two vas in the the I I tried to clarify the point if you're you can have your opinion it's not an opinion you're referencing you're referencing Mr back there's nothing wrong with the volunteer work to do we have hundreds of Volunteers in this Camp it's not only uh um on an environmental commission or on a shade tree commission or Mr farach has more experience than these five people at this and how about the current um the current uh ba for which we're paying uh uh you know compensating quite nicely so you're I'm questioning why we need to have two Bas in the burrow I think I'm sorry we're not going to agree on point that we don't have two B we have a volunteer who comes in and helps with different things when we ask them to and being put in a position of negotiating contracts providing input okay so then I I definitely would chime in and suggest that this ba also give some volunteer time to Barrow count and Council meetings so we can hear from yet a volunteer who's participating in the process of negotiating business for the Bor okay thank you okay so that's one thing um the other question question is um we've been through this before with the budget process have we learned um nothing but to start to include Council and particularly Council who may have an understanding of financial matters in the budget process it sounds as if according to um our new CFO that there are other communities other municipalities who actually do have participation from the council and perhaps we can avoid some of this confusion and some of these delays in putting this budget forward has there been consideration to include Council who are voting members of the budget in the process and perhaps eliminate some um some of the questions that seem to circulate and not get answered take that under advisement thank you okay and then I guess the other question that I have is did you receive um the information that I sent from last um last the last um council meeting regarding um uh the Lorraine Church property yes and we're still working through resolution of that okay because I haven't had an acknowledgement of receipt it's acknowledged I acknowledge it I have okay well you're acknowledging it now because I'm publicly asking you but I have not cut in any acknowledgement of of receipt the only person that acknowledged it was Erica so you get acknowledgement no I got an acknowledgement from Erica because I believe it's my understanding she specifically asked me for this information for the me for the minutes I'm talking about actually getting answers to the questions that I asked that's the meaningful part what asking so will I get answers from the mayor on this potentially not from me but from somebody El what does that mean from you mean that means I'm not in charge of uh every Elemental question that comes up there's people in the administration that would do that these were all questions that were related to the Lorraine Church property okay Mr far so perhap Mr faren back can answer the questions perhaps or perhaps Mr Marco so we'll get but I would like to get some acknowledgement and actually I sent an email to miss DeMarco I I had emailed the entire Council Erica and Mr DeMarco Mr DeMarco's email bounce back because she uses a different email than the rest of the burrow with the first the initial of the first name and the last name I think that's a dead email it should be a dead email so she she's just going under ba yes yes okay thank you yes require 610 for the app I just want to um put on the record here a reminder that we had $434,000 given to us in covid funds in 21 and 22 and our burrow has no records of where that money went where it was allocated um I'll repeat we don't reconcile over 20 bank accounts so there's just really nowhere we can see where that money is that's a federal issue um I would like to also acknowledge how mayor Fox just spoke to miss greenl because that was pathetic and it was terrible and we are here it is so uncomfortable to get up in front of this Podium every time I know people think I want to be here and I want to do this I don't I want to collaborate with this mayor I want things to work right with this mayor but there is no trust okay now $1.6 million missing never replenished into anticipated Surplus after the last two years we're being given that you know certain amount of money is what we can expect there's nothing to expect under this Administration I have have to I have to reiterate this over and over because I'm urging this Council to not pass a budget not introduce a budget we are in a crisis in this town and the way the mayor thinks he could present tonight and Badger the council about a 3.74% when there's no other substance other than what he scripted with his word of the day austerity it is just it's embarrassing it's it's disrespectful it's frustrating I know I have to keep coming up here now and saying the same thing there's no room for other little conversation there's none not while he is our mayor he is not to be trusted he is nasty to the residents this is so frustrating we can't get through to him there's begging there's emails received I'll get to you in the near future there's nothing he doesn't get back to anybody anybody not anyone that sits here not anyone that he looks at like that he doesn't get back to anybody he sits up here he's nasty and I want to I want to mention how he just spoke to Mrs Green blad it was terrible and people need to see that cuz that's not how a community is supposed to work with their mayor it's not how their mayor supposed to serve their people I also wanted to make a mention of the minutes that were approved was it reflected on last meeting that Meredith left the meeting in the middle okay I want to make sure I'll post them after L okay thank you yes y I see it I didn't I'm 1124 Avenue when I listen to the financials I there a couple questions I want to ask first of all you refer to the team who is on the team there's any number of people there's Department can I please have them I will get you a list I would like to have them now it's departmental heads actually this is comments I've taken your comment it's departmental heads and four or five other folks have been working on this to the list also I was I thought I heard that we finally have a person who knows how to do the rfps am I did I hear that correctly during during this discussion and think that came up did I not hear that correctly I think so pardon me oh that I heard the mayor the mayor say that we finally have somebody who knows how to write an RFP correctly no I I think you have that confused with they have somebody in finance who does like purchase orders and can assist the CFO okay I apologize for that that's okay but I would like to know who the team the specific names thank you yes 4 four and a half bringley Avenue I have to um first confess that I'm a little ship up after the tone of this meeting um so I might not be as coherent as I would like to be um I would first like to um congratulate our Council on the fact that you respect each other expertise and take full advantage of it um one of the things that was a little bit um hard to hear was to hear council members attacked for availing themselves of the expertise of other council members that's why we have you and I'm hoping that you take full advantage of the expertise that councilman goosi has that Council woman Mahoney has that in in the financial realm as well as many other things I'm sure um that councilman denov has when it comes to land use that councilman Weber has with all things environmental and Bo do they connect with land use so you've got a lot to consult with one another about it is also my understanding that when you are together as a body there's a law is it the open public records act that says that must be done in public I have to believe that that means that the public has the right to hear hear what people say to you as well as hearing what you have to say and what you ask and we are enormously concerned right now about the financial condition of our town and how we're going to put safeguards and systems in place I mentioned and I had had another member in the audience mentioned already expressed the fact that it was uncomfortable trying to listen with our CFO sitting here and facing you M I expressed that I couldn't hear and I was and I have my hearing AES in I'm I'm pretty topnotch when I have them in I'm sure there were other people that were having trouble hearing and RBA said thank you very much he's here to speak to them this is a work I apologize for that that was awful yeah and and then being thank you coun m I came in here so wanting to keep my tone completely civil and my plan for that was to address our four council members principally to to not get insulted and to not get triggered because I want this town to participate I want everybody to feel like they come in here and they're going to it's going to be warm they're going to be welcomed it's going to be a productive you know and we have a we you know one of the last questions that I hope everybody heard the answer of the CFO was when he said when he was asked about whether there were Council people on the finance or on the budget Committee in the three other towns that he worked for and I believe I understood his answer to be yes in all three and that in one it was was it entirely in he's in three towns he's in planfield Ocean here yes and and what I believe that I that I heard from him is that there's Council participation on that Committee in all those towns so I don't understand why we could have two people with such a wealth of experience who are so dedicated that they're pouring hours and hours and hours over the budget over over what it means I don't understand why they're not participating from day one and I would also like to point out you know when you're talking about I hear councilman gubitosi talking about drivers of the budget and the drivers and and what's behind it and what's behind those numbers and that that brings me back to last year when there was $300,000 unaccounted for and the only thing that councilman gubitosi wanted to know was where is that coming from what are we anticipating and it took months to get the answer I believe and please correct me if I'm wrong counsman buosi it had to do with planned positions new hires new hires I don't understand why that answer didn't come from our ba at that time directed by the may I don't know why that answer didn't come the first time it was asked so please keep asking please get the answers I'm also very concerned about these ated position and departments that don't need particularly in public works I would want to be really convinced that Public Works didn't need those positions I love our Public Works that is something in our town that works beautifully and they are absolute pleasure and if anything changes there I would be very sorry and my time is up thank you so much thank you thank you Lauren okay like there's nobody else we'll move to the next agenda item which is ordinances we have 20244 an ordinance supplementing the Burrows pointer yeah the mouse than um I'm sorry uh 2024 for an ordinance suppl bur's revised General ordinances chapter 352 previously reserved entitled public facility to authorize the B existing facility rental fees policies and procedures um this is an introduction discussion yes just this is fine there's nothing wrong with this I just where did it come from um this was an analysis done um on fees that we in fact um did not have any ordinance that we worked like we are cleaning this up yeah okay and it's is just for the rec center just like all over answers to that question because she sent me an explanation on it today but I didn't have a chance to look at it it's for I think half list it's really everything that we read pretty much the whole the whole [Music] B it's adult sports leagues um all our facilities Debo here it is re Center bii Center basball court tennis court baseball soccer pick ball at the community Sports Fields Beach facilities there there were misses were not included terce Riley Rec Center Park second and third Avenue S Lake Park Fifth Avenue Gazo the Fletch gazebo this uh essentially just it codifies everything that we're currently doing so the whole fees schedule that everyone uses all the time that's what this cifi so it's everything okay and then so sorry but really know how to talk in my packet I'm looking at ordinance 2024 D3 and it's talking about the um salt is the one that we introduced last meeting that's being adopted right that affect the same no no four is the one that's being introduced we're introducing four and we're adopting P CAP thanks sorry okay and you guys know at the next um you can see that ordinance for the facilities um like many like a lot of other ordinances have it being set by the resolution of the governing body so when upon the adoption of that ordinance at the next meeting there'll also be a resolution adopting the fee schedule we're not changing anything we're just adopting it so that the next time our people are asked if there's an authorizing resolution ordinance we have thank sorry proed okay any other questions on the introduction that okay so I'll make a motion to introduce 2022 second Mr Noble I also reached out to great candidate and thank you for explaining that and I appreciate that and my vote is yes Mr gesi and I also reached out to council president denovo who told me she Mr Canon because we do talk occasionally I vote Yes Miss Mahoney and I was explaining the same thing so uh yeah Mr Leber yes Fox yes 20243 it's an ordinance amending chapter 350 Property Maintenance in housing standards of the B revised General ordinances to establish standards for the storage of salt and other solid deicing materials in accordance with New Jersey DDP requirements make sure that our superintendent Mr kon's informing to requirements I'll make a motion to approve 202 you have oh I'm sorry you have to open up uh have a um I make a motion to uh open an adoption hearing for 202 three second second Mr Noble yes Mr gboi yes M Mahoney yeah Mr Weber yes mayor Fox yes uh are there any questions on 20243 okay then I will make a motion to close the hearing on 20243 and at the same time approve 24 oh yes Mr gbos yes Miss Mahoney yes Mr Weber yes mayor Fox yes um Merith I'm sorry for probably taking away from Miss Catalano but I didn't I didn't had didn't have the opportunity to read through your all the changes you made in the um introduction of 20244 so I was um swimming Upstream a little bit but I think we uh we got through it so so uh why I was trying to I know Miss I know Miss Catalano was you know actually she we will address her issues and I know no but my point is um I'm glad we answered her questions but she should have been at the end of the meeting was an agenda question but I wasn't GNA stop her that would not have been cool okay uh Communications we have United branding committee that um councilman Weber's been um working to frame came out and that communication's in the packet uh resolutions we have three on the consent agenda 2024 83 which is approval of Jersey Shore rescue mission to conduct their 5K walk race for Saturday October 26 2024 from 9 to 11 it's a pass through only 2024 84 approval of summertime surf camp to conduct their Surf Contest Saturday June 22nd and Sunday June 23rd and 2024 83 approval of 5050 cash license application for a paddle for Hunger a vendor of bbca spring Market event in Riley Park on Saturday May 11 2024 make a motion to approve the consent agend second Mr Noble yes Mr gboi yes Miss Mahoney yes Mr Weber yes mayor Fox yes okay individual resolutions uh we've already covered 20248 6 2024 87 is the approval to apply for a grant New Jersey historical trust for $138,100 store badley Beach free public library stores at the 4th Avenue entrance um I'll I'm on the library board and I can comment on this this door is quite a um challenge actually Mr gone could comment on this door too I'm sure um it's been a uh challenge it's a huge door it's heavy it's very old and um we found some fund this this funding could um help us kind of almost be in a restoration mode so Ashley fle has been working on this and um it's a it's a worthwhile Endeavor for our library so I would make a motion to s a little more discussion yeah yeah my understanding and I think it's in the resolution I read this a couple days ago but we would apply for the uh funding but but uh I guess to the extent there are any related costs that would be those costs will be paid for by the library it's correct okay great so I just want to make sure if anyone was confused why we're applying for Library oh Friends of the library is actually I'm sorry to speak out but I'm part of friends of the library and if you read it it's Friends of the library that it's we were asked to donate money towards that so it's not the library that's doing it all it's friend read it's friends in the library well it's it's yeah but the library no understand correct but the Grant application that Ashley's putting together I'm I think she's the one to put it together but it is it's an entire Village you're absolutely right yeah yeah but the pay money but to be clear this is helpful thank you um to be clear if we receive this grant if the LI I think it's the library that receives the grant not like friends wouldn't have to pay for this correct no we're pay yes we raised we raised M and like6 ra money for it specifically for it and we were told that that part of that money that we rais they want us to pay for that so I don't know liary gets a lot of money I don't know why we're paying for it but the 138 Mr May is that for the entire repair or is it like entire repair it's 200,000 friend no it's not 200,000 um I have to get the detail from Ashley she worked up that detail but any compon component that's not covered by friends or this grant will be covered by the uh library and as you all have seen our library it's over 100 years old there is a lot of Maintenance and there's been a lot of Maintenance work done both externally internally I can tell you DPW spends a little bit of time over there so um uh they do have though given this budget increase that they've had some Capital spend um opportunities but if we can or secure this grant I mean you know we want we want certainly do that so that's really the rationale so what I'm hearing just maybe M Davidson you could bring this back to the friends in the library but it's what the mayor is saying I think either to the public made a comment to me quickly it sounds like this is a grant that would fund this store and and the friends would not have to contribute for this store you may contribute to other things we told by the library and it was going to be I'm sorry we were told by the librarian at Le at our meeting that she wouldn't wipe us out but she would it would be a some type of share yeah it be they assess the cost and because we don't you know we don't know if we're cont yeah yeah absolutely but we don't know if we're GNA get $138,000 we might get $50,000 uh and the numbers I've heard are are this is one hell of a door so it's beautiful door by the way yeah it is I can just ask a good question just want to make sure I understand this right so New Jersey has a historic trust that we can apply to and we can apply to fix up old historic buildings there are a lot of regulations about it and most of them have to be um uh what's the correct terminology right for um de historic by the historical criteria yeah criteria correct yeah it's amazing it is okay do I have a second for 2024 87 second uh Mr Noble yes Mr Lui and I'm hoping we get all $138,100 yes Miss Mahoney yes Mr Weber yes mayor Fox yes 20 2488 uh directing the development of a request for proposals for uh professional financial consulting services to conduct the financial assessment of the bureau's S Utility Fund just a quick comment yep following up on what Mr shushi said earlier is there a way to put in this wording or or or just communicate to whoever is developing the RP um one that we should be asking for specifically what their the different organizations experiences and two is there an opportunity to actually involve Mr Shish as a resident volunteer uh I don't see why not we don't have to put it into the wording of the resolution I just want to make sure for the record you know we consider that thank you Mr Mr shes for raising that earlier I'll second Mr Noble yes Mr gazi yes Miss Mahoney yes Mr Weber yes mayor uh I'm going vote no my rationale for voting no is really around two things number one um my personal opinion of having gotten a couple of reports on this is that our current utility and that's mostly staffed by Public Works um from a customer service standpoint does a a great job number one and really more importantly um as it relates the priorities um I just think we've got a dozen priorities ahead of this that um I just I I I'm concerned about the capacity so that's why I enough okay we've T we've um backed off of 319 line so there are no announcements so we would go to um mayor and Council reports um I can mix it up and I can start today mine's fairly short um SEC so uh I will start with um we had the opportunity um around our community Project funding secured for Bradley Beach the million 46 uh we were fortunate uh last week I think it was last week um to have uh Congressman Fone who was in recess stopped by and talk about the um process for funding gave us the opportunity to chat with him a little bit and maybe um have the opportunity to uh look for more and um we made that clear to him that we'd really like to look for more as we go forward with this uh we are very close to have forming to have formed a team to work with um our engineering team and our Public Works team and I'll should have that in the communication before the next meeting um and that would be kind of a take the information we have let's make sure we've got a good definition a good design and a good implementation plan um so that's in process um and we're very fortunate that um we got that Grant um speaking of Grants um Council or councilman Senator gopal informed us today that um there's good news and bad news around uh taxes the bad news about the gasoline taxes you pay more for gasoline good news is that fund that um I think it was it started at 22 Cent increase uh a few years ago um did a whole lot of infrastructure work and then it depleted the fund and now we were adding I cannot remember the final bill but um now it's refunded refunded meaning it's got money and um in 2023 early in the year we had applied for a local Transportation projects fund and or um in that into that fund um and we put a project together that was $3 milon1 million for silven Lake we asked for $2.4 million in a I've got the the Grant application here that um CME worked with us on uh we asked we asked the project is 31 and U we asked for two4 and I'm happy to report that my my understanding and it's unofficial official we haven't received the word yet from the Department of Transportation but we are going to get a $2.4 million grant for silven Lake now um having said that what we've got to sort through is we're also working on a Rey grant for the natural Shoreline and and there's some things that are going on there there's some things we could do here so we got to sort this out so baju I didn't have time to talk to you about this but we've got a couple of dollars to do some things at silen Lake so um another thing for you to do in your spare time so uh we're GNA get that cook in here pretty quick so that was uh really great news and if you anybody who's keeping tabs we're we're we're broaching $9 million in Grants um this grant um the Main Street Grant of a million4 the boardwalk of a million 43 then we have eight miscellaneous grants that uh add up to about a million two and um I'm hoping by the next meeting we have another surprise grant that I'm being told we might be in contention for but I want to hold that in OB bance in case it doesn't happen um speaking of silven Lake The Flume I don't know be they finished today or is it tomorrow they finished they finished okay so the temporary fix that hopefully will last more than um a short period of time hopefully it's a couple year fix um is in place um Vulcan worked it we're happy that that um only took two days so was a I think about two days um we did have a small um some people call it a pothole some people call it a sinkhole I'm not sure what it was on Fifth Avenue but it's been repaired um it happened on 100 block Fifth Avenue over the weekend it's been resolved um we were fortunate to have Fernandez uh who's been working on the Parkplace sewer and is one of our real good construction groups they were able to zip in and help us resolve the issue so that issue was resolved pretty quick um third thing is or fourth thing I'm sorry is um we did uh one last Saturday have the uh rain date for the Easter egg hunt it was a big success the sun was out versus the prior week uh fire in EMS um did a great job another successful event at that nework Avenue uh Beach area Walter um Walter thank you um kind of spearheads that and does a great job um please check the website for library and Recreation upcoming events and that is my report councilman Weber thanks Mr Mayor um I'll start with the first aid and the fire reports uh first aid for the operational period ending April 10th today Squad responded to five day calls and four Night Calls for a total of nine calls it's nice they do the math for you and I really love that um six were for medical three were for fire the squad conducted one drill for safety and education of membership uh they participated in the annual fire and firstday Easter egg hunt there were no out of town Mutual Aid requests the squad responded to one mutual Aid uh request uh for that op operational period and they fulfilled 99% of their assignments for this period I don't know how they come to 99 but okay um that was first dat so for fire for the month ending again these are monthly reports for fire so a month ending March 31st uh fire department responded to two two day calls six Night Calls for eight six fire alarm activations one for odor of gas one carbon monoxide alarm activation uh the department conducted one training uh they had the fishop rrive fundraiser of course and the Easter edun uh Community event there were no Mutual Aid requests for the fire department and they fulfilled 100% of their assignments for this period both Departments of course are still looking for volunteers they offer free training and if you wish to uh be a volunteer you can inquire through the Burrow's website um I only have updates on uh shade trees we have a planting on May 5th if you interested in being a volunteer email me probably going to plant 20 25 trees like we normally do um and uh one other things shade tree is doing as I reported in the past they're looking for trees that are older than Bradley Beach they keep continue to do that they're up to 22 trees that are older than Bradley Beach that means they're older than 130 years old at this point we're not finding any you know on streets or Parks or whatever they're going to be in somebody's backyard so if you know somebody's got a really big tree in their backyard or you know just contact me or somebody on the shade tree commission if the person allows us we'll go out and measure the tree and figure out if it's older than the town and if it does if it is they get a little plaed and uh so keep your eye out for that and that's the extent of my report thank you councel Council woman man woman I'll do whatever voice all right I don't have much all right the land news board is going to meet on Thursday April 18th and uh clean ocean action will be running a beach sweep at 80 plus new New Jersey locations this Saturday April 13th Bradley Beach's environmental commission will be assisting Bradley Beach's location at the Gazebo on Ocean and F please join us between 9 and 12:30 a.m. to pick up our beach I guess I'm not doing anything on Friday night so I can be there nice and early bring a bucket some work gloves and a refillable bottle Saturday Saturday yes yes Friday not doing anything so I can be there early in the morning on Saturday got it got it got it yeah I have calar no don't don't be confused with my personal life and what i' like you all to do I'm just reminding myself to stay home on Friday so I don't sleep on Saturday okay uh if you don't have gloves or a bucket our fabulous DPW will supply extra buckets and our environmental commission will have some extra you have to bring your own water though you can register online before at clean Ocean action.org or there will be registration forms available on Saturday I hope to see you there and oh and I'm having a pre Beach sweep party at my house Friday night plan oh no that's great that's all okay thank you Council to jump okay as the liaison sink I just want to follow up on the mayor's comments about that Grant news so we just got that uh text message earlier today 2.4 million is just a huge number and it's potentially it may not be enough given some of the work that needs to be done including the restoration of the lake but it's a great number um I did have a chance to contact an P the chairperson of the silver L commission silin L commission and she was estatic over the news she's sharing it with the rest of the commission keep in mind the commission is a shared commission with Bradley Beach members as well as Avon uh members so um what some people probably don't realize is that um some version of uh some view or version of restoration of the lake has been out there for at least 20 years long before I got on the Commission in fact council members well before the generation before me would tell me stories as I got out to Silver Lake about how they've tried to get money how they tried to get money how they tried to get those parking meters um you know giving credit to Dollars to S Lake um all of which fell through so this is this is like groundbreaking news for Sil Lake really for our community so while the commission's thrilled um I think law residents want you get a chance to stoke this in knowing that we've been on this mission for 20 plus years and prior council members as well will be very very happy to hear this news um couldn't believe it when I read the text today so great news and I just want to make sure we all bask in the warm Afterglow of that um the mayor mention briefly I just wanted to follow up on the sinkhole and and Mary you mentioned a company that jumped out there and did some quick repair um I was aware of that also and I was aware that before that company even arrived DPW uh I believe it might have been Mr cabone but someone from DPW showed up to check out that s call and I was gonna say I'm captain AR so so I just want to make sure thanks around to everybody for jumping on that so quickly it's funny I you know I know that the it wasn't a large an appearance sinkhole but you know it start those things start small and they can spread quickly enough that you know they swallow cars and houses so thank you for uh getting that initial alert D um couple more comments here I do have a police report from detective Lieutenant Brownie and u a local man was arrested for defiant trespass I I learn a lot of new terms from uh working with you sir defiant trespass he probably stood at his front yard just I'm not leaving but anyway um and harass harassment after police responded to a complaint by a Main Street business an area man was arrested for possession of burglary tools after police conducted a late night field stop with him sir where you going with that jaka um a subject was arrested for driving while intoxicated along with several other motor vehicle violations a local man was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and disorderly conduct after police were called to the area for a disturbance in the street and finally um uh since the last council meeting the police have arrested two suspects on uh active contempt of court warrants so compared to some of my earlier reports things are picking up when he get go police and even though she's not the liaison to the police department council president Den Noble insists that I also mentioned from our activity report that uh activities up year in March and calls for service case reports travel stops uh all very significant you know either levels between February and March probably uh expected to increase even further as as we move into the sum right I mean just calls for service in March 1,241 wow that's a lot you guys are busy all right we are going to be going into a executive session and one of the topics is uh negotiations I just want to say before we go in because I don't know how many of you will be when we come back that um as far as local 152 goes um I can I've said this every meeting I've had an opportunity to say it I continue to be dismayed by the lack of progress in our negotiations with this Union I also continue to be dismayed by the lack of participation in these negotiations by the council we have every opportunity to participate if the mayor would grant that opportunity uh to date no one from the council has been allowed to sit at the bargaining table or even participate other than whatever we're going to hear tonight in executive session and um and then it wouldn't be a council meeting and Council comments in particular without me reading a statement that I find it's very important to get these statements into the minutes and you will probably not be surprised that regarding the 2024 budget review and and process it's budget time in Bradley Beach and as usual timing will be tight as we move forward the process should be simple one the administration prepares a budget for 2024 two the council reviews the budget then ask questions to make sure they understand the proposed budget three the administration answers the council's questions to the council's satisfaction I'm going to double back to to three the council vote for the council votes to introduce the budget and five ultimately the council votes to adopt the budget while all of these steps are important the most important in my opinion is step three the administration answers the council's questions to the council's satisfaction this is so important because the council represents the residents of Bradley Beach we serve as fiduciaries representing you so we must ask questions where we do not understand the budget and we must get answers to those questions this is probably even more important given recent events in which less than a month ago we received a horrendous 2022 audit report bank accounts were not reconciled the auditor could not account for 75,000 in cash we did not replenish $1 million dollars that we borrowed from Surplus and we were told that it was unlikely we would detect a material error in our financial reporting because controls were virtually non-existent in May of 23 the mayor the CFO at the time and the acting ba at the time mistakenly informed the council that $700,000 of the 2022 borrowed surplus of 1.1 million had in fact I'm sorry one one million had in fact been replenished they were wrong by $1 million the council did not learn learn of this misstatement until March of this year when the audit report was released finding out almost a year later that the council was misled certainly raises warning flags and concerns over the accuracy of the budget development process it places even greater importance on the council's ability to ask questions and receive answers when the 2024 budget was first delivered to the council just two weeks ago it was over a month late and it was incomplete two weeks later tonight it is still incomplete there are still exhibits that have not been completed which which exhibits how about Revenue detail Revenue since sorry we we provided detail re yeah we look it up Mr Mayor I'll look it up it's right there you got you got like okay never mind since the 20124 draft budget was shared with us the council has tried very hard to ask meaningful questions over the past two weeks we still do not have meaningful answers to the vast majority of our questions ladies and gentlemen as I stated in our council meeting of March 27 I refused to be rushed into granting approvals for the introduction and Adoption of the 2024 budget for two weeks we have asked budget questions of Mayor Fox only to have the mayor's team in quotes respond without providing meaningful answers to many of the questions in the two weeks since this partial budget was released the following are brief examples of the non-answer responses that the council has received from the mayor and his team Council question why the extreme variations in the Burrow's total Appropriations and total actuals uh total actuals for 2021 2020 and 2019 in the detailed spreadsheet the response given was continuing to review Council question why don't the detail exhibit totals provided by the CFO tied to the summary totals provided to by the CFO for example the detail total Appropriations listed for 2024 is $38,000 greater than the total Appropriations provided in the summary the response given CFO following Council question can the CFO help me better understand the reasonable of the total actual expenses which include variances of $1 million or more than expected the response given these variations are from prior years many personnel changes could contribute to this condition I don't know if anyone's starting to get a message here but these are not answers these are responses Council question what would and only a couple more Council question what were the primary drivers that brought the 2023 actual down what .4 million over 2022 response given there could be a myriad of variables for any for this in any year now for the record I don't have 2023 data uh so I still can't answer this question however I did review 2022 which had a $1.4 million spike in spending going from 21 to 22 and in 22 I identified six items not a myrion six items that drove that 1.4 milli ion doll increase I can't imagine there aren't a comparable number of items that drove a reduction now supposedly this year of $1.4 million Council question I've got two to go 998 9988 th000 of borrowed Surplus was not replenished in 2022 can we estimate the amount of replenishment in 2023 the response yes I had to follow up this is a very critical issue now given that we replenished virtually none of the roughly 1 million anticipated Surplus in 2022 can you please share the data you have for 2023 that provides confidence we can replenish the 2023 anticipated surplus of 1.1 million equally importantly I wrote what are your assumptions for 2024 to provide assurance that we will be able to replenish the anticipated Surplus in 2024 as well the response this will be presented in due course due course was a couple of hours before the meeting started tonight so these are qu and I've got a comment or two to make but these are six examples of questions that received no answers for basically two weeks but we were expected to come here tonight and vote to introduce this budget um the bottom line to all this is that the council is working hard to ask questions regarding the mayor's proposed budget this is very important we are not saying that the current proposed budget is right nor are we saying that it is wrong we are saying that we need to understand it before we can approve it as I said to the mayor via email on Sunday morning I now say to the residents of Bradley Beach I will not vote in support of the 2024 budget until the CFO is made available to answer my questions and that concludes my comments thank you councilman council president thank you mayor the board of event did not have a meeting so I'm going on to tourism they are holding their fourth annual Earth Earth Day with a festival and green fair I went last year it was really fun mark your calendar it's Sunday April 21st from 11:00 a.m to 4m in Riley Park the Shay Tre um commission will also be there and they're going to do a presentation on the lantern fly so there's a lot of interesting things to check out that day also speaking of the shade tree commission they had their meeting Wednesday April 3rd and um good news Well bad news and good news some trees were removed on private property at like 64 Bradley Boulevard they removed one tree but they're planting two trees 204 Beach Avenue they removed one tree but they're planting Three Trees so it's nice to see when something gets taken out and it gets put back in but even more so that's very good news kudos to them for that they're doing some ordinance modifications also they will be at the Earth Day celebration the spring planting event is actually um May 4th you said the 5ifth that's the rain date so it's a Saturday at 9:00 a.m and we start in Fountain Park now I didn't know it was called Fountain Park Until I looked on like ways and it was so Fountain Park is between second and third Avenue it's the Triangle Park there in the 600 block we at 9 o' we demonstrated how to plant a tree and then we're going to plant approximately 23 trees throughout the burough including 10 on Main Street and we do have three opportunities for people to sponsor a honor me tree so if you'd like to do something special or um maybe someone that you love or a new baby or or even someone that had passed I've done that before and it's a great thing and addition to that oh Arbor Day Arbor Day is going to be celebrated at the same park Fountain Park at 4M April 26 I believe it's a Friday and what we do is um we honor the graduating class of 2024 Bradley Beach Elementary School the younger grades are invited to display their artwork and then we dedicate a tree and every year we put one of those plaques like the anomy plaques and this year it's going to say Embrace with joy the changing seasons for each yields its own abundance it's nice yeah and that completes my report thank you okay thank you okay uh next agenda item is the public comments five minute limit single instance comments yes than Le U Mr Marco I had to wait for your return to tell you this directly your interaction with Miss Eggbert earlier was unprofessional offensive and just wrong she and we have every right to hear the discussion properly qualified PA would probably know that that's not what we have here you have the very least over an apology and you over one that thank you yes evening Linda Duffy uh 312 lley Avenue I would like to comment on the fact that other people have made the same remarks that I'm going to make now about the budget I would like to see a 2023 audit done now I looked it up and it says can be done after to June because until they get a full understanding on where we went last year I don't know how they even think about where the money should go this year um and also I'd like to where did we save money you a few th000 here a few thousand there doesn't make much sense when we've overspent so where were the overe expenditures number one we didn't overspend the number two we didn't replace so we overspent we we have a million dollars in 2023 we we oh we didn't replace the money we borrow in my book that's we don't borrow money we balance the all right do you have um what's it called uh and Shing when you are over we have we have overd our account is that well that's what you're saying we spent we spent the money but we couldn't replace it because we didn't have the revenues coming in so the audit needs to be done so we can see where all the deficiencies were I would suest next week you'll you can see I think it's going to be posted the AFS the annual financial statement for 2023 that'll probably give you a I don't think it really will after reading the 22 it was much more extensive and also the fact that people don't sign their responses is a problem because it shows no accountability when they're asking questions so if president Den Noble and the ba can you please tell me blah blah blah blah and you answer how do you know it's the question that you can answer you need to know the source of the information that's very important because then they can directly go back to them if they have more questions about that instead of everybody going through it and not you don't know who you're talking to basically so that's my thank you comment yes 54 Central Avenue here in town definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting to get a different we have exhausted every ventional possibility of correcting this situation multiple residents have come up here and have asked Larry Fox to resign clearly he's not going to at this point I'm going to suggest an unconventional solution I personally am going to start a Community Committee and I'm going and I've already researched it and I've spoken with someone behind the scenes in a legal capacity and I need 25 to 50 or more if possible which I'm sure there will be based on our current situation and I have a v solution I'm not going to disclose it here for obvious reasons but I'm just letting the council know that I will be under Elizabeth Kepler ke PP 2ps l r on Facebook receiving private messages from any Resident who would like to contact me and be part of that committee and when I reached the 25 necessary minimum of people that are willing to participate and enjoin me in my unconventional solution and I am pretty certain that it will be very effective that is Elizabeth e l i z b e t h Kepler ke p p l r I'm speaking to I'm addressing the council but I'm speaking to the residents of this town to please message me on Facebook privately and now I'm going to address the situation that's been public for the people who may not be on social media who are maybe not aware of the fact that there is another issue with Lion Larry Fox and for the last three meetings at least that I've been tracking he has brought up in various meetings any combination of V goal congressman palone and Cory Booker and most recently there's been an issue with a gentleman an attorney in North Jersey by the name of um Mark celo and he's donated $2,700 to uh Larry Fox's campaign fund and Larry has publicly said that he doesn't know who he is but we come to find out not only does um the chief know him the ex-chief but also the mayor's personal attorney an assembly woman another elected official um knows who he is and I find it very not believable especially given the multiple lies that Larry fox has been caught in that he I don't understand how he could not not know if I knew like if I was running and somebody donated $2,700 and it showed up in my account I would at least call them and say thank you so it's extremely disingenuous and I'm being generous in characterizing it that way that Larry Fox knows exactly where that money came from and I would encourage people to go into to tap into on social media and listen to the recording in Larry Fox's own words squirm there Larry huh lion Larry getting nervous yeah yeah you're looking very scorny up there oh know fine I encourage everybody to go and listen to that conversation where he talks about how the chief is friends with this gentleman who donated $2,700 to him but he wouldn't know him if he tripped over him but his his attorney his personal attorney is Friends personal friends on Facebook and he follows him on Facebook uh follows her on Facebook but yet she she's not foll or Mr celo who donated Larry Fox $2,700 the maximum allowable amount of money you can donate to a candidate doesn't follow mayor Fox's own uh professional mayor page but his but his attorney does so I think we're starting to connect the dots here and it's starting to paint a very Vivid picture and I I I are you familiar with a what a RICO claim is Mayor Fox are you familiar with that term you might want next please 2012 4th Avenue when um you you said to me that you were going to give me the name of the members of the team will you also please include the volunteers of the team all also I'm just um I'm just curious is there do people does the council text during the meetings I'm sorry I didn't I didn't hear you I couldn't hear you I'm sorry I noticed that members of the council and the governing body here are texting during meetings is that an appropriate thing to be doing during meetings I was using my calculator on my phone no but no I understand that but I noticed that Meredith and Larry I thought Larry was texting during the meeting and I'm just curious is that appropriate during a council meeting I don't you know it's just out there and I just want to bring that to everybody's attention being observed I have to confess I did take a picture of the logo I saw you take a picture I saw you camera I see and I sent it to John because we're on the um the new committee so um I that's what I was doing by my phone your camera and I'm glad that you were being transparent but I also all other activity and nobody's okay let the record show I'm the only one who didn't text the record show now looking at the pictures that James sent that's for our branding committee Davids I like three questions I'll go through the and somebody answer my first question is for the council what is happening with the change of government my second question is uh well there has certainly been a lot of discussions surrounding the former police chief actions and Mr Mayor you're hiding of the prosecutor's report from the council and public one comment that actually this wonderful over there brought up was that the police officers really had nobody to go to to report the abuse and indeed I was thinking about that and yeah they didn't because from their perspective I mean we have an the acting VA an in VA a former VA but that was some hiring thing with she had some hiring thing with the former Chief so I don't know if they're going to go to her um I don't really know anything about David Brown but the VA prior to that uh mayor englad hired and that was the police chief's girlfriend so I don't think any of the police are going to go to her so I guess my question is in light of all that we know now including that the prosecutor's office stated that they stopped taking complaints because there were so many and this likely went back years what has been put in place so that any employee of the burrow in any Department can feel safe and whom it would it be that they would go to and then my last question is does the burrow currently have a do not knock list um that some other communities have that is where a resident can sign up that they choose to have people not solicit at their doors um usually there's also a protocol that requires anybody that wants to go door too to get a permit from the town to do it we pay a fee usually we have an ordinance right right we have an ordinance that prudes that okay well I had somebody come to my door who said he was selling uh think we do I think we do to according to your sergeant she um took me through maybe we could talk online whether we do or don't but I'm pretty sure we do so there is purpose unless you're a politician well that's what I wanted to ask is I actually don't it's going to be election season and I don't want anybody coming to my house you can't you you can't and I can't put a sign on my door and say get the hell out of here I don't want to well you can do that why can't you do that can I explain to just cuz I used to work for an organization because this is what I'm tired this is what I'm tired about okay I'm tired about people that come to my door wasting my time with lies and they're just demeaning themselves with their lies people that live in Asberry Park but for some reason are canvasing for people in brly Leach I'm tired of people who talk about this town to me and how mean the people that sit in this room are yet they have no problem themselves doing group texts and saying terrible things about the women that are In This Very Room other women that's misogyny at the highest or they hide behind their keyboards like keyboard Warriors or behind a zoom screen call out people but then actually refuse to have a conversation with the actual people that they're calling out or as they might be doing right now posting on their social media Pages cartoons of fatl that they do in real time when women are up here on their podiums like juveniles they Delight in making fun of a woman's appearance perhaps someone should Point those people in the direction of a mirror but those posts are posted and liked and loved by people who wanted our votes at one time people who supported you and still support you also current burrow employees so they'll put on a hat and they'll F and they'll March for women's rights they'll March for black lives matter they'll throw banners up but guess what they won't do they're rendered mute when a black man's constitutional rights were violated In This Very Town suddenly they have no problem with it so I don't want any of these people showing up on my doorstep to push a candidate and I think I should have the right to say don't come on my property so who's going to answer my first question which was about the change of who government I never answer I texted you about that never I don't have an answer for you I have a little answer okay uh Mr uh Canon had the nerve to take last week off on vacation but I did managed to send him a text asking him that very question and uh and and for the Public's benefit I think you're aware of this but for the Public's benefit the council can adopt an ordinance that that begins the process that creates the opportunity for the residents to V to organize form a a a committee of sworts U I'm drawing the blank on the right ter we talked about Workshop but and so the council can take action and I've got to talk to the rest of the council but there's certainly um I'm I'm certainly asking the question you know will the council want to take a Next Step um but the really good news I guess for people like yourself who might be interested is there's another option where um the residents can just form their own commit they don't need the council to enact an ordinance change it makes I my understanding is it makes it easier if the council were to do that yeah it does and and I see no reason me personally I see no reason why the council wouldn't create that opportunity for the residents to evaluate um but again when I say these things I don't want people to take it that I'm advocating for changeing government or not um I'm just trying to lay out what the options are for our residents okay now what about employee can go to what was that who can the employee go to to air any issues that they might have you know I had asked a question by email about um after all this happened about our employee assistance program you something like that right um so they exist for both you know police and for all the employees in town and I don't recall if they got a response on that but there's a program like that exists okay and there's reporting procedures in the him um and we've had employees that have not felt comfortable through the chain of command and the administrator and I have accommodated that accordingly um having conflict CS or outside people address the issue so I'm confident sitting here that the employees have if they choose the employees have a direct route in handbook and if they don't prefer that route we have accommodated that okay fairly recently fact okay that's good and about it do not not we uh as the mayor referenc there is a soliciting ordinance you need a license to solicit does not include charitable political excuse me religious or political purposes it has to be commercially related so we uh and number two we do not have a no not or I'm very familiar with the no ordinance there's one in my town that t um it also cannot ban religious charitable or um political door knocking however as someone that runs for office in that town I can tell you that I leave the card I don't knock on the doors that have a no knock sticker that's not a way to earn a b usually yeah try to contact some other way so it is effective in curving that but it's not legally permissible to do that because I would say that what happened with me was some came to the or it's coming all down Fourth Avenue I used to meet most people in fourth it was a guy who said do we want solar panels had a bunch of brochures in his hand he wasn't dressed he had no identification he wanted to give me a brochure and he handed me a photography brochure and I said this is a photography yeah you should call the police and he said oh yeah yeah you know I just don't have my credential please go and then he did I texted my neighbors but he did did proceed to go down and then should be without a license knocking on doors in town you more than free to call the police that's what they're here for they have check them out if they're a political candidate from some District or you don't recognize them they're not from here or whatever Serge check it out Sergeant soloro did an excellent job last Thursday evening for probably 40 minutes covering this topic relative scammers and anything around scammers uh she did a great job thank you very much yes a couple questions earlier during the um budget discussion sorry I me 116 G um during the early budget discussion discussed that we were saving money on the chief's salary are we not getting a new Chief are we required to have Chief we have have an ordinance uh that was part of my question because we have an ordinance that actually spells out how many people of which each rank we have I mean Captain Arnold is serving in that capacity now but the short answer is no we have not made him Chief right now but will we be I mean moving forward I don't know what the law is are we required to have one according to the ordinance supp follow the ordinance in terms of the structure of the police department from an attorney general or prosecutor the other as you've heard at length in this room the other agencies that supervis your Police Department you require someone's got to be quote officer in charge so it's not technically a a legal requirement outside this B but the B has an ordinance and we're addressing that in the ordinary course you've heard it like here my other question is is it possible for um Mr gar Gars Gars gar presentation to be uploaded to so that the residents can look at it I'd have to ask Mr Gs I I don't know had the introduction been adopt you pass you can I know that for a fact I I I don't know if it hasn't been if you can so we should look at the numbers and compare the the numbers from year to year as residents can we do that we should be do that there's a there's a the statutes require the user the user friendly budget yeah it's not true this year oh I follow you okay I'm sorry I missed that we didn't introduce the budget so we did not we voted down the introduction oh okay thank you yes meow Ocean Park milons so um regarding people coming to the door on anoun um I would start with a new trespassing sign which I intend to get so I'll Pi one up for you thinking about it but would that be then when somebody knocks out of your stranger bringing cookies would that have violated our ordinance absolutely not no there has to excuse me I was addressing stop talking I'm sorry you really need to change your tone you need to stop taking notes and take action so knock it off I'm addressing this no there's no time here he's the legal person so there is time am out of time or am I not yes sure yes but in that time we could no we're not having a dialogue that's not happen I thought you were youring sorry that doesn't happen okay you're not the legal Authority Mr Canon could you just answer Authority well I Tred okay the mayor is correct that that would not violate our okay thank you no would be the answer so um as we move forward with um ways to save money um I've said this before I know I'm repetitive but we had a no iing resolution you now learn they expired after the year Mr environment what kind of resolution I didn't hear what said I'm sorry I didn't understand no idling no idling got it could we turn that into an ordinance especially given the discussion evening regarding Rising gas prices um that is a penny I understand that um and I don't know why under this Administration we have these PowerPoint presentations um but I wonder if you know and maybe Mr we does because he seems to have the young children around him there's a thing called PowerPoint parties you might want to ask your children about them um I concerns me also about moving forward with the budget when we have not or I have not yet gotten an aners to why we did not ever request financial assistance or other assistance with the broken pipe on Ocean Park Avenue that you like to call M this is going to happen at every street in town the engineers told us and the fact that you make a mistake and then don't learn from it let alone explain it to us we have spent over a million dollars in a bond partial partial and we have no explanation as to why we did not seek any funding we deserve the explanation and then learn from it and to build that into budgets because that's for me that's a lot of money and it gets pushed off and so I'm waiting for an answer from the Oprah attorney this has now been going on I think six weeks I forgot to look it up before I came then I got the code Department that's not answered in over four months um and yet oh the solution is let's just hire more people and spend more money no I say let's hold people accountable for their job and if you can't do it we are more than happy not to get you an assistant but you get somebody who can because I am just sick and tired of the sping and I you know the L summer budget representation salaries what really and then you got somebody who quits public works because they can't wait for the money and they're giving up actually we're going to save now because they won't get their retroactive pay I just oh and yes we can go into you know meeting for local 152 I don't get it I don't know how you live with yourself um and how do we live with losing good employees uh it's just mindboggling to me and then let's talk about my favorite topic the website how many I don't know who's job okay I know I'm all alphabetical order works again if somebody here ton not calling a touris Department I don't know the difference between department and commission but is my understanding it was always commission have we changed it do we need an ordinance it just goes on and on and on things were supposed to be posted Monday I did not locate them um for this meeting so I actually came unprepared um and then we did have an earthquake I would have thought there might have been an announcement regarding an emergency we had several snow storms we grind thank you we didn't put anything on the website about that thank you yes thank you I'm I'm stuck on a a topic that that is related to the budget um just say name in address I'm sorry Lauren Eggbert 404 and a half Bley Avenue thank you um hard to know where to start sometimes um the um one of the things that I'm fixated on is from that audit and the fact that we didn't have reconciliation and that there was a lack of controls so we don't have a way to be sure that we've been accurate in any way about funds that go out or come in if I understand that correctly and so I'm wondering about the action that needs to be taken and who's going to take it and and what action it's going to be to see that we have a system of controls and that brings me back to the budget and I mean anybody who wants to answer this when I get use my little time I'd be delighted but that's when back to like my ears perking up about positions and attrition for example Mr Gs Mr Garts is our CFO right now is he not yes um would I is he fulltime no he's part of a shared service how many hours do we have him 10 10 hours how 10 hours a week okay so I'm looking and I'm thinking maybe there's a position where we need to hire I mean who else who else in this burrow has the financial and budget expertise to create a system of controls you know a 10 hours enough when we're in this kind of position and I have to also ask myself do any of the candidates for the permanent VA position have that kind of expertise it seems like we really need it or have we built into the budget a full-time CFO it is both required and I would really like the entire Council to consider those questions questions and then the last thing I would like to say is is my distress during this meeting wasn't just the first encounter that I had wanting to be able to he our CFO it was also behavior that I have to admit that I was one of the persons who reacted in the crowd to the cutting people off I saw my council members who I know are working really really hard and and having them cut off shut down spoken to in the way that I perceive as disrespect and we teach I was an elementary school counselor for a time and we teach them the kids don't be a bystander be an upstander you know don't allow people to be mistreated in front of you and it was it's been very very unsettling to the point of do I say do I walk back into this room again you know and so I I would one very concrete behavior that I could ask to have stopped is the is the interrupting of council members and residents mids sentence and with that thank you thank you to everyone working hard in this room and if you can consider the issue of controls being put in place and what personnel we need to be able to do that I would I appreciate it thank you hi Dr Tomar EX in the Avenue um last time I uh now no I can ask as the question about the class that we paid for for the Ruckers class um Mr Margaret did you take that class was that you you can submit an over request to the flirt for the Mr Fox do we know if um am took that class or not it's not a big deal I mean we paid for it so I'm just wondering I have to over it that's what she asked you to do yeah but you can't I'm asking you you can't answer that question a simple question she took a class you have people take PLS all the time I know um you guys took some pots and went to uh and you talked about it like it's not that big a deal I like to know that okay you're not going to answer it um the next one was about PRI priorities you made a statement about priorities and that you have a lot of things to prioritize I think you're terrible at prioritizing I think you've been atrocious at it from the church to your you you're pandering to Y is so disgusting how cut see you are to him yeah a cute look you haven't given them a contract don't act nice to them you don't like them because if you like them and if you thought they were valuable a valuable asset to this community you had would be sitting in on these negotiations helping them move forward and not letting a volunteer do it who you think is who you told everyone had more experience so his experience is very important to you you said he has more experience than everyone but you hired someone with no experience you have no justification for that so how can you say someone's important to everyone more important than all of them he has so much experience but you hard some with zero experience you make no sense to us and priority with the church again and now we're saying that there's a biding they have the table at so your idea of telling us that you have priorities you have no priorities you're you're really really bad and I I wish you would be better at prioritizing the church could have been sold months ago um DPW could have had a contract what like over a year is it over a year 15 months they were 16 like they everyone knows they could have had that the chief maybe would have been gone or fired so your priorities are really misguided and I will have to open it you just can't say yes or no it's really disgusting so my op will become after this thank you yes 64 Mr will there be business done after the executive session yes okay great that's great maybe oh I don't I don't decide whether actions taken maybe there is action schedule to be considered after exec okay great get that out of the way uh and mayor I'd like to volunteer for the Main Street committee um I've been a Main Street property owner for over 27 years and uh I believe I have some good infut since design and function for for Main Street and I would also be happy to to volunteer to uh be the DBW negotiation team um I I don't think that would be very difficult but I would be happy to volunteer my service for that but um I I like to have to make an announcement that I am now branded as a political boss want to be and I want to thank you for calling me that there because it did make me go look at your elect I had to go look at your elect and it tells the story so I'm G to go really slowly here um in your January 15 2023 report uh you made a donation on October 28th of 2022 in the amount of $2,000 to friends of berell and Gavin okay so then uh in your report of July 19th 2023 uh you it's listed as being made in may you receive a donation in the amount of 32825 from your friends of Bernell and Gavin okay well that's pretty interesting because that was about the time we were looking for the new business administrator in uh uh April May June of 2023 and then Bingo what happens is on October 11th of 2023 you then nominate Deborah Brunell for the vacant Council seat but I guess that's not politics I guess that's not politics I'm the only one who plays politics not you uh also while reviewing the report the report um on January 15 2023 where you took the $2700 donation from vix e park um you have to tell your treas Susan F Olsen that you're really supposed to include contact car oh it's Carol yeah oh I'm sorry I apologize carolos and uh they really have to put a contact name and a contact number all it says is fix ASB Park no address no email no phone number no contact person wow if that's how we do business in New Jersey politically I don't want to be a wannabe I don't want anything to do with it because it's dirty thank you thank you um somebody on the board Don Greenberg joh yep can you hear me can you hear me can hear you okay cool Don Greenberg 302 Park Place AB um I had one question on 202 24-87 the library Grant how come it says 1 38,1 in the title yet in the first whereas it's 1415 the match sir no it's not the match it's 138 to 141 a little less than $3,000 difference the match is 56,000 so it looks like there's an there yes no maybe I'm sorry I couldn't hear you might be the cost of making the application for the we'll have would have to get we have get back okay got it okay um thanks for that you know the other thing is on the budget stuff um Mr Mayor you know you you seen shocked that that the council members want the answers to these questions but I and I find it hard to believe that you don't realize this but nobody up on that day has trust you I mean just one example is you came back with an audit saying that almost $700,000 was replenished to the Surplus and then they find out it's 22,000 and that's just one of many examples where you know information is coming from your Administration ation that is not truthful so nobody up there trusts you and that's why they want to get answers you know if they're going to vote for something they need to have data they need to have facts and they're not getting these facts so I you know I don't think you can expect votes to go your way if you're not providing them with the information they need and and I I honestly find it hard to believe that you can't see that so that's that's all I have thank you you that looks like it's it so we will go to um we'll uh adjourn and like a motion Mr Noble yes Mr yes M Mahoney yes Mr Weber yes mayor Fox yes bit water Jo you what s thank you how's it going all right guys br for 430 but I wanted to rearrange how we're gonna do this if we can do the disciplinary action I want agenda ironically I had a terrible issue vac sh oh you're welcome only SED right right that's correct yeah hope no no more what you how long could this last I I hope I really anymore know thanku does matter great idea thank you no problem go soon the next thank you how was your vacation Greg in a cruel Twist of irony I had a big issue in aine that I had oh that stinks man bring my I bring my contract over so being fa me what we're doing e that's fine oh there's nobody just me and these re's peanut buttercups the people on Zoom back in yeah CH okay hello yeah e really to very than spe go e they all everybody supp spe e e not that's e just cheing because the door is open oh the door's open you want me to close it are you guys down in here or so they're an executive I'm recused so I'm standing here talking to the one person unun him but the only person that's left I didn't know if you wanted to door open um I don't think it was meant to be open was like open open yeah it's open some maybe somebody left through it no somebody stck the Gar so that's what you trying to get here oh it was hot before maybe be hon uh you got some props this meeting just in case if yeah iose that he say toi you made a presentation yeah all right but I'm saying where did you do that oh a link the last newsletter oh okay oh it's not walking uh that there you go we e right okay okay for e e yeah was e follow me all right sure e e e h e for e e e e for e hey good how are you only one left yeah they they're going to do more work oh they here on tonight huh yeah it's pretty much the standard especially during budget season oh is that one of those I the sh oh I just work [Music] here have a good night you two e e e e e what e you e there e e e e for e the whole process e e e point e right e e e e e e oil TJ you all have a great night thanks you too you don't want to drive me home you can't oh actually I'll seek the car what ride without why are you leaving I've confused myself oh yeah you didn't know that the audio is on here you want take your C would you lose some no it's making sure I have everything um I got this thing finish um so I I got a a text message from cor during the meeting oh what where e e that's why I just do me a favor sh me a text and let me know thank you how e e e e e e e for hey now I gotta find it um Jan LIF your TJ a couple of TH hards online there how everybody oh look at that there okay motion to go back into I will make a motion to go back into regular meeting second hi Mr gubitosi yes or actually Mr Noble absent Mr gubitosi yes Miss Mahoney yes Mr Weber yes mayor Fox accent okay I would like to make a motion to adopt resolution 2024 d91 resolution adopting the investigation report and recommendations contained therein regarding a burrow employee disciplinary matter do I have a second second Mr Noble absent Mr gubitosi yes Miss Mahoney yes Mr Weber yes mayor Fox absent okay the motion carries uh I would now like to make a motion public portion public portion we had public portion oh but for the record was Mr Noble recused yes okay the record oh that's a great yeah she wasn't recused recused Not absent okay from that last vote than thank you um I would like to now make a motion to close this council meeting second in favor all right thank you everybody everybody thank you Erica thank you