25 Apr **** Borough Meeting Highlights 03-01-2024
Dear West Wildwood Neighbors,
The third monthly borough meeting of 2024 was held on Friday, March 1st at 7:00 pm in the borough hall. Approximately 13 people were in attendance. Mayor Ksiazek, Commissioners Banning and Segrest, Municipal Clerk Donna Frederick, Deputy Clerk Carl O’Hala, Solicitor Lyons and the borough engineers were present.
NOTIFICATIONS:
- The NJ DEP issued a permit for reconstruction and expansion of a duplex and accessory structures including a retaining wall, driveway, and pool at 649 West Poplar Avenue.
- A Certificate of Determination and Award related to two bond sales.
- The borough tax collector issued a memo indicating that no delinquent taxes are deemed uncollectible.
ORDINANCES:
- Ordinance #620 (2024) – tabled.
- Ordinance #621 (2024) – first reading/introduction – Exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and establish a cap bank for CY 2024. (2nd reading 04/05/24).
- Ordinance #622(2024) – first reading /introduction – Approve the application for the street encroachment/obstruction in accordance with the borough ordinance #612 (2023). (2nd reading 04/05/24).
- Ordinance #623 (2024) – first reading/introduction – Adopting a revision and codification of the borough’s ordinances. (2nd reading 04/05/24).
- Ordinance #624 (2024) – first reading/introduction – Amending Section 75-4 of the borough’s code related to the employment of off duty Borough of West Wildwood’s police officers. (2nd reading 04/05/24).
RESOLUTIONS #2024-031 through #2024-037 relate to the following:
- Authorizing reading of the municipal budget by title only.
- Certifying compliance with the US EEOC’s related to arrest and conviction records in employment decisions under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
- Authorizing a professional services contract to work on FEMA grants with special project engineers, Mott MacDonald, not to exceed $20,000.
- Acknowledging the current roster of active firefighters and ladies’ auxiliary members of the West Wildwood Volunteer Fire Company.
- Approving budget transfers for CY2023.
- Adopt a second temporary budget for CY2024.
- Amending resolution 2023-054 relating to the omission of the shed address for Deep Sea Liquors LLC.
The commissioner reports were presented, and they will be available in their entirety on the Borough website. If you would like a copy of any report, please request it via our email address below or OPRA it directly from Borough Hall.
PUBLIC WORKS:
- Pick up park trash, yard waste and dog waste.
- New sign at borough hall: Cleaning and painting posts and assembly of sign. The sign is scheduled to be installed March 18th.
- Assemble trash cans and bike racks.
- Install new ceiling tiles in the police department.
- Coordinate inspection of police vehicles and transport for maintenance.
- Prepare street sweeper for new season.
- Applications for the supervisor of public works have been received and interviews will be scheduled.
ENGINEERING:
- Notice to proceed on Maple Avenue project was signed and should be completed within 120 days from March 1, 2024. Borough engineers will request contractors to add additional crew with the hopes of completing the project quicker.
- Sprinklers and sod installation at Lake Avenue Park has been scheduled.
- Three pieces of playground equipment have been purchased for approximately $40,000 with UEZ grant funds. Additional equipment may be purchased.
- Parking at the playground should be completed in a few weeks.
- Commissioners are considering the south end of J Avenue as the next NJ DOT project.
- The manhole project at end of Neptune Avenue has been completed.
- The north end of J and Neptune Avenues project to install new bulkhead and storm drain will begin shortly. A walk through will be scheduled and a design phase will follow. The funding source is a grant from Cape May County.
- The roofing contractor indicated the replacement of existing HVAC units will not jeopardize the warranty on the new borough hall roof. A site visit will be scheduled shortly.
- Projects at Poplar and G Avenues, along with West Pine Avenue are in the final stages of closing out.
FINANCE:
- The 2024 operating budget was introduced. Total appropriations are $3,890,000 and makes certain assumptions regarding school and county taxes. The local levy is $2,766,000, a 7.4%
- increase over 2023. The 2024 budget utilizes $664,000 of an available $1,018,000 surplus to balance the budget. The net impact is zero on the local tax rate.
- The school board has not increased the rate for several years; however, increases in enrollment and expenses could change that trend.
- The focus in 2024 will be to pay down debt, close out existing capital projects and continue vigilance on the sewer system.
- Pending capital projects include the Living Shoreline Grant and Flood Mitigation planning.
- Debt service has increased significantly, $371,000. This is a result of a $279,000 note payoff and interest of $98,000 offset by a $6,000 decrease in bond interest. After ten years of carrying the debt, the borough is required to transition to fixed financing. The commissioners determined it was better to pay off the debt than to commit to fixed financing at current higher rates.
- Salaries, contributions to capital, streets and roads, insurance and police budget have all increased.
- Pensions, grant expenditures and deferred charges from 2023 have all decreased.
- The sewer utility budget for 2024 is $982,000, an increase of approximately 11.6%. There will be no increase in sewer rates.
- $200,000 of a $234,000 sewer surplus was used to balance the 2024 budget.
- CMCMUA charges are $603,000, an increase of almost $100,000 from the previous year. This was the result of 2023 excess charge of almost $53,000 and a corresponding increase to our forecasted charges.
- Commissioner Segrest is hopeful the replacement of the Neptune Avenue manhole, renovating other manholes and new piping will reduce future flow rates and CMCMUA charges.
- Debt service related to the Poplar Avenue project has also negatively impacted the 2024 sewer budget.
- No update to the Fair Share Housing Program.
- The borough recently applied for a grant to renovate/resurface the basketball court, add a combination pickleball court and new fencing.
- The County sent notice that the reevaluation process will begin in 2026 and be complete by 2027.
PUBLIC SAFETY (488 calls for service):
- Two motor vehicle stops as well as ten parking complaints/violations.
- One animal complaint and two general complaints were noted.
- There were four medical assists/well-being checks and 346 property checks.
- Six local ordinance violations.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
- A homeowner questioned a tax assessor card, delivered by the postman in error, indicating $0 for a property’s assessed value. The clerk felt it was a glitch in the tax assessor’s billing system and assured the homeowner all property owners are paying taxes. The clerk will verify the property in question is paying taxes.
- Mayor Ksiazek thanked Commissioner Segrest for all his diligence and is looking forward to a bright future in West Wildwood.
We encourage you to listen to the audio from the meeting to have a better understanding of actual comments .
Best regards,
The CTWWW Advisory Council
Trish Sinnott – President
Mary Anne Welsh – Secretary
Jim Bannan – Director
Susan Czwalina – Treasurer
Vacant – Vice President
Vacant – Director
Vacant – Director
Vacant – Director