04 Apr **** Borough Meeting Highlights 03-03-2023
Dear West Wildwood Neighbors,
The third monthly borough meeting of 2023 was held on Friday, March 3rd at 7:00 pm in the borough hall. Approximately 10 people were in attendance. Mayor Ksiazek, Commissioners Banning and Segrest, Municipal Clerk Donna Frederick and Solicitor Lyons were present.
Several NJ DEP notices were received for 26th Street waterfront property construction, bulkheads (new and reconstructed), floating docks, etc. including the BOWW’s Venice Avenue Park bulkhead replacement project.
Tax collector reported no taxes are deemed uncollectible.
ORDINANCE #608 (2023) – first reading: Exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap bank for calendar year 2023; (2nd reading 04/06/23).
ORDINANCE #609 (2023) – first reading: Adoption of the floodplain management regulations which repeals Ordinance #561 (2017); (2nd reading 05/05/23). The planning board needs to review and provide input before a 2nd reading.
ORDINANCE #610 (2023) – first reading: Amends Ordinance #605 (2022) and sets salaries and compensation for elected and appointed officials and employees of BOWW: (2nd reading 04/06/23).
RESOLUTIONS #2023-019 through #2023-031 relate to the following:
- Note: Motion to table resolution #2023-019.
- Authorizing use of $13,000 of 2023 UEZ funds for the Glenwood Avenue trash receptacles and bicycle rack replacement program.
- Authorizing use of $90,000 of 2023 UEZ funds for the parking improvement project.
- Declaration of eligibility to conduct self-examination of 2023 budget. NJ State says we are in sound fiscal condition.
- Authorizing the first reading of the 2023 budget; (2nd reading and adoption 04/06/23).
- Certification of the BOWW’s compliance with US Equal Employment Opportunity’s guidance for hiring practices.
- Authorizing a professional services contract for a special project engineer with Mott MacDonald for the 26th Street and other coastal resiliency projects in the BOWW.
- Adoption of a 2nd temporary budget for 2023.
- Supporting the passage of the Tourism Tax Fair Share bill which will provide a more equitable distribution of the taxes collected because of the hotel occupancy taxes.
- Awarding a contract to Triad Associates for USDA rural development grant administration and project implementation related to the W. Maple Avenue project for $79,500.
- Authorizing a contract with Bowman & Company for application assistance with the Maple Avenue project for $3,000.
- Authorizing the borough engineer to apply for infrastructure grants available through excess state funds from the American Rescue Plan (COVID funds). Each municipality has access to $400,000.
- Authorizing the bidding process to begin on Lake Road project.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 (work orders):
- The new Ford F-450 dump truck has been delivered. This vehicle, along with the newly delivered Chevy 3500 pick-up truck, will be used for routine, day-to-day activities. The older, used vehicles will be used during flooding events.
- Most vehicles in the yard have been sold. A few remain and the borough will work on selling those as well.
- Public Works crew have been busy with fleet and building maintenance, inspecting playground equipment and bulkhead repairs.
- Spring season is upon us, and the birds are back tearing the trash bags. There is an ordinance that trash is supposed to be in cans with lids. Please let your neighbors know to use cans with lids.
- Reminder that paid bulk trash pickup is the 1st Tuesday of the month.
- A spring cleanup day will be scheduled on a Saturday. Look for updates.
- The flood siren will be repaired soon. Required parts have come in.
ENGINEERING NEWS:
- The borough application for the $400,000 of excess COVID funds will be focused on the storm water/sanitary sewer system and flood gates controls.
- The mayor and representatives from the engineering firm have scheduled a meeting with impacted homeowners on March 11th to discuss the W. Pine Ave project.
- A proposal for J Avenue will be submitted to the NJ Department of Transportation.
- The W. Maple Avenue project bonding process has begun. The design and bidding process will be completed this summer and work is expected to begin October 2023.
- An estimate to provide camera surveillance for the entire sanitary sewer system will cost approximately $80,000.
- A public meeting will be scheduled soon to discuss storm resiliency for the island with Mott MacDonald. This is also referred to as the living shoreline project.
FINANCE:
- The 2023 municipal budget meets the 2% state cap requirements; however, the state has issued a few exceptions including expenses related to health care, trash collection, pension costs, debt service, etc. Overall, the total appropriations are increasing 7% to $3,246,283. This equates to a .06 cent increase. The school tax is unavailable at this time and the county tax should not change.
- There will be a budget surplus of $694,000 available and $392,000 will be used to support the 2023 budget. The surplus amount used for 2023 is more than in the past few years due to a one-time special emergency appropriation for pension funding from last year totaling $82,000.
The increase was offset by a larger tax base. The largest expense increases include police department salary and wages of $70,000, solid waste of $40,000 and liability insurance of $20,000. These increases were offset by reductions to data processing of $10,000, engineering services of $15,000 and telephone costs of $7,700. One area of surprise is the cost of animal control doubled by $6,000. This expense not only includes calls for services directly from the BOWW, but also calls from individuals within the borough. The BOWW did not take that many animals to the facility and the cost and services will be researched. If someone else takes an animal to the facility, the borough gets billed. Ordinarily, approximately six animals are taken in and this past year there were 18.
- A list of new capital projects is included in the budget.
- The commissioners will focus on closing out existing capital projects and possibly using excess bond money to fund a new roof on the borough hall.
- No new data is available for sewer flow rates currently.
PUBLIC SAFETY (256 calls for service):
- Total motor vehicle stops totaled two during the month of February as well as one parking complaint/violation. In addition, six suspicious vehicles/persons were noted.
- There were 11 medical assists/well-being checks and 134 property checks.
- There were seven general and juvenile complaints.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
- Clarification on a few items – date of the adoption of the 2023 budget will be during April 6th
- Resolution #2023-021 relates to the Bay Avenue Park (playground) parking improvements. Approximately $90,000 of UEZ funds will be spent for approximately nine parking spaces (+ one handicapped space), sidewalks and other improvements at the playground.
- The BOWW has switched over to all full-time police officers thus the increase in the police budget for salaries and wages. New body cameras were included in the 2023 budget at an approximate cost of $23,000.
- The water meter at the end of J Avenue is leaking. The clerk will contact the water department.
- Flooding at the condos will continue to be monitored.
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