03 Sep Borough Meeting Highlights 08-20-2020
Dear West Wildwood Neighbors,
The monthly Borough meeting was held on Thursday, August 20 at 4pm via Zoom and approximately 13 taxpayers attended. Mayor Fox, Commissioners Golden and Korobellis, Solicitor Bittner and Municipal Clerk Donna Frederick were also present.
The August 5, 2020 scheduled Borough meeting had to be rescheduled as a special meeting due to storm damage and power outages on the island.
Various resolutions were read and mostly related to housekeeping issues such as, the budget insertions of grants for body armor and clean communities. There were three late agenda items added. Two related to the Poplar Avenue/sewer project and the 3rd was the approval of bond counsel services in an amount not to exceed $18,500 to proceed with the bond issuance. You can view the actual items on the Borough’s website.
Resolution 2020-065 the Poplar Avenue/sewer project was awarded to Lexa Concrete, LLC in the amount of $1,538,865. Approximately seven bids were received. The reconstruction project will be funded by a combination of USDA grant funds, 2018 and 2019 NJ Department of Transportation grants and the issuance of bonds by the Borough in the amount of $983,000.
Prior to opening the meeting to the public, Mayor Fox denied the rumors related to beach tags and renaming the public beach as appeared in the Cape May County Herald spout offs. Commissioners Golden and Korobellis agreed with Mayor Fox.
Public comment discussions included:
• The next bulk trash collection is scheduled for October 19th and a community clean-up date has not yet been scheduled due to COVID-19.
• Zoom meetings will continue. The borough hall will only allow for 25 occupants per social distancing guidelines. The mayor and commissioners do not want to turn away anyone who may want to attend, so they will carry on with Zoom meetings.
• Mayor Fox is “open minded” to change monthly borough meeting back to Fridays at 7:00pm
• Deadline to submit petitions to run for the commissioner’s office is August 31st at 4pm. The clerk will certify petitions and the candidates will be announced at the September 2nd borough meeting.
• Voter registration forms are available in the borough hall or on line at the Cape May County Clerk’s website: https://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/
• No hearing has been scheduled for Mayor Fox’s alleged ethics violations. Motions continue to be exchanged between parties and violations are in the hands of the Administrative Law Judge in Atlantic County.
• The Living Shoreline project is at a standstill. The 26th Street property that needs to be accessed has DEP violations. Before the project can move forward, the homeowner must resolve these violations.
• The police ramp project has not been put out to bid. Grant funds will not be received for the beach ramp or police ramp until both projects are completed.
• The annual Borough financial statements and audit will be posted on the website by September 30th as the original due date was extended by the state.
• According to Commissioner Golden, the Police Report included a registration under Megan’s Law as required by law.
The audio from the meeting is available on the CTWWW.org website. The highlights are also available on the CTWWW website at https://ctwww.org/borough-meeting-highlights-08-20-2020/ along with the police and public works reports for July, 2020 and the finance report as of August 20, 2020.
Sincerely,
The CTWWW Advisory Council
Trish Sinnott – President
Mary Anne Welsh – Secretary
Vacant – Vice President
Jim Bannan – Director
Charles Chepak – Director
Susan Czwalina – Treasurer
Vacant – Director
Vacant – Director
Vacant – Director