Mayor and Council - Regular Meeting

Adequate need is adequate notice of this meeting has been provided to the co-star the official newspaper of the burough of Belmar and the Asbury Park Press and notice of this meeting was posted on the bulletin board in the municipal building. Take roll call. Councilman Donovan here. Councilman Kenny here. Mayor Bug Fusco here. Councilman Delasio here. Councilman here. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please remain standing for a moment of silence for our troops, their families, and our first responders.

Thank you. We're going to start with three presentations. The first one being our Eagle Scout project. uh why don't you come on up and describe your project and uh then we'll have some photo opportunities and explain to the public what what it is that you've done.

Uh my name is Aiden Gar and I made a new flag retirement box for the burrow hall. I saw that the old one was kind of just like a normal white box that looked like pretty shabby so I made a new fresh one with American decal and all the stuff required for it. Excellent. Turn it around so the members of the Yeah, show us how to do it because some of us are really bad with the rules. Very good. So, how do you how get the flag in there? I see there's two um

the flag would go into this one and there's a bin inside which would and open up this drawer to be collected. Okay. Okay. And the collection is done by by who? You would decide that who picks up the flag. Okay. I don't know if we know that. Do we know who picks up our gift? George does. George. Okay. We'll have to talk to George to find out what he does. I know the gentleman from Taylor Hardware says he picks it up. Good. because he he donated a lot of the paint and stuff. Okay. And Jagger donated the

Okay. So, we know the whole Thank you very much. Um why don't we take a picture? You would like to take a picture with your family or whoever else has assisted you with with this council. Oh, this is awesome.

Just think we should have done a resolution. Yeah, I didn't even think of it.

Why don't you Why don't you tell us who all these people are? Take the picture. Get to know. This is Evan. He's in my troop. Troopia Belmar. Uh this is my dad. He helped a lot with making it. My mom also helped. Um, my brothers Gavin and Patrick. And then I have leaders of my troop, Mr. Kurichi and Mr. Miles. Very good. Very good. They should all be proud of you. Yeah, it's a very good project. I'll get it back.

So, is that going out there as of tonight? We can place it. You taking the old one. I should note that the heart brothers are also Eagle Scouts.

Yes. But any question? Okay. Everybody hear that? You know those ones from Fourth of July? Yeah. I I mine away. control how to find a receptacle. All right, this is amazing. Good job. Want to leave it here? All right, we'll leave it for now. So, get it in there. I love it. Well, it's not going to sit for long. Oh, well, yeah.

Okay. Our next presentation is a resolution honoring Valer's salon and Councilwoman Donovan is going to to read that.

I have to say too that um I was lucky enough to be able to go on the day they were actually celebrating and the sense of community that is in the salon and the stories that I got to hear about one of their first customers going when she was eight having a birthday party there and still getting her hair done at 33. It was such a testimony to why we love Belmar and the power of the local businesses on Main Street and their staying power. So, thank you for coming tonight and we are so happy to be able to honor your business. Resolution honoring Velir Salon on the occasion of 25 years of outstanding service to the community. Whereas Beldemir Salon has been a cornerstone of the Belmar community for 25 years, providing exceptional hair and beauty services with dedication and professionalism. And whereas the success and longevity of Belgair Salon reflects not only business expertise, but also a genuine connection to the community and its residents, creating a welcoming space where relationships are built and trust is earned. And whereas achieving 25 years in business represents perseverance, adaptability, and an unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction in an ever evolving industry. And whereas Veir Salon has contributed to the economic success and character of Belmar, serving as a valued local business and employer within our community. And whereas this milestone anniversary is worthy of recognition and celebration, honoring the hard work, creativity, and passion that have made Valer Salon a beloved establishment. Now therefore be it resolved that we hereby extend our heartfelt congratulations and sincere appreciation to Almir Salon on the occasion of his 25th anniversary and commend the establishment for its outstanding service, commitment to excellence and lasting contributions to the Belmar community. Be it further resolved that

we wish Baltimore Salam continued success and prosperity in the years ahead. Thank you. And then I guess you guys should stay down here for the Yeah.

She made me cry. Congratulations. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you very much. Congratulations. Still look great.

I got to do the Yeah. All right. Okay. And now we're going to have um presentation from our the chair of our harbor commission on the 20 2025 end of year report. So without further ado, as soon as I get this to actually present there.

Hi, I'm Roy Childers. I'm chairman of the Harvard Commission and uh I don't think I've addressed this council yet. Uh this is my 15th year on the Harvard Commission and it dawned on us earlier this year that we have not ever that I've been involved made a presentation to the council and to the Belmar public as to what's going on, what we've been able to do and you know what is the status of the marina operations. So we decided to try a hand at that this year. So um thanks for indulging us and uh and you know sitting through this presentation. So obviously you can read up there but uh Harbor Commission uh makes recommendations slip rentals, gas sales, concessions, other things like that and uh they go directly uh to the council for approval. the harbor uh the marina as you probably know is one of the few revenue generating uh entities in the town and u so we don't want it to be um neglected or uh overlooked sometimes as it should be a well-run um you know organization and facility as possible. So just the uh the way the income has grown over the past couple years. Um our fuel revenues are up there 320,000. Net slip revenue revenue six uh 656,000. So the total revenue is 976,000. So we're a million dollar enterprise. And uh you know slip rentals are obviously they go up and down with various other factors but uh you know we've been on a pretty good run and uh we're I think what was the final numbers as far as uh being um occupancy we're

almost at

almost 100%. Yes. And you know starting from the years when we were uh redoing the marina with Marina Grill where we were you know under 50% for a while this year we instituted u a capital recovery fee. So what has always been the case for years you know the the marina needs work done we need docks built we need um dredging and then the town has to go back and bond out the money. So, we decided this year, why don't we start some sort of syncing fund, pardon the uh the pun there, um to try and uh collect some revenue that we can use towards capital uh and infrastructure um programs down the road. So, we were able to uh attach a capital recovery fee onto the uh sale of the fuel and um you know, hopefully we'll be able to have that in place. So, one of the next projects we do, we might not have to take out bonds or or not nearly as much money. Now, of course, that would depend on the the scing fund actually being there and not having been sunk. So, um we've been standardizing and consolidating some rates just for this past year. We've uh removed some discounts on some renovated slips and we changed some slips that were chartered to party boats. uh that brought in additional 22,000 after renovations um and our slip number nine bringing that an additional 29,000. So our total increased revenue from just reorganizing uh the rates and the slips this year the increase was $51,000. So, capital funding um the last principle and interest on the uh the

bond was paid in December of 2023. And um for capital funding going forward, uh we have 1.440 million. Uh this is for the gas docks and some pilings and some things like that. and our anticipated principal and interest payment of 221,000 is less than the previous um payments that we had in 23. So, we're heading in the right direction trying to keep a a handle on all that. So, we have replaced the gas dock uh repairs and the pilings. I mean, we didn't we were uh supervised our great marina staff u is really on top of all that. But uh here's you can see Jay Ferrari the marina supervisor and James um as you probably know uh Jay has been promoted to marina supervisor this year which has given the marina a little more autonomy to act and be more responsive to marina issues as they come up and it's worked out very well and uh he's been fantastic in the job and it's uh it's just been a great move for for the marina and I for the town and uh we do have very interactive public meetings. The uh it gets quite lively sometimes, especially when we're talking about changing of the rates. The um and we get members of the public coming in, slip holders, the charter boat captains are there and u it's it's uh every meeting we always have some of the me members of the public there. We're trying for better communication uh as we're we saw seen this last year with the bridge closings. There are various things that go on that uh haven't had a direct um you know link to the town or the marina that are affecting our marina operations between the department of transportation and New Jersey Transit

and Mammoth County. There's all these entities, you know, um, governing the the railroad bridge being raised, the the repairs on the Route 71 bridge being raised, and uh, our charter boat captains and other marina um operators and users had no idea of some of the changes u happening. So, they were shut out of doing business on some days because there was no communication. So through the help of some of our charter boat captains who have gone out of their way to establish some of these relationships um for some of these government officials, we're trying to formalize it and keep the channels open. So these things won't come as a surprise and we'll get a better handle on um when we look to have them uh you know completed and it'll be easier to manage uh for the charter book captains and for the visiting public to know when we are open and can get out to the ocean when we can. So another project we have going forward is the uh electrical accounts and the electrical meters in the town are all lumped together and um so we had u who who was doing that? Lorraine.

Yeah.

Uh Lorraine uh was grouping together the marina the readers the electric readers that u control the marina operations. So we're trying to group them so we can see exactly um how much of an electrical expense the marina is uh undergoing all the time. And you know as we're always looking at rates, always looking at fees to make sure the marina stays profitable. Everyone knows electrical rates are going up a lot lately. And if we can't get a handle on what uh component of our whole operations that is, we won't be able to effectively keep up with that. So that's something we're uh you know we're trying to pay attention to. Hopefully, we'll have uh some good news to report on that as far as organization here. Uh and that's that's really it. Uh we hope to do this once a year to just give a status quo of what's going on. And uh we're very happy to uh to u work with the the town and the marina upper, you know, supervisor people. And we feel that our primary responsibility is for the Delmare taxpayer who is the owner of this great marina. and we want to be very successful in making it the best it can be. So, thank you guys very much. If I can take a moment just to say thank you to the entire harbor commission including um Bob Lynch is back there. We also have Bill McKim, um Dicky Kenny, um Joe Brola, now Councilman Mike Delasio, our newest member. Um and who am I missing? And of course, Jason and Jas join us.

I think that's it. Yeah, everyone's worked really hard this year and it's uh been a great group to work with. So, thank you for your presentation. We just do like

you like that. Sure. Oh no, you guys are going to miss me. It should be kind of cool. Can you make the podium?

Well done, guys. It came out great. Really is. Okay, looks like that's it for our presentations. Let's move on to workshop discussion. Does anyone have anything they would like to discuss at the workshop? I would like to bring up one thing that kind of came to our attention recently. Um, first of all, I want to say thank you to Billy and everybody who participated in the storm and helped throw Queen off. I mean, it was a disaster. I'm so sorry for everybody who went to shovel like me through ice and it was brutal. Um, but there was a little bit of a glitch that came up at the senior building there. I don't know if you're aware. Yes.

Okay. Do you want to address that perhaps? And because they Billy did help out over the senior building, maybe Johanna, you could explain. I think I think the Let's start with the with the facts. Number one, the senior building is not a burrow building.

Okay. And the parking lot is not a burrow parking lot. Uh so it really is up to the the uh commissioners of the Delmare Housing Authority to provide for the uh snow removal just as they do the grass cutting and maintenance of the building. That would be something that the commissioners of the housing authority would need to provide for. But traditionally, uh, I know that we plow the parking lot, uh, just as a matter of courtesy. And Billy, you can correct me if I'm wrong on any of this, but I know DPW does does do it. We don't have to do it, but we do do it. And I think today uh I got a few calls also that uh obviously plowing the parking lot doesn't mean going in between the cars and and doing all that kind of stuff. And I think that's where the the uh the conflict arose and that some of the seniors were were you know upset that the cars were still blocked in. But um it's really not our responsibility to do that. I mean they do have a maintenance person who you know who could conceivably if somebody needs their car dug out dig it out. I drove by around it was a little later in the afternoon and it really I mean it was it wasn't that bad but it's not something that you could ride over like back over you know because there was always a little bit of um a bump there but you know a little bit of shoveling would have would have uh would have taken care of it.

Yeah. But so

so that that's the issue as far as I know at this point. Just thank you for clarifying that because I do think that there was this misconception that the the DPW was responsible for what goes over on at the BHA and I think people thought that they should have been the ones and it is a safety issue for sure especially when there's ICE but I just wanted to thank you for clarifying that that point. I just want to take this opportunity to say that DPW not only had an incredible workload over the past couple of days. Um, but they did go out there and beyond above and beyond. Um, and I do also want to say um I was over there for a little bit helping shovel some of the car out and um there was a resident there who asked to remain nameless so I am keeping that nonique.

There you go. There it is. That's the word. Um, but I do want to say thank you. You also just as a resident went above and beyond and everyone appreciates all you do. So, thank you.

I'm just going to add too that everyone needs to have a little patience because there's a lot of there's a lot of snow and there's a lot of ice and it was a unique event. I mean, I was out there shoveling before it rained and then it rained and then it got frozen. And so, it was it was a difficult thing even for homeowners to to keep on top of. And of course, you know, yesterday, today you wake up and then then you have like two inches of ice if you haven't if you haven't shovel. So, it is it is kind of difficult to to deal with. I think most people have have done, you know, have tried to like clean your sidewalks as best they can. And I know there are some people who have it, but um the ordinance really doesn't it requires you to clean it, but it says also if it's if there's ice on on the sidewalk, you just have to throw like sand or ashes or something else just to to make sure that it's not slippery. So, I I just bring that up to uh everyone's attention, but I mean I think it's a difficult it's just a difficult storm and plus the temperatures haven't gone down haven't gone up at all. So, the ice just keeps getting harder. You know, if it melts a little bit during the day or the freezes, but I think everyone has done a pretty good job. I will ask I noticed many people did clean the fire hydrants, but as I drove around there are some that are still buried a little bit. So, again, I know it's It's backbreaking work, but if anybody out there, you know, has a fire hacking in front of their house, you know, just try to do the best you can to to clean it a little bit. And I'm sure the fire company will appreciate that. Kevin,

your mayor, also to that to that point, if you happen to live on the corner, you're responsible for going to the street also, and you just don't do around. I mean, you need access to the to the street, you know, both both sides. And as a followup to the BHA, I spoke with Billy. We're going to have a follow-up meeting with the BHA so everybody's on the same page on who knows what. And uh it's like you mentioned, it's courtesy and uh I think they think it's expected. So we're going to have a meeting, get on the same page. Thank you.

Yeah. And and as far as the corners go too, I think again we have to use our our common sense and and discretion as to how much you can do. Yeah. Some of them are very very high. And I know some people have done one corner, which is fine. You know, I don't think anybody's going to get ticketed for, you know, over the next four or five days for not shuffling their sidewalks. Uh but, you know, do the best you can. I know a lot of people have hired, I myself have hired, you know, people walking along want to shovel for you. I said, "Sure, go ahead, do it." Um, but I I think it's uh just important to have a little discretion, have a little patience, common sense, and I think we'll get through this. Hopefully, there'll be no other storm next week, but um it is uh you know, it is winter, so I just think we will just have to do the best we can, help out neighbors if we can.

Anything else? Uh yeah, Mayor, I would uh I would actually like to thank all the residents who listened to the NIXLE alert and and the 911 to move uh move their cars off the street because it it did help tremendously in the plowing efforts and uh uh a lot of the borrow lots were used, the Marina, Burrow Hall, Dempsey Park, and um it just made the plowing process go a whole lot smoother. I would comment that that I noticed that too. After I turn around, I was like, "Wow, the streets look really good." You guys did a really good job. Thank you. Thank you.

I do I just want to add as far as the snow, the sidewalks, it I know there's an ordinance for how many days after the storm, sidewalks have to be cleared. And obviously, this is an extreme storm. We're going to give some lenency to that, but I would Yeah, the temperature is 24 hours. It is 24 hours is the ordinance, but there is another potential storm coming. The temperatures are not going down. This is not going anywhere. So, if the public out there, whoever's watching or here, it if you haven't cleaned your sidewalk, please get it done before the weekend because it's just going to make the next storm a nightmare for yourself.

Yeah. Let me just read what that ordinance says so we're all clear. This is 273.1. It says, "The owner or owners of premises abiding with ordering upon any street in the borrow shall remove or cause to be removed all snow and ice from the abuing sidewalks of such streets. or in the case of ice which may be so frozen as to make remove removal impracticable shall cause the saint to be thoroughly covered with sand, salt or cinders within 24 hours after the stain shell for or be formed thereon. So that was my reference to the you know to the ice and just putting sand or or some other kind of salt or something cinders to to make it less um less slippery. I, you know, I walk my dogs like three times a day and I'm going from sidewalks that have been uh cleaned and some that haven't been. And I'll tell you, the ones that haven't been, you know, it's it's almost it's not that dangerous because the ice is this thick.

You know, the real problem occurs when when we when we shovel and then it and then it freezes. So now you have like, you know, I don't call it black ice, but now you got this thin ice that's like really slippery. So, it's almost it's almost I would say better not to do it. But for those people who haven't done it, like some people in my area are not year round homeowners. So, you know, if they haven't made arrangements, the snow is still there. So, but they should have had somebody throwing something on it to make it less slippery. But, um I agree with Councilman Delasio. you know, try to get it cleaned up before the weekend because there is a potential that we might get another snowfall and we don't want to have to deal with that uh you know, next next weekend. So, patience

ashes. I never knew ashes is a good idea. A lot of fireplaces and burning and ashes good for the environment, too. Recycling the workshop. Yeah. I just want that council to also know that there is a uh ongoing salt shortage. So, uh we do have a substantial amount of salt left, but um uh the vendor that we get it from, which is the county, they said they're uh they're waiting on it. They've been waiting on a shipment for nine days. So, it's going to be uh hard to come across relatively soon.

And unfortunately, if it's coming from the west, they're having snow, too. So I I I gather the the supply is dwindling down as it gets to the east coast. They're dumping it as they're driving. Yeah, they're dumping it along as as they're coming to uh to the east coast. So again, patience, be careful on the streets. I went through the streets. Many of the streets are are excellent. Some still have some uh some snow on them. Again, to residents that might be listening, please don't throw snow out on the street, you know, because that just defeats the whole purpose of us, you know, plowing the streets. Um, and I think most people have been very, very good about that. So,

are the not the plowing efforts are done now, right? Are you guys still throwing sand or anything else on the street that you have or there's still some icy? Yeah, we we are using the salt very sparingly. Um the plowing efforts have stopped only for the mere fact that the snow is so frozen, right, that we can't move it unless we use uh machinery and um right now we're utilizing it all to removing the mounds of snow and just make parking more available for the plaza, main street, all the stores uh for our properties. So unfortunately, we're going to be looking at it for a while. Yeah. Should people generally stay off the boardwalk currently?

Yes. Yeah, to be said it's got to be a she vice, right? I haven't yet. I did see actually a bulldozer and a truck taking snow away. So, it it is happening. We we've been carting snow for two days straight now. There's a mini Mount Everest in the marina. Okay. Any other workshop discussion? just kind of still learning the ropes a little bit. Um if I had a question about a resolution, do I bring up the workshop? You can bring it up now. We didn't talk about it. Okay.

Um in regard to resolution number 42, the um appointing confirming appointments from the community development program with the county, but what exactly does that organization do? Okay, funny you should ask that. Um let me tell you what what it is. I don't know. Uh I have a copy of the uh cooperation contract and I'm not I'm not sure. April, did did everyone get that the uh agreement? No.

Okay. This is this is the uh CDBG uh contract. And I think it's a good thing even for the public to understand where where this comes from. Um, and it's an agreement between the county of Mammoth and it says certain municipal families located for the establishment of a cooperative means of conducting certain community development activities and it's it's in the form of a of an ordinance and it says whereas title one of the housing and community development act of 1974 as amended commonly known as the community development block grant program. That's where they get the CDBG from. Provides for substantial federal funds being made to certain urban counties for use therein. And I'll skip some of this. Whereas this act establishes certain criteria which must be met in order for a county to be this recipient of said funding. And whereas the local interlocal services act provides a mechanism through which counties and municipalities may enter into agreements for the provision of joint services. It is therefore agreed by the county of Mammoth and this was an old agreement in the borrow of Delmour as follows. And the first section A talks about the community development planning process. And it talks about what the purpose of of it is. And it it says it's a little long, but just bear with me. Says, "The purpose of this agreement is to establish a legal mechanism through which county government may apply for, receive, and disperse federal funds available to eligible urban counties under title one of the housing and community development act of 1974 as amended, commonly known as community development block grant program. and to

take such actions in cooperation with the participating municipalities as may be necessary to participate in the benefits of this program. Federal funds received by the county shall be for such functions as community renewal, water and sewer facilities, neighborhood facilities, public facilities, housing rehabilitation, open space, and such other purposes as are authorized by the act. Nothing contained in this agreement shall deprive any municipality or other unit of local government of any powers of zoning, development, control, or other lawful authority which presently possesses nor shall any participant be deprived of any state or federal aid to which it might be entitled in its own right except as here and provided. So that's the purpose of the program. Now, as part of the program, they established a committee and it says, "This is hereby established uh I'm sorry, there is hereby established a cooperative community development block grant committee consisting of one representative from each participating municipality and two representatives of the county government, each to be appointed for one year or one-year period coinciding with the calendar year. The chief executive with the consent of the governing body of each participating agency shall make the one appointment. And then it talks about the responsibilities of the committee and talks about electing a chairperson. And then they have to uh with with the board of chosen freeholders which are now commissioners uh create a an administrative liaison officer and then after the committee's established they need to lead properly and establish rules and then basically

they will uh study and talk about community development the needs of the county uh and also the needs of the municipalities. Uh and ultimately it says the committee shall develop in full consultation with the Mammoth County Community Development Office and all the affected agencies of local government involved priorities for the actual utilization of such funds as are made available from the federal government under this title. Okay. So that's that's really the major thing that the committee is going to do. The committee shall recommend for each project or activity to be carried out with these funds a specific means of accomplishment. This may be for the county to carry out the project or function or municipality to receive the monies to carry it out or for some other combination of local or state agencies. So, and the rest of it has to do with standards of performance. So basically to answer your question, it's a it's a mechanism, the the county gets money from the federal government and then the county creates this this entity, this agency which is then going to uh this committee is going to look at what the needs are of the county and of various municipalities. and then they're going to decide basically how to divote the program monies and that's how it operates every year. All right. Thank you. I did look online and I couldn't make sense of it but April's communication out to all of us said that um if we don't appoint somebody we won't have uh we won't be a voting member. Who has been our our voting members the last couple of years?

Mr. Kane has been the voting member for the last three years. Question the representative. The representative. Well, same thing. Yeah. The voting. Yeah. Well, he's the representative. All right. Yeah. Based on the fact that I'm sorry. No. No. Go ahead. Based on the fact that it's for the community, was there any attempt to maybe reach out to an engineer or somebody in town who lives in town to serve in that role? No. Uh and quite frankly the the uh I think most I won't say all but most of the municipalities that are involved appoint their their burough administrators or town administrators to to do this. Understood. I don't know how many times do they meet once?

Yeah. You submit the projects. Each town submits projects. Okay. and the list is sent out to all the different municipalities and then you grade them and then there's a meeting when they actually vote on you know and based on those scores I'm sorry based on those scores like they'll they'll go down to a certain amount of money and then those projects until they you know hit their threshold those projects are awarded. So is it is it like a like if you got one last year is it likely you're not going to get one this year? I mean it kind of be fair. Our last one was the Belmar Plaza working 23. Jim is

I just spoke one of us said is that the ADA uh improvements all the improvements in Belmar Plaza all the ADA the sidewalks and the ADA improvements for the chair and we actually have a project that was awarded um it's for ADA upgrades to replace the door here complex front door um along with the um you know the actuators push buttons and everything else and then the same thing in Taylor Pavilion um take a look at the doors and make sure that from a ADA compliance standpoint that you do have the actuators so that someone entering or exiting the building can uh hit the button so to speak.

So in my mind I gather that all the mun are all municipalities in the in the county part of this or the ones the ones who want to be are right. Yeah. If you want to be considered from for federal money that you have to be part of this assume. Yeah. I mean there's usually a list of 20 25 different projects in any year and it's not guaranteed that we're going to get our our project every year because I assume it goes around the uh you know you know priorities like if I got it last year I'm not going to get it next year that type of thing.

Yeah. It has to be ranked, you know, a project that everybody feels is a feasible project and something that should be done and then you vote accordingly. All right. So, so the committee votes on who's on who's going to get those projects. Correct. Okay. Question is it so it's kind of competition between the towns who can get their projects approved within the county.

I wouldn't say it's really a competition. Uh but but every but you know administrators talk to to each other and you know if it's a viable project for a particular town that that you know has interest you know it'll vote you know favorably on that. So, um, there's x number of dollars that you're competing for to your point. Uh, and then once they hit that threshold, so you know, maybe they'll fund 15 projects in any given year, you know, so if you rank in that top 15, 10, what whatever the dollar amount is for any particular year. So I guess to your point we you are competing but it's usually you know everybody just talks to each other and and you know see which projects will work the best for particular towns.

I guess my uh purpose on asking that question is you know you're going to compete against other towns in Mammoth County and you represent another town in Mammoth County. Could that also could that create a conflict of interest? Questions for you Mr. representing and free. Do you represent freehole? No. I don't represent freehole. Who? No. No. The question

he's appointed he's an elected official of freehole and that could you know if there's money that could be split up then go to Belmore go to freehole that could be seen as a conflict. is the way I understand it is though the decisions the decisions are more or less a consensus decision right in other words no one person has has an ultimate decision as to as to who gets what I mean it's you said there's like 20

it has to rank rank in the in the top x number that you know until that that threshold money runs out you know so whe there's 10 15 projects you know has to rank within that top I mean, all of the all of the uh people that are in the on the committee have a vote, correct? Okay. And you rank them one through however many projects there are, right? Your top all the way down and then they tally it up and then top vote getters and it goes down from there. So I mean I theoretically the top voters together could get 20 votes if there's 20 20 uh or they could get 10 votes depending upon what

they score they have some kind of matrix where they score it. So like you know your number one project through 20. So obviously the less number is probably the winner in their matrix and it goes down until they hit the threshold. Has anyone ever complained it's been like unfair like No. Okay. Some of these projects go for the county, too. Does the county uh get some of this money? They they've already No, county allocates the money to the municipalities.

I have a question. How much typically is the amount of money that the federal government gives to be divided up amongst all these municipalities? round number. I'm not sure. Jim, any idea on that? Like I I know it varies from year to year based on what they get from federal government.

It's consistently been reducing because the federal government has been reducing the funding for that program. Um I want to say that the the award that Belmar got in 2020, I think it was a 2025 cycle uh was around $100,000. So using the math, it's probably around a million million two something like that that gets divided up amongst the towns that are in a funding year. And as uh as I understand the program, it Belmar is only eligible every other year and every town is only eligible every other year because the county administrators kind of ride her over that and you have to have the money and spend it and then have it reimbured to be eligible. So our elig our next of eligibility would be next year. Belar would be in next year's program provided that project gets done, spent, and reimbured.

I think the agreements um I I don't know if April remembers off the top of her head, but I think the agreements have been received and executed for that project. So, it's just a matter of proposed project. They're going out today. That's a 2025 project. So in other words, we would be eligible for a 2026 project. Correct. With the next eligibility is 2027. That's my understanding of how they're running the program. Yes. Okay. Any other discussion? Any other workshop issues?

Okay. Let's move on then to petitions. Do we have any petitions? I have not received any petitions. Okay. Approval of the minutes. Can I have a motion to approve the minutes of the December 29th, 2025 meeting? I'll make that motion. Second. Councilman Donovan? Yes. Council McKini? Yes. Mayor Bafesco? Yes. Okay. Can I have a motion to approve the minutes of the January 5th, 2026 meeting? I'll make a motion. Second. Councilman Donovan. Yes. Council McKenna. Yes.

Councilman Delasio. Yes. Council, Mayor Buckesco. Uh, yes.

Now we're on to reports of council. Councilwoman Donovan. The Belmore Environmental Commission is working on creating the community energy plan. We've been meeting with Burough staff to get input on a multi-year plan to save energy and make Belmore more sustainable and save us money. It includes an energy audit of all the Burough buildings. This audit, which will happen in the next few weeks, is free to Belmar and its value is estimated at about $150,000. Um, we have more good news which is that we were awarded a Resilient New Jersey grant um in partnership with Mama County, Avon, Neptune City, Neptune Township, and Wall Township in the amount of $292,000 7 $292,77325. Um, so the amount coming to Felomar will be $25,000. Um this is a planning study and an incredibly important part partnership that's necessary for positive change in the inlet and the marina. Um to have all these people working together um both the towns and the county is really really great for us. Um I work with our environmental commission and Charlie specifically from DPW to get this done. So I want to say thank you to them very very much. Um that being said, um I'm going to take a little bit of council president Kenny's uh usual number and talk about so Thursday is the school finals for the spelling be at Elmer Elementary and Yeah. Yeah. And also the next parade day fundraiser is this Sunday, February 1st at Bar. Um that comes with a $20 donation. Now to do a little cross marketing, I have a challenge for everyone here. So first person to come up and successfully spell this is from the hard words silhouette tonight or whatever.

Don't look it up. Yeah. No phones. Look it up. Can win a free parade day t-shirt. I will show you the design. It's really cool this year. Here we go. It's long sleeves, black. Very cool. Right. So I got a couple different sizes. So, first one to spell it correctly, you win a shirt. All right, here we go. Uh, two to six. All right. Silhouette S. Identify yourself first. I don't want to. Unless I can't Joe Mack, 700 Main Street. Silhouette. S I L H O U E T T E.

All right. size. You want large extra large? What do you think? This is XL. Thanks. All right. Thank you. Good job, Jeff.

In order. Um, okay. So, the Shade Tree Commission um is is planting a a new variety of red bud trees between 10th AB and 12th AB on Main Street this spring and whenever we fall out. Um they're only supposed to be like 8t tall, so they shouldn't be too too large and they're supposed to be vase shaped beautiful trees. Also, we're going to be adding mulch mats to the trees on Main Street, which look nicer, retain water, prevent weeds, and they also you don't get that mulch everywhere. And the digging up and whatever. So, that should help. And they're adding fertilizer spikes to all the trees on main streets and the plaza. And if all goes well tonight, they will be reappointing build brush as our arborist for the upcoming year. Uh recreation junior guard sign up start February 1st. This has been a hot commodity. We've sold out of junior guard spaces in the past. So, you must be between the ages of six and 15 years old and you must be six by uh July 1st. Um, the cost for a Belmar resident, if approved tonight, will go up to $175. A non-resident will be $195. There is additional information about requirements if your child does want to start uh, you know, doing junior guards this year. It's a great program. I highly recommend it. My kids both went through it. It's a wonderful program.

Hear some great counselors, too. Yes. Who might be being promoted up to LA this year. Fingers crossed the swim test. Okay. Now, moving on. Baseball and softball clinic signups begin February 1st. You know about that? No.

Okay. Uh cost $10 clinics beginning in March. All additional info information about baseball softball is also on the website. The recreation department would like to thank Belmore resident and WNBA player Maria Mabvery for her $5,000 donation to the Belar Recreation Basketball Fund. So, fantastic donation from from Marine Avery and it's coming sooner than later. The Easter egg hunt is scheduled for Saturday, March 24th. Uh, sorry, 21st. More details to come on that. And that is all we're Okay. Thank you, Councilman Delasio.

Uh, yes. First, I we covered the Harbor Commission. So, thank you, Council Donovan. Um, the planning board uh met on January 12th. Uh we uh heard a project on 12th Avenue uh that was uh approved and then we started hearing uh the project on for executive west which is the March Belt project crossroom clients. Um this project it was not complete. Uh it will be finished being heard on February 9th at 7 p.m. which is when we will hold a public session uh at that hearing. Uh that project was one of the uh declaratory judgment interveners uh with a settlement for 139 units. 115 will be market rate for sale and 24 affordable housing rentals. It has a two-le garage with 225 spaces. So if you would like to be heard, please come to the meeting on the February 9th.

Okay. You're next. I just uh I want to add my voice to the people who thanked uh DPW and the police during the most recent storm. I just also want to point out the fire department. Both firehouses were fully staffed. Uh volunteers were sleeping overnight in the house to make sure that there was not a response issue getting to the firehouse. So, they were willing to come away from their families and and uh and do that. So, I really appreciate uh them for doing that and for the excellent job that um the police, fire, and EMS all did as well. Excellent. and DW.

Okay. And uh since everybody has made all their updates, I don't really have anything to update anymore. So, let's move on to the public session on the all of the resolutions. If anyone has a comment or question about a resolution on the agenda, please step forward, state your name and address. Okay. Uh can I have a motion to close the public session? Motion. Second. All in favor? I Okay. Can I have a motion to approve the resolutions as listed on the consent agenda? I'll make the motion. Second. Councilman Donovan? Yes. Councilwoman Kenny?

Yes. Councilman Delasio? Yes. Councilman Yes. Mayor Buckfusco? Yes. Uh, next we have resolution 202634. resolution appointing and confirming various municipal professionals which are the arborist and affordable housing administrative agent. Someone like to make a motion to adopt this resolution. I'll make the motion. Second. Okay. Is there any any uh any discussion at this point? I don't know why. I got the information I need. Okay. Okay. Okay. Um, Councilman Donovan, yes. Council McKini,

yes. Councilman Delasio, yes. Councilman Moroni, yes. Mayor McFusco, yes. Okay. And next is resolution 202641, resolution to approve change order number one for the project known as 2023 MA improvements to Fifth Avenue phase 1. Do we have a motion to offer this resolution? I'll make a motion. Second. Okay. discussion.

Yes. Uh if you don't mind, um Mr. Orus, I just have a question. Some of the backup that I got here just it's rather big. Um you know, just you know, there's a lump sum for lost time somewhere. Um services not shown on plans, you know, can you kind of detail what some of those services were because that's $25,000 right there. Um and then as far as the unit and some of the lump sums. Uh, were those unit prices part of the bid or were those able to be negotiated?

So, good evening everyone. So, the change order items that we're talking about um where it says that there was a services not marked on a plant. What that really means is that the services were not marked out in the field. So, they were water or sewer services that were not in the location that they were marked out as. Um and we also had an issue with the uh gas company um wherein there was an additional gas man um that was not marked out. So there was some downtime because they hit the gas man um and they lost time um crew time with that. Um and then what was your last question? the the unit prices. Uh were those part of the contract bid? Uh you know, a lot of times when you do a public bid, they have the unit prices for extras to cover. Were those part of the bid or were those negotiated items

there? These items on the change order were negotiated items, but the bid that's the bid that was received at unit prices for various work items. So in the event there was similar work done as a part of a change order, we would use that as the basis um of of the unit price. So, for example, if there was extra concrete curve, they have to abide by that price. Correct. But if it's not within the bid that we took, then that's negotiated. Meaning something totally new. You know, you didn't know there was a 4 in insertion valve. It wasn't needed in price. That was just something.

The issue with the insertion valves that uh that were needed on the project was was because the valving in and around the project area could not be turned off. So, um for whatever reason, the water was still alive and active and the only way to shut it down was to have the insertion valve installed. When we designed these projects, we're counting on the valving working and there are several issues that we ran into where the public works couldn't shut the water down, right? Some of it might be in, you know, inoperable valves. So, I know that the burrow has a requirement to exercise their valves yearly, the 8 in valves, and I believe they're doing that. So as you as public works is finding if the valves are not operational then we should look to make those of the project so that in the future you know god forbid you have a water main break you need to you need you need to be able to shut the water off and if it what happens is if you can't shut it off locally then you have to radiate out further and then that means more people would have their water shut off to their house. So, it's important that the valves are identified as operational or if they're not operational, they should be put into a program to have them replaced or repaired.

Thank you. I have one quick question regarding that as well. The TV existing sewer in lie of test pits uh was that done because it was less expensive or the test pits were impractical and is the cost of the test pits going to be pulled out of the building?

That was a good question. So, um, we had the contractor do several test pits, but there were areas where, uh, it was more cost effective to do the tele televising of the line. Um, one of the one of the issues that we ran into with Fifth Avenue in particular is the lack of information about the existing facilities. Um, and as a matter of fact, I think we hit another water main that was not active um, during the construction which was not marked out anywhere. U there was a discussion about whether we should have that pipe removed. It would have been an additional cost. It was determined that we should that old inactive water main can stay there. Um but there there was actually two two sewer mains um on Fifth Avenue. Um we replaced those with one one sewer main in the center of the street which is your normal. Um so answer your question I'm sorry I was so longwinded.

It was more cost effective to do the the televising. situations where we can't find a lateral. I guess the last question would be, and I'm probably speaking for most residents, especially those ones at Fifth Avenue, what's the timeline for this project? And has it been affected by the change orders?

Has not the timeline has not been affected by the change orders. This project was actually awarded pre in I want to say it was u it was probably June 2025 and the determination was made that the contractor wouldn't would not until after the summer because of the high volume of people on Fifth Avenue. Um that pushed the project out into the timeline that we have now. Um contractor could not get all of the work done um before before winter closed out. And quite frankly, when you're doing concrete work, you don't want to have it done right in December. The temperatures are are not conducive to concrete. But at the same time, salt eats green new concrete. So there public works using salt, it would damage the newly poured concrete. So once the weather breaks, uh the concrete work will be accomplished and then the contractor would be in a position to pave. I'm figuring it's going to be weather dependent um late March, early April for paving.

And and one last thing, contractor is obligated to maintain the trenches. So after the storm, as things clean up, we'll have the contractor go back out and um get top patch and and do temporary repairs on the trenching, make it as as as best as it can be. Okay.

I'll just my two cents since I live on Fifth Avenue. They they did a lot of work and I could tell when there was something that wasn't right because all of a sudden something would stop and there'd be, you know, like the gas leak. I I smelled the gas leak from a block away, you know, or or the the water leaks and things like that. So, I knew just from watching what was going on, it was, you know, there were some issues, but other than that, you know, I could tell when they were on a roll, they kind of just like had a method to to doing whatever it is, whether they were replacing a a water line or a sewer line. Um they they had a fairly good uh way of doing it until they came up with a few little

I know there was an issue on fifth and and deep I know I told them there's water leaking you know they had to come back and and fix that. Yeah, that was that was a situation where um the water shut off. Well, I think correct me if I'm wrong, Bill. I think that the valve was closed, but it wasn't um when it was in the closed position, it would leak. It would leak. But when you put it in fully open position, it would not leak. I have that in my basement, actually. It's more tougher than you say. Thank you, Jim. Thank you. Thanks for explaining about Okay.

Anything to vote on? We got to vote on it. Okay. Uh, Councilman Donovan, yes. Councilman Kenny, yes. Councilman Delasio, yes. Councilman Moroni, yes. Mayor Buckfusco, yes. Okay. And last resolution is 202642 resolution appointing and confirming appointments to the community development program representatives for 2026. Do you have a motion to offer this resolution? All right. Motion second. Any discussion? Any comments? Discussion.

I'd like to defer to you my prior question about the conflict. Yeah, Mike, I can uh as I sit here right now give you give you an answer on that complex of failure fairly important things. Is there a chance we can delay this to discuss this further or we don't want to lose our like said we don't want to lose our vote? Well, I would say in general that we've been awarded the grants since Mr. Kane has been our representative on there mayor that would indicate the lack of a problem. Just

I I think the worst case the the better case is to do the appointment and if there if uh counselor feels that there is a a conflict then then we have to redo it but at least from the county's perspective we will have we will have someone on board to to do that. I don't have a problem with that. Right. Right. And then so we leave it open. We don't want to we don't want to cut ourselves off, you know. Let's keep it let's keep it going and then if if we do in fact find there's a conflict, then we'll deal with it. Are we certain that if we make this appointment, we can change it later if we run into that kind of situation? I would think I would think that that they have to let you do that. I mean, what if a person gets sick? You know what I mean?

Yeah. To appoint somebody else. Yeah. Yeah. I don't think that that would be a problem. Yeah. any number of reasons you you have to somebody else sick, dead, retired, right? I mean, I think it not wishing to say that, but right next to you in general, I think we're ready for Okay, Councilman Donovan, yes. Councilwoman Kenny, yes. Councilman Delasio, no. Council member Moroni, no. Mayor Bfesco, yes.

Okay. Uh, next is ordinance 20261. This is an ordinance amending and supplementing chapter 25, state uniform construction code fees. Um, I believe Councilman Delasio is going to recuse himself. Yes. Okay. You don't have to. Uh, do we have a motion to offer this ordinance for first reading and introduction? Motion. Second. Okay. Councilman Donovan? Yes. Council McKini? Yes. Council member Rooney? Yes. Mayor Benfuses? Yes. Now we're on to public session. Please remember to

I I just like to make before we get into the public. I did have one thing at the workshop with Mr. Kane about the bridge. The deadline was parade day, correct? Are we still on track for that? Parade days March 1st.

Okay. Um, DOT reached out to us and Avon and uh they were talking to us about if we would be interested in them working round the clock to hit that March 1 deadline. Um there's a lot of residents in that area and we collectively decided that that wouldn't be a good idea because um in the middle of the winter you have banging. We we don't know what kind of noises are and if it's in the middle of the night you know there's going to be some problems with that and there was no guarantees that they were going to be done by that March 1st deadline uh even with working round the clock. So we both both towns, you know, the mayors of both towns pretty much decided that they'll keep your regular work schedule. They'll do as much as they possibly can and then if they need to, it'll be open for parade weekend. So for the volume of people during that entire weekend, it will be open for that, but then most likely they'll close it back down again to complete the work with a guarantee that it's going to be done by the summer when we absolutely need it the most. uh Mary when I

my concern, you know, Kevin brought this to my attention and I thought about it for a little bit and I said, you know, I said, I really think uh we need to have them do what they can to open it temporarily for the parade because my fear was if we had agreed to do it 24 hours, we would have been there a few days before the parade and they would have said, "Oh, we're not finished." And then and then we're going to be like, oh, you know, so because you know, they're they're going behind. They had assured us months ago that it would definitely be done by parade day. So I'd rather I'd rather know that it's it's going to be open, you know, or close, whatever you want to say, usable for the parade and then after the parade, they can, you know, they can start work again. My question is

by parade weekend you mean by Friday through Sunday they'll get back to work on Monday. Is that what the agreement was? Correct. Open for the entire weekend of parade day weekend. So most likely they'll stop on Friday back up allow traffic and then Monday morning you know do the same thing open it back up and then keep working. So do we have to notify the marina? That was going to be my question. Is the bridge going to be operational like for any boat traffic you know on that date because being on the harbor?

No, I let them impression that that bridge is going to be operational just like it would be if you could definitely let's get that clarified so we give them advanced notice if it's going to be stuck closed. I don't know they could do that legally. The waterway has has the rights. So I don't think they could just keep it keep it in a closed position. Okay. Correct. Yeah. It has to be functioning like it would normally would, but otherwise they can't block it closed. Basically, vehicle traffic, pedestrian traffic to the user. So, thank you. We'll confirm that.

Yeah, I think we also need to confirm when they when they're going to have it operational, you know, so we know we can let the public know, you know, exactly what day and we can confirm at the same time that it's going to be operational for the voting. Okay. Hi. Okay. Anyone have a comment or question? Please step forward. State your name and address.

Barry Luben, 15th Avenue. Um, number one, I would like to thank, as said before, all of the professionals who worked through this storm. Um, and did what they did. Uh, especially Billy. I watched those trucks going while I was at home up and down 15th and up and down D Street by hour by hour. Um, and at the end those pickups are probably pushing it to get that ice done. Uh my question uh is with all the advanced notice uh Nixl Facebook and whatever other social medias uh there's still cars snowed in. So they did not move. Um are there citations being given to those vehicles vehicle owners? because that just makes Billy's guys at Grove um job that much more difficult because I I believe we can citation to ticket them.

We can but at this point the snow is so hard that the plows can't move the snow. So if they you give them a ticket and tell them they have to um plow out their car or shovel out their car. Now we have amount of snow that can't be is ice. Okay. So, um there were some of this issued, but right now, okay, we're not pushing that issue issue because it's it's going to cause more work for this guy right here. Right. No, I don't see it two days later. And unfortunately, it's not melting. So, it's not going to go anywhere and it's going to sit in the middle of the street. You can even identify the car right now. Something we literally have to dig out the license plate as well. Right.

Where would you even slide the things? Try and snap the We wouldn't put them on the vehicle. They were unveiled to the I was just wondering more because now today, tomorrow, you'll be able to ID the car.

So that's It still hasn't moved. It should have been moved four days ago. So I was wondering if anything would be done now. You know, just my question. Just to follow up on that, we we had a brief uh discussion and the reason why I I said I thought we should hold off and obviously talk to Mr. McIll about this. If you look at the if you look at the ordinance uh it says you know any unoccupied vehicle parked or standing in violation shall be deemed a nuisance and a mass menance to the safe and proper regulation of traffic and any police of officer may ticket that vehicle. The problem I saw with that is though people are parking in front of their houses on the So that would technically be an unoccupied vehicle standing in violation. And I I know what we mean in terms of somebody who's never moved, but you still we still have people who are parking, you know, in you know, in the street in vi in in violation of the uh of the ordinance because um you know, it it's still in effect. I don't think I don't think we we put out a Nixle saying, "Oh, that, you know, the no the no parking on the street is is, you know, has been removed." So, you know, I I didn't I didn't want somebody to say, "Well, you know, I got a ticket because I never moved my car, but the guy over there, you know, he pulled out of his driveway and he walked there for the whole day. He hasn't gotten the ticket. How come?"

I just thought that it was a little inconsistent. So, yeah. What is the uh ordinance number? 1910. Okay.

And I I we'll have a discussion too about paragraph two about the the parking on either side of the road. I think that's a little confusing and I think that should be something where it would be in the mayor's discretion to to say that oh now we're going to move to the to the alternate side of the parking. It's not clear from this and I think it's confusing to to some of the residents as to when that occurs if it occurs you know why is it it not occurring and I think we could clear that up a little bit but we you know we'll I'll talk to Mr. bill about that and um and also about the unoccupied vehicle parked. Maybe we need to just clear up some of the language in that. So, we're not ticketing people who are parked just in front of their house because right now you can't park on the street because, you know, some of the the curb is is uh has snow on it. So, I just wanted to give the court a little bit of a break because I know I know people with tickets would come in and say, "Well, here's a photo of my neighbor who parked outside and you know, he didn't get a ticket, but I got you know, it's just like, you know, the judge doesn't need to hear those things, but we'll work on it." Any other comments?

No, no, thank you. Hi, Greg Mitchella, 14th in Ocean. Thank you very much to the DPW. Did a great job. I'm just going to second that. Uh, it's too bad that the young man isn't here that built that box because I for one have put a number of flags in that in this small box. No, right. Um, it's too bad though that we can't get some kind of a message out that when your flag is up, you know, all this USA, you know, that when your flag is up and it's shredded, Yeah. that you don't take it down,

right? I've you're going to read about me in the paper one day being arrested for taking down a flag off of a fishing club, let's say, for example, when the thing has been up there all winter and it's just shredded or it's in the dirt like you said about the Fourth of July. Everybody's putting their flags out in, you know, in their lawn and then you walk by a little bit later and there's they're in the mud, you know, it's either it's this or this. You know, pay attention, bring it in, you know. Sorry. We should shoot for you know an announcement for July 4th of July. 250th anniversary. We should all know the rules, right? America.

We should all know the rules. Our flag rules. Yeah, our flag rules. You know, flag rules. That is a good idea. I like it. Her 18th and B. Um, thank you again. It's everything. you know, ice is ice. What are you going to do? And just drive slow, especially if you're a senior. Drive slow. Um, as far as like if you live on a corner to get that pathway through, can it be a tunnel? Some some type of path. Okay. Because I mean at some of the corners it would be a tunnel to live,

which is okay. I mean, especially when you got Lake Ko and put dumping it. So, but I did get this much of a pair, so we're good. Thank you. Good job. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Any other comments? Don't be shy.

Hi everybody. My name is Ed Slater. I live at 710th Avenue, the Delmar Housing Authority over there. And uh I don't know. I don't want to know really of what's going on over there. I try to mind my own business, but I don't know if the town does this or they're supposed to do it with the snow removal, but I know that the truck that your car trucks came in and about one lane and couple slots and the 11 car length behind or in front of other cars where the tenants had to go out and dig This slip is solid ice. I tried it myself yesterday yesterday. Shoveling, cleaning around my windows. I lasted about six or seven shovels before the cold weather hit me. I I slipped and fell on my face into this the the um ice. Uh I'm yelling and screaming for help. Somebody get help me up. And there was nobody around. Nobody coming out of the building. Nobody heard me. And it took me a little while to get get back up. I felt like I was having a heart attack from doing the ice. I know the town doesn't want anybody dying from shoveling snow. 66 years old. I try my best to do what I can for myself, you know. Um, I had to hire somebody this morning

to shovel all that out. Um, but the snow that was left behind all the cars, a whole whole length of should I don't know who does the driveways or the parking lot, but it was a total mess. I don't know if the town does it or they have somebody does it. But I just think it was disrespectful on whoever's part of this to get that cleaned up so we don't have to go through all of that. The tenants themselves. We had a little tenants meeting earlier and none of us were very happy about what what's going on. I I really don't want to get into the crap that goes on in that building of the Delmare Housing Authority because they're all bunch of liars in my case, my feelings. But, uh, you know, um, there's been three, four, five, six of us that all have fell on the ice or or something. a couple times. I slipped the hill on the way over here in the parking lot trying to get to my car. Um I don't know who's who's in charge of getting that stuff done or there's town something needs to be addressed about this because we don't need somebody dying from going out traveling. snow that shouldn't have to be dumped. The town or the uh housing authority has the right they

have the right to get this stuff done. They not doing it, you know. Um I know that you guys don't want that on your heads. Somebody died doing something that they wanted to do to get to go somewhere. I had to get mine done because I got I'm a handicap and I got doctor's appointments I have to get to, including tomorrow. I had one today, but I couldn't get out until I didn't get my stuff done until about 3:00 this afternoon in order to get out of there. I was just uh just making weird that nothing really was done over there. as far as plowing the right way. Now, I've seen you guys plow. I don't know if it's a town or them. I've seen you guys plow a couple other times since the snows and the devil coming down. You did a great job this time. I don't know what was wrong with everybody. Nobody was doing nothing right.

You know, it was it's still a mess over there. There's still snow. car length away from every car because you know we have other people that live there to say well let's all go out and do it together that's neighbor helping the neighbor but what about the town helping us or who Belarous housing authority helping us they could care less about us people in that building but more housing authority um you complain about something, they don't want to hear a Excuse my language. And that's, you know, that's it's not right. You know, everybody in this town I I've been here for 40 years. You know, I I my my nickname is Santa Ed. I play Santa on the boardwalk every Christmas day and other places around here. And uh nobody wants Santa to drop dead in the snow. And uh I I was just I'm just venting because what happened to me yesterday should have never happened. That's all I got. Thanks.

Let me first let me thank you for your comments and I believe you you might have missed the the first part of the meeting when we we had a discussion about this, but I can summarize it for you very quickly. the the the the maintenance of that lot is up to the Belmore Housing Authority, right? That that's that's their lot. The burrow does out of courtesy go through and plow. Um now the the the remaining snow that's on there is really up to the the housing authority to have it cleaned off. So um but we are going to look into that. uh you you you really need to bring this up with the the housing authority commissioners because they should be providing uh you know the the funds to either hire somebody or have somebody do that uh when it's not just like private you know businesses do you know

who does what they're the ultimately responsible for that lot and they're responsible for nothing. Well, we will we will talk to them about uh doing a better job. We have a business meeting on on the first whenever first first Monday of the month the uh the meeting in the building is coming down to that meeting and we're going to you know give our pieces of mind is what happened to three four six of us I believe it was total that I heard about today should never happen

Mr. I just wanted to interject to please don't miss a doctor's appointment, but Mammoth County um does provide free transportation for doctor's appointments. Um you can sign on the website and I'll send over the link. So hopefully management over there can let people know because I know some people are still a little bit blocked. Maybe it's difficult to drive right now. Um and it might just be a lot safer to to get the ride. It's nice accommodations. Thank you for coming down. We really appreciate your comments. Careful. Yeah, please be careful. Any other comments?

Johanna Robinson, 4069th Avenue. Um I just want to comment on the fact that the housing authority we um there was a lot of feedback. it was an issue. Um, I am one of the commissioners and we are working on trying to resolve some of those things. So, it's not like it's going not going to go unnoticed or resolved. Um, I want to thank Billy for coming over and helping some of the seniors and Katie Donovan and some other members of um the town that did help some of the seniors. Um, you know, I was over there. I noticed it the uh prior to the storm and during the storm that it wasn't being maintained uh and some of the excuses were that we didn't have salt and etc. But I just want um everyone to know that that is something that's going to be followed up on with the commissioners. They are aware of it and they're trying to work through those things and put things in place that we can make it better for the seniors.

So is it possible to get a bid out or by this weekend if we have another storm like this will be a disaster for the seniors if we pile more snow on top of this. Is there a way that we can expedite a meeting to potentially get someone over there by this weekend?

We we can follow up on that. I know um like the gentleman said they had a um an association. they're putting together association as far as the tenants association, but as far as the commissioners, um I've reached out to some also in regards to that. We know that there is an issue in regards to the maintenance of the building um just in general. Um so we definitely have to get our arms around that in regards to getting systems in place and holding people accountable that you know are supposed to be maintaining those buildings. Yes,

another suggestion maybe someone can just coordinate like a volunteer and I mean there might be people in the community who would you know take a half hour an hour come over and just help you know that's also another possibility and you know until it's a more permanent solution and we most likely can get people together to try to work on that parking lot or at least the walkways for them because it is reach out to all of us we'll help out too. All right, please. All right. Thank you. Any other comments? Okay. Can I have a motion to close the public session and adjourn the meeting? I'll make a motion.

I All in favor? I I regretting