Minutes of Commissioners Meeting   -   November 24, 2008

Prior to the opening of the meeting, Mr. Groon led those present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

The meeting of the Board of Commissioners, Borough of Wildwood Crest, Cape May County , New Jersey , was held in the Municipal Court Room at 7:00 p.m.  On roll call the following answered to their names:

Gould - Cabrera – Groon – Yes

Mr. Groon read the following statement:  In compliance with the Open Public Meeting Act, Chapter 231, P.L. 1975, the notice requirements have been satisfied as to the time, place and date of holding said meeting by posting notice on the bulletin board in the Borough Hall and by mailing same to the Gazette-Leader and The Press on November 7, 2007.

Mr. Groon next announced the one-way in and the one-way out method of ingress and egress in case of emergency.

THE CLERK READ THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE BY TITLE ONLY:

ORDINANCE NO. 1064

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING CHAPTER 40, LICENSES, ARTICLE I, MERCANTILE LICENSES, SECTION 40-1, LICENSE REQUIRED, OF THE CODE OF THE BOROUGH OF WILDWOOD CREST, COUNTY OF CAPE MAY AND STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 195 ADOPTED MARCH 13, 1956; SECTION 40-2, FEES; WHEN DUE, AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 460 ADOPTED FEBRUARY 13, 1974, ORDINANCE NO. 511 ADOPTED DECEMBER 27, 1977, ORDINANCE NO. 688 ADOPTED MARCH 20, 1989, ORDINANCE NO. 727 ADOPTED JUNE 4, 1990, ORDINANCE NO. 831 ADOPTED JULY 9, 1997, ORDINANCE NO. 859 ADOPTED MAY 26, 1999, AND ORDINANCE NO. 1048 ADOPTED NOVEMBER 26, 2007; AND SECTION 40-4, FEES FIXED, AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 244 ADOPTED AUGUST 10, 1959, ORDINANCE NO. 282 ADOPTED JUNE 27, 1962, ORDINANCE NO. 460 ADOPTED FEBRUARY 13, 1974, ORDINANCE NO. 511 ADOPTED DECEMBER 27, 1977, AND ORDINANCE NO. 1048 ADOPTED NOVEMBER 26, 2007

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that Ordinance No. 1064 be placed on second reading and final passage by title only.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that a public hearing be held on Ordinance No. 1064.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

There being no public comments, Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that the public hearing on Ordinance No. 1064 be closed.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that Ordinance No. 1064 be passed on second and final reading and advertised according to law.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

THE CLERK READ THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCE BY TITLE ONLY:

ORDINANCE NO. 1065

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND SUPPLEMENTING CHAPTER 60, SEWERAGE, SECTION 60-1, PAYMENT FOR SERVICES, SUBSECTION A, OF THE CODE OF THE BOROUGH OF WILDWOOD CREST, COUNTY OF CAPE MAY, STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AND AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 947 ADOPTED NOVEMBER 24, 2003

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that Ordinance No. 1065 be passed on first reading, advertised according to law, be brought up for second and final reading and public hearing on Wednesday, December 10, 2008 at 9:30 a.m.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

THE CLERK READ THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION BY TITLE ONLY:

RESOLUTION NO. 870-08

(Authorizing approval of change order no. 1-final and estimate certificate no. 2-final, re: 2008 concrete gutter replacement contract)

Mr. Cabrera motioned, seconded by Mrs. Gould, that the foregoing Resolution be adopted.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

THE CLERK READ THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION BY TITLE ONLY:

RESOLUTION NO. 871-08

(Authorizing award of contract to Lawrence Zitto for Crest Pier Bicycle Concession Rental No. 3 for a five year lease period at $45,500 per season)

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that the foregoing Resolution be adopted.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

THE CLERK READ THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION BY TITLE ONLY:

RESOLUTION NO. 872-08

(Authorizing continued participation in the Cooperative Purchasing Program with the County of Cape May for the purchase of natural gas and awarding a contract with Woodruff Energy at the rate of $13.25 per dekatherm)

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that the foregoing Resolution be adopted.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

THE CLERK READ THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION BY TITLE ONLY:

RESOLUTION NO. 873-08

(Authorizing submission of a grant application in the amount of $250,000 to the US Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women for a FY2009 Grant to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders)

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that the foregoing Resolution be adopted.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

THE CLERK READ THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION BY TITLE ONLY:

RESOLUTION NO. 874-08

(Authorizing utilization of the $20,700 escrowed street opening permit fees of Royal Site Development for failure to properly restore excavated portions of the roadway abutting 5700 Ocean Avenue )

Mr. Cabrera motioned, seconded by Mrs. Gould, that the foregoing Resolution be adopted.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

THE CLERK READ THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION BY TITLE ONLY:

RESOLUTION NO. 875-08

(Authorizing return of escrow fees in the amount of $450 in conjunction with a hardship variance application for the property situated at 303 E. Newark Avenue as recommended by the Planning Board of the Borough of Wildwood Crest)

Mr. Groon motioned, seconded by Mrs. Gould, that the foregoing Resolution be adopted.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

THE CLERK READ THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION BY TITLE ONLY:

RESOLUTION NO. 876-08

(Authorizing issuance of a special events permit to Greater Wildwood Jaycees in conjunction with their annual Christmas Parade to be held on December 5, 2008)

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Groon, that the foregoing Resolution be adopted.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that all bills properly authorized, as submitted and set forth hereinbelow, be paid.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that all reports received, from the Court Administrator, CFO, Tax Collector, Chief of Police and Recreation Supervisor for the month ending October 31, 2008 be accepted as presented and filed.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that the minutes of meetings held October 22 and November 5, 2008, as well as the closed session minutes of November 5, 2008, be approved as presented.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

The Clerk reported that he and Mrs. Gould attended a meeting regarding the COWCO renewal agreement, and that matter would be further discussed in closed session as an authorized topic under “negotiations”.

With regard to the concession rental on the fishing pier, the Clerk reported that the Engineer was continuing to formulate specifications, which would be reviewed and potentially revised by the Solicitor.

The Clerk indicated that the Borough had not yet received a final bill with regard to the JCOW legal fees. The Solicitor indicated that the bill was in the process of being circulated.

The Clerk next reported that the permit request for 115 East Orchid Road remains on hold as the Engineer had received no further information from South Jersey Gas.

David Thompson, 106 West Fern Road , appeared on behalf of the Wildwood Crest Volunteer Fire Company No. 1. Mr. Thompson stated that the volunteers had met with Borough representatives in order to convey their concerns regarding the costs of health insurance. Mr. Thompson provided a brief overview of the history of the volunteers health insurance program through the Borough. He stated that since 1996 the volunteers had lowered the level of coverage four times in an effort to keep costs down. In 1996 there were 23 members who participated in the program, and presently that number has been reduced to 10, mainly due to the inability of the members to pay their share of the cost.

Mr. Thompson stated that the Fire Company was asking the Borough to accept payment of the entire increase for 2009 and maintain the present level of “co-pay” for the volunteers.  He went   on to outline the increase in the number of responses to alarms since 1996 in service to the Borough by the volunteers and that this is a small price to pay.

Mrs. Gould asked Mr. Thompson if he had spoken to other volunteer fire companies. Mr. Thompson responded that Stone Harbor started providing a stipend “per response” in the last couple of years because of the lack of volunteers.  He provided the Commissioners with documentation of the figures he had cited on point.

Mr. Groon thanked Mr. Thompson for his comments and indicated that the matter would be discussed in closed session later in the meeting.

There being no further public comments, THE CLERK READ THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION BY TITLE ONLY:

RESOLUTION NO. 877-08

(Closed session: discussion of proposed renovations to the Wildwood Crest Library by the County of Cape May ; continued health insurance coverage for volunteer members of the Wildwood Crest Fire Co. #1; potential acquisition of building and grounds; COWCO renewal agreement)

Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Groon, that the foregoing Resolution be adopted.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

Upon returning from closed session, there being no further matters for discussion or action by the governing body, Mrs. Gould motioned, seconded by Mr. Cabrera, that the meeting be adjourned.

Vote:          Gould-Cabrera-Groon-Yes

Dated:        December 29, 2008

Kevin M. Yecco, Clerk/Administrator