Borough of Point Pleasant Beach Borough of Point Pleasant Beach
Council Meeting Minutes
March 17, 2020
Due to the Point Pleasant Beach Public Health Emergency and State of Emergency declared on March 16, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the directive that all events on Borough property by cancelled until further notice, this meeting was held via the online Zoom Meeting platform/Meeting ID: I 718 926 419. The public had the option to participate and view the meeting online or to participate via telephone. Instructions were posted on the doors of Borough Hall and on the Borough web site on March 16th and were also provided via Reverse 9-1-1 call on March 17th.
The scheduled Executive Session was removed from the agenda prior to the meeting. The Governing Body reserves its right to amend and supplement the purposes of executive session by motion at the public meeting.
Mayor Kanitra called the meeting to order at 7:30PM. Present were Councilmembers Vitale, Testa, Byrnes, Cortes, Santanello and Migut. The Municipal Clerk read the notice indicating compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act: “Adequate notice of the time and place of this meeting was given under the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act and was posted and sent to the officially designated newspapers in compliance with the law.”
Flag Salute, Invocation
Motion by Councilwoman Testa to approve the March 3, 2020 Council meeting minutes was seconded by Councilman Vitale and carried by roll call vote.
VOTE: Councilmembers Vitale, Testa, Byrnes, Cortes, Santanello, Migut…YEA
PROCLAMATION:
At the request of the Woman’s Club of Point Pleasant, Mayor Kanitra read a proclamation in observance of Child Abuse Prevention Month, April 2020.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Mayor Kanitra: requested that the agenda be amended so he could give his report first (no objection); in the midst of an unprecedented situation; didn’t expect that 2½ months into his first term as Mayor, to be coming live, via video feed, as a result of a global pandemic – no one expected their families’ lives to be so incredible disrupted – must continue to face the Coronavirus situation head-on – part of that is continuing to run the government as effectively and efficiently as possible – have chosen to take things virtually tonight – asked all to keep their phone lines on mute until public participation is called; gave an update on some helpful State and Federal initiatives that may go into effect in the near future – the Federal Government is considering legislation and Executive Orders which include mailing Americans cash assistance, providing paid sick leave to some American workers, waiving interest payments on student loans during the crisis, a payroll tax cut for those still getting a paycheck and unemployment benefits for temporary unemployment related to the Coronavirus – the State is undertaking measures such as a bill that expands the NJ Economic Development Authority’s Small Business Loan Program – businesses with less than 100 employees have 2 options – 1) zero interest loans for meeting payroll commitments and 2) zero to moderate interest loans to keep operations sustainable – the Economic Development Authority has information on their web site with more to come – the State is expanding paid sick leave and temporary disability benefits – qualified parents with kids at home, having to take off work because of this, will get paid time off without eating into their sick days – those without sick time can apply for normal unemployment – Governor Murphy is expected to ask the Feds for NJ businesses to be able to qualify for the Small Business Association’s Disaster Loan Program – local businesses need help during this crisis – is calling on the community to support them through curbside pickup, delivery or the purchase of gift cards – the Chamber has instated a contest for those who shop locally – 5 receipts showing patronization of a PPB business will qualify for a drawing for a $150 gift certificate – commends them for their efforts; speeding signs went up on Broadway and are doing a good job slowing traffic – was told by Ocean County Engineering that Trenton and Arnold Aves, will be repaved this year – he, the Chamber’s Carol Vaccaro and BA/CFO Riehl met with the leadership of the AJ Meerwald a week ago and confirmed they would be coming to town during the last week of July/first week of August – it’s NJ’s Official Tall Ship – will dock on Channel Dr., with 2-3 sails/day and a host of special events; Beers on the Boards is being rescheduled to November 7th
Councilman Vitale: Chief Michigan asked him to announce that policies and directives to address the pandemic will be continuously posted on the Police Dept’s Facebook page; commended and thanked the Chief, the men and women of the Police Dept, Fire Dept and First Aid Squad, who are on the front lines, on the streets, dealing with residents and, hopefully, staying healthy; the Neighborhood Partnership Initiative Facebook page is live – next week’s meeting is postponed – urged all to like the page, as he is posting Coronavirus information from the CDC; the end of year Recreation Committee basketball party is cancelled for this week – evaluating future events – Easter Egg Hunt is cancelled; met with the newly-formed Kiwanis Club in the Boro – are interested in helping Recreation – they have a lot of good events planned – will be partnering with them; received applications for Summer Camp Director and Counselors – invited more.
Councilwoman Testa: thanked Mayor Kanitra, who has been working tirelessly – commended him and the whole Borough – Chief, Business Administrator, Firemen, volunteers and everyone for their efforts to keep residents informed – main goal is to keep everyone safe – thanked the residents for doing their part to stop the spread of this virus – will come out of this better, stronger and a great community; the Arts Gala has been rescheduled to November 14th – already purchased tickets will be honored; thanked the town shops for donations; Beautification Committee meeting has been postponed; Mayor Kanitra has been speaking with School Superintendent Smith about what is going on with the school – spoke to Board of Education (BOE) President Ramos – children are home, in touch with their teachers and everything is going smoothly (Mayor Kanitra: is in touch with Mr. Smith and Mr. Ramos daily – parents need to know and take ownership that kids are learning and going through motions – not a vacation – allowing them to go out, gather and shirk their responsibilities is not in the spirit of what all are trying to do – need to play their part to crack down on the spread); saw the PPBHS musical, Chicago – amazing – so proud of the students – an honor to watch them perform; Street Smart paperwork was dropped off to the school but is postponed – doing all they can under the circumstances.
Councilwoman Byrnes: thanked Mayor Kanitra and Chief Michigan for their efforts in keeping all safe – has not gone unnoticed – residents are very appreciative; she and Councilman Vitale finished and submitted the grant for fire equipment – Fire Department implemented temporary SOG (Standard Operating Guidelines) in an effort to minimize exposure to the officers and firefighters – closed firehouses to the general public; Environmental Commission asked for and secured space on Borough Hall property – they are very grateful – thanked BA/CFO Riehl; the Shade Tree Commission will contact individual Councilmembers about landscape ordinances they’ve been working on – looking for approval to plant a shade tree by the bench on Boston by Lake Louise; getting a handle on Green Team and Sustainable Jersey priority actions and helping to find some more strong leaders.
Councilman Cortes: kudos to Mayor Kanitra and everyone else in Borough Hall doing a wonderful job; asked Councilwoman Byrnes if Shade Tree wants to plant the tree at Boston off of Niblick or Boston and Harvard (Councilwoman Byrnes: was identified only as Boston Ave. street end) would hold off on Boston, as replacing the bulkhead has been in the works since last year; Building Committee met with BA/CFO Riehl last week – got a list of all Borough properties and streets; benches are a win-win – more painstaking than thought (Mayor Kanitra: thanked him for his help).
Councilman Santanello: echoed thoughts on how hard the Mayor and Council and all are working – unexpected – communications have been fantastic – personally appreciates that; Freehold set up pick-up rows for restaurants in their town parking lots, so orders can be run out and no one has to get out of their cars and block streets – suggested doing that in Borden’s lot; took the online MEL JIF course on child abuse prevention – very informative – recommended to all, not only for the $250 credit; said he would call ahead before coming in to sign the Budget affidavit; BA/CFO Riehl brought up an Eagle Scout project at the last meeting – project should be extensive – should include fundraising, recruiting helpers, etc. – it’s about leadership and organization – Mayor Kanitra had suggested work on the gazebo – asked why it’s designated as Michelle’s Place (Mayor Kanitra: for Michelle Sirchio, who passed away) the gazebo floor, landscaping, pavers, moss and benches need attention – maybe the bench paint can match the new ones ordered – was a scout leader for 8 years – would love to meet him over there, talk to him and let him know his thoughts (Mayor Kanitra: that’s a phenomenal idea, if he would take the lead on that – loves the idea of starting to match things; thanked him for his leadership in taking the child abuse class – a good example – encouraged the entire Governing Body to do so – will save the Borough some money and they will learn about the issue) it’s 20 minutes with no test.
Councilman Migut: the Animal Welfare Committee spring fundraiser is in question, as The Ark is closed indefinitely; the parking pass plan ordinance is on the agenda for second reading – attended the Parking Authority meeting – there were 2 large businesses there, eager to participate – they account for about 65 passes – applications were given to owners to distribute to employees – Parking Authority Secretary Mills will issue the passes – attended the Chamber of Commerce meeting last week – one business owner said her waiters and waitresses are anxious to park in that lot – hopes that by mid-April, more passes can be distributed; asked about the Budget workshop on the 23rd (Mayor Kanitra: intention, to keep business running and fully open for business this summer, is to conduct it virtually, through the same platform – all will get a copy of the Budget in advance, so they can come prepared to talk about it – thanks to the efforts of Councilman Migut and BA/CFO Riehl and some smart decisions, are looking at the lowest increase in the past 4-5 years – thinks residents will be happy.
BA/CFO Riehl: in light of the issues with the outbreak, has been working closely with the Police Chief and OEM Coordinator, as Mayor Kanitra has, daily, but would also like to acknowledge DPW Superintendent Trout – his staff is working on a reduced schedule but is coming in daily and is continuing to provide trash and recycling pick-up services, which is necessary to keep the town running – Municipal Clerk Farrell and Patty Kile have been doing an outstanding job keeping everything organized and posted online and available for residents, employees and Mayor and Council to stay on top of all the information that’s coming out – also thanked all the employees, who have been incredibly helpful and accepting of the situation – Borough Hall is currently closed to residents – can enter through the Police entrance – there is a drop box for payments, plans, etc. – can also pick up the phone and speak to a Dispatcher, if in need of aid – staff is working more or less half days on a staggered basis – here at different days and hours to keep a limited number of people in the building at any time – SERVPRO came in today and did a deep clean of Borough Hall including the Police Dept, upstairs, downstairs and the vehicles – are scheduled to clean DPW tomorrow and are scheduled weekly to keep everyone in the building satisfied and let them know that they’re safe from germs – they did a good job – were in and out with no issues; sent Mayor and Council a rendering of the Locks of Love sketch – thinks it’s great and will work in that location – quote is for $1,300 – asked for permission to move forward for order approval (no objection) – added as item 1u; Budget workshop next Monday at 6PM will be virtual; are implementing the ability for employees to work from home, if necessary, to keep Borough Hall functioning – that should be in place tomorrow or the day after (Mayor Kanitra: thanked BA/CFO Riehl and Councilman Vitale for working with him to identify the VPN situation and to ensure quick movement – IT told him that PPB is ahead of other municipalities, who probably won’t be able to work virtually for weeks – incredible to be ready to go by Friday – will help to continue business as normal); applied for a grant for nano-bubbler installation for the overall health of Lake of the Lillies – were turned down – have funding in place to cover the cost, but it would require public bid – would like to authorize the Borough Engineer to prepare bid specs and go out to bid for the nano-bubblers (Mayor Kanitra: explained the new technology – 3 boxes that look like tiny generators hidden by landscaping with pipes that go beneath the surface and dissipate to increase oxygen levels – has the most promising results – price for technology and landscaping is @$100K – has been much more than that set aside for lake health – this is the best and most cost effective means to tackle it – hopes to get on top of it before this year’s algae blooms.
Motion by Councilwoman Testa to authorize the Borough Engineer to prepare bid specs and go out to bid for the nano-bubblers (to be added as item 1v), was seconded by Councilman Vitale and carried by roll call vote.
VOTE: Councilmembers Vitale, Testa, Byrnes, Cortes, Migut…YEA
Councilman Santanello….NAY
Pavers for Borough Hall patio ready to be delivered next week – DPW Superintendent Trout worked with Bain’s Hardware to get an incredible discount on shelving for downstairs – ready to accept that as well – installation will be in the next week or 2 (Mayor Kanitra: asked BA/CFO Riehl to extend thanks, on behalf of the Governing Body, to DPW Superintendent Trout).
Clerk announced addition and revisions to the agenda.
Mayor Kanitra: asked BA/CFO Riehl to work with Attorney Riordan on the pipe project under Ocean Ave. – per the Engineer, have to fix that before the County paves next year – timelines are tight (BA/CFO Riehl: there are a bunch of moving parts – trying to piece it all together – ultimately, would need authorization for a bond ordinance to be drafted to cover expenses, then a contract can be awarded etc.) asked Attorney Riordan how far away that is (Attorney Riordan: doesn’t know – first he has heard of it, but can certainly get that done); noted there are 44 people online – larger than the normal crowd.
Councilman Vitale: unmuted all and asked anyone who didn’t want to talk to mute themselves.
PULIC PARTICIPATION BEGAN AT 8:15PM
Mary Steiner, PPB Beautification Chair: asked Councilman Santanello to contact her about the Beautification Committee spot at the gazebo that the Eagle Scout is interested in – would like to participate regarding plantings there, etc.
Tony Andretta, PPB: asked Councilman Vitale and Councilwoman Byrnes if the fire equipment covered by the grant is a Holmatro.
Guy Dempsey, PPB OEM Coordinator: State of Emergency was declared on Monday – would like First Aid to have access to the disinfectant lamp that is on the agenda for the Police Dept., as they are on the front lines; First Aid entered into a contract with SERVPRO to be used when ambulance has been contaminated by Coronavirus – Borough should pick up cost – under State of Emergency, can probably get it refunded (Mayor Kanitra: thanked him for the work he is doing and also noted that First Aid Capt. Sabrina Fioretti and her group has done an incredible job with preparation – even training the Dive Team – has the utmost gratitude).
Elaine Garcia, PPBHS Intern: asked how long school will be out.
Councilman Vitale: instructed all that pressing *6 will mute and unmute a landline.
PULIC PARTICIPATION ENDED AT 8:30PM
Motion by Councilman Cortes to close Public Participation and approve the items listed below was seconded by Councilman Santanello and carried by roll call vote.
CONSENT RESOLUTION 1:
1a Approval of payment of Payroll #6 ($239,152.81)
1b Approval of payment to W. Dwyer for reimbursement of health insurance contributions ($2,615.54)
1c Approval of S/E app for MS Society Coast the Coast bike ride through town, 5/9 & 5/10
1d Approval of payment to BTMUA for February bulk water usage ($46,552.50)
1g Approval of payment to the State of NJ for annual pension appropriation ($1,129,900)
1h Amendment to resolution 2020-0104/3k-2, reducing cost of CDs to 22 cents, per OPRA regulations
1i Approval of 12 taxi vehicle licenses for Briggs Transportation through 3/19/21
1j Approval of LOA for employee #000084177
1k Authorization to conduct hydrant flushing 4/6-5/1 & to advertise in Ocean Star 4/3-4/24
1l Certification of compliance with US EEOC’s Enforcement Guidance
1m Approval of Change Order #1/time extension to Lenegen Plumbing/Heating for Meter Replacement
1n Authorization for Borough Attorney to amend Ordinance 2019-17-Skate Board Park to include regulations pertaining to issuing permits for use
1o Authorization to hire R. Balzano for the position of P/T Maintenance Worker
1p Authorization to hire K. O’Rourke for the position of F/T Quality of Life Director
1q Approval of PO to Max-R for 35 benches ($18,907.50)
1r Approval of payment to ATS Environmental Services for UST Manway Replacement ($13,721.46)
1s Approval of W/S requests (19)
1t Approval of payment to Park Builders for Pleasure Park Playground installation ($2,900)
1u Order approval for Locks of Love fence to Mars Hills Metal Craft ($1,300)
1v Authorization for Borough Engineer to prepare bid specs and go out to bid for the nano-bubblers
CONSENT RESOLUTION 2:
2a Approval of payment of computer-generated vouchers ($159,999.97)
2b Support for & Auth for Mayor to execute Prosecutor’s Program Shared Service Agreement
2c Approval of PO to Atlantic Tactical for 45 Glock, belt keeper, cuff case, etc. for PD ($10,922.85)
2d Approval of PO to Motorola for 12 radios, chargers, mics & pagers for Fire Co 2 ($33,431.25)
2e Approval of pymt to Action Uniform Co for 50 traffic vests, stop sign, 500 patches for PD ($3,878)
2f Approval of payment to CCW for Bd of Fire Officers accident insurance policy ($3,081)
2g Appointment of Police Dept. Records Custodian in for the purposes of OPRA & Litigation Matters
2h Approval of PO to ClorDiSys Solutions for UV disinfecting lantern/COVID-19 for PD ($3,750)
VOTE: Councilmembers Vitale, Testa, Byrnes, Cortes (except 1o & 1p),
Santanello (except 1o, 1p, 1v, 2c, 2e, 2g), Migut…YEA
Councilmen Cortes (1o & 1p), Santanello (1o, 1p, 1v)….NAY
Councilman Santanello (2c, 2e, 2g)….ABSTAIN
ORDINANCES:
Ordinance 2020-03 (Amend Ch IX/Business Employee Parking Passes) was considered on second reading. Mayor Kanitra opened the public hearing with no member of the public wishing to be heard. Motion by Councilman Migut to close the public hearing and adopt Ordinance 2020-03 was seconded by Councilman Cortes and carried by roll call vote.
VOTE: Councilmembers Vitale, Testa, Byrnes, Cortes, Santanello, Migut…YEA
Ordinance 2020-04 (Amend Ch XV/Section 15-14/Fire Lane) was considered on second reading. Mayor Kanitra opened the public hearing with no member of the public wishing to be heard. Motion by Councilman Vitale to close the public hearing and adopt Ordinance 2020-04 was seconded by Councilwoman Testa and carried by roll call vote.
VOTE: Councilmembers Vitale, Testa, Byrnes, Cortes, Santanello, Migut…YEA
Councilman Santanello left the call at 8:35PM
Ordinance 2020-05 (Amend Ch XXVIII, Section 28-2.1/Trans Accom Tax) was considered on second reading. Mayor Kanitra opened the public hearing.
Louise Stillufsen, PPB: opposed – her daughter has an Airbnb – tenants are disposable income people over 40 who spend money in town and don’t create a problem – she feels tax is excessive – a money grab – inessential.
Motion by Councilman Migut to close the public hearing and adopt Ordinance 2020-05 was seconded by Councilman Vitale and carried by roll call vote.
VOTE: Councilmembers Vitale, Testa, Byrnes, Cortes, Migut…YEA
Councilman Santanello….RECUSED
Councilman Santanello returned to the call at 8:39PM
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION BEGAN AT 8:39PM
Tony Andretta, PPB: asked when new town website will go live – current site gives an error message when trying to print the agenda – can only print it by right-clicking the screen.
Marilyn Burke, PPB: asked what item 2b is for – will help in the summer.
Dave Cavagnaro, PPB: asked about item 1n – great idea – thanked Mayor; asked about item 2g.
Mayor Kanitra: thanked all who participated – hopes this will be one of the last virtual meetings.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ENDED AT 8:48PM
Motion by Councilman Cortes to close public participation and adjourn was seconded by Councilman Migut and carried by consent of Council. Meeting was adjourned at 8:48PM.
ATTEST: _______________________________
Eileen A. Farrell, RMC
Municipal Clerk
