Lavallette Voters and Taxpayers Association

Lavallette New Jersey

Minutes of the Regular LVT Meeting April 18, 2008

The meeting was called to order by President Joe Marcianti. Officers and Directors present were Lach Cameron, Alice Bass, Celeste Brockwell, Ann Gorga, and Marie Lough. Absent was Pamela Boright.

Minutes and Treasurer's report were accepted as read.

Membership: 349 members are paid to date for 2008. 80 new members have joined. "Friendly reminders" will be mailed followed by follow-up phone calls.

Correspondence:

Invitation to LVT to participate in the Memorial Day Services
Lady's fire auxiliary announcing their annual geranium sale

Municipal:

The proposed municipal budget is to increase by 7.5 cents as of the Borough Council meeting of March 14th. This would result in a $100 annual increase to the taxpayer whose house is assessed at $650,000. April 28th is the public hearing on the budget. The school taxes will increase by $44. per year for the same house assessment.
Consideration by the council to hire a brokerage firm to purchase electrical power. Councilman Ardito wants the council to research wind and solar power. He reported that the Toms River School System gets back $1 million dollars each year for their solar use and received an interest-free loan to fund the project.
Expansion of a liquor store to an adjacent bldg. in No. Lavallette was approved.
State of NJ will hear the liquor license transfer for Gabriella's due to a conflict of interest that it cannot be heard locally since the owner of Gabriella's is contracted with the borough for legal services.
Toms River refused the petition from Bay Beach Way property owners to secede and join Lavallette. They will take their case to Superior Court.
Lavallette beaches to open June 20th.
The Council bought a portable "ice-rink" from Manchester Twp. for $1.
A question was raised as to who oversees the Lavallette Tax Assessor. He is supposed to be at Borough Hall for two hours one night a week. Sometimes property owners show up (sometimes driving long distances from out of town) and the Assessor is not there.

Parking Committee recommendations:

Annual permit or lease to homeowners without driveways
Signage rather than street painting their permitted spots
Fees to be set by Council
Two-hour parking in the business district between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. provided business owners who respond to a survey are agreeable at their location. Need to apply to the State with the requests. Changes are effective for a 3-year period before any further changes can be made.

The recommendations will be drafted and submitted to the Mayor and Council by Michele Donato, Chairperson of the Parking Committee. The next meeting of the Parking Committee is May 7th.

The Nominating Committee for the LVT elections put forth the following names:

President:	Joe Marcianti
Directors:	Sara Ardito, Lach Cameron, Ann Gorga and Marie Lough.
Alternate Director:	Ben Brockwell

Scholarship Committee:
Several applications have been received. Committee Chairperson, Marie Lough, will set up a meeting with her committee after the April 25th deadline for receipt of applications.

Discussion:

Sewer infiltration has been the lowest in 10 years. Questioning why the infiltration fee to ratepayers is not being lowered?
On April 23rd, an appeal is being made related to the number of uses per property in the business district. The Courts interpretation of our ordinance remained as it was intended not to allow multiple units with two specific uses. Questioned whether our ordinance committee will attempt rewrite the ordinance to allow more units per property.
Questioned if pay-to-play applies to school budgets.
Concerns with the corruption in NJ and trying to clean up public finances.
Discussion of the possibility of public financing for candidates for political office.
Donated rose bushes were supposed to be planted at Hankins Park. Only about 20 were planted there and the rest went scattered about town. Who changed the plan?

Meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.