Lavallette New Jersey

Minutes of the Lavallette Voters and Taxpayers Meeting of January 15, 2010

The meeting was called to order by President Joe Marcianti. All Officers and Directors were present: Lach Cameron, Alice Bass, Celeste Brockwell, Ann Gorga, Joe Ardito and Sara Ardito.

The minutes and Treasurer's report were accepted as read.

Membership: 701 families for the year-ending 2009

Municipal:
At the reorganization meeting of mayor and council, the mayor listed his administration's accomplishments for 2009:
• Completion of the boardwalk reconstruction
• Permit to control dunes
• LED Street lights
• $25,000 grant obtained for "Green Work"
• Increased revenue in Police Department and Courts
• In-house construction inspection increased revenue
• Initiation of program to pay 3 hour beach badge checkers
• Use of credit cards to purchase beach badges
• Increased beach income by 50% from 2008
• Three vendors signed leases to rent space of the water tower for a combined income $125,000
• January 16th upcoming hearing on Bay Beach Way residents(Toms River) to secede and join Lavallette

Other municipal:
• A dozen residents spoke against the sale of a portion of Lavallette Avenue and frontage to a contractor. The mayor and council never informed the citizens that there was an interest and potential sale of this location, but instead was heard word-of-mouth.
• Borough changes ordinance to reduce square footage to 500 sq per use in business district
• In addition to ticketing illegally parked cars, Police can also have vehicle towed.
• Commercial vehicles can park on street overnight.
• Residents complain about ice-cream trucks exhaust emissions and music-need to limit volume
• Residents complain about sump-pump discharge into the street causing water pooling and icing
• Residents complain about dunes at the southern end of town not adequate
• Contractors need to be more responsible for rules related to work hours, outside porta-potty location and general clean-up.
• Lavallette "geese patrol" is authorized to exercise their dogs in certain public areas to reduce geese infesting these recreational areas.

Lavallette Business Association (LBA): Hired a part-time public relations person; want to increase membership-only ½ of the businesses belong to LBA; also concerned with sump-pump discharge in the business district.

School: no update from the School on the State's recommendation to consolidate small school districts with larger ones.

LVT Budget Committee appointed: Alice Bass, Celeste Brockwell, Lach Cameron and Joe Marcianti

LVT Audit Committee appointed: Joe Ardito, Celeste Brockwell, Lach Cameron and Joe Marcianti

Lack of Biking Safety continues to be a major concern; Lavallette Chief of Police is supposed to meet with Bay Head and Mantoloking Police. If the issue is unresolved locally, a possible alternative of having the State Police patrol State Highway 35 was raised during discussion at our LVT meeting.

High cost of water and sewer bills continues to concern residents. One of LVT's Directors made a request of the Borough Administrator to provide LVT with a detailed report related to the water and sewer utility-where the money goes-to be published in our upcoming winter newsletter. LVT's request has gone unanswered, thus far.

The meeting was adorned at 4:53 p.m.