Asbury Park council approves broad slate of appointments and professional contracts at reorganization meeting

The Asbury Park City Council approved a long list of appointments to boards and committees and awarded professional services contracts during a reorganization meeting, voting unanimously on the consent agenda and a series of individual resolutions.

The council approved the consent agenda covering Resolutions 20‑25‑3 through 20‑25‑20 and then voted separately to confirm individual appointments and service agreements including the appointment of James Butler, Esq., as city prosecutor (Resolution 20‑25‑21); James Carton, Esq., as alternate city prosecutor (Resolution 20‑25‑22); Matthew Sage, Esq., as city public defender (Resolution 20‑25‑23); appointment of Jean J. Anthony, Esq., as rent leveling board attorney (Resolution 20‑25‑25); Community Grants Planning & Housing LLC as the city’s affordable housing administrative agent and housing rehabilitation program administrator (Resolutions 20‑25‑26 and 20‑25‑27); and award of EPA brownfield assessment grant services to Brownfield Redevelopment Solutions Inc. (Resolution 20‑25‑28). The council also authorized professional services agreements with Public Resources Advisory Group for PILOT and RAB administration (Resolution 20‑25‑29); PFK O’Connor Davies LLP as city auditor (Resolution 20‑25‑30); T&M Associates as municipal engineer (Resolution 20‑25‑31); Dilworth Paxton LLP for bond counsel and redevelopment counsel (Resolutions 20‑25‑32 and 20‑25‑33); and several engineering and planning firms for special project work, including NV5, CDM Smith, Leon S. Avakian Inc., Dynamic Traffic LLC and Ingenuity Infrastructure (Resolutions 20‑25‑45 through 20‑25‑48 and others).

The council also confirmed a number of appointments to standing and advisory bodies: Asbury Park TV Committee (Ginny Otley, Nate McAllister, Moata Green); Business Advisory Committee (including Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn, city manager or designee, Jen Hampton and others); Community Development Block Committee (Mayor John Moore, Deputy Mayor Quinn, Cassandra Dickerson, Alicia Floyd); Deal Lake Commission, Green Team, Parking Committee, Participatory Budget Committee, Planning Board appointments (including Councilmember Yvonne Clayton as a Class 3 member), Public Arts Commission, Code Enforcement/Quality of Life Committee, Recreation Committee, Rent Leveling Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment. Terms and expiration dates were announced in each resolution where applicable.

All recorded roll-call votes reported in the transcript show Councilmember Bez Anderson, Councilmember Eileen Chapman, Councilmember Yvonne Clayton, Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn and Mayor John Moore voting “Yes.” No “No,” abstain, or recusal votes were recorded for the resolutions listed in the transcript.

Votes at a glance

- Resolutions 20‑25‑3 through 20‑25‑20 (consent agenda): approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑21 — appoint city prosecutor James Butler, Esq.: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑22 — appoint alternate city prosecutor James Carton, Esq.: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑23 — appoint city public defender Matthew Sage, Esq.: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑25 — appoint Jean J. Anthony, Esq., rent leveling board attorney; agreement authorized: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑26 — appoint Community Grants Planning & Housing LLC as affordable housing administrative agent: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑27 — appoint Community Grants Planning & Housing LLC as housing rehabilitation program administrator: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑28 — award contract to Brownfield Redevelopment Solutions Inc. for EPA brownfield assessment grants: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑29 — enter professional services agreement with Public Resources Advisory Group for PILOT and RAB administration: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑30 — appoint PFK O’Connor Davies LLP as city auditor: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑31 — appoint T&M Associates as municipal engineer: approved, 5‑0. - Resolutions 20‑25‑32, 20‑25‑33 — appoint Dilworth Paxton (bond counsel) and Dilworth Paxton LLP (redevelopment counsel): approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑37 — appoint Renone Coughlin Micello LLC as labor counsel: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑38 — appoint Acacia Financial Group Inc. as financial advisor: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑39 — professional real estate appraisal services to BRB Valuations & Consulting Services LLC: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑40 — appoint Gregory B. Pascual, Esq., as special tax counsel: approved, 5‑0. - Resolution 20‑25‑41 — award contract to Kyle & McManus Associates LLC as consulting planner for 2025: approved, 5‑0. - Resolutions 20‑25‑42 through 20‑25‑49 — various appointments and special project engineering services (Cerini & Edwards/Buzak & Nolan LLC; Akari Iovino; Ingenuity Infrastructure; NV5; Leon S. Avakian Inc.; CDM Smith; Dynamic Traffic LLC; others): approved, 5‑0. - Resolutions 20‑25‑50 through 20‑25‑65 — appointments to committees and commissions (TV Committee, Business Advisory Committee, Community Development Block Committee, CCRB exploratory committee, Deal Lake Commission, Environmental Shade Tree Commission, Green Team, Parking Committee, Participatory Budget Committee, Planning Board, Public Arts Commission, Code Enforcement Quality of Life Committee, Recreation Committee, Rent Leveling Board, Sunset Lake Commission, Mayor’s Wellness Committee, Zoning Board of Adjustment), plus renewals such as Office 365 software: approved, 5‑0.

Why it matters

The votes establish the city’s legal and professional support for redevelopment, affordable-housing administration, engineering and financial work for 2025 and set membership for advisory panels that shape zoning, parks, parking, arts and community programs. The appointments and contracts determine which firms and officials the city will rely on for legal representation, audits, engineering oversight and grant- or program-administration through the year.

What’s next

Several items announced in the meeting (committee terms and professional contracts) include expiration or term dates stated in the resolutions; implementation details and workplans will appear in forthcoming staff reports or contract documents, which the council or city staff may present at later meetings.