Egg Harbor Township committee adopts 2025 municipal budget and approves amendment; uses $5 million in surplus

Egg Harbor Township Committee adopted the 2025 municipal budget and later approved an amendment that reclassifies certain debt-service line items. The committee approved Resolution 223 to permit the budget to be read by title only and adopted the budget during the meeting; a public hearing on the introduced budget was held as required.

Township officials then presented Resolution 224, which amends the 2025 municipal budget to change the classification of certain general-appropriation line items (not to increase the overall budget total). Mr. Friedman read the amendment into the record and said a summary of the amendment will be published in the Atlantic City Press and that a public hearing on the amendment would be held on May 28, 2025, at 5 p.m.

During public comment a resident asked about the surplus and whether surplus funds were used to balance the budget. Township finance staff (Mr. D'Antino) responded that the adopted budget utilizes $5,000,000 in surplus to help offset the 2025 budget, leaving an approximate fund balance of $9,180,000. The finance official said the township generally aims to retain $8 million to $10 million as a fund balance for unexpected events and noted that American Rescue Plan funds in prior years had increased the surplus level.

The committee recorded roll-call votes approving the budget reading and the subsequent budget amendment (Resolutions 223 and 224). The amendment specified changes to bond interest and note interest line items and directed publication of an amendment notice in the Atlantic City Press on May 20, 2025, ahead of the May 28 hearing.

No member of the public addressed the main budget adoption at the hearing; the open-space portion was noted by staff to support recreation improvements to fields, playgrounds and parks. The committee closed the public hearing and moved on to consent items.