Somers Point council approves range of ordinances, redevelopment agreements and a $13 million bond authorization

Somers Point's City Council on [date not specified in record] approved a slate of ordinances and resolutions, including authorization for city officials to proceed with the sale and issuance of a not-to-exceed $13,000,000 bond anticipation note.

The council adopted Ordinance No. 15 (amending Chapter 114 on the Historic Preservation Commission) and Ordinance No. 16 (a continuing-education incentive program for volunteer and career firefighters). The council also carried Resolution 181 (renewing membership in the Atlantic County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund) and Resolution 182 (appointment of a public-private partnership redevelopment council).

In a roll-call vote the council approved Resolution 183, authorizing the chief financial officer and city officials to undertake actions related to the sale and issuance of a not-to-exceed $13,000,000 bond anticipation note (series 2025) and approving a continuing-disclosure undertaking for the notes. The clerk called the roll with each member recorded as voting in favor during the public roll call segment.

The council rescinded an earlier redevelopment approval (Resolution 169) by adopting Resolution 184 and simultaneously adopted Resolution 185 to authorize a redevelopment agreement covering Block 2018, Lots 1.01, 1.02, 1.03, 1.04, 1.05, 1.08, 2.02, 1.06 and 1.07 (as listed on the agenda). Those resolutions moved by voice vote with no opposition reported at the time of the vote.

The council approved Resolution 188 (approving proposals for goods and services for 2025) and later approved Resolution 192, a memorandum of agreement with the Police Benevolent Association. Two council members publicly stated they would recuse themselves from the vote on Resolution 192; the motion passed on the remainder of the membership.

The consent agenda (including resolutions listed on the agenda as 191, 193, 194 and 195) was approved by voice vote.

No ordinance text changes or new financing terms beyond those announced on the agenda were introduced during the meeting. Several items that had been on the agenda were pulled or moved to future consideration (for example, the multi-sport surfaces/hockey court item was pulled for additional work). The council also authorized two executive sessions (Resolutions 186 and 187) for attorney-client communications relating to pending litigation and property-assessment cases and said it did not anticipate taking action when it returned from those sessions.

Votes at a glance (items shown on the published agenda and acted on in the meeting): - Ordinance 15 (Historic Preservation Commission amendment): adopted (voice vote; motion carried) - Ordinance 16 (Fire Department continuing-education incentive): adopted (voice vote; motion carried) - Resolution 181 (Atlantic County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund membership renewal): adopted (voice vote) - Resolution 182 (appointment: public-private partnership redevelopment council): adopted (voice vote) - Resolution 183 (authorize CFO to proceed with sale/issuance of not-to-exceed $13,000,000 BAN): adopted (roll-call vote; clerk recorded affirmative votes) - Resolution 184 (rescind prior redevelopment agreement with Exceller Building Solutions LLC): adopted (voice vote) - Resolution 185 (authorize new redevelopment agreement for listed Block 2018 lots): adopted (voice vote) - Resolution 186 and 187 (authorize executive sessions for litigation/assessment matters): adopted (voice vote) - Resolution 188 (approve proposals, goods and services 2025): adopted (voice vote) - Resolution 190 (appointment of harbor master; swearing-in of Michael Lee Kedziora): adopted (voice vote) - Resolution 192 (Memorandum of Agreement with Police Benevolent Association): adopted (voice vote; two recusals noted)

The council also approved payment of bills as presented and adjourned into an executive session at the end of the public meeting.

Source material: motions, roll-call and voice votes recorded in the council's public minutes and the meeting transcript.