Resident objects to emergency equipment purchase and questions recent animal-control hire

During public comment at the Nov. 26 meeting, Vincent Lepore (33 Ocean Terrace) objected to Resolution 280, which he said would bypass bidding to acquire emergency equipment for roughly $97,000. Lepore cited statutory requirements for emergency procurement (transcribed in the meeting as 40A:11-6) and asked what the local emergency was that justified invoking the emergency-procurement statute when the city had not experienced comparable local hurricane damage.

When asked why the city did not go to bid to replace the vehicle, staff responded that the current vehicle had failed and the city needed replacement coverage for emergencies. A staff member identified in the public exchange as Mister Martin said he did not have an answer when asked to explain why the resolution invoked an emergency and a resident said he was requesting a no vote.

Separately, Lepore and other attendees pressed Council President Viera about a recent animal-control hire, asking when the person began work and whether the pay exceeded that of a nine-year veteran animal-control officer. Council members and staff said hires are not processed by separate resolutions and confirmed the vacancy had been filled, but the transcript did not record a specific start date, pay rate or a formal personnel report at the meeting.

What happens next: Lepore’s objections were recorded in public comment; the council did not take a vote on Resolution 280 during the public-comment exchange in the transcript, and no additional personnel action was recorded. The transcript shows staff offered to follow up with specific information.