Belmar adopts ordinance to build permanent restroom pavilion at 16th Avenue after public hearing on funding and bids

At second reading and public hearing on Ordinance 2025-22, the council considered appropriating money from the Beach Capital Improvement Fund to construct a permanent restroom pavilion at 16th Avenue. Residents raised concerns about whether beach-badge revenue should finance the facility and whether a permanent structure was necessary.

"The beach badge purchaser absolutely do not need this," said Eugene Kramer (speaker 10) during public comment, expressing opposition to using beach-fund revenue for construction that includes winter heating and year-round use. Other residents questioned the size and cost of the proposed permanent building.

Staff responded that the borough secured a $1,500,000 award from the New Jersey Boardwalk Preservation fund but that construction bids exceeded that figure. Borough staff explained that the Boardwalk Preservation award included soft costs and that the borough's share on the grant was $75,000; construction-only funds available from the grant were approximately $1.15 million. The lowest construction bid received was roughly $1.8 million, with other bids above $2 million.

"The bids that we received were low bidder was 1.8," the borough staff member (speaker 4) said when outlining the bid results and explaining that reducing the building size to recover the bid shortfall would require redesign and additional time. Staff also noted the project must be spent and reimbursed by a Department of Community Affairs process timeline and that applying for additional funds or change-order reimbursements may be possible.

Following the public hearing, the council moved to adopt Ordinance 2025-22. The transcript records verbal roll-call responses of "Yes" from Councilman Donovan, the mayor (recorded in the transcript as "Mayor Van Puska"), and Councilman Rondell; the ordinance was declared adopted in the meeting record. The transcript does not record a full roll-call tally listing every member's vote in the segment provided; earlier in the meeting two council members (Levitz and Kinney) were announced as absent.

What it means: the council authorized the project appropriation so the borough can proceed with contracting and seek reimbursements or change-order adjustments as needed; staff emphasized time constraints tied to grant reimbursement cycles and the borough's desire to open the facility during the summer season.

Clarifying details: the Boardwalk Preservation grant award was stated at $1,500,000, of which approximately $1.15 million was available for construction after soft costs; the borough's initial share was reported as $75,000. Low construction bids started at about $1.8 million, creating a gap the borough said it would address by change orders or seeking reimbursement authority.