Belmar council introduces amendment to 2025 budget; public hearing set for May 13

The Belmar Borough Council voted to introduce a resolution (No. 2025-75) authorizing amendments to the borough's 2025 municipal budget and scheduled a public hearing on the amendment for the council meeting on May 13.

CFO Lorraine Grama summarized the introduced budget and the proposed amendments, saying, "Our total municipal budget when we introduced the budget was $24,138,604 and a penny." She told the council the amended figures change current-fund and utility totals and that the amended municipal tax rate is estimated at about $0.566 per $100 of assessed value, down from an originally projected $0.58 per $100. For a home assessed at the borough average ($596,870), the amended proposal represents an annual municipal increase of about $375.21.

Grama identified several drivers of the increase: a rise in debt service (noted at roughly $2.23 million), state-mandated pension cost increases, and a substantial rise in health insurance costs described in the presentation as about a 25% increase. She said EMS operational costs increased by about $113,000 following the expiration of a shared-services agreement, and that contractual trash and recycling costs also rose. To manage appropriations, staff proposed moving the police services contract outside the appropriations cap as a shared service to create additional cap exceptions.

Council members asked clarifying questions about the revenue side, including how parking and beach-related fees flow through the borough's funds; officials said ParkMobile revenue during beach hours is allocated to the beach utility while other parking receipts are handled through the parking utility and can be allocated at council discretion. Officials offered to provide a spreadsheet showing precise allocations.

Procedure and vote: Council closed the public hearing on the introduced budget, then voted to introduce resolution 2025-75 to authorize the amendment and to advertise the amendment for public comment. During roll-call on the resolution the following members were recorded as voting yes: Councilman Donovan; Councilwoman McKinney; Mary Beth Lepofasco; Councilman Rodendaro; Councilman Levitz. The motion to introduce the amendment carried and the amendment will be advertised ahead of the May 13 public hearing, at which the council will hear further public comment before final adoption.

What happens next: The amendment will be advertised per statutory requirements, and the council will hold the public hearing on the amendment at its May 13 meeting; final adoption of the full 2025 budget will follow the public hearing and any further changes the council approves.