Resident says Wildwood Crest public-safety spending was "excessive"; commissioner cites vehicle-lease savings

A Wildwood Crest resident used the public-comment portion of the reorganizational meeting to challenge the borough’s public-safety spending and asked elected officials to take additional steps to limit costs.

"During my analysis ... your excessive spending of $14,800,000 on expenses in your departments for the time frame of January 2022 through 11/07/2024," resident Mike Marino said, adding he did not adjust his figures for inflation and asking what actions the public-safety commissioner had taken to reduce costs. Marino pressed whether new hires or building projects would drive future spending and urged officials to lower expenses to ease tax pressure on residents on fixed incomes.

The public-safety commissioner responded directly to the remarks, saying the department has moved from a purchase model to a vehicle-lease program for police fleet vehicles, which the commissioner said is expected to reduce costs. "We are now in a lease program instead of a purchase program, and we're hoping to experience savings there," the commissioner said, and noted the police captain and borough staff helped implement the change. The commissioner said other potential savings will be considered and that he heard Marino's points.

No formal budget amendments or votes followed the exchange during the meeting; the temporary 2025 budget and consent contracts were approved separately earlier in the agenda.

Why it matters: citizen budget scrutiny is a regular part of municipal oversight, and council members may use public comment to flag priorities leading into the annual budgeting process. The response indicates one operational change already enacted (fleet leasing) that the borough expects will reduce certain costs.