Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Beachwood council adopts cap‑bank ordinance, advances multimillion‑dollar capital and water projects
Summary
At its May 20 meeting Beachwood’s council adopted an ordinance allowing the borough to bank up to 3.5% of the 2026 budget cap and introduced two bond ordinances to fund $4.39 million in capital improvements and $486,000 in water‑utility work; a marina/PWC docking rules ordinance and a salary ordinance were also introduced for June public hearings.
The Beachwood Borough Council on May 20 adopted Ordinance 2026‑15 to exceed municipal budget appropriation limits and create a cap bank, and introduced two bond ordinances to finance capital and water‑utility projects.
Ordinance 2026‑15 authorizes the borough to increase its 2026 final appropriations up to 3.5% under N.J.S.A. 40A:4‑45.14 and to retain any unused exception for the next two years. The ordinance text cited a 1.0% increase amounting to $154,024.59 and a full 3.5% increase of $359,390.70; the public hearing was opened and closed with no public comment and the council adopted the measure by roll call.
Council members also introduced Bond Ordinance 2026‑16, which appropriates $4,386,640 and authorizes up to $3,943,428 in bonds and notes to finance road work (including Leeward Avenue and Cedar Street), municipal IT upgrades, public works equipment (side loader arm, zero turn mower, single‑axle dump truck with plow and spreader and other items), marina bulkhead repairs, park and municipal building improvements, police equipment including an LPR/ALPR system and three vehicles with upfits, and fire‑department equipment. The ordinance lists $235,663 in expected NJDOT grant funds and estimates a useful life of about 11.77 years for the financed assets.
Bond Ordinance 2026‑17 was introduced for water utility needs with an appropriation and bond authorization of $486,000. The water ordinance covers Cedar Street water main replacement and other water main improvements, well #6 rehabilitation, and related equipment such as a check valve, an auto flusher and software/tablet updates; the ordinance estimates a useful life of about 17.65 years and includes up to $40,000 for issuance and project‑related costs.
Council also introduced Ordinance 2026‑14 to revise Chapter 9‑2 on boats and personal watercraft. The ordinance would prioritize residents for marina boat‑slip and PWC docking station rentals, set 2026 season dates (April 1–Oct 31) and fees (35' slip $820; 30' slip $720; PWC docking station $350), require title proof on application, and impose fines for violations; a public hearing is set for June 3, 2026.
Municipal clerk and borough staff handled routine fiscal items during the meeting: the bills and claims list for $450,140.73 was approved (Resolution 2026‑153), and a CDBG change order for a 2024 housing rehabilitation loan was approved — a $250 increase raising the mortgage/loan for 1321 Ocean Avenue to $19,183 (Resolution 2026‑163a). Borough Engineer John LeCompte reported the NJEIT water‑main bid opened and said the contract will be awarded at the June 3 meeting.
What happens next: public hearings for Ordinances 2026‑14, 2026‑16 and 2026‑17 are scheduled for the council’s June 3 meeting; the council will also finalize any bond issuance and award contracts after required bidding and grant confirmations.
