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Council Meeting Of August 20, 2019

44 Comments

  1. Anonymous wrote:

    Did I hear correctly that only one council member replied to a resident’s email ??? That’s terrible ! I bet Jim Bean would’ve responded.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 8:00 am | Permalink
  2. South Side wrote:

    They often don’t reply, nothing new here.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 8:33 am | Permalink
  3. Aileen wrote:

    They always reply to mine. And last meeting I got up twice and blasted them about a few things. I don’t know….the whole experience is worlds apart from the previous admin. Tom Brennan was the only Doherty council member that ever responded to me. If I talked and emailed to the Doherty admin. the way I do now, I’d be branded a naysayer, element, terrorist….remember those terms? I’ve never known a community to completely right itself when there was so much wrong – overnight. There’d be a lot of sea sick people. Unfortunately we have to turn 10 degrees at a time – it’s the only way anything happens (without backlash that is). Look at the tax hike – backlash. If the necessary cuts were made there’d be more backlash and possibly lawsuits (because the only meaningful cuts are to personnel). I do want cuts, but erasing what was created before isn’t easy – not overnight anyway.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 9:05 am | Permalink
  4. Senior building wrote:

    The Mayor is willing to shutdown a mile of Ocean ave, which is a county road, all day but refuses to put up temporary traffic calming devises in from of the crosswalk at the senior building until the end of summer.

    someone explain?

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 9:40 am | Permalink
  5. Jim Bean wrote:

    #1 thank you, no that wasn’t me that posted the comment, and yes I would have responded to a simple email. I was at the meeting and she did say that, so I assume it’s true.

    #3 – Aileen, no lawsuits or backlash would have come from cutting the overtime. Remember our payroll? 2 making over $200K, 4 making over $150K, and 15 making over $100k? Overtime was budgeted to be increased this year from last as well. $$$ for new floor for the mayor’s office, $1500 for polo shirts, thousands for putting Wifi at the marina, purchase of a Keurig with water line installation so they wouldn’t have to fill it up. I could go on.

    But not the point.

    A taxpayer contacted the Mayor and Council about an event she cares deeply about. Only one responded. A simple email back with “let me look into it” or, “we are having a meeting about it” just to acknowledge her would have gone a long way.

    Not saying anyone has to be thrown out of office. This is just my opinion and responding to my name being mentioned in #1.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 10:13 am | Permalink
  6. eugene creamer wrote:

    Another Maser blunder … the Lake Como Pipe doesn’t work.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 11:08 am | Permalink
  7. admin wrote:

    TAPinto story:

    https://www.tapinto.net/towns/belmar-slash-lake-como/articles/belmar-council-hears-plea-to-move-mass-along-oceanfront-slated-for-same-day-as-annual-autism-beach-bash

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 11:28 am | Permalink
  8. Anonymous wrote:

    #4. Thank you! Not even one police officer can be spared a few hours a day during the summer..We are very frustrated but we will not give up!

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 11:35 am | Permalink
  9. Aileen wrote:

    I hear you Jim. I am hoping overtime is being cut, as they say it is. Keeping both events mentioned above and having the police shut down Ocean Ave certainly isn’t helping either problem however.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 11:45 am | Permalink
  10. Anonymous wrote:

    Tap into story “who provided the 1000 person anticipated attendance for Mass? From their mouth to God’s ears. Where did they get such a figure guesstimate?

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 12:48 pm | Permalink
  11. Anonymous wrote:

    Not for nothing, and not saying that overtime couldnt be managed better and should be managed better in the police department, because I agree it could. But no one on this blog, not even the great Jim Bean ever ever, compares that to the amount of revenue that is generated by the violations issued and disposed to at the Municipal Court.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 3:52 pm | Permalink
  12. Belle wrote:

    Is there any update on the meeting that was held this morning regarding the 2 scheduled events? I’m hoping the church decided to have the Mass in another town. If anyone has any info please respond, thanks.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 3:52 pm | Permalink
  13. admin wrote:

    Yes I heard there was a happy outcome for the kids but I’m waiting for confirmation before I publish anything.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 3:59 pm | Permalink
  14. Anonymous wrote:

    #11- The days of paying Officers OT to go out and write tickets with the sole purpose to bring in revenue for towns’ is over. Unless the specific goals are for DWI, seatbelt or cell phone violations (or the like), a special Supreme Court committee has put the kabosh on it. Towns will have to find revenues elsewhere. Bump cone man back to Captain (perhaps he’ll get the hint and hit the road) and promote one of the two Captains to Chief. DO NOT fill the second Captain’s job and save $200k. CUT THE BUDGET.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 4:37 pm | Permalink
  15. Big ones wrote:

    Good move there’s plenty of parking in the marina not, there’s no parking there now

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 4:45 pm | Permalink
  16. OLD MAN wrote:

    #11 Somebody would have to compare the financial gain from more police. Knowing that probably nobody would know how to do that…. it would be a complete waste of effort. Don’t forget the OT must include all payroll taxes and increased pension liability. My son, CPA, said that not me.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 4:57 pm | Permalink
  17. Anonymous wrote:

    Still waiting on McCracken to report the answers to his 27 budget questions.
    (Cricket, cricket)

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 5:10 pm | Permalink
  18. Average Joe wrote:

    #17 Since McCrackeeeennnn isn’t going to answer he may well just resign because of his below average performance.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 6:29 pm | Permalink
  19. Anonymous wrote:

    Someone needs to tell the new BA that contrary to what HE may think, he doesn’t run the town. Maybe our form of government needs to be explained to him.

    Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 6:54 pm | Permalink
  20. the great Jim Bean wrote:

    #11, challenge accepted, but I need time. I’ll be in touch.

    FYI, I’ll use 2018 numbers since that is the last complete year I have.

    Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 7:39 am | Permalink
  21. Blunion wrote:

    You mess with cops overtime or lay one off and the union employs old school bully tactics. Threatening to support the candidate that promises to leave the cops alone.
    Public sector unions. The worst

    Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 8:29 am | Permalink
  22. Guest wrote:

    19. Correct you are! This egomaniac BA Kirschenbaum needs to check himself. BTW, who else is noticing him using his borough take-home car running personal errands on the weekends?

    Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 10:23 am | Permalink
  23. Anonymous wrote:

    #21- Half the cops don’t even live in town so they can’t vote here. And if cone man can’t pare down the out of control overtime, maybe it’s time to hire a Public Safety Director that will. I think the BA knows a little about Public Safety Directors. Someone please show cone man the door.

    Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 4:32 pm | Permalink
  24. The great Jim Bean wrote:

    For #11

    Let me start by saying these are public numbers and I’m just reporting what was asked. Maybe this is the price for living in a safe city.

    These are 2018 #’s

    I am a strong supporter of the Belmar police department but wanted to show that before a 22% tax increase there might have been a little fat that could have been trimmed in these numbers. In the 2019 budget most of these #’s went up. This does NOT necessarily mean this is what is going to be spent but they did budget them up. I’ll OPRA reports after Labor Day to get real up to date #’s.

    Also, we are patrolling Lake Como. I’ll throw in here all combined inter local MUN services agreements offset with appropriations. It’s $372,000. This is dispatch, court, fire, tax collector, etc

    ————————————

    2018 realized general ledger – The municipal court brought in $986,787.53 in revenue.

    No municipal court revenue goes to the beach.

    ———————————-

    2018 appropriations (expenses)
    MAIN BUDGET
    Police payroll – $3,011,079.06
    Police supplies\uniforms – $3,210,738.12
    Police vehicles – $19,346.99
    Police dispatchers – $223,596.82
    Police – radios – $295,674.88
    BEACH UTILITY
    Police payroll – $582,764.19
    Police supplies\uniforms – $609,655.97
    Police dispatchers – $112,340
    ——————————————-
    Total for appropriations for BPD:

    $8,065,196.03

    Ask questions. I’m always happy to answer or fix my mistakes if found.

    Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 5:17 pm | Permalink
  25. Anonymous wrote:

    Be careful what you wish for!

    Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 6:36 pm | Permalink
  26. Anonymous wrote:

    Point Pleasant Beach, 1.74 sq. mi., pop. 4600. Total 2018 budget $8.4M. Sounds like our budget is a little ????? high. ONE CHIEF, ONE CAPTAIN, ONE LT… 4 Sgts.

    Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 8:03 pm | Permalink
  27. Anonymous wrote:

    And who negotiated all of this for the cops ?

    Friday, August 23, 2019 at 5:05 am | Permalink
  28. Anonymous wrote:

    #27- Doherty’s blank check policy. CUT THE FAT. CUT THE BUDGET. or expect anther %10 tax hike next year. Jim Bean for council.

    Friday, August 23, 2019 at 7:08 am | Permalink
  29. Anonymous wrote:

    The new BA Kirshbaum is full of himself saying “my town”. Really, grow up.
    The police dept has been terribly mismanaged for years. No oversight, ridiculous overtime costs to the taxpayers. If he failed the chief test it’s time to get rid of him and bring someone in to straighten that dept out.

    Friday, August 23, 2019 at 8:31 am | Permalink
  30. Cash cow wrote:

    What exactly is Police supplies\uniforms – $3,210,738.12 ?

    what one mile town cost 3 million in supplies?

    Mr. Mccrackin are you really a Republican?

    Friday, August 23, 2019 at 9:29 am | Permalink
  31. OLD MAN wrote:

    So to get the entire police budget for the year do you have to add the main budget and the beach utility? Also does that include supplies to add both together? Why no police radios to get charge to beach utility? That’s a lot of money. It’s nuts

    Friday, August 23, 2019 at 10:53 am | Permalink
  32. Hold the unions wrote:

    #23- It doesn’t matter where the cops live. The PBA (all public sector unions actually) threaten to have their considerable political influence, considerable money, and considerable membership numbers used against the politician that dares screw around with their cops or their pay. Everyone gets mad at the teachers union, the public transit union, and literally every private sector union. Truth is- thePBA is no better. It’s a self perpetuating monster that negotiates contracts with the very people who count on their support for their political future. If Mark or any council member took an honest look at what is going on in this town and actually did what needs to be done? The union would use every weapon in their political arsenal to make sure they lose the next election. The way to combat that? Ignore the scary fliers that will come in the mail next fall claiming that so and so is soft on crime, or so and so hates freedom, or so and so hates cops. Otherwise, it’s bloated budgets and a top heavy police force.

    Friday, August 23, 2019 at 2:46 pm | Permalink
  33. No so great Jim Bean wrote:

    Guys, I am double checking my numbers. I got a bunch of control totals and department totals wrong.

    The number are incorrect.

    I’m going to re-do them. They will be smaller.

    I apologize.

    I’m re-doing them now.

    Friday, August 23, 2019 at 4:20 pm | Permalink
  34. No so great Jim Bean wrote:

    I am sorry for putting out incorrect numbers. I was rushing and added control totals to department totals.

    I’m glad cash cow asked a question.

    Here is the numbers. Yes significantly less then before. As soon as I notices I wanted to put a correction out.

    Police –

    035-100 & 200 – contains salaries, schooling, uniforms, office equipment, ammunition. – $3,210,738.12

    036-200 – Police vehicles $19,346.99

    037-100 – Dispatchers $295,674.88

    Beach utility
    035-100 & 200 – $609,655.97

    037-100 – Dispatchers\Comm $112,340

    Total : $4,247,755.96

    Friday, August 23, 2019 at 4:52 pm | Permalink
  35. anon wrote:

    #33,34 proving quickly is not as good as carefully in most cases but appreciate the ‘quick’acknowledgement.will await further analyse
    #32 proving NJ taxpayers are getting generally screwed and many are looking to other states as a result. this isn’t at all new but maybe guys like cops and teachers were taking it on the chin years ago while others were doing the bulk of the screwing and now as i say it is a general screwing

    Friday, August 23, 2019 at 5:45 pm | Permalink
  36. Tom Dilberger wrote:

    I think we’ve past the point of no return. We are losing taxpayers at an alarming rate and the powers that be don’t want to, or can’t stop the ball rolling. The interesting thing I’ve heard is that when many people flee this state (not Dave of course), they vote the same way where ever they go as what is bringing this state to its knees. You’d think they’d change their ways, but not so apparently.
    —————————————
    About “affordable housing,” it’s an effort to disperse a population around the state who can’t make it in the communities they are sent to and get them out of the state’s blighted urban areas. Of course, the effort will be a disaster, but hey, nothing’s going to change it at this point.

    Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 9:25 am | Permalink
  37. OLD MAN wrote:

    #36 Tom I agree with all of what you said. This country will be finished in say maybe 25 years.

    Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 5:42 pm | Permalink
  38. Aileen wrote:

    Seeing what the town spent after the fact is more important I think. Jim said earlier they “budget them up” – meaning it might not be what they actually spend. The previous admin. budgeted them down, stole from other pots, used FEMA money to cover costs and ran up the debt. The misappropriation of funds will hurt us for many years.

    Sunday, August 25, 2019 at 10:51 am | Permalink
  39. Just plain man wrote:

    #36- I don’t know, that’s a little hyperbolic. This country has been through some pretty devastating stuff in its 243 years. With many predicting it’s demise over the centuries. I think we’ll be ok. Every generation thinks it’s the last and thinks it’s the end of the world. That’s from a Wilco song.
    And boy is it true.

    Sunday, August 25, 2019 at 11:40 am | Permalink
  40. Anonymous wrote:

    38: Aileen from your lips to God’s ears. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a 5 year Business Plan. And, you as a successful Business Woman, know that Belmar had to, in January, 2019, start from the bottom up and weed out the gardens before we can reap it’s bounty of recovery from Doherty mismanagement and his mortgaging our futures and that of our childrens futures. If Doherty hado raised our taxes essentially just $50 each of the past 8 years we would not be inecessary the barrel now. Support is what is needed to recover as a whole.

    Sunday, August 25, 2019 at 6:28 pm | Permalink
  41. Anonymous wrote:

    The best part about Doherty leaving is that it has forced people to take a good look at our budget and realize just how much FAT there is to cut. M&C, start cutting or you’re all history. Jim Bean for council.

    Sunday, August 25, 2019 at 7:24 pm | Permalink
  42. Anonymous wrote:

    #41: Many, many honorable residents reviewed the budgets, challenged, publicized the hoodwinking and tried, sometimes successfully, to shine light on Doherty and his schemes to mortgage our futures (in order for him to stay in power). Unfortunately the light wasn’t strong enough to rout Doherty before he put us on bankruptcy s doorstep. The irony was that we were unified with a common goal: Win November 2018 and dig us out of a bankruptcy crater. We are doing our best daily. BELMAR has a “Marshall Plan” not a path to destroy with the failed ideology of one man.

    Monday, August 26, 2019 at 10:09 am | Permalink
  43. Mind the gap wrote:

    It’s true. No one on this blog would be screaming about matching shirts or washing boro vehicles if Matt D and his merry band of sycophants hadn’t raided the cookie jar.
    And for those of you that are about to respond to this comment with- ‘stop blaming the prior administration and move on’. I say to you: I will be the first to do that right after Matt Doherty takes responsibility for what he has done, not only to the towns financial health, but to its very essence. And in that public mea culpa, he is flanked by Jen N, Brian Mc, and Tom B. When that happens publicly, a full account of his morally bankrupt self serving deeds, then I will move on.

    Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at 8:26 am | Permalink
  44. legion wrote:

    #43 That public mea culpa will not happen, as Mr. Doherty boldly runs around town in his running clothes with his nose in the air. Who would catch him on a morning or evening run and yell “get outta town – keep running!”

    Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at 9:26 am | Permalink

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