As a courtesy to our SHPOA Members, we’re bringing you a summary of each Stone Harbor Work Session and Council Meeting. Intended as summaries, these intentionally don’t have a lot of details and are not a substitute for the official Borough minutes.
In Memoriam
The meeting opened with condolences to the family of Jack Gensemer, a long-time resident, dedicated zoning committee member, and husband to Council President Jen Gensemer, who passed away on October 5.

Budget & Employee Benefits
The 2026 Borough Budget is due to the Finance Committee by October 15. The Borough had aimed to avoid a 40% increase in state health insurance costs by utilizing a private insurer. However, due to the existing high claims-to-contribution ratio, that option is no longer viable. To address this, the Borough will implement a high-deductible health plan paired with a Health Savings Account (HSA) for employees.

Infrastructure & Capital Projects
Several ongoing and upcoming projects were discussed:

Playground at 83rd Street – Bidding is underway; construction should be completed in time for Summer 2026.

Tennis Building at 96th Street – Demolition is complete. The new facility is expected to be constructed over the winter and include public restrooms.

Capital Improvement Projects in Design Phase:
Reconstruction of 121st Street

Resurfacing of Pickleball Courts at 82nd Street

Outflow pipe replacement on 111th and 114th Streets

Replacement of the boat ramp at 81st Street Marina

Ordinances & Resolutions
A resolution was passed to allow competitive bidding for plumbing, mechanical, and electrical inspections.

The Borough extended its solid waste disposal agreement with Cape May County through 2026.

An ordinance was introduced to revise the bulkhead code to clarify existing ambiguities. Formal language is scheduled to be presented at the next meeting.

Personnel Updates: Four new promotions were made in the Public Works Department, with three promotions to supervisor roles, and a new Executive Assistant has been appointed.

To view legislation from this meeting, please click: https://stoneharbornj.org/wp-
content/uploads/2025/10/Regular-Agenda-with-Back-Up-10-07-2025.pdf

To view a video of the meeting, please click:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mQKrOkmgs0

NOTE: As you may know, our friends at the Cape May County Herald are offering SHPOA members only an exclusive discount for Herald subscriptions — 25% OFF with code “SHPOA” — and they are also providing your association advertising space in print and online for us to promote the association and the initiatives important to our members.

To subscribe and use the discount, please click on https://capemaycountyherald.com/subscribe/ and use promo code “SHPOA” at checkout to claim your 25% discount. Only valid for new subscribers.
To read past Stone Harbor Council Meeting summaries, please click here: https://www.stoneharborpoa.org/category/borough-meeting-summaries/

To watch recordings of past meetings, please click here: https://stoneharbornj.org/agendameetings/watch-mayor-and-council-meetings-online/