As a courtesy to our SHPOA Members, we’re bringing you this summary of the Stone Harbor Work Session and Council Meeting on September 7, 2021.

Work Session

Flood Mitigation Grants
During its Sept. 7 2021 work session, Jim Rutala, a consultant for the Federal Emergency Management Agency BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) discussed the availability of funds for resiliency projects. He will assist the Borough in submitting a flood mitigation project for the area on 80th to 89th Streets from the bay to Second Ave. FEMA would provide 75% of the funds. This project was submitted last year and rejected. The prior proposal will be refined to address FEMA feedback.

Paving
Council discussed the county’s planned repaving of Third Ave from 80th to 96th Street in 2023 that accelerates the timetable of Borough projects for a new Sanitary Sewer and Water Main that should be completed before repaving. Proposals for the designs of those projects will be sent out for bid shortly.

Trash Collection
The Public Works Department and Council discussed alternative methods for trash collection. Nine options are being explored that include outsourcing, reduction of services, automation, and variations of the three approaches. The Public Works Committee does not feel that reduction of services should be pursued. Costs for the various options will be developed and reviewed with Council at a later date.

LifeGuard HQ
Construction of the new Lifeguard Headquarters has started with the partial closing of the 96th Street parking lot.

Condemnation and CAFRA
Council discussed a new resolution on Condemnation Powers. At the recommendation from the state Department of Environmental Protection, the Borough would have the right to exercise the power of eminent domain to obtain easements for permits. This is being pursued because of significant delays from two properties that have not signed Coastal Area Facilities Review Act permits for flood projects.

Budget Calendar
Chief Financial Officer Jim Kraft discussed a preliminary calendar for the 2022 budget. The Administration and Finance Committee will finalize the calendar and recommend whether the calendar should be defined in an ordinance, executive order, or other method.

Council Meeting

The Courts Ordinance and More
Several residents spoke in open session about the proposed ordinance for the Courts (Chelsea, Stone, Weber courts and Linden Lane) that would allow the addition of a second story. The ordinance is being revised and will be resubmitted for a vote from Council at a future meeting.

Bond Anticipation Notes and Summer Police Officers
Council passed a resolution to issue bond anticipation notes in the amount of approximately $30 million for short financing of past and future bond issues, some of which concern water and sewer projects.

Council passed a resolution to extend the employment of summer officers through October 31st.

For documents discussed at the meeting, please hit this link: https://stoneharbornj.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/September-7-2021-1.pdf

For a video recording, please hit this link: https://youtu.be/AhXKHWI6sjE