Longport introduces more than $10 million in bond ordinances

Longport's Board of Commissioners introduced three bond ordinances Wednesday totaling $10.2 million for capital, infrastructure and utility projects. 

Ordinance 2024-18 appropriates $4,225,000 for general capital improvements, as follows:

• $1,175,000 to purchase vehicles and equipment for the Public Works, Fire and Police departments, as well as the Beach Patrol and improvements at Borough Hall.
• $405,000 for construction projects to replace bulkheads, including planning, engineering, preparation of plans and specifications, permits, bidding documents, construction inspections and administration.
• $1,750,000 to improve municipal buildings, including Borough Hall, Community Center, firehouse, Public Works yard, and including soft costs for planning, architectural, engineering, permits, plans and specs, bidding, inspections and administration.
• $895,000 for road improvements, storm sewer outfalls, drainage, ADA accessibility projects, including soft costs.

Ordinance 2024-19 appropriates $1.5 million for utility projects, as follows:

• $310,000 for improvements to the borough’s sanitary sewer system and water service, including soft costs.
• $1,050,000 for reconstruction of Atlantic Avenue between 27th and 32nd avenues, which will include upgrading all water and sewer lines, including soft costs.
• $150,000 for redevelopment of Well No. 3, including soft costs.

Ordinance 2024-20 appropriates $4.5 million for Phase I of the borough’s requirement to upgrade lead water service lines to all homes. The Lead Service Line Replacement Project, which has been mandated by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection to remove lead or galvanized steel pipes from all utilities in the state, will be completed over the next 10 years. Up to 50% of the cost of replacing the lines will be forgiven in a grant/loan program called, iBank, which will help municipalities fund the mandated projects. 

The board also approved a resolution awarding a $210,000 professional services contract to Remington & Vernick Engineers of Pleasantville for engineering services related to Phase I of the lead replacement line project.

All three bonds authorize the borough to draw down funding when needed, but also allows the borough to accept grants and loans to fund the projects. The bond ordinances state that the amount of the obligations authorized but not issued shall be reduced if the funds are not used.

Commissioner Jim Leeds said he would be voting against Ordinance 2024-18 because it does not contain funding for a new apparatus for the Longport Volunteer Fire Department.

Second readings and votes on the ordinances will be held at the July 17 Board of Commissioners meeting immediately following the worksession that starts at 4 p.m.

In other business, the board announced that the borough received a $64,000 Local Recreation Improvement Grant from the NJ Department of Community Affairs. The grant will be used toward improvements to the lot on 25th Avenue that was donated to the borough by the Estate of Dorothy McGee to forever be used as a passive park.

The board also passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Nicholas Russo to execute a memorandum of agreement with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management accepting a $55,000 impact fee related to offshore wind energy.

Atlantic Shores Wind Project South will have a visual impact on historical structures along the coast, including the Great Egg Coast Guard Station building that currently serves as the Longport Historical Society Museum.

Solicitor Michael Affanato said the agreement contains no requirement that the commission support the project, which will build as many as 200 wind turbines 9 miles off the coast of New Jersey.

“There is absolutely no requirement that we support the wind farms,” he said. “It is a legal obligation the windfarm has to make payments to various municipalities throughout Atlantic and Cape May counties.”

Other municipalities, including those that are filing lawsuits to try to stop the wind farms from ever being built, will be receiving considerably higher amounts. 

Funding will be used for repair and maintenance of the building, Affanato said.

The Library Foundation, which maintains the historic structure, has planned for the money to be used to repair a damaged balcony that could become a safety hazard, Library Director Ricky Gerhardt said.