10/5/16 Business Meeting

B.A. Camille Tooker

SOUTH AMBOY – B.A. Camille Tooker was happy to report that the City passed the requirements on listed on the Best Practices Evaluation. “The Department of Community Affairs sends out a worksheet that we fill out to see how well we run the City. If a City does not score high enough, then State Aid can be reduced by 10%. We, the City of South Amboy scored high enough not to lose any aid. We had to prepare documents to comply to some of the questions asked on the Best Practices Form.”

Tooker gave one example: “We created SARA (South Amboy Redevelopment Agency). We had to make sure that the SARA Board operates the way it should. We also had to supply an annual report of what projects SARA has been involved in.”

South Amboy Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Angel Albanese said, “Sometimes the State Best Practice forms that are sent out may have a reduction of questions asked before or different questions may be asked.”

Ordinance No.15-2016 – To supplement Chapter 5, Article VIII, Section 5-71E of the Code of the South Amboy Code entitled Office of the Tax Assessor.

B. A. Tooker said, “They need to get this into the Code Book. This is tax access for the CFO regarding Tax Appeals. This is required by Best Practices.”

Council President Mickey Gross congratulated Tooker and Albanese on the excellent job that they do.

Resolution R-156-2016 – Authorizing the Submission of a grant application to the Department of Community Affairs for Sandy Non-Federal Cost Share Program.

Tooker said, “It’s important that we apply for this. The City Submitted costs associated with damage done by Superstorm Sandy. FEMA  paid for 90% of the submitted cost and we had to pay 10% of the cost shared. Now we can apply for this grant to get our 10% cost back.”

At the end of the Meeting Council President Mickey Gross went around the table to see if anyone had any comments to make. When it came to Tooker, she replied, “No.”

Gross nudged her and reminded her about an important phone call she received earlier in the day. She broke into a broad smile and announced, “The City had been accepted into the Sustainable New Jersey Program. Because of this, we can now apply for certain grants. We are not certified as of yet because you need to accumulate at least 150 points.”

Council President Gross mentioned two City Employees who pushed for the City to get involved in the Sustainable New Jersey Program. He urged the Council to any take classes pertaining to this program.

Mayor Henry was happy to report, “The City will be putting its ordinances online and I know that it’s been a very long process.”