Stone Harbor Unveils $12.8M Budget, Introduction in March

STONE HARBOR — Unless numbers are further crunched, always possible before Borough Council formally introduces its 2011, $12.8-million municipal budget March 15, taxes will increase.
Of the total, $8.9 million must be raised by taxes, an increase of $170,429, or 1.96 percent over 2010.
According to Councilwoman Joanne Vaul, at the Tue. Feb. 15 unveiling of the spending plan, the average increase for local purposes (excluding school and county tax) will be $54 per household, or $13 a quarter. Those figures are based on the cost spread among 3,154 properties whose total ratable value is $4.4 billion. An average dwelling in the resort is $1.4 million, Vaul said. Owners can estimate what the budget may mean to them.
The budget is up $537, 959, or 4.4 percent, according to documents provided.
To trim the increase, $921,000 of surplus, from $1.8 million will be used. That 50 percent figure is what the borough council has historically used.
About 30 days after the budget is introduced, likely in mid-April, it will get a public airing before final passage.
Those who wish to view the budget on-line can visit the borough website: http://www.stone-harbor.nj.us or they may call the borough Finance Office (609) 368-6808.
Printed handouts of the various Power Point slides were made available to the public at the meeting.
Mayor Suzanne Walters announced that the county expects to break ground for the borough branch of the Cape May County Library in April or May.
“The DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) moved off the dime, and we are going to get our library,” the mayor said. “They put a change into the scenic rules that exempt buildings, such as a library,” she continued.
The county expects to go to bid on the project in March. The borough must still do its “homework,” said Walters, which means a zoning variance for the beachfront location.
“We are moving forward, finally,” she said.
The library has been a point of contention among some borough residents.
Vaul said borough taxpayers pay $1.3 million annually toward the county library system, and $464,000 to the county Open Space fund. “We are pursing that so we get our fair share in Stone Harbor going forward,” said Vaul.
Among anticipated retirements this year will be Chief of Police William Toland and Administrator Kenneth Hawk. Because of those planned departures, there will be three-month salary overlaps as successors are hired in time to be briefed so as to make smooth transitions.
Public Safety budget is $2.3 million, down $43,343 over 2010. Public Works is $1.9 million, up $124,217.
Beach and Recreation and Tourism is up $26,120 to $984,509, a 2.7 percent increase.
Some 80 percent of that is salary and wages for lifeguard, beach tag inspectors and recreation staff, explained Councilwoman Judith Davies-Dunhour. A $22,000 increase was made for a $1 increase in steps for lifeguard salaries. That is the first time “in several years” an increase was made, she said.
A 10 percent increase in hours will be allocated to Tourism Director Joanne DelVessio, Davies-Dunhour said. “We saw the need for her to work more. We need to keep a tight reign on her hours. Joann did a lot of work over and above what was contracted for. We added more hours to her and her salary,” she added.
“We are hoping gas doesn’t exceed $4 a gallon,” said Councilman Barry Mastrangelo who chairs Public Works and bulk utilities.
Hawk alerted the public to a new monitor on Borough Hall’s first-floor that shows the amount of solar energy generated by panels at the Public Works yard. Although it is relatively new, “We knocked off $1,000 from the utility bill, and we haven’t gone through the summer.” He said an $185,000 state grant helped pay for the panel farm.
It is expected to generate income sometime between six and eight years in the future as the borough begins receiving payment for energy credits those panels generate, when purchased by industries that use pollutants, and need to offset that with “green” energy.
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com