Address Avalon Home and Land Owners Association Meeting by Avalon - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

2015 State of the Borough Address Avalon Home and Land Owners Association Meeting by Avalon Mayor Martin L. Pagliughi August 8, 2015

2015 Avalon Municipal Budget Highlights of the 2015 Avalon Municipal Budget: -0.2 cent tax increase, one of the lowest tax rates in New Jersey -$3.8 million in surplus funding resulting in a AAA bond rating by Standard and Poor’s -Independent 2015 audit report shows no suggestions for improvement to the Avalon Office of Finance

2015 Budget Changes TOTAL BUDGET 2015 $ 25,339,828 TOTAL BUDGET 2014 $ 27,928,877 DECREASE IN BUDGET $ -2,589,049 BOROUGH TAX LEVY 2015 $ 16,637,528 BOROUGH TAX LEVY 2014 $ 16,369,000 INCREASE IN TAX LEVY $ 268,528 BOROUGH TAX RATE 2015 22.6 CENTS BOROUGH TAX RATE 2014 22.4 CENTS NET VALUATION TAXABLE 2015 $ 7,367,492,940 NET VALUATION TAXABLE 2014 $ 7,308,584,327 INCREASE IN RATABLES (NET) $ 59,908,613

Major Factors in the 2015 Budget Surplus Surplus Generated in 2014 $3,505,639 STATUS OF SURPLUS BALANCE DECEMBER 31, 2014 6,519,812 USED IN 2015 BUDGET 2,885,000 REMAINING SURPLUS $ 3,634,812 HAVING RECURRING SURPLUS IS IMPORTANT IN MAINTAINING FAVORABLE BOND RATING

Change over last year's budget appropriations ($2,589,049) Breakdown: Salary and Wage Increase $118,442 Other Expense - Change: Capital Projects 892,823 Insurance Cost (Outside CAPS) 66,000 Debt Service (593,299) Surplus Transfer to W/S and Beach (16,883) Grants (Back bay/39 th Street Park) (3,178,392) Statutory Expenses – Pension (26,946) Prior Year Payment of Bills (48,255) Reserve for Uncollected Taxes 71,914 Library Appropriation 30,228 General Government 95,318 ($2,802,809) ($2,589,049)

Change in Revenues ($2,589,049) Breakdown: Surplus $47,641 Receipts from Delinquent Taxes 100,000 Other Special Items (15,755) Grants With Offsetting Appropriations (3,178,392) Local Revenues/State Aid/Misc 6,226 Transfer of Excess Library Surplus 152,475 ($2,887,806) Library Tax Levy Increase 30,228 Local Tax Levy 268,528 $298,756 Total Change in Revenue ($2,589,049)

Current Fund Revenues 2015 $25,339,828 2014 $24,820,208 $18,000,000 $16,000,000 $14,000,000 $12,000,000 $10,000,000 $8,000,000 $6,000,000 $4,000,000 $2,000,000 $0

Current Fund Appropriations 2015 $25,339,828 2014 $24,820,208 $8,000,000 $7,000,000 $6,000,000 $5,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000 $0

2015 Major Capital Projects • General Capital – Beach Nourishment $6,300,000 – 28 th Street Parking Lot 480,000 – 30 th Street Beach Improvements 300,000 – Improvements to Community Hall/Playground Improvements * 82,000 – Public Works Equipment *124,000 – Back Bay Dredging *160,000 – Bulkhead/Storm Drain 80 th St. *135,000

2015 Avalon Beach Fill Project Over 700,000 cubic yards of sand was placed from 8 th Street south, tapering off at 25 th /26 th Street border. Avalon is seeking reimbursement from the State of New Jersey to help fund this project. The beach fill was completed in 18 days.

2015 Avalon Back Bay Dredging Project Continues in September What comes next for our dredging project? -Project scheduled for September 15 th through December 31 st , 2015 -Touch up work in Princeton Harbor, then to Sterbeck Harbor in Middle Township, Pennsylvania Harbor, 3 rd Avenue waterway north, Cornell Harbor, and possibly Porpoise Lagoon -Mobile Dredging will do the main channels; Mobile has contracted with Channel Marine to again dredge private boat slips.

Avalon School District Track/Fitness Stations/Basketball Project to be completed by this time next week. County’s only 1/8 mile walking/jogging track, fitness equipment, and new basketball court. We congratulate the Avalon School Board/School District for this important community initiative

Healthy Forestry Initiative at Armacost Park A Pilot Program is underway at the Park which is being choked by invasive vines. Avalon cleared vines from a small portion of the Park and planted 300 seedlings in early Spring 2015. Evaluation will be conducted late Fall. “Both Armacost Park and the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary are areas that are suffering from an invasion of non-native and invasive vines. In both the Park and Sanctuary, invasive and non-native plants are smothering trees and impacting the health and suitability of the natural area for wildlife” --Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Wetlands Institute

Who’s New in Avalon in 2015? Avalon Councilman Bill Burns Bill joined Avalon Borough Council in July, 2015 to replace Dave Ellenberg, who retired from Council. We welcome Bill to our Avalon Team! Nina Ranalli, Director, Avalon History Center Nina has brought a fresh new vision to the History Center and has added exciting new displays and activities to enjoy year- ’round. Chuck McDonnell, Avalon Dept. of Recreation In 2015, Chuck has implemented new recreational activities, new website/social media, and elevated all special events in the Borough of Avalon. Chuck joined the Avalon Team in February, 2015.

What’s New in Avalon in 2015? Avalon received grant funding from the County of Cape May to develop a brand new community park at 39 th Street and Dune Drive with bocce courts, gazebo, and playground equipment. Avalon also used that funding to create an educational Dune and Beach Trail along the 44 th and 48 th Street Beach Paths. Learn about Avalon’s valuable and delicate environment in our dune system.

Thank you to AHLOA for its contributions to the Borough of Avalon! Please feel free to reach my office anytime at (609) 967-8333 Or email me at mpagliughi@avalonboro.net