Longport's half-block-long commerical district includes a real estate office and two restaurants.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
LONGPORT The Board of Commissioners Sept. 21 held a public hearing and approved an ordinance raising the wages for employees in the Public Works Department 3.5% annually until 2025. The board also discussed revisions to angled parking spaces in front of the borough's three commercial properties on Atlantic Avenue.
An employee with a Commercial Driver's License will earn a starting salary of $20 per hour in 2022 and $36.07 per hour in 2025 for an employee with six years of employment. Non-CDL licensed employees will receive a starting salary of $16.15 in 2022 to $24.99 in 2025 for an employee with six years of service. The assistant supervisor will earn $36.78 per hour in year one of the contract to $40.78 in the final year of the contract. Apprentices will earn a starting salary of $15.68.
The board also agreed to purchase a New Holland Cab Tractor for the Public Works Department at a cost of $85,937. The tractor will be delivered by Peach Country Tractor, Inc., a Sourcewell national cooperative purchasing company. It also approved the purchase of a Holmatro Pentheon Battery Rescue System from ESI Equipment Inc. for a total of $56,704.
The board awarded a $386,507 contract to Lexa Concrete LLC of Hammonton for reconstruction of a portion of Monmouth Avenue. According to borough engineer Ed Dennis Jr. of Remington & Vernick Engineers, five bids were received on Sept. 15. Low bidder Lexa Concrete's bid was $50,000 below the engineer's estimate.
The board also rejected all bids received for rehabilitation of the water tower that smiles over the borough. A total of five bids were received but they exceeded the engineer's cost estimate for the job. The borough will re-advertise for bids and award a contract at a future meeting.
The board also discussed changes to the parking configuration on Atlantic Avenue as part of the pending road reconstruction project currently in the design phase. The proposal includes removing the angled parking spaces in front of Long & Foster Real Estate, Ozzie's and Catch and replacing them with parallel parking spaces. Both restaurant owners have requested approval to install awnings to accommodate their customers during the summer season.
Dennis said the angled parking spaces on both sides of Atlantic Avenue are not in compliance with state regulations regarding the space needed for parking stalls. The revision could provide enough room to make the area more pedestrian and business friendly by adding 8 more feet to the existing sidewalk. Making the change would allow the roadway to be striped for a bicycle lane, which would make the roadway safer for all travelers.
Although the change would eliminate four angled parking spaces on the restaurant side of the avenue, the borough can pick up three angled spaces on the ocean side of Atlantic Avenue between 24th and 25th avenues, where some angled parking currently exists, he said.
Officials said they believe the change would comply with the borough's state approved Municipal Beach Access Plan, which regulates public parking for beachgoers.
I don't believe we would violate the MPAP by eliminating these spaces, because we are going to have to eliminate them anyway as part of the road project, Borough Attorney Michael Affanato said.
We put a Band-Aid on parking by allowing the use of the municipal lot. On weekends, it is packed, Russo said. We do need additional street parking for customers and employees of the restaurants. I would be in favor of additional angled parking on Atlantic Avenue.
The plans will be revised and included in a bid offering next month, Dennis said.
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