MARGATE – The Board of Commissioners Thursday, Dec. 5 pulled a release agreement for former building inspector Jim Galantino, made several professional appointments for 2025 and set a date to close on the purchase of a gas station to create parking.
The board reappointed James M. Rutala as the city’s planning and grant consultant, Fleishmen-Daniels Law Offices as bond counsel, Hank Rovillard as tax attorney, and Dave Million as risk management consultant. It also appointed James Swift as public defender, the Law office of Blaney Donohue & Weinberg as labor counsel, Jerry H. Steiner as public defender, and Carl N. Tripician as municipal court judge.
Chuck LaBarre was reappointed as a member of the Lifeguard Pension Committee and employee John Voight was promoted to the position of senior accounting clerk.
The board cancelled a planned executive session to discuss personnel matters and pulled from the agenda an agreement releasing Galantino who submitted his letter of retirement as of Jan. 1, 2025.
No reason was given for pulling the item from the agenda.
In other business, the board heard from Solicitor John Scott Abbott that the city expects to settle its agreement to purchase the Liberty gas station, tentatively set for Dec. 18.
“We are working out the final details in a written document with Exxon where Exxon will contribute monies toward the demolition of the building…and finalize cleanup of the property,” Abbott said.
Remington & Vernick Engineers conducted an environmental investigation, Abbott said.
The city agreed to purchase the gas station at 7901 Ventnor Ave. from Bryan and Colleen Taylor for $2.3 million and bonded $3 million to turn it into a parking lot with green space. The city is hoping to reduce the cost of its investment by applying for a $1 million competitive land acquisition grant offered through the NJ Economic Development Authority.
Abbott said the Taylors will be able to occupy the property to close the business until such time as Exxon demolishes the building and finalizes the cleanup.
Engineer Ed Dennis said the company conducted a thorough analysis and revealed no new areas of concern other than what is already known.
Exxon has remediated portions of the property and there are 19 monitoring wells, Abbott said.
“Once the actual building is demolished, they can come in with their heavy equipment and remove the contaminated soil and tanks,” he said.
Copyright Access Network 2024
