VENTNOR – A dozen houses on the Margate side of Fredericksburg Avenue near Monmouth Avenue are connected to Ventnor’s Water and Sewer system.
The city discovered that the Margate residents were not paying Ventnor for their water and sewer service and asked Margate to reimburse the city for the error over the last five years.
Margate recently reimbursed Ventnor $13,000 for the error, but Ventnor Commissioner of Finance Maria Mento wants Margate to pay the full rate that users in Ventnor pay going forward.
“Whoever is buying our water should pay what everybody else is paying to buy their water,” Mento said. “If Margate’s rate is higher, they are paying more than what Ventnor people are paying; if Margate’s rate is lower, they are paying less than Ventnor people are paying.”
Mento said she is not too concerned about the past payment, but moving forward, those homeowners should pay Ventnor’s rate, she said.
Following a discussion at the Oct. 23 meeting, the commissioners agreed to table the resolution to allow City Administrator Tom Ciccarone to do some more research on how to best charge the Margate residents for their water and sewer service. He recommended the board approve the resolution and revisit the rates moving forward.
Despite not knowing if Margate’s rates are higher or lower than Ventnor’s, Mento requested the resolution be tabled until more research could be completed.
“I don’t want it to get lost, and once it’s approved, it’s done and Margate could say no,” Mento said.
In another personnel matter, the board passed a resolution to leave the NJ State Health Benefits program to reduce costs for employees and taxpayers. Several other local municipalities have also left the SHBP due to a projected 35% increase in premiums for 2026.
The city chose to select another health and prescription program that is “equal to or better than” the SHBP.
The new plan will have a lower cost and is projecting a 15% increase in premiums next year.
The board also approved an interlocal agreement with Atlantic County for its pending street tree replacement program on Ventnor Avenue, which is a county roadway.
Damaged or dying trees will be removed and replaced and tree planting strips will be cleaned out, bordered with block and planted with native plants, Mayor Tim Kriebel said.
Additionally, the boardwalk reconstruction project, which will replace a section of boardwalk near Atlantic City, will begin within a couple of weeks, Kriebel said.
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