Margate City Beach Patrol Headquarters
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE – The Board of Commissioners Thursday, April 18 introduced an ordinance expanding parking meter zones within the city.
The new parking meter zones are located at city parking lots, Police Chief Matthew Hankinson said.
Parking will be permitted for a maximum of 24 hours a day at the rate of $1 per hour through the ParkMobile app. Parking fees will be implemented at the Public Works lot at 200 N. Benson Ave. and at the city lot located at 15 N. Washington Ave., where some users have long-term parking leases.
The parking fees will be in effect from the Friday before Memorial Day to Sept. 30. Penalty for violations is $35 per violation.
A public hearing on the ordinance will be held 5 p.m. Thursday, May 2.
After hearing from its health benefits broker about other opportunities for providing employees with health coverage that could be less expensive for taxpayers, the board approved a resolution withdrawing from the NJ State Health Benefits Program, which provides medical and prescription drug coverage for active and retired employees. According to the resolution, the NJ State Health Benefits program is calling for a steep increase in premiums in 2025.
According to the city’s health insurance broker, Sean Gormley of Brown and Brown, the move could save between $351,000 and $414,000 on the overall cost of premiums if the state plan follows through with projections and increases premiums by “double digits” in 2025.
The resolution calls for the city to give the State Health Benefits Commission 60-days’ notice of the cancellation. The city will consider a resolution at its May 2 meeting appointing a new insurance carrier, Chief Financial Officer Lisa McLaughlin said.
New coverage will be the same or better than existing coverage, Gormley said.
The board also appointed Christopher C. Graves as interim chief of the Beach Patrol. A swearing-in ceremony will be held at a future meeting, Fire Chief Dan Adams said.
In other business, the board awarded a contract totaling $499,662 to Core & Main, LP of Berlin to complete Phase 3 of the city’s ongoing water meter replacement program.
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