The City of Brigantine introduced two bond ordinances at the July 12th City Council meeting. These bonds will finance capital improvements, in the amount of $17,218,800, as well as improvements to the City’s water and sewer utility, in the amount of $8,960,000.
Mayor Vince Sera stated, “These bonds will have little to no impact on taxes. Council plans on continuing to improve our roads, beaches, recreational facilities, and public buildings. The City will be making major capital investments all across the Island.”
The utility bond includes money for necessary maintenance and repairs to the City’s public water and sewer system as well as the initial costs needed to continue the City's efforts to comply with the State’s new mandate requiring all municipalities to replace galvanized water service lines.
“Regular upkeep and timely repairs are crucial to prevent costly emergency situations. Emergency repairs are often very expensive and can strain the city's budget. It makes good financial sense for the City to prioritize ongoing maintenance and repairs, rather than allowing issues to escalate into emergencies. Many municipalities fail to allocate sufficient funds for the proper maintenance of their water and sewer utilities, leading to skyrocketing costs that often force them to sell to private, for-profit companies. These companies typically raise rates anywhere from 400 to 500% in order to make a profit and cover the cost of the many years of neglect. Keeping the water and sewer utility public, rather than privately owned, helps keep costs down for everyone in the City.” said Mayor Sera.
A public hearing on the adoption of these bond ordinances will be held at the August 7th Brigantine City Council meeting.
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