We have a number of great initiatives underway including upgrading the “Welcome to Holgate” sign and are working to bring them to fruition in 2018. In addition, below are the notes taken by HTA Trustee, Marianne Hurley, at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Commissioners on April 9th. Please note that the spring membership meeting will be at the Township Hall on Saturday, June 2nd at 10:00 am. The Mayor and the other Commissioners will be available to answer your questions. As you know there is strength in numbers and currently our membership is at an all time high. If you have not paid your membership dues for 2018, please consider making your payment at this time. Further, we encourage you to talk with your neighbors and friends who may be new to the area or who are not members but may be interested in becoming members of the Holgate Taxpayers Association.

April 9, 2018 Commissioners Meeting Notes:

The budget is finished and our taxes thankfully, are only going to be raised quite moderately. Sewer and water taxes will remain the same. We are having a property assessment which has been ordered by the County since we have not had one since the 80’s. The contract with the appraisal company has been signed at a total cost of $500,000, and now it is just a matter of clearing up some of the questions that the County has and the final paperwork has to be completed by June. Some property owners have already been saying that they will not let anyone in to their homes to complete the requirements. They have been told that they can deny access 3x’s but on the 4th time the appraisers will just do what they have to do from the outside without gaining access and then it will be up to the property owner to fight with them if they are not happy with the outcome. The buses will be back but there will be a fee this year. A one way pass will be $2.00 and an all day pass will be $5.00. Bus drivers will not be making change so riders must have exact change or if they presented a $5.00 bill for example for a $2.00 ride, then they will not be refunded any money. Next year they hope to be offering seasonal passes, but there are many questions and kinks to iron out before we get there. They are looking into other shore towns which have been very successful and using their good points. They are also having very late night buses. More details about times and schedules will be available in the Sandpaper. Shredders will be on the Island in April, June and September and once again dates, times and locations will be in the Sandpaper and while there, check the trash/recycling summer schedule. They are still waiting for the permit for the jetty work which is probably about 6 months away as the Army Corps called for a second design/opinion from Stephens Institute besides the one that they have already have from Stockton. The Township has nothing to do with this. Work is being done on various parts of the Island for Beach Replenishment, i.e., Daddio’s and the Township is working on fixing up our beaches here in Holgate. A re-cap of the meeting can also be found in the April 11th edition of the Sandpaper.