iLoveSeaisle.com Paul Bodo

S E A I S L E C I T Y , N J W I N T E R 2 0 1 1

Sea Isle Update Sea Isle City, NJ – On January 11, Sea Isle City Mayor Leonard Desiderio presented the City’s 2011 Budget to City Council on the same day he delivered his annual “State of the City” address. With residents, civic leaders and all five City Council members looking on, the Mayor rendered a ten minute speech, which featured the overall message that the state of Sea Isle City is indeed very good.

Early in his presentation, the Mayor stated that the City’s Mayoral-City Council form of government, which is similar to both the national and state models, functions best when it “includes” the entire community.”

“Our form of government has worked for over 200 years and it balances the power between two separate branches, executive and legislative,” the mayor said. “That’s not to say we’re always in agreement. But, there is nothing wrong with that.

“Today it will be my honor to present one of the first budgets in the state that complies with the Governor’s 2% cap. The budget will have no increase at all in the local purpose tax levy…Sea Isle will actually come in $470,000 under the allowable tax levy. It is a budget that might be unmatched in the State of New Jersey.”

In his explanation, Mayor Desiderio pointed out that the City has downsized its staff in an orderly manner that will not affect services and will effectively save taxpayer dollars. Additionally, the City has reopened all contracts and made major changes in municipal employee health benefits, saving significant money in the coming year.

Mayor Desiderio further stated that the City’s 2011 fiscal year will begin with an available surplus of nearly $2 million and that Sea Isle’s tax collection percentage remains at 98.47%. “This is a very encouraging sign in this economy,” said Mayor Desiderio.

A portion of the Mayor’s speech highlighted the many successful projects that have been completed during the past year, including a new public marina, where the City’s only amusement park, Gillian’s Funland, is located. The success of that park, which was the only facility of its type constructed in the United States during 2009, led to its expansion in 2010.

In addition to Sea Isle City’s new branch of the Cape May County library, which is currently under construction on 48th Street at Central Ave, Mayor Desiderio mentioned the City’s new Veteran’s Park and Lifeguard Headquarters, which were both completed in 2010. The beneficial results of the City’s two recent beach replenishment projects were also mentioned, as were comments about Sea Isle’s bright future and what projects are included in the municipality’s 2011 budget.

“Looking ahead, 2011 will bring more improvements to the City, which will be highlighted by the establishment of the Excursion Park Entertainment Complex at JFK Boulevard and the Promenade,” said the mayor.

The City’s new entertainment complex will include a band shell at Excursion Park, an updated seating area on the Promenade, a beautiful new beach pavilion and public art. Other City projects on the immediate horizon include

renovations at the basketball courts and playground facility on JFK Boulevard, as well as a major water/sewer project on Central Ave, 49th to 69th Streets, which will be followed by resurfacing of that roadway.

At approximately $24 million, Sea Isle City’s 2011 budget includes a $5 million state reimbursement for earlier beach replenishment projects. It also includes money for the demolition of two buildings, the completion of the City’s police accreditation process and the maintenance of the City’s assets and infrastructure.

“We have accomplished all of this with no reduction in City services, no layoffs, no furloughs and no disruption to City operations,” added Mayor Desiderio.

Be used to polish cabinets and even blend out minor scratches and imperfections.

Tips:

Box it up. Most people pack up after they sell the house, but why wait? Sellers should start packing as early as possible – ideally, before they put the home on the market.

Floors:

Hardwood floors are on most buyers wish lists. Hardwood flooring averages about $5 to $15 per square foot, plus about $2 to $8 per square foot for installation, so it’ll be pricier than vinyl, carpet or other options. But it can make a huge difference. You may find less expensive hardwoods by going directly to installers, who buy their inventory wholesale.

Tips:

Call the experts. Dirty, worn carpet may benefit from a professional cleaning.

Refinish it for cheap. Practically any beaten-up hardwood can be salvaged with refinishing. Call a title company to freshen up ceramic tile grout or, for do it yourselfers, hardware stores sell grout paint.

Add a layer on top or bottom. One other option for lackluster flooring: Use an area rug, even over carpets. It’ll add a splash of color, and bring definition to living areas. If you’re adding inexpensive carpeting, consider

Selling a Property

Finishing Touches

Details:

Getting a home sparkling and clutter-free requires little more than elbow grease. After clearing away clutter, polish the hardwoods, clean the countertops, and dust the light fixtures and vents. You can make a stainless steel sink shine with thrifty cleaning remedies such as baby oil or club soda, according to DoItYourself.com. Or try Howard Products’ line, which includes Restor-A-Finish (about $5 per can). It comes in various wood finishes and can

Upgrading the carpet pad. It will make a budget carpet feel luxurious. Lighting:

New lighting fixtures are a quick way to create ambiance. Just avoid brass lighting fixtures, which had their heyday in the 1980’s. More contemporary choices are brushed nickel and chrome finishes. Also, rust and oil-rubbed bronze are becoming more popular as more home owners set out to have lighting that doubles as an accent feature. Use lighting to highlight special features, for example, pendant lights to show off that kitchen island. Under cabinet lighting in the kitchen is affordable and makes countertops sparkle. Fluorescent light strips tend to be more affordable and easier to install than puck lights. Go natural. Open those blinds and clean the inside and outside of all windows. You’d be surprised at how much a simple window cleaning can improve natural light. Save on energy costs. Compact fluorescent bulbs remain the go to choice for energy efficiency. Early CFL’s didn’t always deliver on light quality or convenience, but they now come in warm, neutral, and cool colors, and major manufacturers are now enclosing the spiral tube in a conventional bulb shape.

Paint:

A few gallons of paint can go a long way in making a home more chic and the cost can’t be beat. A home’s interior painted in a pale yellow or light green, or even beige, gives buyers an idea of what they can do with a space. Reserve darker or trendier colors for accent walls or to highlight details such as a fireplace or arched doorway. Common color picks for accent walls are dark red, green (not lime green), or a stone gray. Or instead of introducing a new color, use the paint in the rest of the room as a guide, choosing a color that’s three shades darker. To bring depth to a long hallway, paint the wall at the end of a long hallway a different shade than the others. Shine with sheen. Flat or matte finish is difficult to clean and shows scuffs. Increasing the sheen can brighten rooms. Eggshell or satin bounces light off the walls to make spaces seem larger. Semi-gloss, higher on the sheen level, is a good option for kitchens and bathrooms since it’s easy to clean. And gloss, the shiniest of all, is best for big “statement” areas, such as the front door. But gloss accentuates flaws, so use it sparingly. Create monochromatic harmony. Use different variations of the same color throughout the home. The Paint Quality Institute, a paint education resource, refers to this as “layering.” Choose a color card, which usually has about three or four similar hues, and use two or more colors from the single card. Use the

lighter colors in the main living areas and darker shades for the rooms that branch out, such as the bedrooms. Paint the baseboards white. But don’t use dark white, which can take on gray tones against some wall colors. Use antique white or navajo white as better options. If the home has dated stained-wood trim, simply painting it off white can bring it up to date. But don’t forget to use a primer first. Appliances:

Kitchen appliances that are mismatched or dated can be difficult for buyers to look past. Counters:

Granite is still king when it comes to countertops (with quartz a close second). Surfaces:

Multitude of colors in bathroom countertops, sinks, tubs - from pink sinks to brown tubs to baby blue tiles. But it’s not easy to sell a green tub and it’s pricey to replace it.

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Paul Bodo

Paul@iLoveSeaisle.com 1-888-848-4948 ext. 209

Sea Isle Realty, Inc.

5906 Landis Ave Sea Isle City, NJ 08243

Check out my other web sites that offer information about Sea Isle City, NJ: SeaisleSolds.com SeaisleTourism.com SeaisleBeach.com