Much to the dismay of Commissioner Maury Blumberg, Michael Collins is now the Mayor of Margate City, New Jersey.
As is usual, newly elected Collins was selected by fellow commissioners to be Mayor. The selection process had one dissenter.
Blumberg abstained from voting for Collins as Mayor of Margate. LISTEN >
Apparently blind-sided, Commissioner Maury Blumberg received no support from his once loyal running mates, Collins and Horn.
Commissioner Blumberg, visibly shaken, now starts his 17th year in office. Blumberg will remain as Commissioner of Revenue and Finance, a role he has never embraced or had much interest in.
During the campaign, all candidates, including Collins, Horn and Blumberg, supported the following:
- Live video streaming of all municipal meetings including School & Planning Board.
- Remote public commenting via ZOOM.
- More convenient time for meetings. ex: 5:30 or 6p
- Real transparency in city operations and finances.
- Transparency in Real Estate / business disclosures.
- Public commenting; longer time limits
- Input from 2nd homeowners who make up 75% of tax base.
- Term limits (?)
Margate Deserves Better
What a surprise! I only hope the team that campaigned together can now work together for the betterment of this great town.
I am very apprehensive. Time will tell…..and we will be on the lookout, I assure you.
I had concerns that all three who were elected had businesses that the City was permitted to use. I don’t think that is a good idea.
When I was on the BOE, it was considered a conflict of interest to use a firm that one of the board members owned. (Example was Goff Office Supply.)
Don’t even think for a minute that Amodeo, Becker and Tom Collins are not involved.There’s too much money in this for those three guys.
Blumberg should have been Mayor, but that wouldn’t have fit the Amodeo plan. Blumberg was screwed by Amodeo.
Every time a vote comes up to pay Colmar Hardware for all the supplies they sold to Margate, Becker abstained. Conflict of interest.
What happens when a vote to pay the bills comes up now?
Collins abstains because he directly benefits from the business. Big conflict of interest.
Time for a new vendor like Home Depot? YES!
If Blumberg abstains or votes against the payments, then Colmar doesn’t get paid.
Blumberg can get even for being used to bring in the vote and then rolled over by Amodeo.
Two nights ago there was a dinner shared at Tomatoes by Amodeo, Collins and Horn. But NO Blumberg.
The people of Margate who voted this crew in, are in for a major change in Margate.
I hope you enjoy what you voted for.
Let’s see if Mayor Collins removes his father, Tom Collins, as a voting member from the Planning Board. Do you think this is a conflict???
Yes yes ye
A big conflict
Commissioner’s and their families should not be allowed to do business with the city.
Mayor has a seat on the PB by statute and can appoint a designee. Tom Collins sat on the PB as the Mayor Beckers designee, permitted by statute. Mike Collins can appoint his father Tom as his designee, all permitted by law.
Blumberg got what he deserved..
In my opinion, the experience of serving the town he has loved for 16 years is certainly a valid reason for Maury to be its mayor. But it didn’t happen that way, to the surprise of many.
Now we must move forward and hope that the commissioners can work together. This might take some time and we’ll be watching.