A contentious debate arose regarding Resolution 95-2025 that strips power from Margate Commissioner Maury Blumberg.
Margate Mayor Mike Collins wants complete authority over hiring, firing and promotions. In every department.
Listen to audio clips from Margate Commission Mtg (April 3, 2025):
Margate Mayor Collins vs Commissioner Blumberg.
Political Motivation Allegations: Commissioner Blumberg explicitly accuses Commissioners Collins and Horn of pursuing this resolution for political reasons, suggesting it’s retaliation for his opposition to certain projects and his independent stance on spending.
Blumberg: It’s a political thing. Commissioners are unhappy that I speak out against projects that they want to do. I just don’t rubber stamp things here. I’m not going to be bullied and I won’t be retaliated against.
Potential Implications:
- Legal Challenges: Commissioner Blumberg threatens legal action if the resolution is passed, stating, “The first one will be from me and I think the entire state is going to look at this.” This suggests a potentially costly and public legal battle for the city.
- Inter-Commissioner Relations: The discussion reveals significant friction and a lack of trust among the commissioners, which could hinder effective governance and decision-making.
- Impact on Departmental Autonomy: The resolution, if passed, could significantly alter the traditional autonomy of individual commissioners over their respective departments, as defined (according to Blumberg) by the Walsh Act.
- Public Perception: The public airing of these disagreements, particularly the accusations of political maneuvering and potential illegality, could negatively impact public trust in the city government.
Commissioner Blumberg views the resolution as an illegal and politically motivated encroachment on his legally granted authority under the Walsh Act, while Commissioner Collins frames it as a necessary measure for transparency and responsible governance.
The threat of legal action and the underlying tensions revealed in the discussion suggest a significant challenge for the city government moving forward.
This administration of Collins and Horn are only doing what Collins father and his father in law Amodeo tell him to do.
They are ignoring what the people of Margate want …
They were elected to serve, not command.
How is that Citizens Advisory working for us? NOT!
Time for change.
I agree with Commissioner Blumberg. This is a political move to get total control of decisions in Margate by Mayor Collins and Commissioner Horn.
If they really cared about controlling real estate taxes, they would look at the school board budget they authorize and approve.
Margate pays more than twice the State average per student to support the Board of Education. But they are silent. Their family members enjoy the benefits while our tax bill increases.
When Commissioner Maury Blumberg brought the issue of looking into merging with Ventnor a few years back, the brain trust shot him down and fired the Superintendent.
Mayor Collins and his father-in-law (Amodeo) have reached into our pockets for years. Keep telling yourself you’re doing a good job.
How many lawsuits are we funding? Baglivo? Maury’s promise to sue?
Buying an overpriced gas station which needs to be cleaned up?
And the beautiful bay views obstructed by new construction? Yeah, great job!
“The Walsh Act, enacted in new Jersey in 1911, allows municipalities to adopt a non-partisan form of government, where a board of commissioners, either three or five members, elected at large, serve as both legislators and department heads, with on commissioner serving as the mayor.
The Walsh Act was designed to remove partisan politics from local government and establish a commission form of government.
The governing body is a commission composed of either three or five members, elected at large in non partisan elections for for year concurrent terms.
Each commissioner also serves as the head of a specific municipal department.
The commissioners elect one of their members as mayor, who sserves as the chair of the commission.
WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, THE MAYOR HAS NO MORE POWER THAN THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT.”
So what are Collins and Horn doing?
Buying available parcels in our commercial districts to support our businesses and help alleviate lack of parking is smart.If previous adminstrations had done so we would be better off.Most feckless politicians are afraid of annoying the usual clueless suspects so the won’t do it.
Clean up to be paid for by Exxon.
Bay views are owned by the owners of the property.It amazes me how many people who think that the view paid for by others belongs to the general public.
Had the city bought them for public use these very same people would be screaming wasted tax dollars.
Exxon has not been a supplier of gas to that lication for over 35 years.
The city has no deal with Exxon.
Never had and never will.
That is BS as was the Abbott ,city solicitor , Collins and Horn told us in a September 2024 meeting that Exxon will clean it up.. bs
They also said they were getting $700,000 of grant money from the state and that was BS too.
Just read the Resolution , What is being proposed is common sense , each department is not a Kingdom , all 3 commissioners should have a say in Hiring and Firing employees . Why would 1 Commisioner Oppose this common sense approach ? Is someone being protected ? Why would someone object to this ??