By SUZANNE MARINO
Staff Writer
MARGATE – There will be no homework required for the civics seminar that is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 28 but there will be plenty of handouts, visual aids and discussion on Margate and how the commission form of government works.
Outgoing Mayor Vaughn Reale started talking about the possibility of holding a civics lesson for Margate residents back in January.
“I think a lot of people really do not fully understand the commission form of government,” said Reale. “People think the mayor has the power to do certain things, and they just do not understand how the three commissioners work with their departments and that they have the ability to do things in their department independent of the other commission members.”
Reale reached out to Margate School District Superintendent Dominick Potena to secure the use of the Performing Arts Center and to set up a framework for the townwide lesson. Jim Kennedy of the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey will give an overview of the commission and council forms of government. He will also talk about the tax bill, the tax rate and property re-evaluations.
Atlantic County Superintendent of Schools Dan Loggi will explain the board of school estimate and then compare the elected and appointed school board and budget process.
The department heads in the city of Margate have also been invited to come to the event in case there are questions from the audience.
Reale has laid out an agenda that will address how commission assignments are determined. He will also spell out what the commissioner of public works, the commissioner of public safety, and the commissioner of revenue, finance and administration are responsible for and how they work with both full- and part-time employees. Finally Reale has planned to talk specifically about the powers of the mayor. After the presentation there will be what Reale called a “nonpolitical” question and answer period.
The mayor said he did not want to have this event political and wanted it as an informational session only.
The City Commission meeting held Thursday, March 15 ended with terse words about the seminar, which Reale planned.
The seminar is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the PAC in the Eugene A. Tighe Middle School. Reale encouraged all residents to come and learn how their city works. TOP
