BOROUGH
OF
M I N U T E S
1. CALL TO ORDER; OPENING STATEMENT: This meeting is being held in
compliance with Public Law 1975, Chapter 231,
Sections 4 and 13, as notice of
this meeting and the agenda thereof had
been reported to The Citizen and the
Morris County Daily Record on
building.
Mayor George Jackson called
the meeting to order at
2.
ATTENDANCE AND FLAG SALUTE
All Council members were
present except for Deputy Mayor Davis and Councilman Urankar. Councilwoman Emr
arrived at
Also in attendance were
Borough Manager
3. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Presentation
of Gavel to Former Mayor Shaw
Mayor
Jackson presented Councilman Shaw with engraved gravel for his time served as
Mayor from 2005-2006.
Councilman
Shaw announced that the boys swim team was the Public B State champion.
4. PUBLIC COMMENT
Mayor Jackson explained the Council’s policy
of limiting each speaker to 5 minutes and no
yielding of time to another person.
Mayor Jackson read the following statement
before opening the public comment portion of
the meeting:
“Mr. Kanter has served a written notice of his
intent to make a tort claim against the Borough of
conduct that he alleges is harassing. On the advice of counsel any questions
directed to us at
this meeting by Mr. Kanter will be reviewed by
our legal counsel; and if appropriate, will be
responded to in writing. It is our considered
judgment this procedure will minimize disruption
and protect the interest of the public.”
Mayor Jackson opened the public comment
portion of the meeting with consent of Council.
With no one wishing to be heard, Mayor Jackson
closed the public comment portion of the
meeting.
5. ORDINANCES
Ordinance 03-07
"AN
ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 111 OF THE CODE OF THE BOROUGH OF
MOUNTAIN LAKES
SO AS TO ESTABLISH DEVELOPMENT FEES IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE RULES
AND REGULATIONS OF THE NJ COUNCIL ON AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
Public Hearing
If adopted this ordinance
shall take effect after publication and passage as provided by
law.
Mayor Jackson opened the
Public Hearing.
With no one wishing to be
heard, Mayor Jackson closed the Public Hearing.
Introduced:
|
Council
Member |
By: |
2nd |
Yes |
No |
Abstain |
Absent |
By |
2nd |
Yes |
No |
Abstain |
Absent |
|
Gormally |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Emr |
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X |
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X |
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Shaw |
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X |
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X |
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X |
X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
X |
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Urankar |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Ordinance
04-07
ORDINANCE
AMENDING CHAPTER 111 OF THE REVISED GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE BOROUGH OF
Following introduction, the
above ordinance will be published in accordance with the law
and a public hearing will be
held on
Introduced:
|
Council
Member |
By: |
2nd |
Yes |
No |
Abstain |
Absent |
By |
2nd |
Yes |
No |
Abstain |
Absent |
|
Gormally |
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X |
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Emr |
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X |
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Shaw |
X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
X |
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Urankar |
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X |
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X |
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6. *RESOLUTIONS
R49-07
– Bill List
7. *MINUTES
|
Council Member |
By: |
2nd: |
Yes |
No |
Abstain |
Absent |
|
Gormally |
|
|
X |
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|
Emr |
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X |
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|
Shaw |
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X |
X |
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X |
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X |
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X |
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Urankar |
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X |
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X |
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8.
ATTORNEY’S REPORT
Towing Ordinance
Mr. Bryce explained to Council that the
Borough has never had a towing ordinance in
place. However, the Police Department has
always followed State regulations when it
became necessary
to tow.
Police Chief Robert Tovo said the towing
companies used were rotated so that an equal
and fair policy had been established. Payment
for towing is paid directly to the towing
company by the
person whose vehicle was moved.
The Borough Attorney will draft an
ordinance for introduction at the next meeting.
9. MANAGER’S REPORT
Mr. Webb informed the council that there
was a balance left on the work done on the
Borough
Engineer William Ryden has advised him that the pilings at dock B and C
are
deteriorating and need to be repaired by filling them
with concrete at a cost of $7550. With
all the additional work proposed, there would still be a remaining balance of
approximately $2000 in the account. The Council agreed with the engineer’s
recommendation to repair the pilings and change the electrical work.
The Manager and the Police Chief will be
reviewing the wording on the signs in the
Borough that prohibit overnight parking in the
winter months. The action comes after a
a
summons that was issued on
the
signs.
Request
for Fundraising Program (Make A Wish)
The Council discussed the request by
resident Kim Terhune to collect a service charge of
$1 to deliver Borough trash bags to
residents requesting the service. Ms. Terhune
proposed
that the money collected go to the “Make A Wish Foundation” while providing a
service
to the community.
Councilwoman Wilson was opposed to the
suggestion. She felt it might create unforeseen
problems for the Borough. However, the other
Council members present said they had no
problem with the suggestion as long as it is
not solicitation, the bags would be purchased
first,
and the Borough would have no responsibility in the fundraising effort.
2007 Budget
Mr. Webb provided the Council with an updated
budget recommendation. (hereto
attached)
The Manager and the Council went over his
recommended cuts. The proposed budget
represented an overall budget increase of
3.54%. The increase in tax rate would be
9.95%.
The figure represents an average increase of
$258.72 in municipal taxes on the average
home assessed at $1,006,558.
Mr.
Webb provided the Council with 10 separate scenarios, nine of which included
the reduction of personnel in the Department of Public Works (DPW) and/or
Police Department.
Councilman
Gormally, Councilwoman Wilson and Mayor Jackson supported the elimination of 1
DPW worker and one police officer.
Councilman
Gormally said the department functioned last year without creating much
overtime even though it was down 1.5 officers. He said he could not understand why it could
not continue to do so with the same results. While he agreed there should be
changes made in policing staffing, he was concerned with the proposed reduction
in the Lakes Management cleaning program, and the elimination of brush pick up.
Chief Tovo said the overtime was kept to a minimum
because the officers covered for their co-workers. The endeavor was a personal
sacrifice on their part. He explained how
services to the residents would be adversely affected by the reduction in
police staffing and that an increase in overtime could be expected. A department with only 13 officers would mean
residents would receive a different type of service.
Councilman
Gormally said the additional coverage by other officers was what he would expect
under the circumstances.
Councilwoman
Wilson said her support to reduce staffing was not an easy decision for her,
but if something was not done this year, the Council would be faced with the
same problems next year at budget time. Hard decisions had to be made and that
necessitated change.
Mayor
Jackson said he wanted the police department to restructure itself and believed
that only a minimal impact on services and overtime would result. He said that many
of the budget problems facing the Council were driven by police salaries and
that the cost for policing was too high for the community. He supported a
reduction in police staffing.
In
response to Chief Tovo’s comments, Mayor Jackson said the Council understood
that it could not ask for services to remain the same if staffing was reduced.
The
Mayor said he would also like to try outsourcing some DPW work this year.
Councilwoman
Emr and Councilman Shaw supported the budget as proposed by Mr. Webb.
Councilwoman
Emr said that the police department was functioning better than ever; noting
that in 1997 overtime was out of control. She said the 14 members of the
department were necessary in order to provide basic services to the residents
and minimize overtime. To reduce the department would be a mistake.
She
was concerned that outsourcing some DPW services would be costly to the Borough
in the end. She added that it was not fiscally responsible to try to run a town
by down sizing the staff.
Councilman
Shaw said he supported recommendations made by the Manager. However, he
expressed concern that the proposed budget might already be too tight. He
supported leaving the DPW at 10 employees. He was concerned that further
reduction in employees might affect services to the residents.
Detective
Shawn Bennett told the Council that he recognized his position would be the
most logical choice to eliminate. But he
explained that one major incident would put a patrolman on overtime, noting
that hours must be spent on a single investigation. He has had to change his regular
working schedule while on an investigation.
Police
Officer Gil Benitez said reduction in staffing would definitely result in
overtime.
He
pointed out that a minimum amount of overtime would be needed just to cover
vacations.
Working
additional hours occasionally, when the department was short handed was one
thing, but expecting an officer to take on additional work because staffing had
been permanently reduced would be a personal hardship on the employees.
Steve
Castellucci –
Mr.
Castellucci suggested the Council wait a year before eliminating employees and take
this year to have an operational assessment done of the DPW and Police
Department by a professional.
Mr.
Webb told the Council he recommended introducing an ordinance later this year
raising sewer fees so it would become effective in January 2008.
Both
Councilman Gormally and Mayor Jackson agreed that increased pricing should be
based on volume and possibly done earlier in the year.
Mr.
Webb recommended keeping the rehabilitation of well # 3 in the budget.
Mayor
Jackson asked Mr. Webb to come back on March 12th with a budget for
introduction based on the Council’s discussion.
10. COUNCIL REPORTS
Mayor
Jackson asked Council members to send him names for nomination of Citizen of the
Year and the Janice Hunts Award.
Motion
made by Councilwoman Emr, second by Councilman Shaw, with all members in favor
signifying by “Aye” to appoint Bonnie Rosenthall to
the Historic Preservation Committee.
11. ADJOURNMENT
On Motion by Councilman Gormally, second by
Councilman Shaw the meeting was adjourned at
*Consent Agenda
Attest:
___________________________ _____________________
Christina Whitaker, Borough
Clerk