BOROUGH OF MOUNTAIN LAKES COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2007
M I N U T E S
7:30 P.M.
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 January 3, 2007
and posted in the municipal building.
Mayor George Jackson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
2. ATTENDANCE AND FLAG SALUTE
All Council members were present. Also in attendance were Borough Attorney Robert Oostdyk, Borough
Manager Gary Webb and Borough Clerk Christina Whitaker.
Also present were School Superintendent John Kazmark and School Board members Gail Boertzel, Mark
Cohen and William Munday.
3. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
4. SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Progress Report on Borough Hall by Facilities Committee
Richard Urankar, Stephen Shaw and Ellen Emr presented the Progress Report (hereto attached).
Councilman Urankar told the public that the Council was not prepared to make any decisions or recommendations at this time. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the public with its findings and to gather public input.
Public Comment on Presentation
Mayor Jackson opened the meeting up to public comment on the Borough Hall Facility issue only.
Stephen Marzano-Sherwood Drive
Mr. Marzano asked the Council if it had considered shared services.
Members of the Council told him that we have many shared services and more discussions will
take place next year.
Mimi Kaplan- Lake Drive
Ms. Kaplan asked how the old police department space would be used.
The Council explained that the Fire Department and Administration would use the space.
Joe Fleming-Lake Drive
Mr. Fleming suggested the Borough use portable storage units if it needed additional storage
space.
The Council explained that some files needed greater security and more frequent usage, while other older files were stored off site. Under State requirements all files have a specific retention period.
Alan La Fiura – Boulevard
Mr. La Fiura suggested the Borough’s Police Department become a shared service. He also suggested
the Board of Education relocate to one of the school buildings and the now occupied space by the Board
of Education be renovated for Borough use. He recommended the Council consider electronic
documenting to reduce the need for filing.
Councilwoman Emr said that the Borough already uses off-site storage. She noted that there would be a
cost associated with filming documents as well as State standards that would have to be met.
Dr. Kazmark explained that there is no available space in any of the schools.
Fred Kanter-Hanover Road.
Mr. Kanter said that more work had to be done before moving forward. He said that the Council should
consider shared services in regard to the Police Department. He also noted that storage off-site might be
the most cost efficient.
Barbara Palmer- Morris Avenue
Ms. Palmer suggested the Council utilize office space in the Midvale section of the town. She noted her
concern over moving the Police Department into a separate building.
Dana Pogorzelski-Lake Drive
Ms. Pogorzelski suggested that minimizing equipment would provide greater space in the offices.
Lynn Uhrig-Sunset Road
Ms. Uhrig said that more community meeting space was needed.
Joseph Hehir – Hanover Road.
Mr. Hehir said that if the Borough did build an addition, it should be aesthetically appropriate to the
surroundings.
Mary Rosseland – Maple Way
Ms. Rosseland recommended the Council design a environmentally friendly building which in the long run
could be cost effective.
Andrew Kohler – Boulevard
Mr. Kohler said the present building was inadequate for employees and an expansion of the facilities was
necessary.
Bill Bethke – Lake Drive
Mr. Bethke suggested the Facility Committee be comprised of more residents.
Peter Holmberg-Hanover Road
Mr. Holmberg suggested the use of the Midvale area.
Fran Schornstein-Craven Road
Ms. Schornstein told the Council that this was not the time to build an addition since many people are
facing hard economic times.
Councilman Gormally said that a professional operating audit should be done before moving ahead.
He said that the use of State standards should not be used in assessing the space needed by the Borough.
He added that building the addition would end the incentive to look into shared services.
Councilwoman Wilson said that incorporating more public members on the Committee was a good idea.
However, she said that renovations were necessary and that present space was not functional for
employees.
Deputy Mayor Davis said it was time to move forward to meet the needs of the Borough.
Councilwoman Emr said that some of the comments and suggestion would be incorporated in the
Committee’s final report.
Councilman Shaw explained that some standard needed to be used in assessing space and use of State
standards provided an objective standard.
Mayor Jackson said the building needed renovations and the Police Department’s needs had to be addressed.
Mayor Jackson explained the Council’s policy of limiting each speaker to 5 minutes and no yielding of time
to another person.
Mayor Jackson opened the public comment portion of the meeting with consent of Council.
Fred Kanter-Hanover Road
Mr. Kanter complained about the time limitation on public comments and his various litigation
matters.
6. DISCUSSION
A. Traffic and Safety Committee Recommendations for HS (hereto attached)
It was the consensus of the majority of Council that installing sidewalks near the high school was advisable as a first step. Traffic calming measures would be evaluated after the sidewalks are installed.
7. *RESOLUTIONS
R 122-07 Change Order/Pave King
R 123-07 Refund/Dwyer
R 124-07 Special Police Officer/Robert Herzog
R 125-07 Transfer of Funds
R 126-07 Recycling Grant
R 127-07 Payment of Bills
8. *MINUTES
October 22, 2007- Regular
October 22, 2007- Executive
9. *DEPARTMENT REPORTS
A. Animal
B. Health Officer
C. Public Health Nurse
D. Construction Official
E. Fire Department
|
Council Member |
By:
|
2nd: |
Yes |
No |
Abstain |
Absent |
|
Gormally |
X |
|
X |
|
|
|
|
Emr |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
Shaw |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
Davis |
|
X |
X |
|
|
|
|
Wilson |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
Urankar |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
|
Jackson |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
10. ATTORNEY’S REPORT- None
11. MANAGER’S REPORT
Bond Refunding of $2.9 million was completed in November.
Reconstruction of Well #3 Building
Mr. Webb advised that the building had to reconstructed. The extra cost will be provided from unused
repaving funds.
CDRS Appointment-Louise Davis will serve in 2008.
12. COUNCIL REPORTS
Borough Manager Search
The Committee is still accepting resumes and has narrowed down the search to two individuals.
Clerk Evaluation
The Mayor asked that the evaluation be turned into him as soon as possible.
13. EXECUTIVE SESSION – (Pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, P.L. 1975, Chapter 231)
Resolution 128-07
WHEREAS, the Borough Council of the Borough of Mountain Lakes, County of Morris, State of New Jersey finds it necessary to discuss matters relating to,
· PBA Contract Negotiations
· Personnel/Manager Search
WHEREAS, the Borough Council believes it to be in the best interest of the public to discuss such matters in closed session.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Borough Council of the Borough of Mountain Lakes, that it shall enter Executive Session to discuss only those matters mentioned above; the results of which will be disclosed when the matters are resolved and upon vote of the Governing Body to release the minutes.
Motion by Councilman Urankar, second by Councilman Shaw to enter into Executive Session, with all members in favor signifying by “Aye.”
Motion by Councilwoman Wilson, second by Councilman Shaw to close the Executive Session and return to the public portion of the meeting, with all members in favor signifying by “Aye.”
14. ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Councilman Urankar, second by Councilman Shaw to adjourn the meeting at 11:26 p.m.
With all members in favor signifying by “Aye”.
*Consent Agenda
Attest:___________________________ _____________________
Christina Whitaker, Borough Clerk George B. Jackson, Mayor