BOROUGH OF MOUNTAIN LAKES

MORRIS COUNTY

SPECIAL MEETING

SEPTEMBER 3, 2009

7:30 P.M.

 

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 Daily Record, Star Ledger

       and Citizen on August 31, 2009 and posted in the municipal building.

  

      Mayor Shaw 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 James Brice and Borough Clerk Christina

Whitaker.

 

3.  EXECUTIVE SESSION

         Resolution 104-09

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,

 

·        Borough Manager Position/Contract Negotiations

 

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 Gormally, second by Councilman Jackson to enter into Executive 

     Session, with all members in favor signifying by “Aye.”

 

     Motion by Councilman Happer, second by Councilwoman Bravo to close the

     Executive Session and return to the public portion of the meeting at 9:15 p.m.

 

4.   SEARCH COMMITTEE REPORT

      Mayor Shaw explained the role of the Search Committee and the names of its

      members.     

 

      Councilman Jackson, as chair of the Search Committee, explained the process of

      advertising for a Borough Manager and the desired qualifications it desired. The Committee

      received 76 resumes for the position.  Committee members ranked the individuals applying

      until the pool of candidates was narrowed down to ten. The Committee was unanimous in its

      decision to recommend Barry Lewis for the position.

      Mr. Lewis’s qualifications include serving as administrator in Mine Hill, and Spring Lake, NJ

      and serving as the Planning Board attorney for Pompton Lakes. He is familiar with grant

      preparation and has experience in shared public services.  (Search Committee report 

     attached)

 

      5. PUBLIC COMMENT

Mayor Shaw explained the Council’s policy of limiting each speaker to five (5) minutes and no yielding of time to another person.

 

 Mayor Shaw opened the public comment portion of the meeting with the consent of the

 Council.

 

       Michael Feigeles – Boulevard

       Mr. Feigeles suggested the Council consider allowing the public to comment on each topic

       on the agenda. He said the feedback from the public would be greater.       

 

      Steve Castellucci – Laurelwood Drive

      Mr. Castellucci thanked the Search Committee for the amount of time it spent looking for a

      new Borough Manager.

 

     Rainer Mimberg – Lake End Place/Search Committee Member

     Mr. Mimberg said that Mr. Lewis’s experience was “head and shoulders” above the other

     candidates. There was no question that this was the person to fill the position of Borough

     Manager. 

 

With no one wishing to be heard, Mayor Shaw closed the public comment portion of the meeting.

 

     Deputy Mayor Gormally said he regretted that the public portion of the meetings could not be

     less formal but due to past circumstances it was necessary to have a policy in place at public

     meetings.

    

  1. RESOLUTION 105-09

     Councilwoman Bravo said that out of all the candidates interviewed for the position of

     Borough Manager, Mr. Lewis was the best qualified and was a good fit for the Borough.

     

     Councilman Happer said that Mr. Lewis’s work experience would be a bonus for the Borough

     and that after the Council’s interview with him, agreed with Councilwoman Bravo that he was

     the best fit for the Borough..

 

     Councilman McWilliams noted his original concerns but said he found Mr. Lewis very

     personable and qualified.

 

      Deputy Mayor Gormally said Mr. Lewis brought with him a great deal of training in several

      areas, including municipal law.

 

Councilwoman Emr said she had reservations about the amount of salary being offered to Mr. Lewis and would have preferred staying within the 2009 budgeted salary amount. However, she said she would support him once he was in place. Mr. Lewis will be paid  $130,000 starting October 5, 2009 through December 31, 2010.

 

      Mayor Shaw said he was impressed with Mr. Lewis’s caliber of management, including his

      experience dealing with beaches and lakes and supervising a Department of Public Works.          

 

The Mayor also noted that the interim manager, Chief Robert Tovo, had been doing a great job.

 

 

Council Member

By:

 

2nd:

Yes

No

Abstain

Absent

McWilliams

 

 

X

 

 

 

Emr

 

 

X

 

 

 

Jackson

 

 

X

 

 

 

Gormally

 

X

X

 

 

 

Happer

 

 

X

 

 

 

Bravo

X

 

X

 

 

 

Shaw

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. ADJOURNMENT

  Motion by Councilman Happer, second by Deputy Mayor Gormally, to adjourn the meeting at 10 p.m. with all members in favor signifying by “Aye.”

 

 

 

*Consent Agenda

          

Attest:

___________________________                           _____________________

Christina Whitaker, Borough Clerk                                   Stephen H. Shaw, Mayor