BOROUGH OF MOUNTAIN LAKES

February 14, 2011

 

8:00 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 The Citizen and the Morris County Daily Record and The Star Ledger on January 4, 2011 and posted in the municipal building.

Mayor Charles Gormally called the meeting to order at 8 p.m.

2.    ATTENDANCE AND FLAG SALUTE

All Council members were present.

Also in attendance were Borough Attorney Marty Murphy and Borough Clerk Christina Whitaker. Borough Manager Barry Lewis was on vacation.

 

3. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Councilwoman Bravo reminded the public that there would be a Cove Project meeting for public input on Wednesday, February 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Borough Hall.

 

4.PUBLIC COMMENT

Mayor Gormally opened the public comment portion of the meeting with consent of the Council.

 

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

 

Margaret Gossett – Cove Project

Ms. Gossett updated the Council on the status of the Cove project.

      The plan calls for the use of native plants such as grasses, flowering perennials, ferns, and   

      low shrubs. Committee member Laura Connors was also present and provided a photo

      display of similar plants.

    

      The present plan calls for two launching access areas along with steps into the lake.

 

      Benches would be placed strategically and there would be 15 parallel parking spaces.

      Several large rocks would be placed in the area which could be used as additional seating.

 

     Several suggestions were offered by Council members, including the location of benches    

     and the possible need for a third access. A concern was raised by Mayor Gormally regarding

     the proposed fencing around the plantings.

 

     Following the public meeting on February 16, 2011 the final plans will be completed and

     brought back to the Council for approval on February 28.  

 

    5. *RESOLUTIONS

  R 28-11 Appointment of Auditor

  R 32-11 Appointment/Engineer

 

 

   R 42-11 Contract Award/Greenwood Tree Experts

   R 43-11 Contract Award/Andy Matt Inc.

   R 44-11 State Tax Appeal/ Murray

   R 45-11 State Appeal Levy

   R 46-11 Memorial Day Parade

   R 47-11 Overpayment of Taxes/Lakhiani

   R 48-11 Overpayment of Taxes/Dignis

   R 49-11 Transfer of Funds

   R 50-11 Payment of Bills

 

6.* MINUTES

January 24, 2011

 

Council Member

By:

2nd:

Yes

No

Abstain

Absent

McWilliams

X

 

X

 

 

 

Holmberg

 

 

X

 

 

 

Jackson

 

 

X

 

 

 

Bravo

 

 

X

 

 

 

Shaw

 

X

X

 

 

 

Happer

 

 

X

 

 

 

Gormally

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. COUNCIL DISCUSSION ITEMS

A. Waiver of Sewer Hookup fees for Weber Homes Affordable Units (see agreements)

 

Mayor Gormally said he found nothing in the agreements that specifically dealt with the issue of waiving sewer and water hookup for affordable housing units.

 

Councilman Holmberg asked if Weber Homes was willing to exchange something for waiving the fees.

 

Councilman McWilliams pointed out that providing affordable housing for the Borough helped the town comply with State requirements.

 

 Councilman Jackson said he believed it was the intent of the agreement to waive water and sewer fees for the affordable housing units.

 

Deputy Mayor Happer and Councilman McWilliams agreed that the wording in the agreements suggested that there was intent to waive the fees for the affordable housing units.

 

Councilwoman Brave said it was customary to waive certain fees for non-profits and affordable housing.

 

Motion by Councilman McWilliams, second by Councilwoman Bravo, to waive the water and sewer fees for the affordable housing units at Park Place in Mountain Lakes, with all members in favor signifying by “Yes” except for Mayor Gormally who vote “No” by Roll Call Vote.

A resolution will be prepared for the next meeting.

 

B. Finalize 2011 Goals

 

The Council discussed the list of 2011 Priorities.

 

Councilman Shaw said it was impossible to put a time line on the final recommendations from the Shared Service Committee.

 

Councilman Jackson recommended deleting (6g) pertaining to activities in Trenton.

 

There was a question as to who would be responsible for getting residents input on a community garden. (6c)   

 

The HPC will be doing a study on preserving the Romaine Stagg house. (6f)

 

Councilman Holmberg suggested changing some of the language on the list. He said the goal should not be to study or evaluate something but to be more decisive with the expected end result.

 

  8.  DEPARTMENT REPORTS

       A. Construction Official

       B. Health Officer

       C. DPW

       D. Fire

       E. Police

 

  9. ATTORNEY REPORT – Nothing to report

 

 10. MANAGER REPORT (hereto attached)

  Budget Progress—timeline

 

  Council members discussed what additional information they would like provided for reviewing

  the proposed 2011 budget.

           

 11. COUNCIL REPORTS

 Cove Park Project Goals

 

  Motion by Councilman Shaw, second by Councilman Holmberg, to approve the goals and

  objectives of the Cove Project Committee, with all members in favor signifying by “Aye.”

 

 Shared Service Meeting

 Councilman Shaw reported that the Shared Service Committees from Mountain Lakes and

 Boonton Township met on February 2 and that the meeting ended on a positive note. The

 committees discussed long and short term goals. The Borough encouraged the Township to    

 begin a dialogue with its residents regarding shared services. 

 

 Councilman Shaw said the group Government Efficiency Movement (GEM) has formed groups  

 throughout New Jersey just to discuss and explore regionalization possibilities and potential   

 regional insourcing and outsourcing opportunities. In a recent meeting GEM organizer Tim  

 Smith encouraged municipalities to talk to their neighbors but not to rush into anything before

 fully exploring all the possibilities.   

 

Councilwoman Bravo said the HPC met even though it did not have a quorum.

 

Mayor Gormallly said he would like an updated report on book sales.

 

Councilwoman Bravo said that the latest count for book sales was 600, probably enough to cover the costs associated with the book. She thought 1000 books had been printed.

 

The Mayor said a clarification on the use of any profits from the book will need to be discussed by Council at another meeting.

 

Memorial Day Parade Committee 

The Committee has decided that there will not be any candy thrown during the parade. In addition, there will only be one row boat and one sail boat permitted in the parade this year.

 

There is still a vacancy on the Memorial Day Parade Committee.

 

The Committee will be honoring Henry Popp and Frederic Walker Castle (Medal of Honor recipient) during the ceremony this year.

 

Councilwoman Bravo reminded the Council that a press release asking for nominations for the Janice Hunts and Citizen of the Year award should be sent to the newspapers soon, and the applications for nominations put on the Borough website.  The deadline for nominations will be March 25, 2011.

 

Councilman McWilliams said he attended Mountain Lakes Day at the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms on February 6.

 

Councilman Holmberg said the Planning Board still needs two members, 1st and 2nd alternates.

 

The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Chapter 7 revisions to the Master Plan on February 24.

 

Website Committee

Councilman Holmberg said the Committee feels the Borough should be promoting the website to outside communities.

 

The Council discussed the need to coordinate with the school and its website and integrating its e-mail system with the Borough’s.

 

Councilman Jackson said the Shade Tree Commission discussed the cove project at its last meeting. The Commission feels that there needs to be additional access to the lake. 

 

Arbor Day will be celebrated on April 29.  Councilman Jackson said Borough residents first became active in promoting the planting of trees in 1915.

 

Traffic and Safety Committee

Jim Bailey has proposed closing part of Elm Street from Midvale Road to just past RR Station, turning it into green space, adding it to the Esplanade area and renaming it “Centennial Park.”  Elm Street runs from Morris Avenue, past the Library, Post Office, and RR Station and ends at Midvale Road.  It also forms a parking lot for RR Station.

Committee Appointments

The Council discussed names that were submitted for consideration for the Planning Board vacancies.

 

Motion by Mayor Gormally, second by Councilman Shaw, to appoint Rich Squeglia to the Recreation Commission, with all members in favor signifying by “Aye.”   

 

Motion by Mayor Gormally, second by Councilman Holmberg, to appoint Debra Shertzer to the Recreation Commission, with all members in favor signifying by “Aye.”   

 

12. PUBLIC COMMENT

Mayor Gormally opened the second public comment portion of the meeting with consent of the  

Council.

 

With no one wishing to be heard, Mayor Gormally closed the public comment portion of

the meeting.

 

13. ADJOURNMENT

Motion by Councilman Shaw, second by Councilwoman Bravo to adjourn the meeting at 9:45 p.m., with all members in favor signifying by “Aye.”

 

 

*Consent Agenda

 

 

Attest: February 14, 2011

 

 

_________________________________     _______________________________ 

Christina Whitaker, Clerk                                  Charles Gormally,   Mayor