BOROUGH OF MOUNTAIN LAKES COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2008
7:30 PM
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 January 3, 2008 and posted in the
municipal building.
Mayor
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 Marty Murphy, Borough
Manager Joe Tempesta, and Borough Clerk Christina Whitaker.
3.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Congratulations to the
Mountain Lakes football team which are now 10-0 with two games left to play.
The Team will be playing at Giant Stadium on December 5th at 5 p.m.
4.
OATH OF OFFICE /NEWLY
ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBER
Dan Happer was administered the oath of office by Mayor
Jackson.
Councilman Happer
fills Louise Davis’s Council seat through 2010.
5. NOMINATION FOR COUNCIL SEAT/Replacing Councilmen
Happer/Richard Urankar
Motion by Councilman Shaw, second by Councilwoman
Wilson, to nominate Doug McWilliams for the seat vacated by Councilmen
Happer/Urankar, with all members in favor signifying by “Aye”, with no one
opposed. In the General Election Councilman McWilliams was also elected to a
four-year term beginning in 2009.
Doug McWilliams was administered the oath of office
by Mayor Jackson.
6.
PRESENTATION/Facility Committee (Hereto attached)
Councilman Shaw introduced the members of the
Borough Facilities Committee. He provided the public with an overview of the
work the Committee was directed to do by the Council in 2007. In its final findings, the Committee determined
that the existing building needed substantial repairs and safety and security
upgrades and there was a need for additional space in several departments. In
response to the public, the Council went out for bids to have an independent
space needs analysis done. The firm of Arcari + Iovino was hired.
Anthony Iovino informed the public of the company’s
analysis and presented a design of an addition to the existing building. (Hereto attached) According to Mr. Iovino,
if the annex and improvements were made to Borough Hall, it would cost the
taxpayers of Mountain Lakes $5 million, an additional $250 per year over the
next 30 years for the average household.
The firm found that “the present building does not
adequately meet the needs of a current and future municipal center” for the
Borough.
Following the presentation, Mayor Jackson opened the
meeting up to the public for comments on the presentation.
Steve Marzano-Sherwood Drive.
Mr. Marzano suggested combining the courts and
police with another town. He suggested a referendum be presented to the public
before moving forward on an addition to Borough Hall.
Bob Whelan -Sherwood Drive
He suggested salaries be cut along with the number
of employees.
Loren Feehan – Cobb Road
Ms. Feehan suggested consolidating services and as
an alternative, do only minimal repairs to the building.
Mary Chanpenois- Lake Drive
Ms. Chanpenois suggested that the municipality use
another court and do only whatever the State mandates as requirements.
Jane Cook-West Shore Road
Ms. Cook suggested coming up with creative
alternatives and only do what absolutely necessary in repairs and upgrades.
Mike Feigeles –Boulevard
Mr. Feigeles said more citizens should be on the
Facilities Committee. He criticized The Council for considering the project in
today’s economy and said he thought much of what was being presented was more
on a want list than what was actually needed.
Joe Wargo- Robinhood Drive
Mr. Wargo said the upgrades should have been made
when they were first recognized as necessary in 1980. He added that the cost would have been much less at that time.
However, now that the need for compliance exists the Council should move
forward.
Mike Johns-Rock Lane
Mr. John said the Council needed to look to the
future and what this project could mean to the residents of Mountain
Lakes. He said additional work was
needed by the Council to find where Borough facilities could run more
efficiently.
Joan Best – Intervale Road
Ms. Best said that as a part-time employee she saw
first hand the crowded conditions and the sacrifices employees have had to
make. She said that shared services already exist in the Borough and are
continuingly being considered. As a resident, she wants to keep certain
services in Mountain Lakes, like the police department.
Alan LaFiura – Boulevard
Mr. LaFiura said the Borough needed to look further
into shared services. He also recommended the Council look for ways to bring
more businesses to the Rt. 46 corridor.
Charles Halpin –Morris Ave.
Mr. Halpin suggested the Borough Council should be
using existing space in other buildings such as holding Council meetings in the
school auditorium. He also suggested pursuing shared services and having a
committee to review the issue.
Kevin Smith- Laurel Hill Road
Mr. Smith wanted to know if renovations on a smaller
scale could be done and also to consider buying another building in the
Borough.
Peter Bolo- Glen Road
Mr. Bolo said he agreed improvements were needed to
the building but suggested just dealing with the sensitive police issue first.
Mayor Jackson responded to Mr. Marzano’s question
about going out for referendum by explaining that the Council was under no
legal obligation to do so, but he added that the Council had discussed it but
had not reached a conclusion.
Deputy Mayor Gormally and Councilwoman Wilson agreed
that shared service options should be further investigated and the use of other
public spaces for committee meeting was an option that should be considered.
Councilman McWilliams noted that whether the Borough
purchased another building or built one, the cost would be similar. He added that it was dangerous to continue
to ignore safety issues.
Councilwoman Emr said that 10 years after the
present building was constructed it was already lacking needed space. She said
the Council is taking shared services seriously and has been investigating
different avenues for some time.
7. 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 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.
8. *RESOLUTIONS
R139-08 – JIF Appointment
R140-08 - Payment of Bills
R141-08 - Redemption of Tax Title Lien
R142-08 - Salary
9. *MINUTES
October 27, 2008 – Executive Session
November 11, 2008 – Regular – pulled by Mayor
Jackson
November 11, 2008 - Executive
Council Member |
By: |
2nd: |
Yes |
No |
Abstain |
Absent |
McWilliams |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
Emr |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
Shaw |
X |
|
X |
|
|
|
Gormally |
|
X |
X |
|
|
|
Happer |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
Wilson |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
Jackson |
|
|
X |
|
|
|
Consent
Agenda Vote
10. ATTORNEY’S
REPORT
Mr. Murphy explained the decision by
the New Jersey Division of Rate
Counsel regarding Cablevision’s
petition for “a determination of
effective competition in 101
communities in New Jersey.” The Borough
will be noticed by the Board of Public
Utilities when the need arises.
Mr. Murphy said he recommended
inviting a representative from Sprint
to attend a Council meeting to explain
the company’s request to allow
its subsidiary companies to use the tower
behind Borough Hall.
11. MANAGER’S REPORT
Executive
Session items only
12. COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilwoman Emr said the summit was a
success. She thanked all the Council members who attended.
The Environmental Commission is continuing
with the NRI and has signed a contact to have it done.
13.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Resolution 143
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 Negotiations
· Settlement Negotiations/Trash Bags
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 Councilwoman Wilson, second by Councilman Shaw, to enter
into
Executive Session, with all members in favor signifying by “Aye.”
Motion
by Councilman Shaw, second by Deputy Mayor Gormally 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 Shaw,
second by Councilman McWilliams, to adjourn the meeting at 11:42 p.m., with all
members in favor signifying by “Aye.”
*Consent Agenda
Attest:
___________________________ _____________________
Christina Whitaker, Borough
Clerk George
B. Jackson, Mayor