BOROUGH OF MOUNTAIN LAKES

JANUARY 24, 2011

 

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 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 7:30 p.m.

2.  ATTENDANCE AND FLAG SALUTE

All Council members were present except for Councilman Holmberg and Councilwoman Bravo.

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

 

      3.   EXECUTIVE SESSION                                                                                             

Resolution 41-11

                 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:

 

·        Negotiations Borough Employees

·        Update on Litigation

 

                        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 Shaw, second by Councilman McWilliams to enter into

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

 

       Councilwoman Bravo arrived at 7:32 p.m.

 

  Motion by Councilman Shaw, second by Deputy Mayor Happer, to close Executive Session  

  and return  to the public portion of the meeting at 8 p.m., with all members in favor signifying

  by “Aye.”

 

      4. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

      Mayor Gormally said that the Centennial kick-off event was well attended. He thanked the

      Police Department and Department of Public Works for the good job they did with traffic control

      and preparations for the event.

 

Councilwoman Bravo reminded everyone to get their jubilee tickets for the upcoming March 12th event.

 

5. 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.

 

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

 

6.  *RESOLUTIONS

     R 27-11 Refund/Schuckman

     R 28-11 Appointment of Auditor/ pulled and carried to next meeting

     R 29-11 Appointment/Attorney

     R 30-11 Sewer Connection Waiver for Affordable Housing/pulled and carried to next meeting

     R 31-11 Health Services

     R 32-11 Appointment/Engineer/ pulled and carried to next meeting

     R 33-11 Appointment/Bond Counsel

     R 34-11 MDT/NCIC

     R 35-11 Appointment/Town Planner   

     R 36-11 Refund/Munday

     R 37-11 Petty Cash Authorization

     R 38-11 Payment of Bills

     R 39-11 Transfer of Funds

     R 40-11 EECDG & NJ Direct Install Agreements/ pulled for discussion

 

7.* MINUTES

December 13, 2010

January 3, 2011

Approved as part of the Consent Agenda, with minor corrections

 

Consent Agenda Vote

 

Council Member

By:

2nd:

Yes

No

Abstain

Absent

McWilliams

 

 

X

 

 

 

Holmberg

 

 

 

 

 

X

Jackson

 

X

X

 

 

 

Bravo

 

 

X

 

 

 

Shaw

X

 

X

 

 

 

Happer

 

 

X

 

 

 

Gormally

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before voting on Resolution 40-11, Mr. Lewis explained what work was eligible under the EECBG. Most of the work to be completed would involve the DPW building, along with the boiler at Borough Hall and the gas heaters in the Fire Department.  As proposed, the Borough would receive $105,000 worth of energy efficiency improvements and only have to pay $22,000, with $83,000 covered by grants.

     

R40-11 Vote

 

Council Member

By:

2nd:

Yes

No

Abstain

Absent

McWilliams

 

 

X

 

 

 

Holmberg

 

 

 

 

 

X

Jackson

X

 

X

 

 

 

Bravo

 

X

X

 

 

 

Shaw

 

 

X

 

 

 

Happer

 

 

X

 

 

 

Gormally

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

R28-11 and R32-11

It was the consensus of the majority of Council members that the 2011 professional contracts should reflect no increase to the Borough.

 

8.  DEPARTMENT REPORTS

A.     Construction Official

B.     Health Officer

C.    DPW

D.    Fire

E.     Police – court overtime reduced from $10,000 to $3, 000

F.     Tax Collector

 

   9. ATTORNEY REPORT

   

   10. MANAGER REPORT (hereto attached)

   The Manager said the recent snow storms have resulted in overtime for the DPW workers. He

   is gathering data on the cost to date.

   

   He updated the Council on the water main break at the Boulevard, near Saint Catherine’s,

   which created additional overtime hours in the  DPW.

 

   The Borough Council received a request from the Morris County Freeholders to hold their

   August 24th meeting in Borough Hall at 7:30 p.m.  Mrs. Whitaker will send a letter to the Board

   Secretary informing the Freeholders that the Council would be honored to be the host town for

   the meeting.

 

   Mr. Lewis is working on the 2011 budget.  He said he believed that no increase in utilities

   rates will be necessary due to the increased revenues in 2010. He explained how the 12%

   increase in health care would be reduced to less than 3% or about $11,000 once the 1.5%

   employee contributions were included. This will be offset further by the transition to

 

   NJDirect 15.  He is not anticipating any problems with the tax levy cap of 2% recently enacted.

   He will present his budget for review to the Finance Committee next month and then bring it

   back to the Council. 

 

   The Council discussed the refurbishing of Well # 5.

 

   The Cove project committee is waiting for the conceptual plan from Greentree.

 

  11. COUNCIL REPORTS

  It was the consensus of the Council that the Borough’s Corporate Seal could be used by the

  Centennial Committee to authenticate artwork sold by the Committee. 

 

  Councilman McWilliams said the work done by volunteers to date has been tremendous but many

  more volunteers will be needed over the next few months.

 

  Councilman Shaw said the Shared Service Committee has been informed by Boonton Township that it has formed a    

  Shared Services Committee. The two Committees will meet on Feb 2 to discuss shared services.

 

  The Briarcliff School will hold its annual Government Day on May 25th. A number of Council members

  will plan to attending the meeting.

   

  The Council discussed having a special meeting on a Saturday for committee chairs to discuss   

  goals and priorities. No more than three Council members will be attending.

 

  Motion by Deputy Mayor Happer, second by Councilman Shaw, to appoint Miguel Bravo to the

  Memorial Day Parade Committee, with all members in favor signifying by “Aye, with Councilwoman

  Bravo abstaining.  

 

  Motion by Councilwoman Bravo, second by Councilman McWilliams, to appoint Beth Suereth to the 

  HPC as 1st Alternate, with all members in favor signifying by “Aye”.

 

 The HPC is developing an audio walking tour of the Borough.

 

 Board of Adjustment Annual Report/Request

 The Council received a memo from Zoning Board Chairman Peter Bolo which stated that the Board had received a number    

 of applications for variances after work had already commenced on residential home improvement projects. The Board

 thinks the community needs to familiarize itself with the fact that the Zoning Officer or the Construction Department should   

 be contacted before beginning any work on their property. The Board recommended the matter be addressed in the

 Mayor’s letter in the Bulletin.

   

12. ADJOURNMENT

Motion by Councilman Shaw, second by Councilman Happer, to adjourn the meeting at

9:18 p.m., with all members in favor signifying by “Aye.”

 

 

*Consent Agenda

 

 

Attest: January 24, 2011

 

 

_________________________________     _______________________________ 

Christina Whitaker, Clerk                                  Charles Gormally,   Mayor