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Mt. Olive
Township Council Minutes
May 28, 2002
The Regular Meeting of the Mount Olive Township Council was
called to order at 7:30pm by Council President Scapicchio
with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
MOMENT OF REFLECTION
President Scapicchio: If everyone would just join us. At
these Public Meetings, we now do a moment of reflection of
the men and women fighting terrorism and defending the freedom
that we all enjoy.
According to the Open Public Meetings Act, adequate Notice
of this Meeting has been given to the Mt. Olive Chronicle
and the Morristown Daily Record. Notice has been posted at
in the Municipal Building, 204 Flanders-Drakestown Road, Mt.
Olive, New Jersey, and notices were sent to those requesting
the same.
Also in attendance: Mayor Licitra, Cynthia Spencer, Business
Administrator, John Dorsey, Township Attorney, Lisa Lashway,
Township Clerk, and Jack Marchione, Tax Assessor.
ROLL CALL: Present: Mr. Guenther, Mr. Greenbaum, Mrs. Miller
(7:50), Mr. Spino, Mr. Scapicchio
Absent: Mr. Perkins
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
Bob Elms, Budd Lake, NJ: The public comment period that we
have at this point should cover the entire meeting agenda
because it does not appear to be another public comment period
after everything is completed and voted on by the council.
The comment period for Consent Resolutions is after the Council
has voted on them and not before so it is a done deal already.
We think maybe that comment period should be moved somewhere.
President Scapicchio: Bob, we put an additional public comment
period at the beginning of the meeting so that you and any
other residents have the ability to comment on anything that
is on the agenda or anything that is on your mind that is
a concern of Mount Olive Township.
Mr. Elms: The comment period for that part of it, the Consent
Resolutions is after the Consent Resolutions are over.
President Scapicchio: The Consent Resolution is moved, it
is seconded and then we have a public comment period before
we vote on it.
Mr. Elms: Well than it should be before.
President Scapicchio: You certainly will have an opportunity
to address us on the Consent Resolutions agenda if that is
your wish.
Mr. Elms: Under the correspondence No. 25 for BMED and the
Non Consent Resolution No. 8. Are these the reasons for Ordinance
24-2002? If so why aren't they all together? Apparently we
got a letter from BMED.
Rob Greenbaum: Do you want an explanation?
Mr. Elms: Well, correspondence No. 25 and Non Consent Resolution
No. 8. Both concern the BMED expenditures. Then we have an
Ord. 24, that is going to authorize a special appropriation.
Is this all to cover the BMED letter of how much more they
want?
Mr. Greenbaum: It is my understanding that the BMED letter
relates to legislation which we have been aware of for a long
period of time with regard to how those payments can be made.
It is not an additional amount of money. It is money which
has been assessed. Actually I should have Sherry explain it
to you.
Mrs. Jenkins: There was a letter that was sent advising us
that, in fact, the legislation had been passed allowing us
to fund that special assessment over three years. If the Council
so chooses to do that they need to pass an Ordinance to declare
this special emergency and then also a resolution needs to
be passed concerning financing of that. That's special assessment.
They are all interrelated.
Mr. Elms: So that is money that we owe them for last year?
Mrs. Jenkins: Actually I believe it goes back to 1999 and
2000.
Mr. Elms: Turkey Brook. Has anyone thought of moving the detention
pond?
President Scapicchio: We are going to have a Public Report
after administrative matters. We will have an update from
the Administration on Turkey Brook.
Mr. Elms: Okay, but also in Ordinance No. 26 we are authorizing
a million and a half dollars to move the rock out of the pond.
Can't we move the pond out of the rock? Has anybody looked
at that?
President Scapicchio: I am not quite sure that is an option
at this point.
Mr. Guenther: We're you here last week Bob?
Mr. Elms: No I was not.
Mr. Guenther: It was discussed when we had the Engineer here,
and that was discussed.
Mr. Elms: I was here at the meeting before that and it was
taken into closed session.
Mr. Guenther: Well no, last meeting we had a report from
the Engineer and essentially the topography the way the flow
goes it is really the only place to put the detention pond
the way I understand it.
Mr. Greenbaum: Just so that the record is clear as well.
The discussion with regard to Turkey Brook, there was a lot
of discussion about taking it into closed session. But overall
the status of the Project was discussed in open session. There
was significant discussion as to whether or not it belonged
in closed or open session. Those who felt it should be an
open session ultimately prevailed. The only discussion which
encurred in closed session were what type of negotiations
we're going to occur with regard to the contractor which was
a proper subject for executive session. Also, I don't believe
your numbers are correct with regard to the rock removal.
As far as I know it is not costing $1.5 million to remove
the rock. The actual cost for removing the rock is $800,000.
Mrs. Spencer: It is $1,000,050. But there are also potential
credits for other activities so that it would bring that overall
number down to $850,000.00.
President Scapicchio: Cynthia, do you want to explain to
Mr. Elms what we are doing with respect to the extra money
for Turkey Brook.
Mrs. Spencer: There are a number of issues and items that
have come up as the project has progressed that were not included
in the rebid design, there is irrigation of the first soccer
field that had inadvertently been left off. That is about
$32,000. There is compaction soil testing that is necessary
by an on site independent contractor for when they are building
the retention walls. There is the piping of water to the actual
irrigation fields that could be close to $100,000 or it could
off set if we potentially change the plans and potentially
put in a well for $20,000. There are a number of different
issues that relate specifically to the project and then what
we were hoping to do was leave I think $435,000 as a contingency
should other unknown circumstances occur during the completion
of this project.
Mr. Elms: And all of these things add up to $1.5 million"
Mrs. Spencer: Including the $435,000 that is not earmarked
at this point, yes.
Mr. Elms: Something that was asked at the last Council meeting
was that when we do something with a street or property that
we get a map for that and here where the Ordinance for Gold
Street, you're vacating a street and it does not show on the
official Township map that I have. I found it on the Hagstrom.
Those things were supposed to be included in this.
Mrs. Lashway: This was done two years ago, we were just doing
this so that it could be recorded.
Mr. Elms: Was it done at the request of a resident?
Mrs. Lashway: Either that or a developer.
Mr. Elms: Are there any plans for the Town to lift water
restrictions?
Mayor Licitra: We are having a meeting with the committee
right now. We did not get the type of rain that we thought
we would get in April, so we are going to reassess the situation
and maybe reassess the
Mayor Licitra (cont'd): water restrictions but right now there
is none.
Mr. Elms: The last time I asked this question Mayor Licitra
and Mr. Spino were not here, but are either of you covered
under the Township's Medical insurance?
Mayor Licitra: I'm not.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else from the public? Seeing
none, lets move forward to Administrative Matters.
ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS:
Presentation of Appreciation Plaque to Ernie DiCicco
Mayor Licitra: I would like to introduce Ernie DiCicco for
those of you who don't know about him. I would like to present
him a plaque for his years and years to the Township, especially
in the recreation area, as chairman of the Mount Olive Recreation
Advisory Committee, last week we presented his robotics team
when we were over here. Ernie seems to be getting involved,
letting one thing go in his life and getting involved in another
thing in the Township. But he is still on the Recreation Committee
and is on the Master Plan Committee and anytime the Township
asks him to do something he says yes. Ernie, the last nine
years have been a formative stage and I guess in our recreation
of the Township and I know you were the chairman of this.
I know you made a lot of headway in the last couple of years
to bring it to fruition. But I know that your leadership in
the last nine years has proved to be very good for the Township
and I want to present this plaque to you Ernie in recognition
in your appreciation for your nine years of service as Chairman
of the Mount Olive Township Recreation Advisory Committee.
This is presented by myself and the Mount Olive Township Council.
Again Ernie, thank you for all your dedication to Recreation
of this Town and the children. On behalf of the citizens of
Mount Olive, it is a small token, but it comes from the heart.
Anyone from the Council like to say anything?
President Scapicchio: Ernie, on behalf of the Council I would
just like to thank you for your years of service and dedication
and want you to know that we really do appreciate you.
Mr. DiCicco: Paul, members of the Council, I want to thank
you. I have lived here 51 years. I have been in this Town
every year since I was born. We have owned the house for 45
years. I guess my philosophy on a lot of things, it does not
pay to sit back and complain and argue and everything else.
If you are going to do something get involved in it. That
is what I have been doing over the years. That is something
that I always saw throughout as I was growing up and he worked
around the clock. That is what I have been around and that
is what I like to do. I just stick my two cents in by getting
involved. Thank you for all your support you have given me
over the years and for all you have done. Thank you very much.
Finance Dept. Scholarship Award - Beth Ann Robinson
Jack Marchione: For those of you who don't know, this is
the first year that we have had the Finance Department Scholarship.
We have received several applications and when I went over
Beth Ann Robinson's application I just could not believe that
she was involved in so many different things, and I checked
every one of them out and it turns out she was involved in
everything. I was amazed. I can't believe that a high school
senior could be involved in so much including various charitable
organizations which is very impressive.
WHEREAS the Mayor and Council adopted a resolution authorizing
the appropriation of the Finance Department Scholarship award
on behalf of the Township; and
WHEREAS the Finance Department has received scholarship applications
and formed a committee to review said applications and make
a determination for an award;
WHEREAS the Scholarship Committee has unanimously agreed
to nominate Beth Ann Robinson for the Departments first scholarship
award based on her educational achievements and extensive
involvement in various organizations that reflect a true sense
of leadership abilities and her desire to set forth an example
of the best of our youth.
NOW THERFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Finance Department is
pleased to present Beth Ann Robinson with the First Scholarship
award and wished success in her future endeavors.
Mr. Rattner: Just so the public knows, this is not being
funded by the Town. This was a project that was developed
and implemented by the employees. They raised the funds from
their own contributions so I Mr. Rattner (cont'd): think we
should congratulate our Finance Department who takes an interest
in understanding about giving awards is actually the employees
of the Finance Department. Congratulations.
Mayor Licitra: Thank you Steve. You stole my thunder. They
were to humble to say something about that. But I thank you
and the reason was, I asked Sherry when she wanted to do it,
she said people of the finance department work in the Township
and live I the Township, we want to give something back to
the Township. That is very admirable. Thank you Sherry and
Jack.
Future Municipal Leader Scholarship Award - Michael Holland
Mayor Licitra: I don't know if you remember, last year we
had the same presentation, a lot of things come across my
desk from the State and different organizations and some of
them we get involved in and some we don't. When it comes to
the young people of our Township I always give it back to
the school system and ask them if it is someone that's involved
who could be involved in this. Last year we made a couple
presentations. It is a scholarship program that the State
runs, for the Future Municipal Leader Scholarship Competition,
and whoever in the Township would like to get involved then
we review some of the scholarships and send them down to a
review committee. Michael was a semifinalist in this committee.
Last year we had a couple of semifinalists. I just want to
read the letter I got from Bill Dressler, the Executive Director,
it said thank you for submitting your local entry for the
Future Municipal Leadership Scholarship Competition. Enclosed
is a State finalist certificate as appropriate. These should
be awarded to your local winner. More than forty municipalities
submitted entries for this 8th annual scholarship competition
and choosing finalists and winners was very difficult. The
judges, State wide level included and there are about 15 judges
throughout State wide. But on behalf of the Township, I would
like to do this, it is a certificate of participation presented
to Michael A. Holland, Mount Olive Township State Semi-finalist
for your interest in civic contributions to the community
as evidence by your participation in the future municipal
leader scholarship competition. Michael, you made our Township
proud as most of our young people do, please, this is not
much but it is something that you will probably cherish the
rest of your life. You did a good job, thank you for representing
Mt. Olive Township.
PROCLAMATION MYASTHENIA GRAVIS AWARENESS MONTH, JUNE 2002
WHEREAS, Myasthenia Gravis is a neuro-muscular disease striking
children and adults, affecting control of voluntary muscles
and afflicting several hundred of our fellow New Jerseyans;
and
WHEREAS, the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Inc.
(MGFA), is a non-profit organization which was founded, "to
facilitate the timely diagnosis and optimal care of individuals
affected by Myasthenia Gravis and closely related disorders,
and to improve their lives through programs of patient services,
public information, medical research, professional education,
advocacy, and patient care." This disease affects citizens
of New Jersey more than any other neuromuscular disorders;
and
WHEREAS, it is fitting to recognize the many physicians who,
in their total dedication and untiring effort to treat this
disease and search for answers, have never lost sight of their
primary goal-conquest.
NOW THEREFORE, be it proclaimed that I, Paul R. Licitra,
Mayor of Mount Olive Township do hereby proclaim, June 2002
as Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month in Mount Olive Township.
PROCLAMATION LESLIE E. SMITH, JR. DAY
WHEREAS, Leslie E. Smith, Jr. commonly referred to as "Les"
has been a lifelong resident of Mount Olive and has participated
in many community activities; and
WHEREAS, Leslie E. Smith, Jr., currently serves as Senior
Vice President of the Rockefeller Group Development Corporation
which is best known for the development commonly referred
to as the International Trade Zone which was indeed Les's
idea and concept and which he has brought to fruition; and
WHEREAS, Les Smith is a member of the National Conference
for Community and Justice, New Jersey Region; and
WHEREAS, he has been selected by the National Conference
for Community and Justice to receive this year's Humanitarian
Award to be presented by the organization; and
WHEREAS, The Township of Mount Olive is proud of Les Smith's
accomplishments in the field of real estate development and
is equally proud that as a result of his civic and community
activities he has been designated to receive the Humanitarian
Award from the National Conference for Community Justice;
and
WHEREAS, at a luncheon to be held on June 6, 2002, the National
Conference for Community and Justice, which was founded in
1927 as the National Conference for Christians and Jews, will
present the aforementioned coveted award to Leslie E. Smith,
Jr.
NOW THEREFORE, as Mayor of the Township of Mount Olive I
do hereby proclaim June 6, 2002 as Leslie E. Smith, Jr. Day
in Mount Olive in recognition of his accomplishments and his
receipt of the Humanitarian Award for the Year 2002.
LIFESAVING AWARD - DOREEN FULTON - PRESENTED BY THE BUDD
LAKE FIRST AID SQUAD
Doreen, on behalf of the Budd Lake and Rescue Squad and the
residents of Mt. Olive Township, Captain Rob Coopersmith would
like to present you with a lifesaving award for successfully
using the Heimlich maneuver. I have Cindy Kluska here who
is the nurse from the school who would like to elaborate a
little bit on your deeds of the day. We congratulate you for
the good work that you have done.
I would like to first of all say thank you to the Budd Lake
First Aid Squad and to the Mayor's Office for bestowing this
honor on Doreen. In January of this year a six year old girl
who is a Township resident, Alicia was on the playground and
she happened to have a Twix Bar and when she bit into it,
it eluded her airway. Two friends brought her over to you
because they knew there was something wrong with this child.
Mrs. Fulton, automatically took a look at this child, she
assessed in under ten seconds, this child could not breathe
and she said it was like second nature, "I went around
and I did the heimlich maneuver." This bestowed my heart
because not eight weeks prior to this I went through with
all the school aids it was just a refresher course on the
heimlich maneuver and other miscellaneous first aid things
to do in a school. So I am very proud of her and I hope you
are too.
APPOINTMENTS TO THE PLANNING BOARD: Dennis E. Lynch, Alt.
II, 2 year unexpired term to expire 12/31/02 and Nelson Russell,
Alt. I, 2 year unexpired term to expire 12/31/03
President Scapicchio: Mayor you have some appointments to
the Planning Board?
Mayor Licitra: I have one. I would like to make the appointment
to the Planning Board of Dennis E. Lynch, Alt. II 2year unexpired
term to expire 12/31/02 and Nelson Russell, Alt. I two year
unexpired term to expire 12/31/03.
President Scapicchio: Mayor, who is retiring from the Planning
Board?
Mayor Licitra: This is Joe McGoldrick's slot which we normally
move people up to, so Howie Weiss was appointed to that slot
and then the alternates just moved up.
President Scapicchio: Two people must have retired, because
you are appointing two.
Mayor Licitra: One moves up to Howie's spot.
President Scapicchio: Okay so one is just a bump up. Thank
you.
TURKEY BROOK PARK PROJECT STATUS
Cynthia Spencer: I am happy to report that the work is continuing.
The issue of the topsoil remediation is moving forwards as
the testing service issued a complete report that actually
brought the small gravel within the appropriate range. Tomorrow,
a Rhoda Darien machine is being brought in and tested. Jim
Lynch our Director of Buildings, Grounds and Parks will be
on site to supervise this test and operation of the equipment.
President Scapicchio: What kind of machine Cynthia?
Cynthia Spencer: Roto Darion.
President Scapicchio: What does that do?
Mrs. Spencer: It tills through the soil and will remove rocks
down to eight inches. Any little pebbles and dirt will be
turned over and brought to the surface, leaving the rocks
and larger roots, etc below the 8 inches of top soil. It is
designed specifically for this process. This is for the top
soil, by the way, that will be spread on top on the soccer
field, so we want to make sure that we have the proper drainage
so that the fields can grow deep roots and be playable for
most if not all of the season once it takes roots. Pre-imposed
soil sampling will be conducted and sent to Dakota which is
the testing facility for analysis and it is Mrs. Spencer (cont'd):
expected that this process will be satisfactory. Retaining
walls and steps are being analyzed and design assistance is
being provided by Don Clayton, for the Alan "block system"
that is being used. What this means is that, in the areas
of the park where retaining walls are necessary to bridge
the height differences on the levels of the fields, there
are steps being
constructed to facilitate movement between the steps, this
is at no extra cost. Manufacture's reps are on site helping
to make sure that the block systems conform with the design
and are securely installed. PMK, has been hired to perform
the soil compaction test on the retaining walls that are being
installed. These are the dirt walls that again go between
the levels of fields.
President Scapicchio: Is that an expense that the Township
bores?
Mrs. Spencer: Yes. That is the change order for $3900. Then
in contrast to what I reported last week a stone crusher has
been brought on site by Kyle Conte Construction. Starting
later this week, crushing will take place in line with the
CDA aggregate which is differentiating stone between ¾
inch and 1 ¾ inch which will then be used for the parking
lots and the sub basin requirements. So this should end up
in a credit that we won't be bringing in additional rock.
Initially, the quotes the contractor had received were all
more expensive than bringing in new already crushed stone,
he was able to work a deal where it will in everyone's benefit.
So that should start this week.
President Scapicchio: So we should see a credit in terms
of additional charges that we have agreed.
Mrs. Spencer: Well, this is part of the overall deal, and
yes we will work that as we move forward. Conte has been advised
to proceed with the final excavation of the detention pond.
This rock removal and some associated rock removal with the
trenching for the sewer lines will require blasting. All state
guidelines are being followed. Both pre and post blasting
surveys will be taken as well as appropriate notification
given to residents on Flanders and Sunset Roads. Finally,
after the Ordinance is in place we will be requiring resolutions
to authorize the $1,000,050 for the additional rock and then
there is an additional change order for the $30,000 for the
irrigation on field No. 1. These will require change orders
as will an additional charge from Olympus for $1800 which
is for the redesign and raising of the sanitary sewer lines.
Those are the things that have occurred this week.
President Scapicchio: Cynthia, the blasting of rock in the
trenches. Is that a cost that is covered under the agreement
that the administration has worked out with Conte that we
were briefed on last week?
Mrs. Spencer: There will be no additional charges whatsoever
from any rock removal blasting. Anything that comes up is
covered.
President Scapicchio: What's involved with respect to the
raising of the sewer lines that would require us to give Olympus
any additional money?
Mrs. Spencer: There will need to be some redesign using engineering
reports. It is going from a 15 foot trench to between five
and six feet that will require some reengineering. It won't
be along the originally planned routes because we were trying
to minimize the amount of rock that needed to be excavated.
President Scapicchio: Anything else on Turkey Brook?
Mrs. Spencer: No, I think that's it.
President Scapicchio: Council, any question for the Administration
on the Turkey Brook report?
Mayor Licitra: I would just suggest and we have talked it
over as far as the Turkey Brook Committee is concerned and
I know yourself and Bernie are on the committee. I would like
to ask that we get one other Council person to sit on the
committee so it would be three of you. It would make more
cohesion between the Turkey Brook Committee and the Council.
So if you could suggest this we would more than welcome it.
President Scapicchio: I will try to work that out Mayor.
Okay, Cynthia thank you for that report.
STATUS OF COMPLAINTS BY RESIDENTS OF HOMESTEADS BY JJF
President Scapicchio: Last week we had some residents complain,
I understand that the following day you issued a detailed
memorandum. Do you have anything to report on tonight to the
Council.
Mrs. Spencer: Yes I do. Was this communication provided to
the audience, or do I need to go through each item?
President Scapicchio: We just got this tonight, I don't think
that anyone of us has really read it so why don't you just?
Mr. Rattner: I noticed that the memos I have are not stamped
as being received by the Clerk's Office.
President Scapicchio: The Clerk and I will work that out
tomorrow.
Mrs. Spencer: That is undoubtedly my fault. I did not finish
them until after 6:00pm tonight and I put them in your box.
Mr. Rattner: I am just bringing that up because it is not
a public document until it is actually received by the Clerk's
Office.
President Scapicchio: We understand that.
Mrs. Spencer: We have received a number of complaints, I
broke it down into ten sections, the first complaint was that
the builders are working after the 6:00 pm noise ordinance
time frame. The police have infact been doing regular patrols
every evening and they have not come up with any complaints
since that date.
Mr. Rattner: We got this memo tonight and I appreciate it,
however, I think some of our questions were not from last
Tuesday going forward, my questions were from last Tuesday
going back on exactly what issues have happened because there
was accusations that the Town had not followed the proper
codes, the proper inspections weren't done on a timely basis
and such with the exception of one item No. 9 which talks
about a violation, a report issued on 12/12/01 and the next
time there seemed to be an inspection was 5/24/02 which in
my calculation is better than fifteen months. It really does
not give us any information. I understand it if you go forward
and all the parties involved know that they are being watched
they are going to be very careful of what they do, but I think
at least my questions were specifically on the discussion
we had last week about things that were either the accusation
of things that were done improperly or things that were done
in violation of our own codes, in other words, CO's about
the sidewalks and I asked specifically and I know we had problems
with the tape and that is not your problem, that was within
the Council, so maybe you did not get the exact information,
everybody's notes are a little bit different so I am not going
to say that you did not give us the stuff, but it was what
our code says about when the sidewalks go in, in relationship
to partially built developments and then as the CO's were
issued, were they in conformance with that, because I believe
the Township Attorney last week instructed the Eengineer to
insure that no more CO's would be issued unless the sidewalks
at least on one side of the street that I could see from this,
which I just read a summery of very quickly just now, that
would be done. So what I was asking for was everything going
back, not going forward.
President Scapicchio: Steve, you raised some valid issues,
why don't you let Cynthia go through her report.
Mr. Rattner: But her report just says everything that has
been done since last Tuesday. I don't think that is what our
questions were, I think some of the questions were the items
Mr. Guenther: Just on the one item.
Mr. Rattner: No everything is down there.
President Scapicchio Steve, we asked the Administration to
report on the allegations that were made by the area residents,
lets let Cynthia give us that report and any additional questions
or comments we have, we can ask the Administration after her
report.
:
Mrs. Spencer: The second complaint that was lodged was that
the builders and the Rocco's are making crude and sexually
abusive comments and gestures towards the women. This is a
serious allegation and Mrs. Uhrmann had actually complained
that morning to the Police Department at which time Ed Katona,
the Chief had requested that she come to Police Headquarters
to file a formal complaint, although that did not happen.
Officer Mike Pocquat was dispatched to her home last Friday
for the purpose of taking an official report, however he was
unable to establish contact with her.
Charlie Uhrmann: That is so not right.
Mrs. Spencer: That is what I was told by the Police.
Mayor Licitra: Could you allow Cindy to finish? It took us
a long time to compile this.
President Scapicchio: Mayor, that is what I want to do. Cynthia.
Mrs. Spencer: I will just respond to this one incident. There
is no report yet on file in the Police Department but this
officer is on vacation today, so the last his superiors knew,
he had been dispatched to meet with you for the purpose of
getting the complaint on the record. There was an allegations
that the contractors parked their construction equipment in
the road. The Police have reviewed this parking situation
and found that yes in fact construction vehicles are parked
in the road and this is a satisfactory condition while a street
remains under use of the developer and construction is continuing
on the street. Not until the roads are turned over to the
Township, are Mount Olive Township Road Ordinances put into
effect and then enforced. There was a situation where the
fence around Rocco's pool is falling down and is not in compliance
with code. We had two individuals from Building, Code Compliance,
as well as the Health Department go and inspect this and infact
the fence is not in compliance, he was given a warning and
his explanation was that the fence had been taken down to
allow the removal of some equipment from inside that area.
He has been given 10 days to get that fence up and maintain
the code restrictions. Our current Ordinance requires that
sidewalks be installed before CO's are issued on new houses.
I went back to the Building Department and had them pull all
of the records for all of the homes built on Jennies Lane.
As you enter Jennies Lane from Mine Hill Road, sidewalks are
only required on the right side of the street. This was a
Planning Board waiver that was given at the time that the
entire development project was approved to start. They are
required only on one side of the street. There are seven lots
on the sidewalks side, three of which are occupied homes and
those three have installed sidewalks on their boundaries.
There is one other lot that has a temporary Certificate of
Occupancy and they are sitting with a provisional bond and
in that particular case the owners are going to be installing
that sidewalk before the Township removes the provisional
bond. The three additional homes that have not yet been completed,
they have a concrete apron. It has been practiced, not only
in this development, but in most that the sidewalks are one
of the last things to be installed because they tend to be
cracked and broken by the construction equipment if they are
put in earlier. But at no time have they been in violation
of the building inspection codes in according with our codes
that are on the books. However Homesteads by JJF has been
advised in writing by the Township engineer that CO's will
not be issued under any conditions until sidewalks are completed
along that side of the street. There was another charge that
there was an excessive amount of construction debris around
the neighborhood. The Township Engineer went and did an inspection
and spoke with Mr. Rocco Senior and advised that the construction
debris was excessive. We have taken some pictures. He stated
that the construction debris was a result of his masons contract
and he was ordered to get it cleaned up, to notify him and
another inspection will be done next week to make sure he
is in compliance. There was a charge that the stop sign at
the top of the street is improperly installed that it is at
a height of ten feet. Our Township Engineer went out and measured
that. The existing stop sign is only seven feet 6 inches from
the bottom of the sign to the existing ground. Per section
2A-23 of the manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The
clearance to the bottom of the sign shall be a minimum of
seven feet, therefore the sign at 7 feet 6 inches is in fact
in compliance with the regulations for residential districts
where pedestrian movement may occur or that there are obstructions
of view. So the sign is properly installed and that is a ruling
by our Township Engineer as well as our building inspector.
Also, there was allegations that two weeks ago the neighbors
witnessed the digging out and removal of three old oil tanks.
They reported that they called NJDEP and launched a complaint.
They were told that DEP would notify the Township and have
the situation reviewed. We have not received any paperwork
or phone calls from DEP. I checked with every department.
However I did send people out. Both our Code Enforcement and
our Planning Director did an inspection of the area and they
walked the lots, what they were told was that abandoned tank
had been laying and had since been removed. When they went
to speak with Mr. Rocco, they were given a receipt from a
disposal company that on I believe June 5, 2002 that this
tank was properly disposed of and they had the receipt for
that work being done. The Rocco's claim that this 275 gallon
tank was an old water tank and it had been filled with dirt
and it had just been sitting there abandoned. It was in the
back of the property known as 8 Jennies Lane. But they did
produce a receipt stating that it had been removed, in accord
with Raimo's of Stanhope had done the removal service. The
Township employees reported that there was no other visible
clue to any recent excavation or tank removal. These two Township
employees had gone out last Friday and were unable to speak
with anyone. They said they went to two of the occupied homes
and no one was available. They couldn't find any evidence
of any recent excavation or of oil on any of the property.
Then there were questions raised regarding the conditions
at the Rocco's rental property known as 153 Mine Hill Road.
It was requested that all Health and Building Code violations
be corrected. We went back into the files and we had been
aware that there had been health code violations that have
been filed and actually looked into. We had a health inspection
in February of 2001 and those were not followed up on by a
subsequent investigation because the Health Department Employees
were under the assumption that when they received a court
order that they were to close the case. I asked them to go
back out there. They did so at this point in time, Mr. James
Rocco and his family are actually residing in that apartment.
However they did give the Health Department Employee access.
What was found is that a new roof was installed and that this
had been inspected and was passed. The presence of mold formation
that has previously been reported was no longer observed in
the bathrooms or storage room and the remediation of this
condition had been completed and the Township obtained a document
certifying that Insurance Restoration Specialists Inc. had
Mrs. Spencer (cont'd): performed the mold remediation and
cleaning services at that location. The furnace valve in the
basement has been fixed and is no longer leaking. There remains
a section in the storage area that lacks sheet rock or ceiling
tiles, however there is no one living in that area and since
it is being used for storage only, it is not required to be
a finished space. When the Health Inspector left, he made
it very clear that any additional occupancy or a changeover
in tendency required a building inspection prior to the Rocco's
allowing any new tenants to move into that space. The one
final issue that had been brought up on that inspection report
was with fire detection equipment being in that. Actually
there were no smoke detectors and our Fire Prevention Specialist
did contact Mr. Rocco regarding the needed smoke detection
system and this is not in fact in place at this time. He was
advised that there would be a follow up inspection and again
no further rental or occupancy will be allowed without a complete
inspection before a new tenant would be required to move in.
Mr. Rattner: I guess my problem is that we get a written
report but most of the information came verbally because there
were specific things I asked, and I guess it was just verbalized
to us. I asked specific things like, does out ordinance require
sidewalks? It's nowhere in the write up. I think I got something
that past practice said we did not require it. It does not
say. I asked specifically does our current ordinances before
CO's require all the sidewalks are in? That was my specific
question. I was told that traditionally we have not done it,
but that is why I was expecting to see in here. I had some
very very specific questions. I don't know where the truth
lies. I am trying to go back and forth and I am only looking
at what the Town's responsibility is. I am not really at this
point concerned about the developer because if there is a
contractual problem between the developer and the home owners
that is between them. But what I was trying to understand
from what I heard last week is whether we were doing what
we should have been doing in the proper inspections. Even
going backwards coming forward, that was number one on my
list, it is No. 9 and No.10 on our Business Administrator's
list and that was the condition of 153 Mine Hill Road. I asked
very specifically if the property is being used for rental,
does our code require a CO every time there is a change in
tenants, because then there would be an inspection on mold
and they would not let people move in. I know 25 years ago
when I got a building permit for a wood burning stove besides
everything else, they came in and inspected to make sure I
had a smoke detector on every level of the house which is
required by our code. So that is the main thing I would ask
for. On all the accusations we heard on 153 and going back,
it actually says here that it started at least on 2/12/01
and the next thing I got in writing says that we re-inspected
on 5/24/02. I want to know what happened in the 15 months,
if the people have been complaining. Also, what very much
concerned me what I just heard is that the Health Department
decided not to do anything if there was a health issue because
there was a court order. To me, just from common sense something
does not make sense, that they get a court order so they no
longer enforce, inspect, or whatever you want to call health
issues. If something could affect their health and welfare
of the citizens, that is their job. I don't believe there
could be any kind of court order that says that you could
ignore a health issue. I can guarantee there is not any statute
that would allow that, would put up with that, and I don't
think anybody would accept that. If that is really what the
Health Department says, I would be interested in understanding
what there reasoning was behind that. Going down on my list,
I wanted to know how many complaints really came in. The people
who came in and appeared before us, said that they constantly
contacted the Health Department, I wanted to know from our
records how many times did they really. How many times do
we have records so I could see if it was once or twice or
just something that could you check on something or was it
a formal compliant because obviously there is a real big difference.
We always know there is three sides to a story. In this case
the resident side, the developer's side and then the truth
is probably somewhere in the middle. But when we talk about
debris all over. They said that they have been complaining
for months. We are told that yes there was to much debris
and we cleaned it up after last Tuesday, that does not answer
my question, have they been complaining and have they been
in violation? Was there to much debris. I want to know about
the vehicles parked on the road. Is it a safety issue? Whether
they are allowed to put it there and I think I explained that
in the construction zone. You are going to have a certain
amount of debris, you are going to have a certain amount of
construction material, but there is still a safety issue.
If you have people living there, you have to protect the safety
of the people that are there. I don't believe there 's anything
that would contradict that. The last thing I will just bring
up is this thing with the oil tank. Now obviously and I guess
I got the answer verbally, is that the DEP was contacted by
what some of the residents said. Our Health Department says
that the DEP never contacted him. Well obviously if there
is a problem that that did not contact us so they wouldn't
know, but I don't understand the part that Raimo's, the place
in Byram that takes the tanks. Do they remove it or do we
just have a form or a receipt saying that a tank was actually
deposited there? I know from other people including one person
in Town who had a problem with their Mercedes when it leaked
a little bit of fuel oil, and they had a problem with the
DEP because once you have any oil, if there is a tank that
was ever used for oil, I believe the code, at least from what
I remember, from the DEP requires you to get a permit and
it has to be inspected and then you have to remediate it based
on the State regulations. You don't remove a tank first, and
say this was one. I guess what I am asking for is the sequence
of events. Because I don't know if it was done properly. I
don't know if our employees, if we were doing what we should
be doing. From this report, I really don't see, because again
I will say that for the most part except for the little bit
that Cynthia did add, that everything we are talking about
is from last Tuesday going forward. I asked specifically from
Mr. Rattner (cont'd): last Tuesday going back to what happened
because we should have some sort of historical record. The
only thing I did ask was that somebody go down the next morning
right away, look at where the tanks are supposedly moved to
or where they temporarily sat because we were told that there
was some oil leaking out of them to try and inspect to see
if there was any oil or residue on the ground. I did not see
any of that here. So as far as my concern, most of my questions
were not answered.
Mr. Guenther: Regarding the oil tank or supposed oil tank,
what are our regulations in town? It is my understanding on
any tanks that there has to be some certification from the
Health Department that it was not an oil tank or whatever,
it has to be given a clean bill of health by our Health Department.
Correct?
Mrs. Spencer: I believe that is true. In this particular
case, the only evidence of a tank and I have pictures that
are people took, was an area where grass was not growing where
the tank had been resident. It was removed according to this
receipt on April 5, of this year. And they claimed that it
was an old water tank and it was filled with dirt.
Mr. Guenther: What they claim is immaterial, they are required
to get the certification of the Town, and if they have no
problem with the tank and it is a water tank, they should
have contacted the Health Department and get that certification.
Their claim stands as far as I am concerned has no validity.
Mrs. Spencer: The tank was supposedly abandoned on this property.
Mr. Guenther: But you are saying supposedly Cynthia. You
don't know what it was. No body knows.
Mr. Rattner: The State is very concerned with abandoned tanks.
I would say that everybody in the State of NJ if they have
any sense at all, have taken it up on their oil companies
or their home insurance companies and paying approximately
$200.00 extra a year because of the possible liability of
any tank that may be buried in their yard. I know a lot of
people who have called me and asked me, I did not know what
it was. In the last year they have all been contacted. Anybody
who have ever had oil saying you have to have insurance because
you don't know what is there. You need to do this. This will
guarantee that you won't have any additional costs when you
go to remove it properly. Every tank, there was a law that
was passed probably about three years ago that was effective
at least two years ago that you have to have a permit for
every tank. I know that it has been big business for the insurance
companies because anyone with homeowner's insurance are still
getting oil deliveries and they have a tank in the ground;
has been contacted to get the insurance because just the cost
of getting it inspected before you can remove any tank at
all, is cost prohibitive. I saw someone yesterday who went
through it last year and actually took their outside tank
so they could clean it up because they were confident that
there was no oil, and this was an engineer that I know in
Hopatcong and they moved into their basement just so they
wouldn't have any problem in the future and they would not
have any problem selling their house.
President Scapicchio: I guess the question is are they in
any violation of State or Township Ccode for removing a tank
without a permit regardless of what kind of tank it may be?
So that is the question Cynthia.
Mr. Spino: I don't mean to sound like this is not important.
I think all of the issues that have been brought up are important.
But I do believe that we are not going to settle this at a
council meeting like this. I think if we have questions, like
Steve has that have not been answered, if he wants a list
of lets say, the Health Department, how many times have you
been out there, what violations have you found, have you found
any violations? Those are the kinds of things I think he wants
among other. I think that is what we should do then. Get that
report, look at that report then maybe we could make some
decisions. What decisions can you make? What can you do, but
listening to people go on about these things. I am not saying
they are not important. We are saying well that house on Mine
Hill Road should have been inspected earlier. Yes. But someone
was told from what I imagine that there was a court order/decision
not to get involved or whatever. I am not saying that's true
or not. I don't know. But lets find out from the people who
are immediately involved and get them to report. Like I said
we could go on, but we are not going to settle anything.
Mr. Rattner: Mr. Spino, with all due respect that is exactly
what I asked for last meetign. I was very specific after we
went around and around I came up with my list and I asked
for it.
Mr. Spino: Steve, I did not give up the microphone. Secondly,
I would not argue with you. I said yes, those are the kind
of questions you asked and you have every right to have them
answered. I don't think we are going to get an answer tonight
because the people who have to answer them aren't here.
Mr. Rattner: That's why I asked the Administration to get
it and they gave us something that was not something we completely
asked for.
President Scapicchio: Cynthia, do you have an understanding
of what Mr. Rattner would like addressed? Steve, you are absolutely
right, but I also think in the defense of the Administration,
and I don't always defend everything they do. These are allegations
that were made seven days ago. We asked them to take some
action and get back to us with a report. I think for the most
part they were responsive to the request. Understanding that
there was still some unanswered questions that you have.
Mr. Rattner: What I was more concerned about, and maybe sometimes
I am protective of our employees because I know most of our
employees do a good job and they are very busy. We had allegations
that procedures weren't followed. Complaints were not followed
up on. With that, I ask that we go back into the files and
just list what happened and what didn't happen because we
heard one side. I heard a lot. It sounded plausible. But you
really don't know, so I ask that. I'll use the example of
the fence. We all know that the first notice of attempted
violation because of some sort of dispute was probably a year
ago. Then to say that a year went by, and they went back out
there and there is fence that is not properly installed and
that was an issue a year ago. What happened? I want to know
what we did. I am not saying that the developer did anything
wrong, I am not saying that the residents are exactly right.
I am asking that if a year ago the fence was not in there,
why was it this past Friday? Well guess what, they are in
violation, they only moved it because of equipment. We knew
a year ago that there was a problem there and one of our employees
was kicked off the property for whatever reason.
Mr. Greenbaum: I think there are two issues that we are dealing
with here. One raised by Steve that Earl tried to deal with,
and one of greater proportion to the people here in the audience.
I think we need to get an answer to the past problems and
what actually occurred and that is not going to be taken care
of tonight. But I think the greater concern to the people
in the audience is; how do we protect their safety on a going
forward basis? What type of procedure do we put into place
now so that they have a forum. They obviously feel that they
are not getting adequate representation from the Administration,
they have come to Council as their last resort. I am sure
they would be satisfied if they got an answer as to why things
weren't done and they are satisfied that things are being
done in the future. I think we need to come to a conclusion
as to why things weren't done in the past. That is not going
to be done here tonight. What procedure could we put into
place to safeguard the health and welfare of that area on
a going forward basis? That is what we need to resolve.
Mr. Dorsey: I just want to address one question Steve and
Cynthia raised. While it is true that the Township has not
yet taken title to those streets as it will at the end of
the day. The minute that a CO is issued for a home on any
of those streets, those streets are open to the public and
open and usable by the public. Therefore it lies within the
discretion of the Police as to what vehicles etc. they will
permit to be parked on those streets. They are public streets,
they are open to the public and the police have the authority
to direct exactly what will or will not be parked there. If
the Police say it is a matter of safety, all of the equipment
should be off that street I think that is within their prerogative
to do so. That is the way I think you should address the streets.
I thought I was clear about this, the issue of the order.
The Board of Health was never a party to the court order to
either the lock of the builder obtained a court order which
in part was a gag order against Mrs. Uhrmann. That has no
effect on the Township. The Township was not a party of that.
The Township is not bound by it, the Township is in a position
to enforce any and all ordinances it sees fit. The issue is
how much sidewalk should be in and that sort of thing is frankly
in the discretion of the Construction Code Official etc, but
once a CO is issued are entitled to have all of the utilities
etc. that effect their home to be properly installed and usable
by them.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else on the Council? Cynthia
I guess you have some direction on a second report. Okay,
thank you.
LEGAL MATTERS
Mr. Dorsey: I have my request for two executive sessions.
One of Charter's and one for Olympus claims.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS:
May 14, 2002 CS Present: Mr. Guenther, Mr. Greenbaum, Mrs.
Miller, President Scapicchio,
Mr. Perkins, Mr. Rattner
Absent: Mr. Spino
May 21, 2002 CS Present: Mr. Guenther, Mr. Greenbaum, Mrs.
Miller, President Scapicchio, Mr. Perkins, Mr. Rattner, Mr.
Spino
Absent: None
May 21, 2002 Present: Mr. Guenther, Mr. Greenbaum, Mrs. Miller,
President Scapicchio, Mr. Perkins, Mr. Rattner, Mr. Spino
Absent: None
Mr. Guenther moved for the approval of the minutes and Mr.
Rattner seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL: Passed unanimously with the exception of Mr. Spino
who abstained on May 14, 2002
CORRESPONDENCE
Letter from Residents
1. E-mail received May 10, 2002, from Stephen Liska regarding
Parking Problem at High School.
2. Letter received May 13, 2002, from Catherine Locaonte
regarding DARE Program.
3. Letter received May 15, 2002, from Mr. Glenn St. John
regarding DARE Program.
Resolution, Ordinances, Correspondence from other Municipalities
4. Resolution received May 13, 2002, from the Township of
Denville regarding a Resolution supporting Senate Bill 644
Authorizing Municipalities to Impose Room Tax on Hotels with
More than 100 Rooms.
5. Resolution received May 13, 2002, from the Township of
Long Hill regarding Dam Restoration and Rehabilitation.
6. Resolution received May 17, 2002, from the Borough of
Norwood regarding Watershed Moratorium Offset Aid.
7. Letter received May 20, 2002, from Washington Township
regarding the Revised Master Plan Public Hearing of Adoption.
8. Resolution received May 20, 2002, from the Township of
Parsippany-Troy Hills regarding increasing fees for Registration
of all Terrain Vehicles, to Provide Relief to Municipalities
for Enforcement, and to Increase fines and Penalties Associated
with Unauthorized or Unlawful Use of Such Vehicles.
9. Resolution received May 20, 2002, from the Towns of Dover
requesting adoption of a legislation permitting Municipalities
to Increase Penalties for Overcrowding Housing Violations
to $10,000.
10. Resolution received May 23, 2002, from the Borough of
Lincoln Park regarding Proposed Reduction in polling place
hours.
League of Municipalities
11. E-mail received May 13, 2002, from the New Jersey State
League of Municipalities regarding League Opposed to A-1714,
School Sub-contracting, Support of Clean Communities and Cable
TV bills being held for review.
12. Legislative Bulletin received May 21, 2002, from the
New Jersey State League of Municipalities regarding bills
that were enacted as Public Laws of 21002.
DOT / DEP / Permit's / LOI's
13. Response Document received May 13, 2002, from the New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection regarding Project
Priority List for Federal Fiscal Year 2002.
14. Letter received May 15, 2002, from the State of New Jersey,
Department of Environmental Protection regarding Letter of
Interpretation for Applicant: Harriet Nucci Block 3305, Lot
29 (Intersection of Spring and Center Streets).
15. Letter received May 21, 2002, from the State of New Jersey,
Department of Environmental Protection regarding Permit for
Water Department - Pinecrest Water Distribution System.
16. Letter received May 23, 2002, from the State of New Jersey,
Department of Environmental Protection regarding Morris County
YMCA Dam.
Correspondence from Legislative Representatives
17. Letter received May 13,2002, from Assemblyman Garrett
regarding the Township's Resolution urging Governor McGreevey
to restore dam repair funds and to fully fund future repairs.
Correspondence from Organizations / Committees / Boards
18. Letter received May 10, 2002, from Mount Olive Lions
Club regarding the Annual Charity Golf Outing.
19. Letter received May 15, 2002, from Midday Morris regarding
a Program on "Local Trends and Challenges in Philanthropy".
20. Letter received May 15, 2002, from the Morris County
Board of Chosen Freeholders regarding the Morris County Improvement
Authority.
21. Letter received May 16, 2002, from Rutgers, State University
regarding a Conference in June (Emerging Markets - Summit
V)
22. Letter received May 16, 2002, from PMK Group regarding
the NJDEP Greenstart Seminar.
23. Letter received May 20, 2002, from Budd Lake Chapel regarding
Sewer Fees - Block 3306 Lot 1; Block 3306, Lot 8; Block 3307,
Lot 1.
24. Notice received May 20, 2002, from Mount Olive Area Chamber
of Commerce regarding Invitation to the Boat House.
25. Letter received May 22, 2002, from the Bergen Municipal
Employee Benefits Fund regarding Special Emergency Appropriations
- A1889 Legislation.
MUA / MSA
26. Letter received May 13, 2002, from the Musconetcong Sewerage
Authority regarding expansion.
27. Report received May 13, 2002, from the Musconetcong Sewerage
Authority regarding Examination on Fiscal Statements year
ended December 31, 2002.
28. Minutes received May 13, 2002, from the Musconetcong
Sewerage Authority regarding the April 3, 2002 meeting
29. Letter received May 20, 2002, from the Robert H. Beinfield
regarding the MSA 2002 Environmental Infrastructure Trust
Financing)
COAH
30. Newsletter received May 23, 2002, from Council on Affordable
Housing regarding Assisted Living, Deadlines and Certification
extension.
President Scapicchio stated that there were 30 pieces of correspondence
on the agenda and asked if Council had any comments on same.
Mrs. Miller: No. 8, a resolution from Parsippany/ Troy Hills
regarding the increased fees for registration of all terrain
vehicles. I am in favor of doing that here. Maybe it's because
we are not charging enough fees?
Mr. Rattner: I think right now on ATV's we don't have any
fees. I would go along with fees if it is to register all
ATV's to the way mopeds are registered. This way when we have
problems of people running rampant across protected private
property, that we could at least get a license number or there
is an obvious issue that if somebody has one and is operating
one without a plate with a number on it. If it is just to
cover the cost of the registration, very similar again to
a moped, I think it is very useful just so we can at least
enforce our current laws on where they should be used and
they shouldn't. If it is going to be a revenue boosting type
thing, then I would be against it.
President Scapicchio: Mayor could you have the Administration
look into this and get back with the recommendation. Is that
the direction we should take here?
Mayor Licitra: Okay Dave.
President Scapicchio: Anything else on correspondence?
ORDINANCES FOR PUBLIC HEARING
Ord. #22-2002 An Ordinance of the Township of Mount Olive
Prohibiting Parking at Certain Times on Streets within Carlton
Hills.
President Scapicchio opened the hearing on Ord. #22-2002
to the public
Richard Bonte, Budd Lake, NJ: I just want to reaffirm my
non-concurrence with this ordinance. I believe it is illy
conceived and that instead you should be introducing an ordinance
overturning the ordinance that you passed earlier in the year
banning parking on School House Lane. There is no end to this.
These are public streets. Licensed drivers have the right
to park on public streets. If the School Board has a problem
I think the Town should address that problem with the School
Board and advise them that they probably don't have the legal
authority to age or grade discriminate against legal drivers
in the State of NJ and their parking rights on public property.
Thank you.
President Scapicchio Anyone else from the public on this
ordinance? Seeing none, lets close the public hearing.
Mr. Rattner moved for adoption and final passage of Ord.
22-2002 and Mr. Spino seconded the motion.
President Scapicchio: Council Discussion?
Mr. Rattner: Just two sentences. One it is the responsibility
of this Town Council to protect the health, safety and welfare
of all our citizens. Right now safety issue is being addressed,
it is not the optimum way, the optimum way is to enforce to
the high school just like we would any business to provide
the parking that is required to maintain for the students
and they should be concerned about their safety. But by not
doing this we are just saying we know there is a safety issue,
but we are not going to do anything about it. So I am supporting
the ordinance.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else from the Council?
Mrs. Miller: I am going to vote in favor in of it simply
because I believe the residents need some sort of relief.
I feel the complaints were valid and we could always amend
or change it at a later date if Parking is provided by the
High School. I am hoping that it is going to be a temporary
solution to a problem and then once the problem is corrected
then we can rescind the ordinance.
President Scapicchio: Thank you, Charlene.
Mr. Guenther: You know my position on this. I don't like
the piece meal approach that we are taking. On the other hand
I was at the Board of Education meeting a couple weeks ago
where they did take action to find a temporary solution. Supposedly
they are coming up with 20 additional parking spaces for the
remainder of this year to hopefully alleviate the problem.
Then there was an unspecified long term solution that the
Superintendent was coming up with at future meeting. I would
like to strongly suggest that at these meetings when we discuss
school matters that the liaison with the School Board of Education
should be present. I find it amazing that he is not and I
think that when we put something on the agenda we should reach
out to the School Board and have Daniel Amianda here. We discuss
these items that are of concern to us that he should take
back to the School Board. I was reasonably satisfied why the
School Boards action that they are taking action. I am willing
to support this ordinance at the time. I would like to see
that we do a more comprehensive approach according to Mr.
Bonte's suggestion we just do a comprehensive ordinance and
say a one mile radius of the school instead of specifying
streets. We'll be sitting here again in a few weeks when the
people on Ramorr and other streets are going to be coming
to us with the same complaints. I don't like this piece meal
type of resolution. I will support it because mainly because
in this case it is a safety concern of the crossing of the
street, crossing Flanders-Netcong Road to get to the school.
That is a very dangerous situation. That is very contrary
to what you had on School House Lane. That's the only reason
I am supporting it.
Mrs. Miller: I have one more question. Earl brought up the
fact that Ord. No. is the same as the next one which is regarding
a speed limit on Flanders-Bartley Road.
President Scapicchio: The proper Ordinance No. Charlene is
22-2002 I am told.
Mrs. Miller: Yes. Okay, so that is the proper one. The other
one is wrong.
ROLL CALL: Passed Unanimously
President Scapicchio: I declare Ord. #22-2002 passed on second
reading and I hereby direct the Clerk to forward a copy of
same to the Mayor and to publish the notice of adoption as
required by law.
ORDINANCES FOR FIRST READING (2nd Reading/Public Hearing
June 18, 2002)
Ord. #23-2002 An Ordinance of the Township of Mount Olive
Vacating All Public Rights in and to Gold Street.
Mr. Greenbaum moved Ord. #23-2002 be introduced by title
and passed on first reading and that a meeting be held on
June 18, 2002 at 7:30 at the Municipal Building 204 Flanders-Drakestown
Road Mt. Olive, NJ for
Mr. Greenbaum ( cont'd): consideration of second reading and
passage of set ordinance and that the Clerk be directed to
Publish, post and make available set ordinance in according
to the requirements of the law. Mrs. Miller seconded that
motion.
President Scapicchio: Council Discussion?
Mr. Rattner: We did this about a year ago and I remember
it very specifically because I have a stub that goes
behind my side of Gold Road and I said why don't you do the
other parts, the Town owns the property
on one side. I said this is for a specific developer lets
just get it done and we went forward with it. I also
went back to our agenda meeting last week and it was not on
there. When did this get added and why are we
doing it again?
Mr. Dorsey: It is back on because after it was adopted it
had to be recorded within 6o days to make it absolutely perfect
and it wasn't. So it is simply a little redundancy here.
President Scapicchio: Any other council discussion?
ROLL CALL: Passed Unanimously
Ord. #24-2002 Ordinance of the Township of Mount Olive Authorizing
a Special Emergency Appropriation for Extraordinary Expenses
in Connection with Supplemental Assessments
Mrs. Miller moved Ord. #24-2002 be introduced by title and
passed on first reading and that a meeting be held on June
18, 2002 at 7:30 at the Municipal Building 204 Flanders-Drakestown
Road Mt. Olive, NJ for consideration of second reading and
passage of set ordinance and that the Clerk be directed to
Publish, post and make available set ordinance in according
to the requirements of the law. Mr. Guenther seconded that
motion.
President Scapicchio: Council Discussion?
Mr. Rattner: When I read this especially when I looked at
the legislation, what it says, I can't understand what the
heck we are doing. This was an expense we incurred two years
ago. We paid it in full in the early part of this year, and
we are not going to show it on the books for another three
years. In Private industry, that is cooking the books. That
is how people get in trouble because you are supposed to match
your expenses into your revenues. This originally started
out with the legislation because of this, a lot of towns got
surprised by this retroactive adjustment to their insurance
policies and did not have the money. So this would allow them
to go out, borrow the money and pay it off over three years.
At first we said we would pay 1/3 this year, 1/3 next year
and 1/3 the year after, however since we have already paid
it, it is already coming out of our bank account, I don't
see what purpose it serves.
President Scapicchio: Steve, I didn't think we paid it?
Mrs. Jenkins: We had to pay it in full, I mentioned that
a couple of times. It had to be paid in full. The legislation
allows us to raise through the budget process those funds
over three years. But in terms of cash wealready had to physically
lay that out. That was done in January.
Mr. Rattner: So the easiest way I can say this as an example;
some people use their credit card to pay for groceries; operating
expenses. Recurring expenses you don't use a credit card for.
You buy groceries this year but you don't have the money,
so you figure you keep paying the minimum payment and pay
it off in the year 2203/2004/2005. To me it does not make
any sense at all. We have already paid it. We incurred the
expense. Why show it in a different year? All we are doing
are playing with the books. It's been paid, we incurred the
expense because it was a couple of years ago. This does not
solve anything for us. If we did not have the money, it allowed
us to go for an emergency appropriation, borrow the money
and pay it off over three years. We are not in that situation
it wouldn't benefit us to borrow any money because then we
pay interest. I am not going to support this ordinance.
Mr. Greenbaum: It is just interesting that Steve brings up
his opposition to this at this 11th hour because this is certainly
nothing which is new, it is something we have dealt with for
the last several months. I don't see any objection to paying
it all at once, but then we should have taken additional money
out of surplus to keep the budget at an acceptable level for
this year, so for Steve to raise this issue at this time I
find to be a little bit objectionable. I could understand
his theory behind as to why this should be paid. I am not
troubled by that because we have to pay it whether it is all
this year or some next year or some the year after that. It
doesn't make any difference of that we don't tax the residents
of Mount Olive this year to some unacceptable level.
Mr. Rattner: In response to my esteemed colleague from Flanders
down in the Valley. In our Budget if you look, we actually
put 1/3 in because we thought that's the way that the original
legislation was put in. We were only going to defer over the
next to year $186. The legislation which was not passed until
a week ago changed it and even spread it out further. When
you realize that we already paid and the CFO told us a couple
times we already spent it, it already came out of cash flow.
I have said before, if it came out of surplus, at least we
are putting it on the books. It also makes it a lot simpler
for the book keeping. If not we have to keep deferred payments
on the books for three years. It does not serve any purpose.
I have said that from the beginning. If we want to reduce
the expense, take it out of surplus and we could have exactly
the same affect. But in our budget we actually have $86,000.
This takes $86,000 we had and actually defers it another year.
That to me is just ludicrous. That is because the legislation
changed. Strictly a political decision. I don't know why they
passed this legislation. From a financial standpoint it makes
no sense at all.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else on the Council? Sherry,
I think that we need to give you an opportunity to address
the issue if you wanted to.
Mrs. Jenkins: I think the legislation was really passed because
there were some towns if you remember on the list of towns
that were hit with the supplemental assessment, you had Wayne
who got hit with $2 million. Certainly I think there was some
pressure on the legislature to give them some sort of ease
to pay that back. So I think that is really where that came
from. It really does not affect me one way or another from
a bookkeeping standpoint. There is a little bit more time
involved in terms of having a deferred charge on the books
so I would not go for it one way or another based on that.
Certainly it is easier for us. I think we have already paid
it out to just leave it in the budget, leave it the way that
we have it and we don't have to worry about it next year.
Really I think the bottom line comes down to where do you
want to be in terms of the tax increase. If you take this
out, you are looking at another 1.35 tax points that can come
out of the Budget. I think to me the issue is really is that
significant to you and if it is do you want to want to take
that out? Knowing that we are going to have to fund it three
years out.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else on the Council?
Mr. Guenther: I just object to Steve characterizing this
as cooking the books. I just don't think that is the case.
I think it is a very conscious decision. We have been discussing
this for a long time and it was to provide a tax increase
relief. We realized exactly how Sherry stated. By leaving
it on, we've increased a tax point. If that is something the
Council wants to ponder and wants to take into consideration,
that is fine, lets spread it out.
Mr. Rattner: Cooking the books is one of my terms for an
accounting term. I am saying not we're doing because the legislation
allows it and is statutory so you can do it. But the whole
idea about any kind of accounting is you want a match when
your expenses are incurred and when you pay it and you show
it on the books. You don't have an expense in 1991 and show
it on the books in 1995. To me, in private industry I am saying
that is cooking the books. In public, the legislature passed
it. But if you read the legislation, they talked about borrowing
the money, how you take the interest. It was for towns that
couldn't afford to put it in the budget because it would break
them, no different than what we did a few years ago when we
looked at borrowing and did a capital expenditure for reval
or something like that to spread it out. But this is just
that we have already spent the money. It does not make any
sense. We want to make an adjustment and take it out of surplus,
it is a lot more direct and it shows exactly the same affect
and exactly the Mr. Rattner (cont'd): condition we are in.
Mr. Greenbaum: I think that we spread out our debts and often
times that is what municipalities do, for instance a tax appeal
is often dealt with over a number of years so the tax implications
of the appeal aren't felt in one particular year. I see this
in a similar situation.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else on the Council?
ROLL CALL: Passed Unanimously with the exception of Mr. Rattner
and President Scapicchio,
each voted no.
ORDINANCES FOR FIRST READING
Ord. #25-2002 An Ordinance of the Township of Mount Olive
Authorizing the Purchase of a Conservation Easement/Development
Rights Across Lot 16, Block 7100 and Lot 54, Block 5300 on
the Tax Assessment Maps of the Township of Mount Olive Which
Property is Commonly Referred to as the Devlin Property.
Mrs. Miller moved Ord. #25-2002 to be introduced by title
and passed on first reading and that a meeting be held on
June 18, 2002 at the Municipal Building 204 Flanders Drakestown
Road Mt. Olive, New Jersey for a Public Hearing and consideration
of second reading and passage of set Ordinance and that the
Clerk by directed. To publish, post and make available set
Ordinance in accordance with requirements of the law. Mr.
Guenther seconded that motion.
President Scapicchio: Council discussion? Seeing none.
Mrs. Miller: Just a map for the final approval.
Mr. Dorsey: Kathy Murphy should produce that.
Mrs. Miller: I know where it is but the rest of the Council
members may not.
President Scapicchio: On a move forward basis, how do we
make sure that we have these maps included all the time. Cynthia,
this has been a request of Charlene's ever since she has been
here, I understand you are new.
Mrs. Spencer: Okay
ROLL CALL: Passed Unanimously
Ord. #26-2002 Bond Ordinance Providing for various Improvements
to Turkey Brook Park in and by the Township of Mount Olive,
in the County of Morris, New Jersey, Appropriating $1,500,000
Therefor and Authorizing the Issuance of $1,291,667 Bonds
or Notes of the Township to Finance Part of the Cost Thereof.
Mr. Spino moved Ord. #26-2002 to be introduced by title and
passed on first reading and that a meeting be held on June
18, 2002 at the Municipal Building 204 Flanders Drakestown
Road Mt. Olive, New Jersey for a Public Hearing and consideration
of second reading and passage of set Ordinance and that the
Clerk by directed to publish, post and make available set
Ordinance in accordance with requirements of the law. Mr.
Guenther seconded that motion.
President Scapicchio: Council discussion? Seeing none.
Mr. Guenther: It pains me to have to vote for this, I will
vote for it. I think we have to look at some of our procedures
and I don't feel the number of borings that were done to determine
that rock was available was sufficient. I don't know if that
could be covered in some sort of regulation within the Building
Department or the Engineers office. I don't know how we handle
that. I think it should also be a lesson to us. We must have
project supervisors or whatever we call them that are from
within State, that are familiar with the conditions in New
Jersey, the regulations. Also the conditions here that don't
come from a sand field state such as North Carolina.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else on the Council?
Mrs. Miller: I am going to vote no on this because I just
feel that we are being buffaloed and things
are over and sometimes triplicate. I am just not going to
vote for anymore spending of development for Mrs. Miller:
Turkey Brook Park. Not in this phase.
President Scapicchio: Mayor, I want to make sure that there
are no funds included in this Ordinance for any additional
money for Olympvs?
Mrs. Spencer: At this point in time, we do not have approval
to pay Olympus but if in fact it were approved that would
come out of that contingency piece.
President Scapicchio: Just on a move forward basis we said
there is going to be a change order in the amount of $1900
for some additional engineering for the raising of the sewer.
We are going to move on that change order before they move
forward with any additional work.
Mrs. Spencer: One of the issues here with the project as
it goes forward is when these changes come up, if in fact
we sit with it for a week two weeks or three weeks to get
a resolution passed the work comes to a halt. I believe that
is why the Mayor was asking to have three Council Members
on the Turkey Brook sports park committee so that the weekly
changes could be reviewed and approved within that allocation
that is approved.
President Scapicchio: I am not quite sure that is going to
be the way the process works. We will save that for another
discussion. Steve,
Mr. Rattner: I just wanted to say that when we did the sewer
project and I can understand what the Administration is saying
as long as there is enough people on the committee from the
Council to bring it back, you leave some dollar amount because
you have field changes. You have little things and you know
as a contractor a decision has to be made otherwise you can't
go forward on something. So what you do is you set a dollar
limit that you think is reasonable. It could be $100.00, $5,000,
it could be $25,000. Whatever you think is reasonable So little
things could keep going forward. That's what I think you have
to address with that and from any big construction job I don't
think is unreasonable. As long as you get the committee that
can bring it back and they have to tell us within lets say
48 hours little things so at least you can keep moving forward.
I don't think what they asked with limitations and that is
a separate discussion, you are right is that unreasonable.
President Scapicchio: Lets hold that for a separate discussion.
Anyone else on the Council for the Bond Ordinance?
Mr. Guenther: I do have an additional comment. Contrary,
I think Mr. Rattner at the last meeting, there was some questioning
as timing of us being made aware of this. I kind of beg to
differ. He seemed to think it was timely enough. I do not.
We discussed it last time and the time before. I think with
the enormity of the expenses involved the Council should have
been aware at a much earlier stage. I would like to please
ask the Administration to keep that in mind in the future
when things like this come up. I remember my time in a private
industry the common themes of every Chief Executive involved.
We realize the world is full of change and that things do
not stay constant, but we don't like surprises, and when they
do come we want to know about them immediately. People would
get chastised if they did not come to the top executives and
let them know what was happening pretty much right away as
they are developing and I think administration failed us in
that.
President Scapicchio: Well I think on an as move forward
basis Bernie they are gong to give us a weekly report at both
workshop and Public Meeting so we will know exactly what is
going on on a weekly basis there.
Mr. Spino: I don't like doing this more than anyone else.
But it seems to me we have so much money invested in this,
still something that is needed by the children who participate
in athletics in this town in the Recreation Department plus
a lot of other people who are going to use this park, I think
to stop now would be counter productive. I do request as I
did in the workshop, our Attorney, if it is at the Council's
request to negotiate or speak to the person that wanted to
the contract for the building. I believe if we could stop
and postpone the building, we will save about $700,000 or
something to that order. Even if we have to pay him a small
amount.
Mr. Dorsey: Earl, I don't think you should go into that.
Mr. Spino: That's Okay.
President Scapicchio: Earl and I agree. I sort of feel like
we have no choice, but I am also deeply disappointed in Olympus
and Olympus's engineers because I did expect that they would
have given us their best advice and should have advised us
that we should have some additional test holes in particular
this President Scapicchio (cont'd): detention basin where
they made some changes to reduce the cost of this project.
So in that regard I am disappointed unfortunately I think
that we have so much money invested in this that I really
think we have no choice but to move forward and with that.
ROLL CALL: Passed Unaminously with the exception of Mr. Rattner
and Mrs. Miller who both voted no.
Mr. Dorsey: I believe that is sufficient for the introduction
of this ordinance but since it is Bond Councel who ultimately
must certify the procedure perhaps the CFO should inquire
whether she's satisfied with four votes on introduction. There
is no question in my mind that five votes are absolutely necessary
to pass it on second reading.
Ord. #27-2002 Bond Ordinance Amending Bond Ordinance Numbered
#11-01 of the Township of Mount Olive, in the County of Morris,
New Jersey Finally Adopted May 8, 2001, in Order to Amend
the Description of the Project
.
Mr. Guenther moved that Ord. #27-2002 to be introduced by
title and passed on first reading and that a meeting be held
on June 18, 2002 at the Municipal Building 204 Flanders Drakestown
Road Mt. Olive, New Jersey for a Public Hearing and consideration
of second reading and passage of set Ordinance and that the
Clerk by directed to publish, post and make available set
Ordinance in accordance with requirements of the law. Mr.
Greenbaum seconded that motion.
President Scapicchio: Any council comments?
Mr. Rattner: I said at the last meeting I did not necessarily
have a problem with what they wanted to do. However I wanted
a list of the Capital Ordinances that the money was coming
from and what we did not do to provide those extra funds.
I did not see that, by the time of final vote if I get that
information I could go with it. I did notice that the majority
of the money appears to be coming from a fund we set up to
stabilize the old Municipal Building. I am real interested
to know what we are not doing that we thought was important
last year to do that I probably think is still important that
we can find the funds. The work that they want to is very
important and should be done, but I just want to make sure
where we are getting the money from . The issue comes up is
that we go through the capital budget this year, the departments
tell us why it is so important that we have to put something
in the Budget. A year later if they say we did not buy it
and we did not need it, I would like to know why.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else on the Council?
ROLL CALL: Passed Unanimously with the exception of Mr. Ratter
who voted no.
CONSENT RESOLUTIONS AGENDA:
Resolutions on the Consent Agenda List are considered to
be routine and non-controversial by the Township Council and
will be approved by one motion (one vote). There will be no
separate discussion or debate on each of these resolutions
except for the possibility of brief clarifying statements
that may be offered. If one or more Council member requests,
any individual resolution on the Consent Agenda may be removed
from the Consent Agenda List and acted on separately.
CONSENT RESOLUTIONS
1. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of
Mount Olive Authorizing the Execution of a Developer's Agreement
Between the Township and Rachel Manor Estates.
2. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of
Mount Olive Granting Certain Authorization to Morris Land
Conservancy in Connection with Vacant Land in Mount Olive
Township.
3. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of
Mount Olive Authorizing Additional Negotiations with the Church
of Illumination.
4. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of
Mount Olive Authorizing Municipal Consent to a TWA Permit
Application for Woodfield Section IIIA.
5. A Resolution to Remove the Property at Indian Spring Road,
Block 2100, Lot 33 from the May 23, 2002 Tax Sale for the
Purpose of Allowing Time for Preparation and Execution of
Transferring Title.
6. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of
Mount Olive Authorizing a Modification to an Access Easement
for Fire Department Purposes on Lot 26 Block 6900.
7. Resolution to Amend the 2002 Capital Budget. (Turkey Brook
additional funding)
President Scapicchio stated we have seven Resolutions on
the Consent Resolution Agenda and asked if council if there
were any problems with the seven.
MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT RESOLUTIONS AGENDA
Mr. Rattner moved consent resolutions items No.1 through
7, Mr. Guenther seconded that motion.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else from the Public?
ROLL CALL: Passed Unanimously with the exception of Mr. Rattner
and Mrs. Miller, who voted yes on No.1-6, no on No. 7.
PUBLIC PORTION ON CONSENT RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTIONS NON CONSENT
8. Resolution of the Township of Mount Olive Authorizing
a Special Emergency Appropriation for the B-Med Additional
Assessment.
Mr. Greenbaum moved non-consent resolution No. 8 and Mr.
Guenther seconded that motion.
President Scapicchio: Any public comment?
Richard Bonte, Budd Lake: Is this the assessment that Mr.
Rattner was just referring to?
President Scapicchio: Yes it is.
Mr. Bonte: It was paid?
Mrs. Jenkins: It has been paid, yes. It had to be paid in
full in January.
Mr. Bonte: Why are we passing a resolution at this point
in time to authorize that appropriation?
Mrs. Jenkins: Because we just declared a special emergency
on that and there is a two part process for that. There is
an ordinance and there is also a resolution that needs to
be passed.
Mr. Bonte: What authority was it that paid the bill in January?
Mrs. Jenkins: We had an appropriation in the temporary Budget
to pay this bill. That was set up in January.
Mr. Rattner: I believe we took out another $166,000 out of
surplus to cover the other two thirds.
Mrs. Jenkins: Correct, but he is speaking about the fact
that if we just declared a special emergency, how did we pay
it? I am saying that we have the authorization because we
had an appropriation in the temporary budget to allow us to
pay it.
Mr. Rattner: We also funded it in the current budget by taking
it out of surplus.
Mr. Bonte: So, is this necessary?
Mr. Dorsey: That depends on which accountant you speak to.
Mr. Bonte: I don't believe any of them? If we had the authority
to pay the bill then this piece of paper is meaningless. If
we didn't have the authority to pay the bill and we are seeking
that authority now my question is under what authority did
we pay the bill?
Mr. Dorsey: The most basic obligation that we had to pay
the bill is that when the Township joined the Bergen BMED
we entered into what is referred to as an indemnity and trust
agreement. That agreement Mr. Dorsey( cont'd): calls upon
every Municipality that was a member and I think there was
something like 33 members. Although they would pay an assessment
every year, there could be supplemental assessments. That
therefore became the legal basis upon which the BMED when
it ran into enormous difficulty and thank god we got out of
it a year before it collapsed, but required every municipality
who is a member at any period of time to pay a portion of
that assessment. That was the authority for the payment of
the bill. Beyond that is beyond my comprehension and I leave
it to the CPA's.
Mr. Bonte: It is beyond mine too. I don't understand this
document tonight.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else? Council discussion?
ROLL CALL: Passed unanimously with the exception of Mr. Rattner
and President Scapicchio who both voted no.
9. Resolution of the Township Council of the Township of
Mount Olive Endorsing a Constitutional Convention Re: Tax
Reform.
Mr. Spino move for approval of non-consent resolution No.
9 and Mr. Guenther seconded the motion.
Mr. Bonte: I had spoke on this two weeks ago, and I just
don't understand why it's back on the agenda. I thought it
had been decided by the Council that this was not a good idea.
President Scapicchio: Rich, you are wrong. It was taken off
the agenda because it was originally requested to be put on
by Mr. Spino who was absent so we pulled it off so that we
could put it on when he was present.
Mr. Bonte: Mr. Spino have you read the comments that I made
at the meeting two weeks ago?
Mr. Spino: I listened to the tape.
Mr. Bonte: You are aware of my objections and why this is
not a good idea to do because it could open up to this convention,
the means to address every ill within the State of New Jersey.
Mr. Spino: I don't believe that. I believe that if it is
structured in a way, it will only address the tax and most
importantly property tax.
Mr. Bonte: Well, I believe Mr. Dorsey gave a very fine explanation
of how the constitutional process works.
Mr. Spino: First of all, let me just go back one minute if
you don't mind. This is a question of what will go on at that
meeting. I think this is nothing more than what many states
have already; initiative and referendum which was a very popular
war cry of many republicans throughout this state and ran
for election, and won elections on promising to give people
in New Jersey initiative and referendum. The ability to put
something on the ballot. This is just doing that. Put it on
the ballot and let the people vote. It was nothing with what
will go on in my opinion right now as far as what will be
held at that convention. Give the people the right to vote
on it. You are the ones that want referendum. This is right
up your alley, it should be.
Mr. Bonte: I agree with you. The State of New Jersey had
an election about five years ago when I & R was approved
by the voters. I don't believe that the enabling legislation
has ever been written. However this is a different issue.
I fully believe that taxation in the State of New Jersey is
a legislative function and that it does not require or need
a constitutional convention to be called to change the way
we tax our residents. That is what I am fearful of and you
should all be fearful of. Because a constitutional convention
in my belief and I believe Mr. Dorsey stated two weeks ago,
correct me If I am wrong Mr. Dorsey, probably cannot and will
not be limited to the Tax issue only. Once you call a constitutional
convention, everything is up for game at that point in time.
This could be something that we don't want to happen. The
impact that it can have on the residents of the States and
all of the special interest groups within New Jersey, we could
end up with some major changes in our form of Government in
this State that none of us ever anticipated. I think that
if we want to see the method of funding in the State for raising
revenue, we need to do it through the legislature. I agree
that I & R is probably a good way of doing it. Thank you.
Mr. Spino: I have said that for as long as I have sat on
this Council. For those of you, it's a long time, and some
of you might think it is too long a time. But I do believe
that this is the only way we are going to get any movement
in Trenton. We have asked legislators, we have petitioned
legislators, well not petitioned, we have sent resolutions
to them, we have voted for legislators who said they were
going to help us change Mr. Spino (cont'd): it. Nothing has
been done. I don't believe anything will ever be done with
serious regard to tax reform in New Jersey. You are saying
you like initiative and referendum. I like it to, but I know
that inherent initiative and referendum are things that I
may not like. If there is enough people and an out cry, they'll
be something on the ballot that I am diametrically opposed
to and I will have no control over it except to try and undo
it. So we can't pick and choose what we would like to see
up there for referendum. I think unless we are willing to
go up and actually do something about it, I think it is the
only way we are going to do anything and I think it should
be done. Give the people a right to vote on it first and see
what happens.
Mr. Bonte: I would strongly recommend to the Council members
to defeat this resolution. Thank you.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else? Council Discussion?
Mr. Rattner: I've done a lot of reading on the Bill and exactly
that is in it and what isn't and I am not going to support
it but not for Mr. Bonte's, reasons because I just don't think
it is going to work. The legislation that we are asking to
support specifically prohibits it from addressing spending
and that is what the issue really is. The delegates could
only deal with taxation. All the tax money goes into a pot
in Trenton and then gets redistributed to the Towns with the
systems set in place by our cocka manny court system. The
system is simple. Of all the people that proposed it, of course
he proposed it five years ago was our new Governor. Back in
1997 he used a model that was done in Michigan. That conservative
Governor Republican John Engler proposed. He capped the expenses
and basically what you say is that the State is responsible
for the core curriculum. This way you do not worry about Newark
getting $15 million and somebody else getting something else.
The poor and rich towns get a lot and the ones in the middle
probably are going to get nothing and probably get hurt. There
it says that two State Senators, one who actually represented
us for a short period of time, Leonard Lance proposed a special
needs district that would fund the special needs district
at the State average and not the levels the court ordered
and then there was another Senator from Ocean County that
would put before the voters an amendment to T & E again
equal funding for the core requirement. What the State pays
for is what is required. The basic three r's. Forget about
all the other stuff that every town or anybody may like, and
I think that may be the way to go. When reading that all they
are going to do is control how taxes are collected but have
no bearing because they will be prohibited to the way it is
spent, it sounds like a rigged game again because the courts
are going to have the final hand and we can't trust them.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else on the Council?
Mr. Spino: Just one more thing, I read that article too and
I did not bring it up because it goes back to the same issue.
If this is not done in ten years, there will be pe`1ople sitting
up here and how bad it is and how property tax is terrible
and there won't be any change. They are not going to change
it, I don't think they have the resolve to change it on Trenton.
That's it.
ROLL CALL: Defeated
Mr. Rattner, Mr. Greenbaum and Mr. Scapicchio voted no.
Mr. Spino, Mrs. Miller and Mr. Guenther voted yes.
MOTIONS
1. Bill List.
Mr. Guenther moved for approval of the Bill List and Mr.
Greenbaum seconded the motion.
President Scapicchio: Council comments?
Mr. Greenbaum: On page 10, there is almost a $1,500 charge
for t-shirts. What does that relate too?
President Scapicchio: Where is that on the list Rob?
Mr. Greenbaum: It's 040815, 240 shirts; Fruit of the Loom
employee t-shirts, do you know what that relates too?
Mrs. Spencer: I can't say with certainty, but I am pretty
sure that every child that participates in the summer recreation
program leaves with a t-shirt and I know that have been placing
those orders. They expect to process 1200 kids through the
program this year.
Mr. Greenbaum: So that program requires a fee to participate
in. So those costs end up being recouped by the Township.
What happens to the money?
Mrs. Spencer: Actually these fees this year were doubled
over last year. So not all is recouped but a lot more than
last year.
Mr. Greenbaum: I had a question on page 13, 010731. The D2L
Associates Inc. $3900 installed lights and fixtures. What
does that relate too?
Mrs. Jenkins: I believe this was work done at one of our
pump stations. I had reviewed the bill with the DPW last week.
Mr. Rattner: I think what we have to do Sherry is look at
that because this looks like electrical work and this is the
same question that came up a couple months ago. I picked out
a vendor and they have not paid everything that the vendor
billed us for. The bidding law says that if you have a certain
amount of work, approaching a certain amount of dollars you
have to go out to bid. It does not matter that you spilt it
up between two or three different vendors.
Mrs. Jenkins: The bill was for labor and materials related
to the work that they did.
Mr. Rattner: I am not saying.
Mrs. Jenkins: I know what you are saying.
Mr. Rattner: It's electrical work. Of course we have to have,
and I am not sure what it is and there is a difference when
you talk about emergencies and when something has to be repaired
and I understand that.
We still have to talk about it and make sure because if we
do something wrong and it shows up in the audit next year
and then we hammer them.
Mrs. Jenkins: I have no audit recommendations night now,
thanks.
President Scapicchio: Steve, are we also questioning why
D2L associates is doing electrical work?
Mr. Rattner: I am not going to micromanage why we use different
people.
President Scapicchio: That's the firm we hired to oversee
the water and sewer paperwork. We don't have a licensed operator.
That is what they are taking over. What are they getting involved
in electrical work for?
Mr. Rattner: Is it just mischaracterized?
Mrs. Spencer: I don't know. We can go back and double check
that detail, but I do want to make one comment in relationship
to getting close to the bidding limit. We have in fact an
RFP on the street right now and bids for electrical work will
be taken on June 3, 2002.
President Scapicchio: So we will take this off the Bill list
until we get a clarification.
Mrs. Jenkins: I'll get you a copy of the Bill. Like I said,
I just went over it with Mark, I know it was an emergency,
I know it was for work that was done at one of the stations.
I will provide you with a copy of that tomorrow.
Mr. Rattner: Suppose we just asked them to hold off the check,
if you get the back up and you are satisfied then we could
pay because we want to satisfy the vendors on a timely basis.
Mrs. Jenkins: We have to put it back on the Bill List anyway,
unless you approve it now, I give you the back up and then
you tell me release the check. If you want to take it off
the Bill List, I have to put it back on before I can pay it.
Mr. Rattner: If D2L did electrical work I want to know why,
I also want to know who they hired as a subcontractor to do
the electrical work if they are not licenses. I have a question.
On Page four and this relates to the new connector road, Woodco
sign and Manufacturing Company, $7,755 for signs. Is that
for traffic signs, or is that for the big signs. And then
the question comes, what signs we are paying for?
Mrs. Jenkins: Woodco is for traffic signs.
Mr. Rattner: That brings me to my next question, we had our
own sign department because were saying we could do it cheaper.
Mr. Rattner (cont'd): If we could do it cheaper if they have
to pay us why didn't they just pay us and we put the signs
together and help us defer some of the costs of the department.
Mrs. Jenkins: We are getting a grant for that whole project
anyway.
Mr. Rattner: I know that but you can get reimbursed for doing
it in the house. If it is cheaper to do it in house, then
why didn't we do it in house why didn't we do it in house
especially because we have a full time person that supposedly
has just done signs.
Mayor Licitra: I have asked for this a couple of times. If
we truly want to research the Bill List I have no problem.
But if you give us the opportunity a day or two before, we
can have most of these answers for you so that they don't
have to another week. So I could understand you looking a
the Bill List the first time and you have a question. Just
show us the courtesy and we could get you the answers. All
the answers you want.
Mr. Rattner: Well I am not going to say not to pay it. It
was just a question just on here.
Mrs. Jenkins: You want to know why we did not have them done
in house? I will speak with Gene and find out.
Mr. Rattner: First I want to make sure it was traffic signs
and not their big signs and I agree but then how come we did
not do in house. Because we do have in the budget a full time
person with a truck and everything else and I would imagine
they could handle whatever that is in signs because supposedly
it is cheaper than going out and buying it. If we can charge
the price of the sign, we could have deferred the overhead
of the department.
President Scapicchio: Anyone else? Bernie? I am not questioning
the charges. For my own edification the three places in here
for group insurance charges on page six, there is the bulk
of a June medical insurance of $98,000, then on page 11 there
is a charge of $12,288 and it says group insurance through
Horizon. Then there is another $3,897 on the next page. What
is the reason for those breakouts. Is it different types of
insurance?
Mrs. Jenkins: If you remember correctly, the way that we
set up the budget is we charge off group insurance to the
Library to the water and sewer utility and to the sanitation
district and that is done by a number of employees. That is
why you are going to see a charge in each of those respective
funds. That has been going on here for years.
Mr. Guenther: On page four, The Strategic Innovations Management;
Employment Agency?
Mrs. Jenkins: That's grant related. It is for the Public
Health priority funding grant that we get that is handled
through the Health Department. The specific work that was
done, I do not know but I can find out for you. But I know
it is related to grant money that we get. That I could confirm
for you. A couple lines down.
President Scapicchio: A couple of lines down, reimbursement
for air fare, $2,125. Law enforcement?
Mrs. Jenkins: Law enforcement trust, exactly.
President Scapicchio: Where did they go? And if you don't
know; you can get the answer.
Mrs. Jenkins: Not off the top of my head, I don't.
Mr. Spino: What did we decide to do with the electrical?
President Scapicchio: We are going to approve it and they
are going to hold the check. Mayor, we are going to move forward
on this. Does everybody on your end understand what is going
to happen with the check for D2L, the electrical? We are going
to approve it and you are going to hold on to it.
Mrs. Jenkins: I am going to get all these answers for you
tomorrow. Okay?
President Scapicchio: Thank you.
ROLL CALL: Passed Unanimously.
2. Approval of Raffle Application #1036 for St. Jude Church.
Mrs. Miller moved for the approval of Raffle Application #1036
for St. Jude Church and Mr. Guenther seconded the motion.
ROLL CALL: Passed Unanimously.
COUNCIL REPORTS
Library Board Liaison Report, Mrs. Miller: We don't meet until
the second Wednesday in June so no report.
President Scapicchio: Charlene how are we making out with
the architect and the plans? Any idea?
Mrs. Miller: I have been getting some correspondence back
and forth. It sounds positive. I can't think of a rate off
the top of my head.
Mr. Guenther: I happen to talk to Rita Yesterday at the parade
and she mentioned that they should have the plans complete
I think by August and then be ready to go out for bid and
then whatever the process there is whatever time it takes
to hopefully get something in the ground I guess.
President Scapicchio: Does anybody know what is happening
with the water and sewer and are we going to put the Municipal
Building property and the library property together.
Mrs. Spencer: We have received a letter from Mount Olive
Villages and they believe it is the right thing to so they
have told us that they have our approval to go ahead and to
expand the franchise area to include the library hook in to
the municipal connections.
Mr. Dorsey: If they have given you that, you then have to
get a description from Buczynski of that area. You have to
get a copy of the Ordinance that was originally adopted for
them which I think was adopted in 1983, then I have to draw
an ordinance to expand the franchise area. Then it has to
be submitted to the BPU.
Mrs. Spencer: It does. And it has to be submitted in conjunction
with the wastewater management and the storm water management
master plans and it will be submitted as a request for the
last amendment. At this point they will not accept any amendments
until we produce those other two plans.
Mr. Rattner: John, I Have a question, the DEP I know from
other responsibilities I have, the new appointees are all
part of the smart growth people which are basically don't
want to approve any expansion, any new permits. However, what
I came up with before, if we merged the lots, can we get under
that by saying it is one lot and then the lines have to be
moved to maybe a lot simpler a way. Because this is the same
owner. If it was Mr. Rattner (cont'd): a residential property,
we have done it to those people. We had two lots, they both
owned it and it was owned by the same person, we merged them.
Is that a simpler way of getting through this? Because I don't
know if we are going to get and it could be two years to get
a permit, I am pretty sure through DEP and I am serious.
Mr. Dorsey: I don't know if it could be done that way because
it obviously involves a subterfuge of impart because the usual
thing is to simply expand the franchise. I think you still
have to get DEP approval to essentially Sewer and Water that
adjoining part of land.
Recreation Report, Mr. Guenther: There is a meeting next
week so there is no new report right now.
Planning Board Report, Mr. Greenbaum: The Planning Board
dealt with and disposed of the Shoprite application at the
old Weiss Market Supermarket site. Everyone went away unhappy.
The site plan approvals were approved. The request for a 60
foot sign variance was denied. My understanding is from information
I have learned this evening that Shoprite is coming in for
reconsideration of the denial of the variance. I have not
seen anything on it. I don't know if it is an appropriate
procedure, the resolution I suspect will be memorialized at
the first meeting in June which is a very very busy meeting
there are four or five application matters on that date.
Mr. Spino: Do they have to come to the Planning Board or
can they go to the Board of Adjustment.
Mr. Greenbaum: That's a question I asked of Mr. Buzak, the
awnser to that question is unclear and has not been resolved.
I have a feeling that at this point once the resolution is
adopted that they have to go to the Board of Adjustment at
that point in time, but I am not sure. I will find out though
and report back.
Open Space Committee Report, Mrs. Miller: They meet the second
Monday of June.
Legislative Committee Report, Mr. Guenther: No report.
Master Plan Report, President Scapicchio: Master Plan is
at the Planning Board and should be coming back any time now.
Rob Greenbaum: Actually I think it is going to be part of
a Public Hearing sometime in July. So I don't expect to see
it back at Council until the end of the summer.
Pride Committee Report, Mr. Guenther: I was not at the last
one but there is another meeting on the 18th, so I don't know
if Mr. Perkins was at the last one, so I have no report.
President Scapicchio: That brings us to the last public portion
of this meeting, does anyone from the Public wish to address
the Council on any item at all? Seeing none we will close
the Public Portion.
Motion made at 9:40 pm to go into executive session to discuss
potential litigation and current contract negotiations.
The Public Meeting reconvened at 10:52 pm. Motion made for
adjournment. All in Favor, none opposed. The Meeting was Adjourned
at 10:53 pm.
_______________________
DAVID M. SCAPICCHIO
Council President
I, LISA M LASHWAY, Township Clerk of the Township of Mount
Olive do hereby certify that the foregoing Minutes is a true
and correct copy of the Minutes approved at a legally convened
meeting of the Mount Olive Township Council duly held on August
20, 2002
_______________________
LISA M. LASHWAY
Township Clerk
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________________________
LISA M. LASHWAY
Mount Olive Township Clerk
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Open Space Committee Report - C. Miller
Legislative Committee Report - B. Guenther
Master Plan Report - D. Scapicchio
Pride Committee Report - B. Guenther/R. Perkins
PUBLIC PORTION
COUNCIL COMMENTS
ADJOURNMENT
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