10 March 2008 - Regular Meeting

(Mark's Comments / Annotations are in Red)

  1. CALL TO ORDER - PUBLIC MEETING STATEMENT (7:36 pm)

  2. PLEDGE - SILENT PRAYER

  3. ROLL CALL (Mayor North, Councillors Alloway, Fields, Waldron, Volkert,  Brunton, Perno all present)

  4. PUBLIC

Speakers:

Ms. Gail Ford.

    1.    When will Council minutes be available?

            Administrator. Fry: Soon.

            Mayor North asked Mr. Fry to make minutes a priority.

Ms. Jean Collins

    1.    Regarding Corzine cuts - will Merchantville be opposing merging?

            Mayor North answered that we would.

            Ms. Collins then asked what can citizens do?

            Mayor North suggested calling legislators, writing letters, etc.

            There was some discussion between Ms. Collins and the Mayor & Council.

  1. ENGINEER'S REPORT

        Mr. Brunton will check with Dan Beckett (supervisor of Public Works) regarding which roads are most in need of repair.

  1. CORRESPONDENCE

        Administrator Fry:

            Letter received from Cherry hill commending Kevin Patti for his help at a fire.

            Colonial National Bank interest is 2.98%, for a 3.00% APR

        Mayor North:

            Received letter from Charles Lewis - Conifer Development. Letter & committee report on Senior Housing requirement for Chestnut Station townhomes will go to Council next week.

  1. COUNCIL REPORTS

Ms. Fields:

    Gave Monthly Planning Board report

    Planning Board will discuss 606 W. Maple at 25 March meeting

    Gave Monthly Code & Zoning report

    Gave Monthly EMS report - ambulance has been down for four weeks now. No one had been able to find the problem. Finally found problem - ambulance will be returned to service at the end of the week.

    No personnel report

 

Mr. Waldron:

    Public Events -

        Arts Fair:

            Some merchants are concerned, but most are in favor.

            Merchant survey will be made available for Council to review.

        Birthday Celebration planning is getting under way

            June 7 this year.

        April 4 is Volunteer Night at Community Center

    Shade Tree Commission will meet March 13

        This years marks 30 years for Merchantville as a shade tree city.

        Commission is planning s special Arbor Day

    Recreation -

        Need to raise equipment cost by $25, to $100 to participate in summer rec program

        Need to raise rental rates for Community Center

 

Mr. Brunton

    Provided Monthly Highway Department report (download)

    Provided Monthly License report (download January / download February)

    No Board of Health activity

    No Office of Emergency Management activity

 

Mr. Perno

    Received "ballpark" Police Dept. driveway replacement cost of $40,000 from CES (borough Engineer)

        Cited as a concern by borough insurance carrier

    Looking for grants for updating Community Center

        Emergency lights do not work

        HVAC being looked at for upgrades

 

Mr.Volkert

    Gave Monthly Fire report - 9 calls for 72.5 manhours

    Monthly Sewer report included in Mr. Brunton's Highway Department report

 

Mr. Alloway

    Provided monthly Police report (download summary)

    Municipal Court

        $19846.87 received

        460 cases disposed

        459 cases added

  1. ADMINISTRATOR REPORT

  2. OLD BUSINESS (none)

  3. NEW BUSINESS

  1. FINANCIAL REPORTS (in order at this time)

  2. RESOLUTION - OPPOSING STATE AID REDUCTIONS IN GOVERNOR'S BUDGET MESSAGE (R08-32 - Approved Unanimously)

  3. RESOLUTION - APPROVING DENISE K. MOULES, CFO, TO SIGN WARRANTS (R08-33 - Approved Unanimously)

  4. RESOLUTION - AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT WITH RLC III LLC, ACCESS TO CERTAIN PROPERTIES (R08-34 - Approved Unanimously)

  5. DISCUSSION - PROPERTY MAINTENANCE OR ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES FOR 24 WEST END
    There was a fire over a year ago at this property. Nothing has been done by the owner, who has kept the taxes current. Recently the Department of Public Works cleaned up the property somewhat. There was some discussion of an abandoned properties ordinance to deal with cases like this one.

  6. APPROVAL - BOROUGH HISTORIAN TO VIEW NEWSPAPERS IN DISPLAY CASE
    Borough Historian Maureen McLoone requested permission to view the newspapers in the display case outside the courtroom. Approved unanimously.

  7. DISCUSSION - PAYMENT FOR SPECIAL DWI COURT SESSIONS
    Pay for employees for special sessions of court was discussed.

  8. RESOLUTION - ABATEMENT OF TAXES FOR MAPLE/CHAPEL REDEVELOPMENT PROPERTY - Resolution was tabled at this time.

  1. PAYMENT OF BILLS (RESOLUTION R08-35 - Adopted Unanimously)

  2. ANNOUNCEMENTS (none)

  3. PRIVATE SESSION
    A private session to discuss Personnel and Contracts issues was held

  4. ADJOURNMENT (9:15 pm)

 

AGENDA MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

 

ONE WEST MAPLE AVENUE, MERCHANTVILLE, NJ 08109

(856) 662-2474

WWW.MERCHANTVILLENJ.COM