14 April 2008 - Regular Meeting
Agenda at Meeting
(click here for 48-hour posted agenda items)
(Mark's Comments / Annotations are in Red)
CALL TO ORDER - PUBLIC MEETING STATEMENT (7:30 pm)
PLEDGE - SILENT PRAYER
ROLL CALL (Councillors Alloway, Fields, Volkert, Brunton, Perno present. Councillor Waldron, Mayor North absent. Council President Alloway residing)
PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCES
ORDINANCE 08-01 - ABANDONED PROPERTIES (No Comments)
ORDINANCE 08-02 - AMEND REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR BLOCK 22 (No Comments)
ORDINANCE 08-03 - APPROVE TAX ABATEMENT FOR MAPLE/CHAPEL REDEVELOPMENT
Speakers
Ms. Gail Ford.
1. Asked about PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) numbers
Mr. Alloway read off the scheduled PILOT payments
Solicitor Higgins explaine PILOT program and discussed land value tax
Ms. Ford, Mr. Higgins & Mr. Brunton discussed the school share of the PILOT (roughly 11,500 / year)
PUBLIC
Speakers:
Ms. Gail Ford.
1. Raised several concerns about the Borough budget:
Mayor's letter to the residents is incorrect - tax increase would be less than stated
State Aid was about 30% of the budget in 2007
Next year it will be 15%
If Council waits until June, Ms. Ford expects a major tax increase to cover money already spent in 2008
Mr. Alloway explained the Council's approach to the 2008 budget
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 9/24/07 (Approved 3-0, with Mr. Perno and Mr. Brunton abstaining, as they were not on Council then)
CORRESPONDENCE (none)
COUNCIL REPORTS
Mr.Volkert
Monthly Fire report - 10 calls for 144 manhours
Mr. Perno
Buildings & Grounds:
There's a hole in City Hall roof over Police Chief's office. May have been caused by T-Mobile during installation of new antenna.
Community Center
Air Conditioning is out - no freon
Emergency lighting has been replaced & is functional
Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
Re-doing allocation of funds
Funds must be used in the same calendar year
Committee is looking at grants every three years to obtain larger blocks of funds
Already submitted proposal for next year
Mr. Brunton
Highway Department (download report)
Licenses (download report)
Board of Health (download report)
Office of Emergency Management (download report)
Ms. Fields:
Gave Monthly Planning Board report
Gave Monthly EMS report
Ambulance is back in service
30 calls in March
22 handled by Pennsauken
4 handled by Merchantville
3 handled by Maple Shade
1 handled by Cherry Hill
Ambulance was out of service from 1 - 20 March, again 26 March - 1 April.
Personnel
A form is being developed to record days off for borough employees
Mr. Alloway
Police
Municipal Court
$21,966.24 received
479 cases disposed
497 cases added
OLD BUSINESS (none)
NEW BUSINESS
FINANCIAL REPORTS
ORDINANCE 08-01 ADOPTION - ABANDONED PROPERTIES (Adoption vote. First reading was 24 March 2008. Passed Unanimously)
ORDINANCE 08-02 ADOPTION - AMEND REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR BLOCK 22 (Adoption vote. First reading was 24 March 2008. Passed 4-1, Mr. Brunton dissenting. Reason for Mr. Brunton's "NO" vote - Developer (Conifer) was warned that Chestnut Station townhomes, in the Chestnut Station redevelopment area (which was to be all senior housing), were not senior-friendly when they were presented to Planning Board. Apparently, developer decided to go ahead with construction as designed anyway. Developer has been unable to sell units over the past year, even after reducing the price. Planning Board did not recommend removing age restriction when the request came before them; developer threatened borough with making the townhomes into a group home. A citizen-led committee was formed to try to work out a compromise that would retain the age restriction; developer refused to accept any agreement that left age restrictions in place. Mr. Brunton does not believe the borough should "cave in" to such threats and intransigence.)
ORDINANCE 08-03 ADOPTION - APPROVE TAX ABATEMENT FOR MAPLE/CHAPEL REDEVELOPMENT (Adoption vote. First reading was 24 March 2008. Passed Unanimously)
DISCUSSION - USES OF OUTSIDE BULLETIN BOARD (The use of the outside bulleting board was discussed in regard to commercial or semi-commercial posts. Borough Office staff will develop a policy for the bulleting board's use)
RESOLUTION 08-44 - AWARD BID FOR RESURFACING WEST CHESTNUT (Approved unanimously - single vote with R08-44A)
RESOLUTION 08-44A - RECOMMEND BID AWARD TO NJ DOT (Approved unanimously - single vote with R08-44)
RESOLUTION 08-45 - AUTHORIZE INTERLOCAL SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR ANIMAL SHELTER (Approved unanimously)
DISCUSSION - BILLS FOR AMBULANCE REPAIR (During the weeks the ambulance was out of service, it went to two different repair houses. The first, Helmrick's, charged $1747, and claimed to forgive $2100 in labor. Ambulance was then taken to VCI, who charged $1713 and replaced four parts Helmrick's installed that were incorrect. Ms. Fields will investigate the situation.)
APPROVE STREET CLOSINGS FOR CAR SHOW (Approved unanimously)
RESOLUTION 08-46 - AUTHORIZE EXECUTION OF INTERLOCAL FOR MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE (Approved unanimously)
RESOLUTION 08-47 - ENDORSE HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN (Approved 4-0, Mr Brunton abstaining. Reason for Mr. Brunton abstaining: Staff at the Council meeting were unable to explain implications of this resolution to Mr. Brunton's satisfaction. Until Mr. Brunton understands the effects more fully, he will not support this resolution.)
New Jersey Trust Grant discussion (not on agenda) - discussion by Mr. Perno. There is a NJ trust from which we may be able to get a grant for up to $750,000 for borough hall and community center repairs / renovations. Not a great chance of success, but there is a chance. (Grant pursuit approved unanimously)
PAYMENT OF BILLS (RESOLUTION R08-48 - Adopted Unanimously)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
School board election April 15. Polls in school library - hours 2-9pm.
PRIVATE SESSION (none)
ADJOURNMENT (9:03)
AGENDA MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
ONE WEST MAPLE AVENUE, MERCHANTVILLE, NJ 08109
(856) 662-2474
WWW.MERCHANTVILLENJ.COM
