8 December 2008 - Regular Meeting

Agenda at Meeting

(click here for the Agenda e-mailed to Council members - 4:56pm, Wednesday, December 3, 2008)

(Mark's Comments / Annotations are in Red)

1. CALL TO ORDER - PUBLIC MEETING STATEMENT (7:30 pm)

2. PLEDGE - SILENT PRAYER

3. ROLL CALL

4. PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCES

1. ORDINANCE 08-09 Renewal of Municipal consent to Comcast to construct communication system (No public comments)

2. ORDINANCE 08-10 Cancel certain funded appropriation balances for other capital projects (No public comments)

3. ORDINANCE 08-11 Determining positions eligible for the defined contribution retirement program (No public comments)

4. ORDINANCE 08-12 Authorizing improvements to the sanitary sewer system (No public comments)

5. PUBLIC

   Mr. Robert Disch:

       1.    Asked about borough policy on displaying the flag on December 7. After some discussion, Mr. Disch volunteered to look into it through his American Legion post.

    

6. ENGINEER'S REPORT (In addition to the report, Mr. Brickley indicated that he would like to have traffic volume & speed measured by the first Council meeting in March in relation to placement of speed humps)

5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:     8.11.08     8.26.08     9.8.08 (as amended)

6. CORRESPONDENCE (None)

7. COUNCIL REPORTS

   Ms. Fields:

       Personnel

           Will be discussing personnel manual later in meeting

       Planning Board - Meets tomorrow (9 December)

           Parking study will be presented by Ragan Design Group

       Code Enforcement

           Abandoned Properties List

               - All but one is being resolved

           Four property maintenance violations reported

       EMS report - 27 Calls in November; 13 handled by Merchantville, 13 by Pennsauken, 1 by other

       Neighborhood Preservation Program

           Award of $25,000 received

    

   Mr. Waldron:

       Public Events -

           Christmas tree lighting & Christmas Parade went very well

       Shade Tree Commission - meeting Thursday night (11 December)

       Historical Planning Commission -

           No report

    

   Mr. Brunton

       Highway Department

           Leaf pickup ongoing

           New Employee is working out well

       Licenses

           No report available for November

       Board of Health 

           No Activity

       Office of Emergency Management 

           Met December 1 in Borough Hall. Chrissy Zia was unable to attend, so Frank North presided at the meeting.

    

   Mr.Perno

       Community Development Block Grant - money must be spent or under contract by the end of the year

       Buildings & Grounds

           Community center had a water leak from a burst pipe

           A new T-Mobile box to be mounted on a Borough Hall wall above the police station roof should be ok

               Fire Inspector will review to be sure

    

   Mr.Volkert

       Fire Department

           Monthly Fire report - 9 calls, 18.91 manhours

           Year-to-date - 108 calls, 800 manhours

    

   Mr. Alloway

       Police (download summary)

       Municipal Court

           $12,921.49 received

           417 cases disposed

           285 cases added

8. ADMINISTRATOR REPORT - by Borough Clerk Denise Brouse

           Reorganization Meeting is 2 January 2009 at 7:30 pm in Borough Hall

           Personnel Evaluations are due tonight

           Holiday luncheon for borough employees is December 19 at noon

           200 boxes of old records were destroyed

           606 W. Maple agreement with buyers and borough has been executed

    

9. OLD BUSINESS-Ordinances for second reading and adoption (All four adopted on consent agenda. Approved unanimously)

   1. ORDINANCE 08-09 Renewal of Municipal consent to Comcast to construct communication system

   2. ORDINANCE 08-10 Cancel certain funded appropriation balances for other capital projects

   3. ORDINANCE 08-11 Determining positions eligible for the defined contribution retirement program

   4. ORDINANCE 08-12 Authorizing improvements to the sanitary sewer system

11. NEW BUSINESS

    1. DISCUSSION-Leaf collection (Discussion covered current leaf collection problems and concerns. Several alternative collection schemes were discussed, including requiring residents to bag leaves for pickup, going to a whole-town-at-once collection approach, and vigorously citing those residents who put leaves out into the streets at times other than their posted collection periods. Mr. Brunton will be working with the Department of Public Works and concerned citizens to examine collection methods of surrounding communities and improve our own.)

    2. DlSCUSS1ON-Personnel manual (The Borough personnel manual is being updated. All councilors were asked to review the manual and provide input back to Ms. Fields.)

    3. RECEIPT of Fair and Open Qualifications (All qualification statements for professional services - solicitor, engineer, etc. - have arrived and are available for Council review.)

    4. PROCLAMATION-Supporting the Over the Limit Under Arrest 2008 Year End Crackdown

    5. DISCUSSION-Almost Home Animal Shelter Contract increase of 25% for 2009 (There has been no increase in the last several years. Chief Bauer will keep a tally of animals picked up, so Council can evaluate the cost of the service on a per-animal basis. Contract approved unanimously)

    6. RESOLUTION-R08-128 Amending R08-68 for Professional Service for Special Council (Approved unanimously)

12. FINANCIAL REPORTS (Council members were requested to check department budgets. Reports were accepted unanimously)

13. PAYMENT OF BILLS- R08-129 (Approved unanimously)

14. ANNOUNCEMENTS (None)

15. PRIVATE SESSION (None)

16. ADJOURNMENT (9:00 pm)

AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

ONE WEST MAPLE AVENUE, MERCHANTVILLE, NJ 08109

(856) 662-2474

WWWMERCHANTVILLENJ.COM