2008 Ordinances
Click here for 2009 Ordinances page
ORDINANCE 08-01 - Abandoned Properties (First Reading Adopted 5-1 24 Mar '08, Mr. Brunton dissenting. Reason for Mr. Brunton's "NO" vote - Lack of time to understand the breadth of effect, limits of authority and limits on actions allowed. Mr. Brunton refuses to support any measure while he does not have a clear understanding of these elements.)
ORDINANCE 08-02 - Remove Senior Age Requirement from Chestnut Station Townhome Sales (First Reading Adopted 6-0 24 Mar '08. Passed 4-1 14 Apr '08, 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 - Maple-Chapel Redevelopment Tax Abatement and PILOT (First Reading Approved Unanimously 24 Mar 08)
ORDINANCE 08-04 - Amending Chapter 53, Parks, of the Code of the Borough of Merchantville (First Reading Approved Unanimously 27 May '08. Adopted Unanimously 9 June '08)
ORDINANCE 08-05 - EXCEED THE MUNICIPAL BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS LIMIT (O08-05. First reading. Approved 5-1, Mr. Brunton dissenting. Reason for Mr. Brunton's "NO" vote: Budget increase is less than maximum 2.5% increase allowed by state law. There is no reason to pass this ordinance. Not passing it will impose a small amount of fiscal discipline on the borough. Additionally, given the current state of the economy, large jumps in energy costs, etc., the borough should not be making it possible to impose even more financial burdens on residents at this time.)
ORDINANCE 08-09 Renewal of Municipal consent to Comcast to construct communication system (First reading 20 October 2008. This Ordinance is a "bookkeeping" ordinance which the borough must approve, as communications systems are actually governed by higher-level government entities (state of New Jersey and the Federal Communications Commission). In order for the approval granted to be legal, a local ordinance must be passed, but the borough essentially has no option to disapprove the ordinance. Adopted unanimously in consent vote with O08-09 through O08-12, 8 December 2008)
ORDINANCE 08-10 - Cancel and Re appropriate $88,467.50 (First reading 10 November 2008. This Ordinance cancels residual appropriations for many past-year projects and re-appropriates the freed funds to installation of speed humps and replacement of the driveway at the back of Borough Hall. Approved unanimously by those present - 5-0. Adopted unanimously in consent vote with O08-09 through O08-12, 8 December 2008)
ORDINANCE 08-11 - Determine positions eligible for defined contribution retirement Program. Ordinance Introduction 24 November 2008, approved on consent agenda with O08-12. No guidelines have been made available for a decision on enacting this ordinance (see third "Whereas" in the ordinance) to this point. Adopted unanimously in consent vote with O08-09 through O08-12, 8 December 2008.
ORDINANCE 08-12 - Ordinance for NJEIT Sewer Conveyance. Ordinance Introduction 24 November 2008, approved on consent agenda with O08-11. This is a bond ordinance to to provide funds to install cure-in-place liners in nearly all the sewer mains in town. There was significant discussion on what the impact of the bond would be on sewer rates. Estimates are $80-$85 per year per household increase in rates to pay back the bond. This should be largely offset by substantially decreased emergency repair costs in the future, with their associated decrease in rates. Adopted unanimously in consent vote with O08-09 through O08-12, 8 December 2008.