City Council

BOROUGH OF BARRINGTON MINUTES OF MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING March 12, 2024, 6:00PM COUNCIL ROOM AT MUNICIPAL BUILDING A regular monthly Council Meeting of the Borough of Barrington was held with Mayor Hanson presiding. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Hanson called the meeting to order with the following statement: "This meeting is held in compliance with Chapter 231 of the open public meetings act of 1975 and appropriate notice has been given. Notice of the meeting was filed with the Retrospect and Courier Post and is also posted in the main office of the Borough Clerk where notices are primarily kept. He then led everyone present in the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL The Municipal Clerk called roll of Council with the following in attendance: Council President Beach, Councilman Drumm, Councilwoman Mercado-Miller, Councilman Ludwig, and Councilman Robenolt. Councilman Cerrito was absent with prior notice. Mayor Hanson, Municipal Clerk Terry Shannon, and Solicitor Timothy Higgins were also on the dais. PROCLAMATIONS Mayor Hanson advised that the following proclamations will be posted on the bulletin board outside the Mayor’s Office: March as Colorectal Awareness Month and Poison Control Week. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mayor Hanson reported that Council was provided with the minutes of the February 6, 2024, caucus, and the February 13, 2024, council meetings and asked if there were any corrections or abstentions. On a motion by Ludwig, second by Drumm the minutes were approved with the following poll vote: Beach-yes, Drumm-yes, Ludwig-yes, Mercado-Miller-yes, Robenolt-yes. COMMITTEE REPORTS Mayor Hanson advised that the monthly departmental reports were distributed to the governing body, are posted outside of council chambers, and also posted on the borough website. If there are no questions on the reports, I will entertain a motion to accept monthly reports. On a motion by Ludwig, second by Mercado-Miller, the monthly departmental reports were approved with the following poll vote: Beach-yes, Drumm-yes, Ludwig-yes, Mercado-Miller-yes, Robenolt- yes ORDINANCES FOR PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPTION Ord. 1178 Ordinance of the Borough of Barrington, Amending Article II, Residential Districts, in Chapter 128, Zoning, in the Borough Code (regulates size and height of accessory buildings) Ord. 1179 Fixing the 2024 Compensation of Certain Officers and Employees of the Borough of Barrington Ord. 1180 Ordinance Amending Chapter 58, Fees, in the Borough Code (summer rec fees) On a motion by Ludwig, second by Drumm, the second reading of the ordinances was approved with the following poll vote: Beach-yes, Drumm-yes, Ludwig-yes, Mercado-Miller-yes, Robenolt- yes On a motion by Ludwig, second by Beach, the public hearing on the ordinances was opened. Seeing no comments from the public, on a motion by Ludwig, second by Mercado-Miller, the public hearing was closed. On a motion by Beach, second by Ludwig, the ordinances were adopted with the following poll vote: Beach-yes, Drumm-yes, Ludwig-yes, Mercado-Miller-yes, Robenolt-yes ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION ON FIRST READING Ord. 1181 Ordinance Establishing Police Department Salaries Pursuant to the Contract Effective January 1, 2024 Ord. 1182 Calendar Year 2024 Ordinance to Exceed the Municipal Budget Appropriation Limits and to Establish a CAP Bank (N.J.S.A. 40A:4-45.14) On a motion by Ludwig, second by Drumm the ordinances were approved on first reading with the following poll vote: Beach-yes, Drumm-abstain on 1181, yes on 1182, Ludwig-yes, Mercado- Miller-yes, Robenolt-yes Mayor Hanson announced that these ordinances will be considered for adoption following proper notice and a public hearing to be held during the April 9, 2024, council meeting. RESOLUTION CONSENT AGENDA The Clerk read the following resolutions to be approved by consent agenda: 3-2024-38 Authorizing a Shared Service Agreement with Haddon Heights Relative to Certain Fire Services 3-2024-39 Authorizing the Sale of a Fire Truck No Longer Needed for Public Use by the Borough of Barrington and the Barrington Fire Department 3-2024-40 Approving a Contract with PBA Local 328 Relative to Certain Police Dept. Employees 3-2024-41 Authorizing LOSAP Distributions to Qualifying Members of the Fire Dept. 3-2024-42 Adding a Tax Exemption for an Exempt Veteran Deduction 3-2024-43 Approving the March Bill List in the Total Amount of: $755,083.99 On a motion by Ludwig, second by Beach, the resolution consent agenda was approved with the following poll vote: Beach-yes, Drumm-yes, Ludwig-yes, Mercado-Miller-yes, Robenolt-no on 38 and 39, yes on all others. MAYOR’S PLANNING BOARD APPOINTMENTS: Linda Lang, Alt. #1, unexpired term ending 12/31/2025 Terri Sullivan, Alt. #2, unexpired term ending 12/31/2024 John Brennan, Alt. #3, unexpired term ending 12/31/2024 Alex Beyer, Alt. #4, unexpired term ending 12/31/2025 PUBLIC PORTION Mayor Hanson advised that if you have comments or questions, please come forward and state your name for the record. Public comment is limited to five minutes per person. On a motion by Ludwig, second by Drumm, the public portion of the meeting was opened. Joe Hales – Haddon Heights/Barrington Fire Chief, thanked Mayor and Council for approving the shared service agreement for the Fire Department. We have a lot of dedicated members, and it is going very well. Thank you for your support. Brittany Beyer – the Green Team second speaker event will be at St. Maria Goretti in Runnemede, in collaboration with other area Green Teams from the area, on March 19 at 6:30pm with a speaker from Delaware River Keepers. Children are welcome and encouraged to attend. The first collaboration of the teams had over sixty people attending. Please attend and support if you can. Seeing no further comments from the public, on a motion by Ludwig, second by Robenolt, the public portion of the meeting was closed. COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODY COUNCILMAN LUDWIG – hope you enjoy St Patrick’s Day. With the time change, we all need to adjust our sleep. COUNCILMAN ROBENOLT – nothing tonight. COUNCILWOMAN MERCADO-MILLER – happy Women’s History Month, hope all are educating yourselves about this topic and thanking the women in your family. She thanked DPW for their quick response to a community concern. The seniors are doing Easter Crafts on 3/14 and for St. Patrick’s Day they are having an event at 5:30pm with the fourth-grade students from Avon School at the senior center. The Board of Health is looking for members. If you are interested, please let us know at our email address which is BOH@barringtonboro.com. COUNCIL PRESIDENT BEACH– our recycling grant was received in the amount of $17,232.16 and he thanked Mike Ciocco, DPW Superintendent. Also thanked him for the sale of equipment not needed at DPW. He also thanked Mike and Greg for taking time with him to drive around looking at the condition of the streets in town so we can plan for the Capital Roads Program. COUNCILMAN DRUMM – kids are out for sports, and it is lighter out longer so please be aware and watch for the kids. In general, lots of people are out and about. Happy Easter. Thanks for coming out tonight. MAYOR HANSON – thanked all department heads and our CFO Denise Moules in advance for the hard work we will be doing on the budget in the next few weeks. He thanked the PBA representatives for their work on the contract. The annual Easter Egg Hunt Eggstravaganza will be at Grace Bible Church on March 30 at 2pm. Little League opening day is April 6. COUNCILMAN DRUMM – with reference to the minutes, he realized he was absent at the last council meeting so he will abstain on those minutes. On Ordinance 1181 let the records show that he will abstain. Seeing no further business to be transacted, on a motion by Beach, second by Ludwig , the meeting was adjourned at 6:13 pm. APPROVED: Terry Shannon Terry Shannon, Borough Clerk