City Council

Click Here & Upgrade Expanded Features PDF Unlimited Pages Documents Complete March 31, 2009 Keyport, New Jersey Minutes of a Special Meeting of the Mayor and Council, held on the above date in the Council Chambers, Municipal Complex, 70 West Front Street, Keyport, N.J. pursuant to being called by the Mayor and Borough Council, notice on file with the Borough Clerk, forwarded to the Asbury Park Press, Courier, Independent, the Newark Star Ledger and Two River Times, and posted on the Bulletin Board in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, P.L. 1975, Ch. 231 Mayor Bergen called the meeting to order at 6:32 P.M. and Borough Clerk read the Sunshine Law Notice. The Pledge of Allegiance was said and there was a moment of silence. DISCUSSION Continuation of Preliminary Presentation of the 2009 Municipal Budget Mayor stated presently $135,000 over revenue cap. Wants to give everyone an opportunity to discuss ideas. Mr. Sheridan stated that he would like to bond for added gear, radio and patrol car for Fire Department. Administrator Wright stated that trucks and SUVs can be bonded; has not received confirmation on a smaller SUV. Mayor asked do we have $100,000 in the current year budget that we can bond for; Ms. Wright went over some of the items in the current budget as it now stands. Ms. Wright stated that she could reduce budget by about $50,000 if some items are bonded. Ms. Bolte asked for an explanation of why we cannot bond for a police car. Mr Fallon explained that it is not an operating expense and will not last ten years. Ms. Bolte stated that car is essentially worthless due to high mileage and condition in four years. Mr. Fallon states municipalities use capital leases which include interest and administrative costs. We have not allowed for two cars a year in six or seven years. Mayor asked if we bond for ten sets of Fire Department turn-out gear this year, what do we do to pay for ten sets next year? Mr. Sheridan stated the plan was to buy 20 sets of gear; plan was not to buy ten this year and ten next year but the fire department was told that they can only purchase ten. Mr. Sheridan stated that gear would not need to be purchased for two to three years. Mayor feels we need a long term capital plan to purchase this equipment. Mr. Fallon stated he could move items out of operating expenses to capital improvement if we had a capital improvement ordinance rather than a bond ordinance. Ms. Wright stated that DPW has three positions that haven’t been filled. Mayor asked for any other proposals for cuts to the budget. Mr. Fallon - Budget introduction extended to March 31st. If applying for extraordinary aid it would be April 15th. Would not even apply for extraordinary aid unless we were going to defer the pension which Council does not wish to do and CFO does not recommend.  Click Here & Upgrade Expanded Features PDF Unlimited Pages Documents Complete March 31, 2009, page 2 Mr. Walling distributed a sheet from Carla, showing amounts solicited for sponsorship or events. PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION The Meeting was opened to the public for comments or questions at 6:51PM Joe Wedick, asked about reaching out to surrounding towns in order to make purchases at a cheaper rate. Mr. Wedick suggested getting Union Beach and Keyport to go in with Hazlet (who is looking at purchasing their own trucks) for garbage collection. Mr. Wedick asked whether every position had been looked at before deciding to cut two cops. Administrator Wright stated that all positions have been looked at and many department are bare bones. Mr. Wedick stated he feels there will be no savings by cutting cops since you will then have to pay overtime. John Olsen asked about Council consensus on Open Space tax; Mayor replied that he believes we need to do a referendum. Has not looked into it yet due to the effort to cut legal fees. Kishore Chigurupati, 22 First Street, stated not sure how to make these cuts, but feels there were decisions made throughout this last year that did not allow for the situation we are facing today. Feels there has been political posturing. Mayor stated he does not support any bonding other than for capital improvements. Those are investments in the future. Revenue has been flat over the last ten years and costs have increased. Can see a reduction in personnel as the only way to cut expenses. Mr. Chigurupati talked about councilmembers who have taken a certain position and then voted for it anyway. Anthony, 156 Main Street, has a residential/commercial business. Feels he was hammered by the reval. He stated that his commerical space is not even 20% of his building. Mayor replied that property tax is a very regressive tax. The system we are in produces some unfair abnomalities. He then tried to explain how the reval assessments works. You would not be taxed at the same rate. Mr. Chigurupati asked Mr. Walling’s feeling on the proposed police officer cut. Mr. Walling stated he is not in favor. Mr. Chigurupati asked what Mr. Walling’s vote was on the police promotions; yes. He felt Councilman Walling did not look at the cost that would be required. Mr. Walling stated that he felt he looked at the whole picture. Ed Burlew, 8 Luppatatong, said the Mayor had said that the reval would not affect commercial properties because they are already valued high; Mayor replied that was not what he said. Joe Wedick, in order to be part of the bid a certain amount of the property had to be used for commercial use. He then asked Anthony whether he had changed the square footage of his commercial property. Nina Jeandron, stated she has a residential house in a commercial zone; asked whether she can appeal that.  Click Here & Upgrade Expanded Features PDF Unlimited Pages Documents Complete March 31, 2009, page 3 Mr. Sheridan stated he was not speaking for all Mayor and Council about bonding but would rather not have to lay-off personnel. Ed Burlew - feels if we don’t have the money we shouldn’t spend it. Motion to go into closed session at 7:32 PM was made by Mr. Hill, second by Ms. Sefcik with ayes present. The Meeting was opened to the public at 8:22 PM. Motion was made to Authorize Administrator to proceed with the lay-off plan. Resolution No. 100-90 Authorizing Administrator to proceed with the lay-off plan Offered for adoption by Mr. Sheridan, seconded by Mr. Sefcik Roll Call Vote: Ayes: Councilmembers Bolte, Sefcik, Hill, Sheridan, Kovacs Nays: Walling Absent: Abstain: Mr. Kovacs asked about the Greem Team Sustainability Program. Ms. Sefcik explained that it is an initiative of the DEP, Rutgers, etc.; a suggested program which provides training and incentives. Motion to ajourn was made and carried at 8:30PM with ayes by all present.