MAYOR AND COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
September 26, 2023 7:00 P.M.
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CALL TO ORDER
SALUTE TO COLORS
Mayor Zdichocki invited all those present to stand in a salute to the colors.
MAYOR’S STATEMENT AS TO COMPLIANCE WITH P.L. 1975
Adequate Notice of this Meeting has been provided according to the Open Public Meetings Act, Assembly Bill 1030. Notice of this Meeting was included in the Annual Meeting Notice sent to the New Jersey Herald and the Daily Record on January 4, 2023 and was placed on the Official Bulletin Board in the Municipal Building and on the official website of the Borough of Stanhope.
In the event the Mayor and Council have not addressed all items on this Agenda by 10:00 PM and they are of the opinion that they cannot complete the Agenda in a reasonable time period, the Mayor and Council may exercise their option to continue this meeting at an agreed to date, time and place. Please turn off all cell phones for the duration of this Meeting.
ROLL CALL
Council Members:
Councilwoman Kuncken – present
Councilman Thornton – present
Councilman Riccardi – present
Councilman Wachterhauser – present
Councilman Romano – present
Councilman Wronko – present
Mayor Zdichocki – present
CITIZEN’S TO BE HEARD
Mayor Zdichocki opened the meeting to the public after advising attendees that there is a five (5) minute time limit for each speaker.
Kathy Sacchiero stated she attended a Mayor and Council meeting a month ago regarding her complaint about the vacant house on High Street. Ms. Sacchiero thanked the governing body for addressing the issue. The Sussex County Board of Health has been to the property and agrees with the neighbors that the house needs to come down. The neighbors appreciate the governing body’s actions. Mayor Zdichocki stated she and the council appreciate Ms. Sacchiero attending the meeting to thank them. Councilwoman Kuncken stated the Stanhope Board of Health had discussed the matter with the County Sanitarian who in turn agreed to look at the property. Ms. Sacchiero stated the Sanitarian saw the hole in the roof, the tree leaning on the house and the black mold. The raccoons were not visible at that time. The governing body thanked Ms. Sacchiero.
Nancy Hoyt asked if a Nixle is sent out every time there is a road closure. Administrator McNeilly confirmed a Nixle is sent out for road closures.
Gil Moscatello thanked the governing body and the powers that be for addressing the problem with visibility when pulling out of Hill Street. Mr. Moscatello stated he is not here this evening as a school board member but just as a resident. He asked why the walk to school document on the Borough website, which was a study done by the Borough, is only for K-8. Why was the high school not included? Administrator McNeilly stated the guidelines for the walking study were focused on K-8 which is how the statute is written. Mr. Moscatello stated the school has changed their start time and ending time by fifteen minutes. Administrator McNeilly asked when the change was made. Mr. Moscatello stated it was done at the beginning of the school year but after the study was done. Councilman Thornton stated the high school has courtesy busing and are not impacted with walking issues like those for K-8. Mr. Moscatello stated there are also students at the high school level who are dropped off from Vo-Tech and private schools. Administrator McNeilly stated the crossing guards’ hours are also in line with the hours for the K-8 students. Discussion took place regarding the issues and dangers of walking to school in Stanhope Borough. Mr. Moscatello stated it is a shame that the State draws a circle and says anyone within this two-mile area does not require busing, regardless of the major roadways involved. The governing body agreed and thanked Mr. Moscatello.
Nancy Hoyt asked if information will be provided regarding the gas lines. Mayor Zdichocki stated Mrs. Hoyt can contact NJ Natural Gas and ask them for information.
Seeing no one further from the public wishing to speak, Mayor Zdichocki closed the public portion of the meeting.
MINUTES FOR APPROVAL
Mayor Zdichocki read aloud the list of minutes being presented for approval:
August 8, 2023 Work Session/Agenda Meeting
August 22, 2023 Business Meeting & Closed Session
On motion by Councilman Thornton, seconded by Councilman Romano and unanimously carried by voice vote, the minutes of August 8, 2023 were approved. The minutes of August 22, 2023 were approved by a majority voice vote. Councilman Wachterhauser and Councilman Wronko abstained from the minutes of August 22, 2023.
CORRESPONDENCE (List Attached)
On motion by Councilwoman Kuncken, seconded by Councilman Riccardi and unanimously carried by voice vote, the list of correspondence was accepted and ordered placed on file.
COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS
Public Safety – Councilwoman Kuncken/Councilman Wachterhauser
(Police, Fire, Ambulance, Court & Violations Bureau, Emergency Management)
Councilwoman Kuncken stated the Fire Department for the month of August reported 10 calls answered, 2 mutual aid calls, 4 drills, 1 training session, 1 meeting and 2 special details. The total number of man hours volunteered for the month were 196.75 hours.
Councilwoman Kuncken stated, in addition to the inspections for the month, they responded to a structure fire at the old NAPA building. The cause was determined to be electrical and the fire was not suspicious in nature. There were five inspections conducted with no violations.
Councilwoman Kuncken stated the Ambulance Squad has submitted three reports. The report for May states there were 35 calls; 12 in Stanhope and 23 in Netcong. There were 3 out of town calls; 2 in Hopatcong and 1 in Roxbury. The total number of calls for the month was 38. The squad made 16 trips to the hospital, travelled 420 miles and had a total of 272 hours and 25 minutes of hours volunteered. For the month of June, there were 12 calls in Stanhope, 26 in Netcong, 1 stand-by, 1 out of town call to Byram, 2 out of town calls to Hopatcong for a total of 42 calls. They made 18 trips to the hospital, travelled 508 miles and totaled 271 hours and 20 minutes in hours volunteered. For the month of July, the Ambulance Squad responded to 14 calls in Stanhope, 39 in Netcong, 2 stand-bys, 5 out of town to Hopatcong and 1 out of town to Roxbury for a total of 61 calls. They made 28 trips to the hospital, travelled 915 miles and totaled 289 hours and 12 minutes of hours volunteered.
Finance & Administration – Councilman Romano/Councilman Thornton
Councilman Romano stated the tax collection for the month of August totaled $2,436,278.01. The year to date total is $9,712,383.46. The Borough has collected 96% of the taxes due for the third quarter. This percentage is slightly higher than last year.
Councilman Romano stated the water collections for the month of August totaled $16,098.14 and the year to date total is $410,346.80. The sewer collections for the month of August totaled $22,770.29 and the year to date total is $496,363.92.
Community Development – Councilman Wronko/Councilman Riccardi
Councilman Wronko stated for the month of August the Construction Department issued 36 permits and the fees collected for those permits totaled $6,912.00.
Councilman Wronko stated Walk to School Day for the Valley Road School will be held on October 4th. Councilman Wronko urged everyone to drive with extra caution and watch for children walking.
Councilman Wronko stated the Sussex County Fireman’s Parade will be held in Hopatcong this year on Saturday, October 7th. This is a great opportunity to support and cheer on the fire departments.
Municipal Infrastructure – Councilman Thornton/Councilman Romano
(Water Distribution, Sewer Collection System, Road Construction & Maintenance, Buildings & Grounds)
Councilman Thornton stated he spoke with the DPW Superintendent earlier today who informed him that the hydrant flushing was completed on Friday of last week. The DPW are currently working on repairs to the salt shed to make it OSHA compliant. The Borough Engineer was consulted regarding the necessary improvements. The DPW is also transitioning the equipment from summer to fall.
Information Technology – Councilman Riccardi/Councilman Wronko
Councilman Riccardi stated an Information Technology meeting was held on September 19th. This morning information was sent to the governing body regarding that meeting. Discussion will continue in Closed Session.
Boards/Commissions – Councilman Wachterhauser/Councilwoman Kuncken
Councilman Wachterhauser stated several of the boards and commissions did not hold meetings during the summer months.
Mayor’s Comments
Mayor Zdichocki stated information about the Halloween Parade was sent out with the water bills.
Mayor Zdichocki thanked Councilman Riccardi and Councilman Wronko for participating and representing Stanhope Borough in the Tunnel to Towers Walk this past weekend along with the Fire Department and several Stanhope residents.
ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
DPW Hydrants – Administrator McNeilly stated the DPW has completed the fall hydrant flushing.
Walk to School Day – Administrator McNeilly stated Walk to School Day is October 4th. The school has requested a Nixle notification and the information is on the Borough website.
Lake Musconetcong Drawdown – Administrator McNeilly stated he has received notification that Lake Musconetcong will begin drawdown on October 9th. During the month of November, the lake will be down by two (2) feet. The lake will start to fill back up beginning in December. A notification will be sent out which will be helpful for the shoreline residents.
NJ Gas Reception – Administrator McNeilly stated all the members of the governing body have received an invitation to the NJ Gas Reception and he asked that they complete the form if they plan to attend. The Partners in Safety Reception will take place on October 19th from 6:00 to 8:00pm at the Hilton in Parsippany. Councilwoman Kuncken stated she attended last year and it was a worthwhile event. Borough Clerk, Ellen Horak, stated as of today, Councilman Riccardi and Councilman Wachterhauser’s invitations have not arrived in the mail. Each member of the governing body needs to RSVP to the event coordinator on their own. Administrator McNeilly stated a copy of the invitation will be provided to Councilman Riccardi and Councilman Wachterhauser.
NJ Gas Timeline – Administrator McNeilly provided the governing body with a “draft” marketing map of the NJ Gas Line installation timeline. Section 1 (blue), which is everything southeast of Brooklyn Road, is scheduled for the Spring of 2024. Some changes are going to be made to the map. The section of Main Street from High Street to Route 183 will be added to the blue section. Grove Road and all of Elm Street are going to be added to Section 1 (blue) in order to have the work done prior to the paving of Grove Road and Elm Street in the Fall. The paving project is a DOT project and it cannot be delayed. Section 2 (yellow) will begin in the Fall of 2024 and consists of everything from Brooklyn Road west, except for Grove Street and Elm Street. This will include Baker Place, Highland Avenue, Central Avenue, Delaware Avenue, Hickory Drive, Oak Drive, Valley Road, Sagamore Road, Maple Terrace and down through Elizabeth Avenue. Administrator McNeilly stressed this is a rough framework. The gas company was under the impression that the area in Section 3 (green) only consisted of the Highpoint Condominiums and Stonegate Village. Administrator McNeilly has informed them that Young Drive, Dell Road, James Street and Maryann Terrace are individual homes and therefore these streets will be moved to Section 2. The Section 3 (green) area will consist of the two condominium associations and they are scheduled for the Fall of 2025. Section 4 (red) consists of Sparta Road, Woods Avenue, Lenape Drive, Lepont Street, and Smith Street along with Kynor Avenue and Leo Avenue which are scheduled for Spring 2025. The Borough has requested a grant to pave Main Street which will be for the Spring of 2024 but the gas piping will be in place prior to the paving, which will be pushed forward to 2025. This process will disrupt the paving program by 24 months. Councilwoman Kuncken asked what type of restoration will be done to the roads like Valley Road and Delaware Avenue that were recently paved. Initially, the road will look like Kelly Place currently looks and it will be flat and level. As far as how much of it will be milled and paved is unknown but it will not be more than a single lane. The entire road will not be redone.
Administrator McNeilly stated the gas company held their informational community meeting a few weeks ago at the Cranberry Fire House in Byram for their residents. The gas company has already been laying gas lines prior to the meeting taking place. The meeting for Stanhope will take place at the American Legion sometime in the Spring. The gas company will send out mailers with the information. The gas company also uses door tags. Some residents along Kelly Place, Linden Avenue and Route 183 have already hooked into the gas lines.
Brooklyn Road Paving – Mayor Zdichocki asked Administrator McNeilly when Brooklyn Road is scheduled to be paved by the County. Administrator McNeilly stated Route 602, Stanhope to Hopatcong Road, will be milled and paved on October 17th and 18th between the hours of 7:00pm to 5:30am. The work will be done overnight. Councilwoman Kuncken asked who is handling the detour. Administrator McNeilly replied the County will be handling the detour most likely with flaggers. As the date gets closer, Nixle messages will be sent out. Councilman Thornton asked if the road will be striped. Administrator McNeilly stated markers will be put in place but the County will come back during the day at some point to stripe the road.
Camper Ordinance – Administrator McNeilly stated that Ursula Leo, Borough Attorney, has prepared a draft ordinance for prohibition of vehicles and units as living quarters. The ordinance has been requested by the Zoning/Code Enforcement Official. The draft copy will be forwarded to the governing body for review. Attorney Leo stated there was a concern regarding occupancy of RV’s while on a pad, which is two residences on one lot and there are safety issues. Language was drafted saying trailers, RV’s and campers used as a residence are not allowed. Administrator McNeilly stated the current trailer issues are being addressed. It is a good time to be adding this ordinance as there are housing issues all across the country. If enough housing does not become available, people will get creative. If someone has some type of tragic event occur with their home, the governing body, as it has in the past, can grant relief for someone to utilize a motor home while their home is rebuilt.
Planet Network – Administrator McNeilly stated he is working with Planet Network on some issues they are having with telephone pole permits with Verizon. Hopefully, we can get this cleared up in order to bring Planet Network into the Borough soon. Councilman Thornton stated he finds this surprising due to the fact that years ago a fiber company ran lines through the Borough for medical use without any issues. Administrator McNeilly stated the company cannot unreasonably withhold access. There is a communication disconnect somewhere that needs to be addressed.
Correspondence (Michael Bender) – Administrator McNeilly stated correspondence has been received from Michael Bender. The governing body all received a copy of the letter prior to the meeting. The governing body asked Administrator McNeilly to forward the letter to the Zoning Department. Administrator McNeilly will forward the correspondence and ask the Zoning Official to send a letter acknowledging receipt of the request and ask Mr. Bender to submit an application and plan for review.
Walk to School Nixle – Councilman Thornton asked when the Walk to School Nixle alert will be sent out. Administrator McNeilly stated it would be best to send it out the night before.
Budget Timeline – Administrator McNeilly stated budget requests are still being received across the board. The October 3rd date for governing body discussion is optimistic. The October 10th Mayor and Council meeting will be busy so the budget discussion will be pushed out at least two weeks.
Sparta Road Light Pole – Councilman Riccardi asked for an update for the installation of the replacement light pole for Sparta Road. Administrator McNeilly stated the light pole is scheduled to be replaced by the end of the month. As soon as it arrives, it will be installed.
COUNCIL DISCUSSION
Former Mayor’s Plaque – Councilman Romano stated there is a bill on tonight’s bills list for the cost of a former mayor’s plaque to be charged to the Mayor and Council’s budget. This is not a normally budgeted item and as such a straw poll of the governing body should be taken to approve the expense. Mayor Zdichocki called for a straw poll vote to accept the charge to the Mayor and Council budget for the cost of the former mayor’s plaque. Councilwoman Kuncken voted yes but stated this should have been done prior to the purchase. Mayor Zdichocki stated her understanding was that the plaque would be charged to the general budget, not the Mayor and Council budget, and therefore she did not need to obtain approval. Councilman Wachterhauser – yes, Councilman Wronko – yes, Councilman Riccardi – yes, Councilman Thornton – yes, Councilman Romano – yes. The governing body approved the bill for the plaque to be charged to the Mayor and Council budget.
Halloween Parade – Councilman Wachterhauser stated the annual Halloween Parade will be held on October 28th beginning at noon at Borough Hall and ending at the Stanhope Fire House. Mayor Zdichocki stated volunteers are always welcome.
NEW BUSINESS
RESOLUTIONS
Mayor Zdichocki offered the following resolutions which were read by title:
Resolution 158-23 RESOLUTION Authorizing the Borough of Stanhope to enter into a Shared Services Agreement with the Township of Sparta, New Jersey for RADIO DISPATCHING SERVICES
WHEREAS, the Borough of Stanhope has determined that it would be beneficial to and in the best interest of the Borough residents and taxpayers to enter into a new Shared Services Agreement with the Township of Sparta, for Sparta to continue to serve as a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), providing radio dispatching services to the Borough of Stanhope; and
WHEREAS, the Borough of Stanhope and the Township of Sparta desire to enter into a Shared Services Agreement, as attached hereto, for a six (6) year period, effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2029.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Borough Council of the Borough of Stanhope, County of Sussex, State of New Jersey, as follows:
- The Borough Mayor and Clerk are hereby authorized to execute this Shared Services Agreement attached hereto, between the Borough of Stanhope and the Township of Sparta for radio dispatching services.
- This Resolution shall take effect immediately.
On motion by Councilman Romano, seconded by Councilman Thornton and carried by a majority of the following roll call vote, the foregoing resolution was duly adopted.
Councilwoman Kuncken stated, due to the nature of this contract and the work that has gone into it, she would like to comment on the procedure that went into this. The Borough’s contract with Sparta is due to expire at the end of this year. Several months ago, the Mayor formed a dispatch committee. The participants in the committee were Councilman Romano as the Finance Chairperson, the Administrator, the Mayor and Councilwoman Kuncken as the Public Safety Chairperson. The participants knew this would require a lot of research and investigation and conversations. Meetings began several months ago and conversations have been held with a great deal of people. The stakeholders were all brought in, which included the police department, fire department, and the ambulance squad. They were free to talk about any concerns or issues they had along with any suggestions. The two dispatch services under consideration, Sussex County Dispatch and Sparta Dispatch, were both brought in as well. At those meetings the Borough representatives stated what they needed and the dispatch services explained what they could provide. This was all very informative and helpful. A year ago, Councilwoman Kuncken stated she and Councilman Romano and the Mayor toured the Sussex County facility. The Sparta Police Chief also invited us to tour the facility in Sparta. Councilwoman Kuncken stated she and Councilman Romano and the Administrator visited the Sparta facility. We knew we had to do our due diligence and there were a lot of questions to ask and information to gather. The cost certainly played a roll but that was not the only concern. The type of service each could provide was important. Through the combined efforts of the members of the committee and the two dispatch services gathering information, we determined that we would be able to secure a contract with Sparta, whose costs for 2024 are less than they were when we first contracted with them in 2013. The contract we are proposing to enter into with Sparta Dispatch is another six (6) year contract. This would run from 2024 to 2029. In 2024 and still in 2029 we will pay less than we did in 2013. We have done the best that we could and we are comfortable with our proposal to contract with Sparta Dispatch. Councilman Romano stated one of the concerns he and the Administrator had with regard to this commitment was with the infrastructure and investment in their facilities. The tour of the facility proved to be quite impressive and so were the personnel. The question as to whether or not there would be enough coverage was well addressed. The general attitude of the personnel, the chief and the people in the dispatch center was exceptional. They are well aware of the problems and situation here and they were more than enthusiastic about accommodating the Borough. There was a radio issue with some of our stakeholders and Sparta is aware of that and they are dedicating funds toward making that improvement. Councilman Romano stated Sparta Dispatch is the best choice. Councilman Wronko stated the fire department and the ambulance squad will not have to purchase new radios which is also a cost savings.
Roll Call:
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Thornton – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Wachterhauser – yes
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilman Wronko – abstain
CONSENT AGENDA (All items listed on the Consent Agenda are considered routine by the Borough Council and were enacted by one motion of the Borough Council with no separate discussion.)
Resolution 159-23 RESOLUTION ACCEPTING A DONATION FROM THE BENDER FAMILY FOR A PARK BENCH IN MUSCONETCONG PARK IN MEMORY OF BRUCE BENDER
WHEREAS, the Bender family would like to donate $2,277.86 for a park bench to be placed in Musconetcong Park in honor of their brother, Bruce Bender; and
WHEREAS, N.J.S.A. 40A:5-29 authorizes the Borough to accept this donation being made by the Bender family;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope does hereby accept the donation of $2,277.86 by the Bender family to memorialize a park bench to be placed in Musconetcong Park in honor of their brother, Bruce Bender.
Resolution 160-23 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING REFUND OF REDEMPTION MONIES TO OUTSIDE LIEN HOLDER
WHEREAS, the Tax Collector has received payment for the redemption of Tax Title Lien No. 2022-002 representing 2021 property taxes and/or utility charges on Block 11008, Lot 12 known as 9 Hill Rd, assessed to Wayne B Smith, and;
WHEREAS, the Tax Collector certifies that reimbursement is now required to be made to the following lien holder for the required redemption amounts as shown below:
To Lienholder: Evolve Bank & Trust
6000 Poplar Ave, Suite 300
Memphis, Tn 38119
Redemption Amount: Tax Title Lien #2022-002 and
Interest to Date of Meeting $ 3,409.75
Premium Paid by Lienholder 5,400.00
Total From Current Fund: $ 3,409.75
Total From Tax Premium Account 5,400.00
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Borough Council of the Borough of Stanhope, County of Sussex, State of New Jersey, that the Borough Treasurer be authorized to prepare the necessary check as stated above and to forward same to the lien holder.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this Resolution be forwarded to the Borough Chief Financial Officer/Tax Collector.
On motion by Councilman Thornton, seconded by Councilman Riccardi and unanimously carried by the following roll call vote, the foregoing resolutions were duly adopted.
Roll Call:
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Thornton – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Wachterhauser – yes
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilman Wronko – yes
Mayor’s Appointment
Resolution 161-23 Resolution of the Mayor and Council Approving The Mayor’s Appointment of Judith McGrath to the Lake Musconetcong Regional Planning Board with Council Concurrence
Mayor’s appointment to the Lake Musconetcong Regional Planning Board with Council concurrence as follows:
Judith McGrath to fill a vacant un-expired 4-year term, with said term to expire December 31, 2026.
BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Borough of Stanhope that they do hereby concur with the Mayor’s appointment of Judith McGrath to the Lake Musconetcong Regional Planning Board to fill a vacant un-expired 4-year term effective immediately, with said term to expire December 31, 2026.
On motion by Councilman Romano, seconded by Councilwoman Kuncken and unanimously carried by voice vote, the foregoing resolution was duly adopted.
Mayor Zdichocki asked the Clerk if Ms. McGrath was notified about tonight’s meeting. Ellen Horak, Borough Clerk, stated now that the appointment has been approved, a letter will be sent letting her know about the appointment. A copy of the resolution will be sent, as well as all the information needed regarding the Board’s meeting dates and contact information.
PAYMENT OF BILLS
Resolution 162-23 RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE BOROUGH OF STANHOPE AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF BILLS
WHEREAS, the Chief Finance Officer has certified that funds are available in the proper account; and
WHEREAS, the Chief Finance Officer has approved payment upon certification from the Borough Department Heads that the goods and/or services have been rendered to the Borough;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope that the current bills list, dated September 26, 2023 and on file and available for public inspection in the Office of the Chief Finance Officer and approved by the Chief Finance Officer for payment, be paid.
On motion by Councilman Romano, seconded by Councilman Thornton and unanimously carried by the following roll call vote, the foregoing resolution was duly adopted.
Roll Call:
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Thornton – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Wachterhauser – yes
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilman Wronko – yes
Resolution
Resolution 163-23 RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION #135-23, AUTHORIZING USE OF DENVILLE LINE PAINTING, INC. AS SET FORTH IN THE MORRIS COUNTY CO-OP PUBLIC BIDS FOR SAGAMORE ROAD AND SPENCER STREET IMPROVEMENTS NJDOT LOCAL AID PROJECT
WHEREAS, the Borough of Stanhope is in need of limited striping for Sagamore Road and Spencer Street(“the Project”);
WHEREAS, the Borough applied for and received a Local Aid Grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation; and
WHEREAS, the Borough Engineer’s estimate for limited striping on the Project is $1,784.30; and
WHEREAS, the Borough is a member of the Morris County Co-Op which has already publicly bid striping services for the year 2023 and has awarded contracts therefore for the services needed; and
WHEREAS, the Borough may utilize the Co-Op bid price as a member of the Co-Op without the need for further public bidding; and
WHEREAS, the Borough Engineer has recommended the use of the Co-Op bids for the above noted and various construction items for the “Project”; and
WHEREAS, the Borough adopted Resolution #135-23 on July 25, 2023, which awarded the limited striping to Denville Line Painting, Inc. for traffic striping on roadways for District #2 for the “Project” for the total amount of $2,337.50 subject to the approval of the New Jersey Department of Transportation (see attached bid tabulation); whereby the correct amount is $1,784.30;
WHEREAS, the Borough revises Resolution #135-23 and awards the limited striping to Denville Line Painting, Inc. for traffic striping on roadways for District #2 for the “Project” for the corrected total amount of $1,784.30, subject to the approval of the New Jersey Department of Transportation (see attached bid tabulation);
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope, that the Borough shall utilize Denville Line Painting, Inc., for traffic striping on roadways for the Sagamore Road and Spencer Street Local Aid Project at the 2023 Morris County Co-Op awarded bid prices and quantities as set forth in the attached bid tabulation.
On motion by Councilman Wronko, seconded by Councilwoman Kuncken and unanimously carried by the following roll call vote, the foregoing resolution was duly adopted.
Roll Call:
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Thornton – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Wachterhauser – yes
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilman Wronko – yes
ATTORNEY REPORT
Ursula Leo, Borough Attorney, stated Resolution 163-23 was required to correct the dollar amount for the striping project.
Councilman Thornton asked Attorney Leo if she had any additional information regarding the referendum costs which were discussed at a prior meeting. Attorney Leo stated due to the fact the referendum is going to be carried to next year, costs were not obtained as yet.
CITIZEN’S TO BE HEARD
Mayor Zdichocki opened the meeting to the public after advising attendees that there is a five (5) minute time limit for each speaker.
Seeing no one from the public wishing to speak, Mayor Zdichocki closed the public portion of the meeting.
CLOSED SESSION
WHEREAS, Section 8 of the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231 P.L. 1975 permits the exclusion of the public from a meeting in certain circumstances; and
WHEREAS, this public body is of the opinion that such circumstances presently exists;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope, County of Sussex, State of New Jersey, as follows:
- The public shall be excluded from discussion of and action upon the hereinafter specified subject matter(s).
- The general nature of the subject matter(s) to be discussed is as follows:
1 – Personnel
1 – Contract
- It is anticipated at this time that the above stated subject matter(s) will be made public at the conclusion of each individual specified subject matter.
- This resolution shall take effect immediately.
On motion by Councilwoman Kuncken, seconded by Councilman Thornton, and unanimously carried by voice vote, the foregoing resolution was adopted.
The Mayor and Council went into Closed Session at 7:54 P.M.
RETURN TO OPEN SESSION
At the conclusion of the Closed Session, the Mayor and Council reconvened the public meeting at 8:13 P.M. with all present.
Sick Time Request – On motion by Councilman Riccardi, seconded by Councilman Romano and carried by the following unanimous roll call vote, the governing body approved the advancement of 3.5 sick days to William Wormuth, with such time to be repaid if not accumulated in 2024.
Roll Call:
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Thornton – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Wachterhauser – yes
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilman Wronko – yes
ADJOURNMENT
On motion by Councilman Romano, seconded by Councilman Thornton and unanimously carried by voice vote the meeting was adjourned at 8:15 P.M.
Approved:
Linda Chirip
Deputy Clerk for
Ellen Horak, RMC
Borough Clerk