MAYOR AND COUNCIL
WORK SESSION AND AGENDA MEETING
October 13, 2020 7:00 P.M.
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CALL TO ORDER
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 8, 2020 and was placed on the Official Bulletin Board in the Municipal Building.
Furthermore, notice of the change in the meeting location was sent to the New Jersey Herald and Daily Record on July 22, 2020 and was placed 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:
Councilman Cipollini – absent
Councilman Romano – present
Councilwoman Kuncken – present
Councilman Thornton – present
Councilman Riccardi – present
Councilman Wronko – present
Mayor Zdichocki – present
ENGINEER’S REPORT
Mayor Zdichocki invited Eric Keller, Borough Engineer, to come forward to present his report.
Sparta Road TAP Grant – Eric Keller, Borough Engineer, stated he has gotten unofficial word from Local Aid that the Federal Highway Administration has provided their authorization for this project to move forward. There is some additional paperwork to be completed before the Borough can begin to advertise. The official notice must be received which will be part of the advertisement process. Everything is in place for construction to begin next year.
Dell Road – Mr. Keller stated he is attempting to obtain a schedule for the milling and paving of Dell Road which will be done by Tilcon. The rain which has occurred over the past few days is affecting the schedule. Once Tilcon completes their work, the speed tables will be installed. A very good price was obtained for this work. The resolution to award the contract for the speed tables is on tonight’s agenda for adoption. Mr. Keller will contact Denville Line Painting to have the line striping done.
Young Drive Speed Humps – Mr. Keller stated the resolution for the Young Drive Speed Humps is also on the agenda this evening. This will be awarded to Riverview Paving who had the low bid of $12,000. This work will be scheduled after Dell Road is paved due to the fact Young Drive will be the primary detour route during paving. If the work for Dell Road is going to be pushed further along in the month, it is possible the installation of the speed humps for Young Drive will be moved forward. Mr. Keller stated he does not want the work to be scheduled too far into November for weather reasons and he would like to schedule Denville Line Painting to do all the work at one time.
Plane Lane – Mr. Keller stated there is a resolution on the agenda this evening for some additional minor paving on Plane Lane, which is in terrible condition, and a piece on East Drive on the upper part. This work will be tied in with Dell Road. This will consist of just paving because there is nothing left to be milled. The cost of the work is just over $12,000.
Grant for Reconstruction of Kelly Place, Waterloo Road and Furnace Street – Mr. Keller stated in February of this year the Borough received a $249,000 grant for the reconstruction of Kelly Place, Waterloo Road and Furnace Street. The grant has an award date of November 2021. The discussions on the capital budget in the past had scheduled that work for next year. Mr. Keller stated he will work with Administrator McNeilly, the Infrastructure Committee and the governing body on preparation of the bid documents so the project can be awarded in conformance with the grant requirements.
Capital Program – Mr. Keller stated it has been two years since a comprehensive Capital Program has been reviewed. In 2018, a five year look ahead was done to determine the Borough’s needs. Mr. Keller is of the opinion it is time to update the list. Several of the projects have been completed or are scheduled to be completed. One of the projects to be addressed is how to complete the Baker Street water mains in order to get better water pressure to Highland Avenue. This may have to be paired with some other water main replacements. There is an area still left which would require further discussion. Ridge Road, Sunset Avenue and Overhill Road still have four-inch water mains. Decisions were made to keep the four-inch mains in the Roberts Place, Lakeview Terrace and Spring Lane area for now. All of this will be part of the discussion in determining the Borough’s future plans and the budgeting issues. Mr. Keller stated he is pleased that grants are being received from the NJDOT now on an annual basis after missing a few years.
Stormwater Training – Mr. Keller stated he has discussed Stormwater Training with Administrator McNeilly. The training is required under the Borough’s Tier A permit. The Musconetcong Watershed Association has temporarily cancelled their educational training program due to COVID-19. Another program has to be found for training the governing body in order to comply with the requirements. Mr. Keller stated he will contact the NJDEP and the Borough’s Stormwater Coordinator. Mr. Keller, as the Borough Engineer and licensed professional, is willing to provide the training and wants to find out if this will be acceptable. Mr. Keller has also gone through the stormwater training which is required for review of applications. There are DEP videos that could be used for training purposes. Councilman Thornton asked if there are costs associated with the training. Administrator McNeilly stated the Borough joins the Musconetcong Watershed Association annually and there is a fee associated with joining of a couple hundred dollars. Under normal circumstances they would provide the training. Administrator McNeilly stated the Borough has a few choices. One would be not to have any training which would then reduce the Borough’s score and there are probably other ramifications. Councilman Thornton asked if there is any possibility that Trenton would wave the requirement for this year. Administrator McNeilly stated Mr. Keller is going to investigate the issue. There is still time to formulate a plan. Councilwoman Kuncken stated she is of the opinion that a way should be figured out to provide the training. Councilwoman Kuncken is not in favor of not doing the training and waiting to see what the ramifications might be. Administrator McNeilly stated the issue does affect 564 other municipalities.
Mayor Zdichocki thanked Mr. Keller for attending this evening’s meeting.
ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
Administrator McNeilly stated he did not prepare a written report for this evening.
Sound System – Administrator McNeilly stated the new sound system is now operational and the system will also be used for any upcoming Land Use Board Meetings.
TAP Grant – Administrator McNeilly stated he has one remaining policy and procedure manual meeting next Tuesday. This is the last item on the checklist.
Dell Road – Administrator McNeilly stated, with regard to the paving of Dell Road, he has had many lengthy discussions with Mr. Keller and the DPW Superintendent. This is a heavily traveled road. There are several in and out requirements at the top and at the bottom. The road is going to milled and paved. There is going to be substantial disruption and access to the neighborhood. Everyone will be noticed. Administrator McNeilly stated he wants to make the governing body aware they may receive feedback from residents.
Capital Program – Administrator McNeilly stated, as per Mr. Keller’s suggestion, perhaps the Infrastructure Committee should schedule a meeting to discuss the Capital Program. Councilman Thornton asked Mr. Keller to please forward a copy of the existing five-year capital program to the governing body. Mr. Keller stated he will forward the document.
COVID-19 Reimbursement – Councilman Riccardi asked about the FEMA reimbursement for COVID-19 expenses. Administrator McNeilly stated the document received indicates the Borough’s potential reimbursement would be for $21,000.
WORK SESSION
Townwide Cleanup – Mayor Zdichocki stated this past weekend she participated in the Townwide Cleanup sponsored by the Clean Communities Program and the Environmental Commission. The turnout was very good. Thirty-six people showed up to participate. Mayor Zdichocki thanked the volunteers for doing a great job and extended her thanks to Bell’s Mansion for providing food and dessert to all the volunteers.
Townwide Garage Sale – Mayor Zdichocki stated the Townwide Garage Sale was held this weekend and many residents participated.
COVID-19 Update – Mayor Zdichocki stated masks and safe distancing must remain a priority for everyone’s safety. This is essential to keep the town and the state safe. As of September 22nd, there are no active cases for COVID in the Borough.
Election: Vote-By-Mail – Mayor Zdichocki stated Councilman Wronko had emailed the governing body a PDF document regarding Vote By Mail Ballots. Councilman Wronko stated he has had a couple people question him regarding the ballot procedure. Providing information about how to fill out the ballots, where to bring them and frequently asked questions should be placed on the Borough website. Councilman Wronko prepared a document to place on the website. Mayor Zdichocki stated there is information on the Borough website and she asked Councilman Wronko where he obtained the information. Councilman Wronko replied the information was taken from the County website and various other sources. Administrator McNeilly stated the Borough website currently provides all the information provided by the Board of Elections, which includes step by step instructions regarding the ballots, where to return them, drop box locations, how to register and how to track your ballot. Administrator McNeilly asked if the PDF document was to be added to the existing information. Councilman Wronko stated he did not see the information on the website but the document is not needed if the information is already there. Councilwoman Kuncken suggested to have a statement informing people that only Sussex County Voters can place their ballots in the Sussex County Drop Boxes. She had spoken with a woman from Netcong, which is in Morris County, who was trying to drop her ballot off in Stanhope. Administrator McNeilly suggested using the PDF document on the Social Media sites. Councilman Riccardi asked if the information could be posted more prominently. Administrator McNeilly stated the Website Manager continues to bump the articles to keep the election information at the front. The other location with the election information is an event on the calendar. The suggestion was made by the governing body to utilize the red box at the top of the page to include election information. Administrator McNeilly stated he will work with the Website Manager. Councilman Wronko stated he likes Administrator McNeilly’s suggestion to post the information on Facebook.
Resolution – Protocols for Remote Public Meetings – Administrator McNeilly stated this is a case where the resolution is needed in order for the procedure to catch up with the action. In March remote meetings became necessary. The DCA has outlined the procedures to be followed to conduct remote public meetings. If a meeting is held in person, it has to be open to the public to attend. The public meetings cannot be held in person without providing for the public to attend in person as well. The public cannot be made to access the meeting remotely. The Borough Clerk stated the governing body received a copy of the resolution and document in their Friday email. Mayor Zdichocki asked the governing body to review the document prior to the next scheduled meeting.
Best Practice Checklist – Administrator McNeilly stated the governing body received a filled in copy of the Best Practices Checklist from the CFO. The DCA scoring system is as follows: 0 – 7 = 100% of final aid payment withheld; 8 – 11 = 50% of final aid payment withheld; 12 – 15 = 25% of final payment withheld and 16+ no aid withheld. The Borough’s score has remained consistent at 21.50, resulting in no loss of payment. The checklist contains scored questions and unscored questions. The document is now being used for fact finding as well. Councilman Romano stated question number 60 is an unscored question and it states, “Please describe the general attitude of your residents toward additional affordable housing development? (select only one answer).” The answer provided is “Don’t Know”. Councilman Romano stated he would like to know what the other options are for this question. Administrator McNeilly stated he will find out what the options are for question #60.
Environmental Commission Future Projects – Mayor Zdichocki stated she attended a recent meeting held by the Environmental Commission where they discussed current projects and projects they would like to work on in the future. The list included the following:
Furnace Pond Trail – Mayor Zdichocki stated originally the State Park was going to apply for the permits on behalf of the Borough and then they rescinded the offer. There will be a cost associated with applying for the permits. Mayor Zdichocki stated a cost estimate will be obtained from the engineer in order for the governing body to determine the course of action.
Lakeside Park Plantings – Mayor Zdichocki stated a presentation was made last year to the governing body by the Environmental Commission regarding the plantings for Lakeside Park. The governing body at that time had asked for a list of the proposed plantings for approval. Mayor Zdichocki stated she has asked the Environmental Commission to provide a new list and to make another presentation due to the fact there are new members on the council.
Open Space Committee – Mayor Zdichocki stated she is working on the Open Space Committee. A copy of the prior Open Space Plan has been obtained from the Borough Clerk which she is reviewing. Mayor Zdichocki stated she will be asking people in the near future to serve on the committee.
Lutheran Church Trail Easement – Mayor Zdichocki stated the Borough Engineer has visited the Lutheran Church Trail Easement site. The protected waterway comes from the Musconetcong and the buffer needs to remain undisturbed. A platform may be able to be installed as a walkway but the cost may be too expensive. Mayor Zdichocki asked Eric Keller, Borough Engineer, to report his findings. Mr. Keller stated there are two factors. The first is this area is a riparian zone associated with the lake and any waterway through there. The second is there are wetlands present. A platform could make the area usable. Permits can be obtained for trails under both the riparian flood hazard rule and under the wetlands rule. This would have to be a natural surface. It cannot be paved or be a hard surface. This could make the area difficult to use due to the wetlands. Administrator McNeilly stated the trail was accessed from Spring Street and leads to the parking lot at the church. There were very few dry spots to use to navigate through the area. The area is full of typical wetland growth. Mr. Keller stated the area is filled with not streams but water courses. Councilwoman Kuncken stated she is of the opinion when this issue was last discussed it was decided to back off from the project because there are just too many obstacles and the costs would be prohibitive. Administrator McNeilly stated he has walked the area other times and it is always just as wet. Administrator McNeilly stated he defers to the engineer regarding the water and tributaries leading to the Musconetcong. Mr. Keller stated it would require engineering, permitting and the construction costs which would be expensive. This would be a costly link. Administrator McNeilly stated he is of the opinion it would be more cost effective to install a sidewalk from the top of Spring Street to the corner of Sparta Road than it would be to try and travel through the active wetlands. Mr. Keller stated there are challenges either way. It is a steep area and it is right on top of the roadway but Mr. Keller agrees this has to be less costly than trying to deal with the environmental right of way. Councilman Riccardi asked if there is any documentation regarding the wetlands area. Mr. Keller stated the area was not flagged out by a wetland scientist. Mr. Keller stated this is not his area of expertise and he is not qualified to identify wetlands but when he sees certain plants he knows that means it is a wetland. The tricky parts are the areas which do not exhibit certain types of vegetation. This area is certainly a wetland. Administrator McNeilly stated it is not just one spring. The entire section from the parking lot to Spring Street just runs with water. When the water main was being installed on Spring Street, active water was a constant issue coming into the trench. There is a lot of water on the hillside. Mayor Zdichocki asked if a discussion was ever held about bringing in a wetland scientist. Mr. Keller stated he is certain he mentioned in prior discussions there would be a need to have a wetland scientist brought in to map out and determine the extent of the wetlands in that area. Mr. Keller stated a wetland expert, Dave Kroger, was brought in for prior projects and there was a discussion about having a wetlands expert for Furnace Park as well. Mayor Zdichocki stated she just wanted to clarify in order to be able to confirm to the Environmental Commission that their questions are being addressed and on the record.
Plaster Mill – Mayor Zdichocki stated everyone is anxious to have a solution for the Plaster Mill. Mayor Zdichocki stated she explained to the Environmental Commission that delisting the Plaster Mill from the historic registry is a difficult process. The process allows for people to object to the delisting. Once it is appealed the request gets knocked down. Mayor Zdichocki stated the representative she spoke with at the historic registry informed her that in all the years she has worked there, a delisting has never been granted. Administrator McNeilly stated that fateful day back in 1976 when the Plaster Mill was placed on the historic registry sealed its fate. Unfortunately, due to the fact there is one group who will consistently stand up and object to the delisting and the fact that a delisting has never occurred makes the process nearly impossible. Administrator McNeilly stated the only other choice is to let gravity take it down or spend a lot of money to put it back up. The site is always going to be protected. Councilman Riccardi stated it is frustrating to have the State keep the Borough from being able to turn the Plaster Mill site into a functioning area for the community. Administrator McNeilly stated Wayne McCabe made a presentation approximately five years ago regarding the grant process which has millions and millions of dollars.
Councilwoman Kuncken asked Councilman Riccardi to remind the Environmental Commission to use caution when doing any work on the Furnace Pond Trail. No plantings should be removed which would cause any violations. Mayor Zdichocki stated several years ago work was done at the Furnace Pond Trail which caused an issue.
Administrator McNeilly asked the governing body if they would like the engineer to prepare a proposal for the Furnace Pond Trail and the Lutheran Church Trail. Much discussion took place. Councilman Romano stated a baseline cost needs to be determined. Councilwoman Kuncken stated even having a proposal prepared by the engineer will cost money. Mayor Zdichocki asked the governing body members for their input. Councilman Thornton stated he agrees that a baseline cost is needed but asking the engineer to prepare a proposal for a project that may never happen is not a good idea in his opinion. The Borough is not in the same situation as it was in the past when asking the engineer to prepare proposals. These are very unusual times right now. The Borough is dealing different issues and so are the residents and if the cost is not budgeted for he is not going to vote for it. Councilman Wronko agreed with Councilman Thornton. Councilman Wronko stated if the issue involved some type of driving need or a safety concern then a proposal would be warranted. Councilman Riccardi stated he is in favor of having the proposals prepared. Mayor Zdichocki stated there is one vote in favor of preparing the proposals. Administrator McNeilly confirmed the governing body no longer requires advice or further discussion on Furnace Pond Trail or the Spring Street to the Lutheran Church Trail for the remainder of 2020 or 2021. Councilman Thornton stated he is not opposed to any projects which enrich the lives of the residents such as walking trails and he is not opposed to discussions. However, under the current unusual conditions, he is opposed to approving to authorize funds which have not been budgeted for. Mayor Zdichocki stated at this time the governing body does not want to move forward with these projects due to the costs. Councilwoman Kuncken stated she is not clear on the Environmental Commission’s plans for the Furnace Pond Trail and Lakeside Park. Perhaps it would be beneficial to hear from the Environmental Commission what their plans entail. Administrator McNeilly asked the governing body if they would like to have the Chairman of the Environmental Commission attend the November work session meeting. Mayor Zdichocki confirmed this and asked Mr. Keller to attend as well.
Best Practices Checklist (Question #60) – Administrator McNeilly stated he has the choices of answers available for Question #60 on the Best Practices Checklist which was requested by Councilman Romano earlier in the meeting. The available responses to question #60 are as follows: strongly favorable; favorable; neutral; unfavorable; strongly unfavorable; and don’t know. Councilman Romano stated in his opinion he would chose strongly unfavorable based on prior feedback. Mayor Zdichocki called for a straw poll vote to determine the response for question #60 on the Best Practice Checklist. Councilman Romano – strongly unfavorable; Councilman Riccardi – unfavorable; Councilwoman Kuncken – unfavorable; Councilman Thornton – unfavorable; Councilman Wronko – strongly unfavorable. Mayor Zdichocki stated there were two votes for “strongly unfavorable” and three votes for “unfavorable”. Administrator McNeilly confirmed the answer to question #60 will be changed to “unfavorable” as a result of the poll.
JCP&L – Councilman Thornton asked for an update on scheduling the new JCP&L representative to attend a council meeting to discuss the Borough’s dissatisfaction with their response time. Mayor Zdichocki stated the request has been made. Administrator McNeilly replied he will follow up on the matter. Mayor Zdichocki stated she has asked JCP&L for an update on the second crosswalk light. Councilwoman Kuncken asked if any arrangements have been made with regard to teaching the community how to use the crosswalk. It is very important that people understand just because the button is pushed it does not mean they can step off into the road. Mayor Zdichocki suggested a flyer be printed for students to take home to discuss with their parents or perhaps the information could be placed on the school’s website.
Bags for a Bag Program – Mayor Zdichocki stated to the audience there are cloth reusable bags available this evening. Every audience member may take one home. The program Bags for a Bag is being run through the Clean Communities Program. The program is being set up for residents to drop off plastic bags for recycling and then they will receive a reusable bag (one per household).
NEW BUSINESS
RESOLUTIONS
Mayor Zdichocki offered the following resolutions which were read by title.
Resolution 145-20 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENTS WITH STONEGATE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION
WHEREAS, the Stonegate Condominium Association is located in the Borough of Stanhope; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the Qualified Community Act, N.J.S.A. 40:67-23.2, the Stonegate Condominium Association is entitled to receive certain services from the Borough or to receive compensation for said services in lieu of the Borough providing same; and
WHEREAS, the Borough has elected to reimburse the condominium association for street lighting, leaf removal and snow plowing for the internal roadways in the condominium; and
WHEREAS, the Borough has also elected to reimburse the Stonegate Condominium Association for the collection and disposal of solid waste; and
WHEREAS, the Borough and the Stonegate Condominium Association have agreed on formulas for the calculation of reimbursement; and
WHEREAS, the Borough has prepared a reimbursement agreement for the calendar year 2019 for street lighting, leaf removal and snow plowing for the internal roadways in the condominium;
WHEREAS, the Borough has also prepared a reimbursement agreement for the calendar year 2020 for the collection and disposal of solid waste; and
WHEREAS, said reimbursement agreements have been offered to the Stonegate Condominium Association and have been signed by the Association and returned to the Borough;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope that the Mayor and Clerk be and the same are hereby authorized to execute a reimbursement agreement with the Stonegate Condominium Association for street lighting, leaf removal and snow plowing for the internal roadways in the condominium for the calendar year 2019; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope that the Mayor and Clerk be and the same are hereby authorized to execute a reimbursement agreement with the Stonegate Condominium Association for the calendar year 2020 for collection and disposal of solid waste.
On motion by Councilman Wronko, seconded by Councilman Riccardi and unanimously carried by the following roll call vote, the foregoing resolution was duly adopted.
Roll Call:
Councilman Cipollini – absent
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Thornton – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Wronko – yes
Resolution 146-20 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CONTRACT FOR THE INSTALLATION OF SPEED TABLES ON DELL ROAD TO MIKE FITZPATRICK
WHEREAS, the Borough, through the Borough engineer, solicited quotes for the installation of four (4) speed tables on Dell Road, which did not meet the bid threshold; and
WHEREAS, Mike Fitzpatrick submitted the lowest quote and the Borough Engineer recommends awarding the contact to Mike Fitzpatrick; and
WHEREAS, it is the intent of the Borough of Stanhope to award a contract for the installation of speed tables on Dell Road to Mike Fitzpatrick, pursuant to the quote received; and
WHEREAS, the Chief Financial Officer has reviewed and approved of the award to Mike Fitzpatrick.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope that the installation of speed tables on Dell Road shall be awarded to Mike Fitzpatrick in the amount of $11,560.00;
On motion by Councilwoman Kuncken, seconded by Councilman Thornton and unanimously carried by the following roll call vote, the foregoing resolution was duly adopted.
Roll Call:
Councilman Cipollini – absent
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Thornton – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Wronko – yes
Resolution 147-20 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CONTRACT FOR THE INSTALLATION OF SPEED HUMPS ON YOUNG DRIVE TO RIVERVIEW PAVING
WHEREAS, the Borough, through the Borough engineer, solicited quotes for the installation of four (4) speed humps on Young Drive, which quotes did not meet the bid threshold; and
WHEREAS, Riverview Paving submitted the lowest quote and the Borough Engineer recommends awarding the contact to Riverview Paving; and
WHEREAS, it is the intent of the Borough of Stanhope to award a contract for the installation of speed humps on Young Drive to Riverview Paving, pursuant to the quote received; and
WHEREAS, the Chief Financial Officer has reviewed and approved of the award to Riverview Paving.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope that the installation of speed humps on Young Drive shall be awarded to Riverview Paving in the amount of $12,000.00;
On motion by Councilman Riccardi, seconded by Councilman Romano and unanimously carried by the following roll call vote, the foregoing resolution was duly adopted.
Roll Call:
Councilman Cipollini – absent
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Thornton – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Wronko – yes
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 148-20 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING use OF TILCON NEW YORK, INC. AS SET FORTH IN THE MORRIS COUNTY co-op PUBLIC BID FOR RESURFACING of EAST DRIVE AND PLANE LANE
WHEREAS, the Borough of Stanhope is in need of roadway resurfacing of East Drive and Plane Lane (“Road Project”);
WHEREAS, the Borough Engineer’s estimate for resurfacing of East Drive and Plane Lane is $12,127.20; and
WHEREAS, the Borough is a member of the Morris County Co-Op which has already publicly bid paving services for the year 2020 and has awarded contracts therefore for the various 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 resurfacing of East Drive and Plane Lane; and
WHEREAS, the Borough awards the resurfacing to Tilcon New York, Inc. for District #2 at HMA 9.5M64 at $74.40 per ton in a total amount of $12,127.20 (see attached bid tabulation); and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope that the Borough shall utilize Tilcon New York, Inc. for resurfacing of East Drive and Plane Lane at the 2020 Morris County Co-Op awarded bid prices and quantities as set forth in the attached bid tabulation.
Resolution 149-20 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING use OF TILCON NEW YORK, INC. & DENVILLE LINE PAINTING, INC. AS SET FORTH IN THE MORRIS COUNTY co-op PUBLIC BIDS FOR DELL ROAD milling, paving AND STRIPING NJDOT LOCAL AID PROJECT
WHEREAS, the Borough of Stanhope is in need of roadway milling, paving and striping for Dell Road (“Road 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 milling, paving and striping on Dell Road is $110,186.00; and
WHEREAS, the Borough is a member of the Morris County Co-Op which has already publicly bid milling, paving and striping services for the year 2020 and has awarded contracts therefore for the various 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 various construction items for the Dell Road Local Aid Project; and
WHEREAS, the Borough awards the milling and resurfacing to Tilcon New York, Inc. for District #2 at $3.05 per square yard for milling 0” – 2” in a total amount of $25,010.00; and for HMA 9.5M64 at $74.40 per ton in a total amount of $81,840.00 (see attached bid tabulation); and
WHEREAS, the Borough awards the striping to Denville Line Painting, Inc, for traffic striping on roadways, 4” wide using “Epoxy” at $0.30 per linear foot in a total of $2,820.00; and striping, 4” wide, long life thermoplastic at $0.86 per linear foot in a total amount of $516.00 (see attached bid tabulation);
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope, that the Borough shall utilize Tilcon New York, Inc. for milling and paving; and Denville Line Painting, Inc. for striping for the Dell Road Local Aid Project at the 2020 Morris County Co-Op awarded bid prices and quantities as set forth in the attached bid tabulation.
Resolution 150-20 RESOLUTION TO REFUND OVERPAYMENT OF TAXES
WHEREAS, the property owner made payment of the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2020 as well as the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2021, prior to the actual 2020-2021 tax rate was certified; and
WHEREAS, the method used to estimate the payment was to multiply the 3rd quarter 2020 estimated tax bill by four, which was greater than the actual amount due, creating an overpayment of taxes on this property; and
WHEREAS, the owner has requested a refund of the overpayment.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Borough Council of the Borough of Stanhope, that a warrant be drawn to the property owner named below in the designated amount representing an overpayment of taxes, as follows:
Homeowner Information:
Block Lot Qual Name & Address Tax Year Amount
10605 6 Richard L & Linda A Falciola 2020 $62.83
19 Highland Avenue
Stanhope, New Jersey 07874
Resolution 151-20 RESOLUTION TO REFUND OVERPAYMENT OF TAXES
WHEREAS, the property owner qualified as a Totally Exempt Vet as of January 24, 2020 and therefore owed no taxes from that date forward; and
WHEREAS, the property owner’s bank inadvertently made payment of 3rd quarter 2020 taxes in the amount of $2,355.14. creating an overpayment of taxes on this property; and
WHEREAS, the bank has requested a refund of the overpayment.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Borough Council of the Borough of Stanhope, that a warrant be drawn to the bank as named below in the designated amount representing an overpayment of taxes, as follows:
Homeowner Information:
Block Lot Qual Name & Address
11501 2 C0145 James & Donna Naso
8145 Ashland Court
Stanhope, New Jersey 07874
Refund Information: Tax Year Amount
Wells Fargo Bank N.A. 2020 $2,355.14
1 Home Campus
Des Moines, IA 50328
On motion by Councilwoman Kuncken, seconded by Councilman Wronko and unanimously carried by the following roll call vote, the foregoing resolutions were duly adopted.
Roll Call:
Councilman Cipollini – absent
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Thornton – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Wronko – yes
PAYMENT OF BILLS
Resolution 152-20 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 October 13, 2020 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 Councilwoman Kuncken and unanimously carried by the following roll call vote the foregoing resolution was duly adopted.
Councilman Romano stated he was asked by Mayor Zdichocki and Councilwoman Kuncken regarding the amount of the bill for animal control services from the Borough of Hopatcong. Currently, the Borough is on a month to month contract for animal control services. The reason for the unusually high bill is due to the fact the County had closed the animal pound and the animals are being boarded by a veterinarian. The work at the pound has been completed and the Borough will no longer be charged for boarding after seven days. Other options for animal control services have been researched and the arrangement with Hopatcong is the best program available at this time. Mayor Zdichocki stated she was told the costs have not exceeded the budget. The bills are not received in a timely manner and therefore several bills have been combined.
Roll Call:
Councilman Cipollini – absent
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Thornton – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Wronko – yes
AGENDA ITEMS
All items listed on the Agenda for October 27, 2020 were approved.
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.
ADJOURNMENT
On motion by Councilwoman Kuncken, seconded by Councilman Wronko, and unanimously carried by voice vote the meeting was adjourned at 8:10 P.M.
Approved:
Linda Chirip
Deputy Clerk for
Ellen Horak, RMC
Borough Clerk