MAYOR AND COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
October 22, 2024
7:00 P.M.
Click Here To View/Print PDF Version of Minutes
CALL TO ORDER
SALUTE TO COLORS
Mayor Wronko 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 10, 2024 and was placed on the Official Bulletin Board in the Municipal Building.
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
Councilwoman Kuncken – present
Councilman Simpson – present
Councilman Riccardi – present
Councilman Thornton – present
Councilman Romano – present
Councilman Wachterhauser – present
Mayor Wronko – present
CITIZEN’S TO BE HEARD
Mayor Wronko opened the meeting to the public after advising attendees that there is a five (5) minute time limit for each speaker.
Carmen Pico stated he attended a meeting a few months ago and requested that a new speed bump be added to New Street. Mr. Pico asked if the Engineer has reviewed the request. Administrator McNeilly stated a grant application has been submitted to pave New Street. If approved, the road would be paved in 2026. Councilwoman Kuncken stated it would not be feasible to install a new speed hump when the road may be paved, and the cost has not been placed in the budget for a speed hump. Councilman Wachterhauser asked if an additional speed hump could be included when and if the grant is approved. Eric Keller, Borough Engineer, stated an evaluation can be made now of what is currently installed and what the locations should be. The additional speed hump was not included in the grant submission. The paving is done through the co-op and speed humps are not included in that. Generally, a separate contract is drawn up for that type of extra work. Administrator McNeilly asked if the regulations for speed humps has changed over the past 25 years. Mr. Keller stated the regulations have not changed. Administrator McNeilly stated there is a specific reason that the existing speed humps are located where they are. The Borough Engineer will need to evaluate the area. Mayor Wronko asked Mr. Keller to evaluate the issue. Councilman Thornton suggested a stop sign be placed in between the blocks if a speed hump is not an option. Administrator McNeilly stated a stop sign would create a three way stop. Councilman Wachterhauser stated there has been a recent uptick in the number of cars and once the new development is built in Mt. Olive by the cemetery the number of cars will increase. Councilwoman Kuncken stated Mr. Pico had asked prior to the meeting if the speed monitoring sign could be rotated onto his street occasionally. Administrator McNeilly stated he can move the speed sign from McKinley Street. Speed perception is such that if you are standing next to something going 10 mph it may seem like 100mph. The space between the existing speed humps is not far enough for people to speed. Mr. Keller stated the speed humps provide traffic calming and there are other solutions, but they may not work due to the narrowness of the existing road. Mr. Keller will review the original speed hump plan. Mr. Pico stated there are people who travel quite fast from one speed hump to the other.
Gil Moscatello stated he is a member of the Board of Education, but he is here this evening speaking on behalf of the committee looking for and working with the prospect of regionalization. Mr. Moscatello stated the committee wanted to give the governing body an update on what has been done so far. This conversation began back in 2018 and there have been many ups and downs. This year things have seemed to come together. On August 28th, Stanhope voted and all four districts, Netcong, Byram, Stanhope and Lenape, all drafted and signed a resolution to do a feasibility study. The committee met and then completed the paperwork for a grant which was submitted to the State last week. The grant would be for approximately $125,000. There would be no cost to the taxpayers at all. Now they are waiting to hear if they will receive the grant. Mr. Moscatello stated with regard to the application paperwork, this district is considered an “A” applicant due to the fact that the district is already regionalized. Lenape has been regionalized for fifty (50) years. The hope is that this fact will assist the district in receiving the grant.
Mr. Moscatello stated, with regard to the installation of the gas lines along Musconetcong Avenue and Towpath Lane, the contractors couldn’t be any better. At the end of the day, the road is swept, and the dust is gone. It would help if we had some rain. Loads of dirt are dumped at the beginning of the day and by the end of the day they are all gone. It is actually an exciting thing to watch. They have done a great job. With the house connections they have shown up when they said they would, and the work was completed in one day as promised.
The governing body thanked Mr. Moscatello. Councilwoman Kuncken thanked Mr. Moscatello for all his years of service on the Board of Education.
Seeing no one further from the public wishing to speak, Mayor Wronko closed the public portion of the meeting.
MINUTES FOR APPROVAL
Mayor Wronko read aloud the list of minutes being presented for approval:
September 10, 2024 Work Session and Agenda Meeting & Closed Session
September 24, 2024 Business Meeting
On motion by Councilwoman Kuncken, seconded by Councilman Riccardi and unanimously carried by voice vote, the minutes were approved.
CORRESPONDENCE (List Attached)
On motion by Councilman Romano, seconded by Councilman Simpson 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 Riccardi
(Police, Fire, Ambulance, Court & Violations Bureau, Emergency Management)
Councilwoman Kuncken stated the Fire Department for the month of September reported there were 8 calls, 4 drills, 2 meetings, 20 special details for a total of 318.5-man hours volunteered.
Councilwoman Kuncken stated the Sussex County Fire Marshal for the month of September reported there was a residential structure fire on Highland Avenue, a multiple vehicle fire on Furnace Street and a fire code complaint at Crunch Fitness.
Councilwoman Kuncken stated the Police Department for the month of September reported 88 motor vehicle stops and there were 269 calls overall for the month.
Councilwoman Kuncken stated the Ambulance Squad for the month of August reported 22 calls in Stanhope, 30 calls in Netcong, 2 standbys and 2 out of town calls to Roxbury for a total of 56 calls. They travelled 552 miles and made 20 trips to the hospital. The volunteer hours for the month totaled 183 hours and 9 minutes.
Finance & Administration – Councilman Romano/Councilman Thornton
Councilman Romano stated the Tax Collections for the month of September totaled $130,278.67 and the year-to-date amount is $10,144,368.53. The collection percentage is 73.5% currently and last year the percentage was 73.292%.
Councilman Romano stated the Water Collections for the month of September totaled $127,960.50 and the year-to-date amount is $529,949.26. The Sewer Collections for the month totaled $165,687.06 and the year-to-date amount is $672,108.31. The Borough is in good shape.
Community Development – Councilman Wachterhauser/Councilman Simpson
Councilman Wachterhauser stated the Stanhope Community Foundation event which was held at the Stanhope House this past Saturday was well attended. Mayor Wronko thanked everyone who attended. Councilman Thornton stated he was asked several times what the purpose of the Foundation is, and he asked Mayor Wronko to explain the purpose. Mayor Wronko stated the Foundation was created to raise money, outside of the tax base, to put money back into the Borough. The funds will be used for senior programs, youth programs or other types of programs which people may apply for. Mayor Wronko stated when speaking to the residents, many asked to have the taxes lowered. Lowering taxes is not an option but the governing body does their best to be a good steward in how the funds are spent. Many schools have educational foundations to raise funds and apply for grants. The Stanhope Community Foundation is a similar entity.
Mayor Wronko stated the Home & School Association (HSA) did a nice job with the trunk or treat event. It was well attended, and Mayor Wronko was happy to participate, and stated Councilman Wachterhauser’s set up won the prize.
Municipal Infrastructure – Councilman Thornton/Councilman Romano
(Water Distribution, Sewer Collection System, Road Construction & Maintenance, Buildings & Grounds)
Councilman Thornton stated leaf pickup has begun and will be ongoing. Councilwoman Kuncken stated there was gas line construction work that prevented the leaves from being picked up at the one end of Valley Road and she asked if the DPW was able to get back in that area. Administrator McNeilly confirmed the leaves have been picked up.
Information Technology – Councilman Riccardi/Councilman Wachterhauser
Councilman Riccardi stated he met this morning with the Administrator, Clerk and Deputy Clerk to go over the cases for the potential new municipal recording system. Councilman Riccardi stated he will be setting up a Zoom call with the vendor, the office staff, the Technology Committee, Councilman Thornton and Mayor Wronko to discuss the findings with the vendor and to set up a trial to see what this would look like. The cost to cover the program will be just shy of $4,000 in next years budget. The cost is approximately $30.00 per user.
Boards/Commissions – Councilman Simpson/Councilwoman Kuncken
Councilman Simpson stated the Recreation Commission will be sponsoring the Halloween Parade on Saturday, October 26th at noon. The event will start at the Municipal Building and will end at the Firehouse. There will be food, games and a costume contest which will take place at the Firehouse.
Councilman Simpson stated he and two members of the Environmental Commission were appointed by Mayor Wronko to begin work on the Borough’s Open Space Plan. The last time the plan was updated was in 2009. The committee has met twice this month and there are several items that will be presented to the governing body in the near future. The committee is looking into reviving the current trail plan and doing some projects near the Plaster Mill.
ENGINEER’S REPORT
Sunset Avenue / Ridge Road / Overhill Road Water Main Replacement – Eric Keller, Borough Engineer, stated a meeting was held with the USEPA on Thursday, September 26, 2024, and a review of the documentation was done, and a site visit was conducted for the Sunset Avenue, Ridge Road, Overhill Road Water Main Replacement Project. Everything was found to be in order. Mr. Keller stated his office along with the Borough Administrator and the DPW Superintendent conducted a walk-through of the project on Monday, October 21, 2024. Substantial completion has been achieved, although there are several minor outstanding issues remaining. This project is in the process of being closed out, which includes the invoicing and funding requests with the USEPA. The walk-through was done to ensure that the Borough is ready to turn these roads over the NJ Natural Gas so they can begin to run the gas mains through these streets and provide service to the homes. These roads will be part of the 2025 capital program for pavement reclamation and resurfacing. Administrator McNeilly stated once he receives the letter from Mr. Keller stating the project is complete, he will attach that to his letter which has to be sent to the EPA to say the project is complete. The year-end project report will then be done as well. When the EPA was in the Borough for the site inspection, they stated this was such a well-run program that they are using it as an example for others to follow. This was all done given the fact that the Borough dealt with a very difficult contractor in a very tight space. Mr. Keller stated despite the large size of the project, there were only two change orders. One has already been processed for the temporary water system and one is still in negotiations. Mr. Keller stated he is confident that the project was under the budget amount.
Elm Street & Grove Road Local Aid Project – Mr. Keller stated the Local Aid Project is complete and stated the pavement core testing from Key-Tech has been received for the Elm Street and Grove Road Local Aid Project. This is a requirement of the Local Aid Project to make sure the asphalt was put down properly. An air void deficiency was found which requires a penalty against the asphalt line item. Over time the air will come out of the asphalt making it dense enough. As is permitted, Riverview Paving has decided to conduct their own pavement coring to refute Key-Tech’s findings. Mr. Keller stated he spoke with the NJDOT today, but the contractor is out of time. The NJDOT specifications, which the co-op uses, requires the testing to be done within 15 days. The report from Key-Tech was not received until 16 days after the actual coring was done. This means there is a 15% penalty, which is just under $13,000 which would be deducted from the contractor’s payment. The contractor may object to that due to the fact they wanted to recore it. The contractor has indicated they have had trouble with Key-Tech in the past. Mr. Keller stated he has a rule to follow, and he confirmed this with Rich Lovelas from Local Aid. The Borough can decide whether or not to pay the contractor the penalty amount of $12,800 but Local Aid will not reimburse the Borough for that cost. Mayor Wronko asked if the contract with the contractor states they are bound by these requirements. Mr. Keller stated this job was done through the co-op and when the contractor bid on the job this was stated in there. Some of the contractors that do the paving have come out with their own testing agency. But this contractor did not choose to do that. The governing body agreed not to pay the penalty amount to the contractor. Councilman Wachterhauser asked if the integrity of the road is compromised. Mr. Keller stated it will compact over time. Councilman Thornton asked how long that will take to happen. Mr. Keller stated it is hard to determine as things such as the weather can affect it. It has been two months already and therefore it would be better now than it was three weeks after the test was done.
Elevated Water Storage Tank – Mr. Keller stated the proposal for the preliminary engineering services related to the proposed new elevated water storage tank have been submitted. The tank will be placed on Borough owned property along Brooklyn Road. Three proposals have been received from three (3) geotechnical firms to conduct preliminary investigations to identify any possible concerns and for future use in the foundation design of the water storage tank. All the quotes are based on the same scope of work. Mr. Keller stated a recommendation has been made that the geotechnical services be awarded to Whitestone Associates. The initial engineering services will provide guidance on the sizing of the tank, the elevation, updating of the water system model, and an evaluation of operating flows and pressures in the tower pressure zone. The water system model was last done in 2010. It needs to be updated due to the fact the 12-inch main was installed on Brooklyn Road and the 8-inch mains have been added to the Sunset Avenue and Ridge Road area. This will tell us the amount of pressure there will be with the new storage tank. A report will be prepared for the governing body’s review and a schematic site layout plan will also be prepared once the size of the tank is known and where it will be placed. A survey of the tower property was done approximately 10 years ago. The booster pump will be evaluated to determine if it needs to be modified. The tank will be approximately 300,000 gallons. The existing tank is 50,000 gallons. Generally, having two water storage tanks near each other is unusual. There will be things to figure out with antenna issues and other equipment which is currently located on the existing tank. Having two tanks at different elevations may cause some issues. Administrator McNeilly stated that is why these items need to be looked at now. If the existing tank has to be removed, it will have to be for a specific reason. It should not be removed just because a new one is being built. The funds used to refurbish the existing tank ten years ago were done with grant money but, it was still money which was spent. Mr. Keller stated there are mines in the Borough which will also be researched. Mr. Keller stated the fee for this study is $37,490. The geological portion totals $13,450 making the overall total $51,000. This is the preliminary work that needs to be completed in order to be able to move forward with the full design. A standard size tank will be selected. What varies is the size of the pedestal. Councilman Wachterhauser asked what the lead time will be. Administrator McNeilly stated this project will run into 2026. The tank will need a balcony on top of it to hold the antennas and provide access. Councilwoman Kuncken asked when the bonding for the project needs to be discussed. Administrator McNeilly stated this would be in the 2025 budget on the water side. The Borough’s portion is $660,000. Councilman Thornton stated he was surprised to hear of mines in this area. He is of the opinion that the mines in the Borough are located up behind the Black Forest going toward Byram Township. Administrator McNeilly stated there are mines on the tower property behind the houses on Crestview and that is why it is fenced in. Discussion took place about mines in the area.
ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
Dell Road Trees – Administrator McNeilly stated the Shade Tree program for the planting of trees on Dell Road was completed on October 14th. The DPW is actively watering the trees on a daily basis. One tree has been gouged by a deer and is scheduled to be replaced. There were six (6) leftover trees from the project which will be used to replace a dead streetscape tree on Main Street and infill around the survivor tree at Musconetcong Park.
Stanhope Dental Contribution – Administrator McNeilly stated he forwarded a memo from the CFO to the Mayor and Council requesting the updating of the Borough’s contribution for the dental insurance. The open enrollment timeframe for dental and health insurance closes on October 31st. The Borough, for many years, has made a $40.58 matching contribution for dental insurance. The dental plans that the State Health Benefits provides have gone from 7 plans to 6 plans and employees can only have plans up to that contribution amount. This has limited the plans available to the employees. Last year the choices were down to three and for 2025 there is only one plan left available to the employees due to the price cap. That plan has no active dentists in this area. The request is being made to raise the $40.58 cap, which has not changed in many years, and this would allow the employees to be able to choose from the three available plans. In order for this to take place, the rate per employee that would take advantage of one of these plans would be $65.49 on the Borough’s part and on the employees’ part as well. The reason this discussion is taking place now, even though it is a 2025 budget item, is due to the fact that open enrollment is now and ends on October 31st. The State did not provide this information until October. The cost implications on the system, if approved, on the general side would be $1,306.43 for the whole year and $5.61 for water and $5.61 for sewer. The total would be $1,317.65. Councilwoman Kuncken asked if this is a decision the governing body makes or are the employees given a choice. Administrator McNeilly stated the increase would allow the employees to have a choice between three dental plans. Without the increase, the employees are forced into one plan with no dentists. Councilman Riccardi asked when the last increase was made. Administrator McNeilly stated it was definitely at least 13 years ago but may be as much as 20 years ago. If the State would get their act together, the employees would have time to compare options that would save them money and could save money for the town. Councilman Wachterhauser stated the increase amounts to $300.00 per employee for the year, if they choose this type of dental plan. If there are twenty employees in the system, that would equate to an additional $6,000.00 for the year if they all chose this type of plan. Administrator McNeilly stated he does not have the number of employees in the system, but he is of the opinion it is less than 20. There are employees who have chosen to waive their insurance coverage. Councilman Wachterhauser stated health and dental insurance are very important and the employees do need to have the option to go to a dentist. Councilman Thornton stated no one on the governing body would dispute the importance. However, it is the reluctance and frustration that once again a decision has to be made tonight. Councilman Thornton stated he does not like feeling like he is being backed into a corner because information is being provided late, regardless of whose fault it is. Councilwoman Kuncken stated this is not the way the governing body likes to do business. However, as the Administrator stated, this is the fault of the State. Administrator McNeilly stated this is very frustrating all the way around. Councilman Wachterhauser asked if this issue will be a negotiable item for the union employees. Attorney Leo suggested this topic be added for discussion this evening during the attorney-client closed session for the PBA negotiation discussion.
Mayor Wronko called for a straw poll of the governing body and asked if they are in favor of increasing the cap on the dental insurance by $25.00 per employee, per month. The results of the straw poll are as follows: Councilwoman Kuncken – yes; Councilman Wachterhauser – yes; Councilman Thornton – yes; Councilman Riccardi – yes; Councilman Simpson – yes; Councilman Romano – yes.
Councilman Wachterhauser asked Administrator McNeilly to provide the governing body with the number of employees that opt-in to the dental plan with the increased cost.
2024 DCA Local Recreation Improvement Grant – Administrator McNeilly stated the 2024 DCA Local Recreation Improvement Grant award for the playground equipment at Salmon Park is for $65,000. The price quote for the equipment is $75,000. Options are being reviewed to determine ways to cover the difference from the current budget funds or the capital improvement funds. The governing body asked if the plan could be revised to lower the cost of the playground equipment. Administrator McNeilly stated he did look at the plan but even with removing some of the items the cost does not go down enough. The options will be made available for the November work session meeting.
Recreation Trusts – Administrator McNeilly stated the following is the breakdown of the Recreation Trusts, as per the CFO, the funds may only be used for what they were donated for. Bus Trips = $2.88; Special Events = $447.26; Recreation Trust-Reserves = $195.68 The Recreation Trust Reserve would have had the most funds at one time. Most recently the funding from this account was used for the upgrades to the playground at Musconetcong Park for the 0–5-year-olds section. Councilwoman Kuncken asked if the Recreation Committee is aware that the funding was utilized for that purpose? The Recreation Committee seems to have some confusion as to what the funding can be used for. Administrator McNeilly stated the funds can only be used for the purpose that was designated when the donations were received.
Drought Conditions – Administrator McNeilly stated the DPW Superintendent, Jason Titsworth, is watching the well levels closely due to the drought conditions. Currently, the Borough is in good shape.
Borough Tax Assessor and Borough Auditor – Administrator McNeilly stated he has confirmed that the Borough Tax Assessor and the Borough Auditor are both available for the Mayor and Council meeting scheduled for December 10th.
COAH Presentation – Councilman Wachterhauser asked when the Borough Planner will be back to discuss the COAH plan. Administrator McNeilly stated Bill Hamilton, Borough Planner, will be attending the November work session meeting.
November 12th Meeting Time – Administrator McNeilly asked if the governing body would like to start the November meeting at 6:00pm to begin the budget discussions. The governing body agreed to start the November 12th meeting at 6:00pm.
COUNCIL DISCUSSION
Environmental Commission Request (Purchase of Shed) – Owen Newson, Environmental Commission, stated the commission would like to purchase a shed using Clean Communities funds. The shed would be placed in the DPW yard to store the crates of supplies used for Clean Communities Day. Currently, the supplies are being stored in the building at Musconetcong Park. Mayor Wronko asked if there are restrictions on how the funds can be utilized and asked if there is room at the DPW yard. Mr. Newson stated the 10×12 shed would be purchased from Amish Mike’s. The shed would come fully assembled and would be delivered and leveled by Amish Mikes’. Councilman Riccardi stated not only are supplies being stored in the building at Musconetcong Park but there are items being stored at people’s homes. As discussed in the past, anything owned by the Borough should be stored on Borough property. Administrator McNeilly stated if the shed is placed at the DPW yard an extra key fob would need to be made available to access the shed and maintain accountability. Councilwoman Kuncken stated the Recreation Committee is also looking for a shed as well. Mr. Newson stated this shed could possibly be utilized by Recreation as well. Councilwoman Kuncken stated the Recreation Committee needs to have a workday at the current storage facility to determine what items are theirs and the quantity of things that need to be stored. Mr. Newson stated the requested shed, if still available, would cost $3,910.00. Administrator McNeilly stated the governing body is in charge of how the Clean Communities funds are spent and there are enough funds to cover this cost. Councilman Wachterhauser asked if this item would require obtaining quotes. Administrator McNeilly stated quotes are not required at this threshold. If approved, the Environmental Commission can then contact the CFO with the request to purchase. The DPW Superintendent needs to be contacted so that he can determine where on the six-acre property that the shed can be placed.
Mayor Wronko called for a straw poll asking for approval for the Environmental Commission to purchase a 10×12 shed from Amish Mike’s, with the estimated cost of $3,910.00, to be placed at the DPW yard. The results of the straw poll are as follows: Councilwoman Kuncken – yes; Councilman Wachterhauser – yes; Councilman Thornton – yes: Councilman Riccardi – yes; Councilman Simpson – yes: Councilman Romano – yes
Mr. Newson thanked the governing body for their time.
Best Practice Checklist – Administrator McNeilly stated the Best Practice Checklist is 21 pages long and the Borough has more than enough points. The Borough is not in danger of losing any financial aid. Administrator McNeilly asked the governing body members if they had any questions. Councilman Riccardi asked what questions cause issues for the Borough. Administrator McNeilly stated the questions that get the Borough caught up are those with regard to electric vehicles. Councilman Riccardi stated at the last meeting there was mention of some questions that still needed to be clarified, and he asked if those been addressed. Administrator McNeilly stated there were COAH questions which were referred to the Borough Attorney and those answers were provided. Administrator McNeilly stated in the past this document was received in July every year and it was a good tool for opening up discussions. Some of the questions used to ask if the governing body had joint meetings with the school board or if there were shared services with other municipalities. They were yes or no questions and if you answered no, that was a negative. Now, however, there are unscored questions asked, which are essentially fishing expeditions. This is why the document has gone from 6-7 pages to 21 pages. The document is no longer sent to us in July. It is sent in October with a return date of just a few weeks. The governing body had no further questions.
Mayor Wronko offered the following ordinances for Public Hearing and Final Adoption which were ready by title.
Ordinance for Public Hearing and Final Adoption
Ordinance 2024-14 AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOROUGH OF STANHOPE, COUNTY OF SUSSEX, AND STATE OF NEW JERSEY TO ADD A NEW SECTION 10-11 “JOINT MUNICIPAL COURT COMMITTEE” TO THE BOROUGH CODE
WHEREAS, in 2023, the Borough of Stanhope entered into an Agreement with Andover Township to become members of the Joint Municipal Court with the Township of Hampton, the Township of Byram, the Township of Fredon, Andover Borough and the Borough of Hopatcong; and
WHEREAS, in order to properly manage all aspects of the Joint Municipal Court, it has been agreed amongst the seven (7) municipalities that a Joint Municipal Court Committee shall be established.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope, in the County of Sussex, and State of New Jersey as follows:
SECTION 1. A new section 10-11 “Joint Municipal Court Committee” will be added to Chapter 10 “Joint Municipal Court”, to read as follows
§ 10-11 Joint Municipal Court Committee.
A Joint Municipal Court Committee shall be formed for the Andover Joint Municipal Court (Andover, Hampton, Fredon and Byram Townships and Andover, Hopatcong and Stanhope Boroughs), consisting of the Administrators of each member municipality, the Joint Municipal Court Liaison for each member municipality and the Court Administrator. In those municipalities that do not have an Administrator, the Clerk shall serve as the Committee member.
SECTION 2 – SEVERABILITY
If any provision of this Ordinance or the application of this Ordinance to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of this Ordinance shall not be affected and shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 3 – REPEALER
All ordinances or parts of ordinances or resolutions that are inconsistent or in opposition to the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed in their entirety.
SECTION 4: EFFECTIVE DATE
This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon adoption and publication in accordance with law.
On motion by Councilwoman Kuncken, seconded by Councilman Thornton and unanimously carried by the following roll call vote, the foregoing ordinance was adopted.
Mayor Wronko opened the meeting to the public for questions or comments on this ordinance only.
Seeing no one from the public wishing to speak, Mayor Wronko closed the public portion of the meeting.
Roll Call:
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Simpson – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Thornton– yes
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilman Wachterhauser – yes
On motion by Councilman Romano, seconded by Councilman Simpson, and unanimously carried by voice vote, the Mayor and Council instructed the Clerk to post the ordinance and authorized publication of same.
Ordinance 2024-15 AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOROUGH OF STANHOPE, SUSSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY AMENDING CHAPTER 133-7 “PARKING PROHIBITED DURING CERTAIN HOURS” OF THE CODE OF THE BOROUGH OF STANHOPE
WHEREAS, the Borough Council determined that Chapter 133-7, “Parking Prohibited During Certain Hours”, needs to be amended to reflect the change in time prohibiting parking on the streets, avenues and public highways in the Borough of Stanhope.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Stanhope, Sussex County, New Jersey as follows:
SECTION 1
Section 133-7 “Parking Prohibited During Certain Hours”, Subsection “A” of Chapter 133, “Vehicles and Traffic” shall be deleted and replaced with the following:
§ 133-7 Parking Prohibited During Certain Hours.
A. No person shall park or store a vehicle on any of the streets, avenues or public highways within the Borough between the hours of 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. from November 1 to April 1.
All other provisions of Section 133 of the Code of the Borough of Stanhope shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 2 – SEVERABILITY
If any provision of this Ordinance or the application of this Ordinance to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of this Ordinance shall not be affected and shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 3 – REPEALER
All ordinances or parts of ordinances or resolutions that are inconsistent or in opposition to the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed in their entirety.
SECTION 4: EFFECTIVE DATE
This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon adoption and publication in accordance with law.
On motion by Councilman Thornton, seconded by Councilman Romano and carried by a majority of the following roll call vote, the foregoing ordinance was adopted. Councilman Wachterhauser abstained.
Mayor Wronko stated the restricted parking hours are being changed from 4:00am to 6:00am to 12:00am to 6:00am. This change will allow the DPW to plow the streets in the event of a snowstorm.
Mayor Wronko opened the meeting to the public for questions or comments on this ordinance only.
Seeing no one from the public wishing to speak, Mayor Wronko closed the public portion of the meeting.
Roll Call:
Councilwoman Kuncken – yes
Councilman Simpson – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Thornton– yes
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilman Wachterhauser – abstain
On motion by Councilman Romano, seconded by Councilwoman Kuncken, and unanimously carried by voice vote, the Mayor and Council instructed the Clerk to post the ordinance and authorized publication of same.
PAYMENT OF BILLS
Resolution 176-24 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 22, 2024 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 Simpson – yes
Councilman Riccardi – yes
Councilman Thornton – yes
Councilman Romano – yes
Councilman Wachterhauser – yes
ATTORNEY REPORT
Attorney Ursula Leo stated on Friday, the affordable housing numbers from the DCA were received. The Borough’s projection for the next ten years is 179 units. Attorney Leo stated she needs to review the report further and then she will provide the governing body with a written memo. This is similar to last time. The Borough has until January 20th to accept those numbers or to contest the numbers. Eric Keller, Borough Engineer, stated these figures are in addition to the requirements for Round Three. Administrator McNeilly stated there is no place to build this. Councilwoman Kuncken stated it is very hard to explain the significance of this to the residents and this is difficult to obtain. Mayor Wronko stated there is pushback from municipalities and lawsuits are being filed. Mr. Keller stated the Borough Planner, Bill Hamilton, has suggested doing a vacant land adjustment to say there is no land available in the Borough to build on to meet this requirement. Attorney Leo stated in the previous ten years there were municipalities that fought the requirements by entering an agreement with the Fair Share Housing Council that due to a lack of infrastructure the numbers could not be met and many towns in Sussex County made this durational adjustment. In order to contest this and prove to the DCA that they are wrong will take a great deal of work. Councilwoman Kuncken stated the other part of this aspect is that as soon as people hear “affordable housing” they immediately think it is Section 8 housing, which is not the case. Administrator McNeilly stated for a family of four the income level for affordable housing is $80,000.
Mayor Wronko opened the meeting to the public after advising attendees that there is a five (5) minute time limit for each speaker.
Nancy Hoyt asked how the DCA comes up with that number of 179? We do not have that kind of property. Councilwoman Kuncken stated the Borough does know that. Mrs. Hoyt asked if there is going to be a clean up day this fall. Councilman Riccardi stated clean up day is typically in the spring and there is a trail maintenance day in the fall which is generally in November. Mrs. Hoyt stated the seniors’ group would like to know the date. Councilman Thornton asked Councilman Riccardi to please find out if there is a date for the trail maintenance day and then forward that information to the Administrator to have a Nixle message sent out.
Seeing no one further from the public wishing to speak, Mayor Wronko closed the public portion of the meeting.
CLOSED SESSION
- The general nature of the subject matter(s) to be discussed is as follows:
1 – Contract (PBA Negotiations)
- 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 Councilman Romano, seconded by Councilman Riccardi, and unanimously carried by voice vote, the foregoing resolution was adopted.
The Mayor and Council went into Closed Session at 8:18 P.M.
RETURN TO OPEN SESSION
At the conclusion of the Closed Session, the Mayor and Council reconvened the public meeting at 8:45 P.M. with all present, except for Councilman Thornton who left during the closed session.
ADJOURNMENT
On motion by Councilman Romano, seconded by Councilwoman Kuncken and unanimously carried by voice vote the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 P.M.
Approved:
Linda Chirip
Deputy Clerk for
Ellen Horak, RMC
Borough Clerk