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TOWNSHIP
MINUTES
July 15, 2009
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Version
TOWNSHIP MEETING
JULY 15, 2009
The regular scheduled meeting of the Mayor and
Committee of the Township of Oxford was held on July
15, 2009 in the Township Municipal Building, 11
Green Street, Oxford, New Jersey.
Mayor Lazorisak announced that the meeting had been
properly advertised in compliance with the OPMA of
1975 and called the meeting to order at 6:02 PM.
In attendance were Alex Lazorisak, Bonnie Riley,
William Bray, Michael Finelli,
Michael Lavery and Sheila L. Oberly.
Everyone stood and recited the flag salute.
On motion by Mrs. Riley, seconded by Mr. Bray and
passed unanimously on roll call
vote to approve the June 3rd & 15th 2009 Oxford
Township meeting minutes.
On motion by Mrs. Riley, seconded by Mr. Lazorisak
and passed unanimously on roll
call vote to approve the May 20, 2009 meeting
minutes.
On motion by Mrs. Riley and passed unanimously on
roll call vote to approve the 2009
Oxford Township Budget. Mr. Bray voted No.
Ordinance 2009-04 To Amend, Revise and Supplement
Chapter 145, of the Code of
the Township of Oxford to Regulate Donation Clothing
Bins was read by title on
second reading and opened for public comments. Mr.
Lavery explained that this
ordinance requires the owner to apply for a
three-year permit, pay a fee of $25.00, specify the
location of the bin, the manner the donated clothing
will be used, the method the proceeds will be spent,
name, telephone number of bona fide office, written
consent of the property, and permit number, date of
expiration shall be clearly and conspicuously
displayed on the exterior of the donation clothing
bin.
Mayor Lazorisak closed the public comment period.
On motion by Mrs. Riley, seconded by Mr. Lazorisak
and passed unanimously on roll
call vote to adopt Ordinance 2009-04 on second
reading.
RESOLUTION 2009-63
REFUNDING TAX SALE CERTIFICATE #506
THAT WAS REDEEMED
WHEREAS, the property owned by Lee C Docker, also
known as Block 2, Lot
47 located at 44 Washington Ave had unpaid 2008
taxes and sewer service charges and was sold at a
Tax Sale held on April 6, 2009 by the Oxford
Township Tax Collector; and
WHEREAS, Park Finance, LLC of PO Box 109, Cedar
Knolls, NJ 07927 was the
successful bidder of the above stated property; and
the amount of the Tax Sale consisted of taxes, sewer
service charges, interests and other costs, and
totaled $1,448.96 and is represented by Tax Sale
Certificate #506; and
WHEREAS, Lee C Docker paid $4,235.13 on June 8, 2009
to the Oxford
Township Tax Collector to satisfy the outstanding
Tax Sale Certificate;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and
Township
Committee of the Township of Oxford on this 17th day
of June 2009 that the Chief
Financial Officer be authorized to draw a check
payable to Park Finance, LLC in the
amount of $4,235.13 for the redemption of Tax Sale
Certificate #506 and forward such check to the Tax
Collector for further processing; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a premium paid at tax
sale in the amount of
$4,300.00 be also refunded to Park Finance, LLC at
the same address, with the check
being forwarded to the Tax Collector for further
processing.
On motion by Mrs. Riley, seconded by Mr. Bray and
passed unanimously on roll call
vote to adopt Resolution 2009-63.
The Warren County Garden Club requested the meeting
room on September 24, 2009 to have their garden club
meeting. The Committee discussed the insurance
requirements and the cost associated with having
organizations hold meetings in the Municipal
Building. The Committee will discuss this further at
the next Township meeting on August 5, 2009.
The Committee discussed the Deer Park water bill and
if the Township should continue
to purchase bottled water for Oxford employees. Mr.
Bray made a motion to discontinue buying bottled
water and five-gallon jugs for the water cooler. The
motion died for lack of second.
ENGINEER’S REPORT
Mr. Finelli stated that he received a letter from
the Highland’s Council dated June 29th, outlining
the options and the course of action for the
Township and Oxford Textile to achieve the desired
goals of being able to redevelop the OTI property
while maintaining consistencies with the Highlands
and the RMP (Regional Master Plan).
The Highlands felt fairly strongly that the majority
of the site is consistent and they
would support the development and/or redevelopment
of the majority of the site based upon a number of
factors including designation of the portion of the
property in the existing community zone; the factor
that it is a redevelopment project, and a Brownfield
property. The difficult component is the
single-family market rate units, which are earmarked
for the “up land piece”. The Highlands recommended
the Township to do a TDR program to make the “up
land piece” possible.
The Committee received a letter from Lloyd Tubman,
attorney representing OTI
attaching a draft letter to be sent to the
Highlands, in response to the Highland’s letter of
June 29th to request consideration to start to move
the process forward.
On motion by Mr. Bray, seconded by Mrs. Riley and
passed unanimously to authorize the Mayor to sign
the letter and mail it to the Highland’s Council.
The Waste Water Management Plan is moving forward
and Mr. Finelli has contacted
NJDEP and a tool kit is to be supplied to the
Township to assist in preparing an interim
WMP. The grant application for $10,000.00 has been
sent to the CFO with highlighted
sections to be completed and submitted back to Mr.
Finelli for his review and submission
to NJDEP.
Mr. Finelli said that guidelines were given for the
development of the interim plan. As
per the instructions, we are going to submit the
plan as per the guidelines that are not
consistent, which will probably prompt a response
letter stating the same.
On motion by Mr. Bray and seconded by Mr. Lazorisak
to have Mike Lavery e-mail
NJDEP in response to their July 9, 2009 letter
notifying them of the Township’s
disagreement over the Highlands boundaries and its
effects on certain sewer areas
compliance with the Highlands Master Plan
Mr. Finelli stated that the Township is nearing
Module 3 and Module 5- two modules that relate to
COAH compliance and the submission of the Housing
Element and Fair Share Plan due by the Township to
COAH in December 2009. Mr. Finelli suggested getting
some quotes from professionals for the Committee,
Mr. Lavery and Mr. Finelli to review in order to
hire a planner, to get them on board to start the
process.
On motion by Mr. Lazorisak, seconded by Mr. Bray and
passed unanimously on roll call vote to authorize
Mr. Lavery and Mr. Finelli to solicit some proposals
for planners for Modules 3 & 5 and submit to the
Township Committee.
Mr. Finelli informed the Committee that he had a
meeting this afternoon with Mr. Bray,
Mr. Lavery and Joe Davignon of the NJ American Water
Company for the purpose of
discussing the path forward of the construction and
installation of the water main
extension on Upper Denmark Road. Mr. Davignon will
get back to the Township in two
or three weeks with a couple of estimates, which
will document the fees, associated with this
project. At that time, decisions will have to be
made by the Township relative to requiring everyone
to hook or not, if wells will be required to be
sealed-which in Mr.
Finelli opinion would be necessary. There are still
some minor questions relative to the
design, location and number of fire hydrants, which
will be addressed by NJ American
Water Company and Oxford Township. At the meeting
today, nothing was decided, but
in the next couple months, the Committee will be
making decisions relative to acceptance of the
estimate, the decision of the route of the water
main, and establishing an ordinance requiring
hook-ups.
Mr. Bray said that homeowners on Upper Denmark Road
would have an added
assessment added to their taxes to pay for the water
main.
ATTORNEY REPORTS
Mr. Lavery said that he had contacted the United
State Department of Agriculture in
reference to the program for termination of geese
and left a message with the person in charge that
dealt with removal of geese. He will report back to
the Committee at next month’s on the status.
Mayor Lazorisak authorized Deputy Mayor Bonnie Riley
to perform a wedding
ceremony on August 29, 2009.
The Committee approved the Oxford Township
newsletter, which will be mailed to all
residents in their third quarter tax bills.
The Committee declined the Highland’s Council letter
of June 29th, from Eileen Swan to participate in the
Highland’s Council Water Use & Conservation
Management Plan Pilot Program.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Joan Mulligan said there is a problem with a raccoon
family going through her property
and over to the OxWall property. The Clerk will call
Betty Wysocki, Animal Control
Officer and ask her to investigate.
Peggy Hissim announced that the Oxford Emergency
Squad will be having a parade on
May 21, 2011.for their 40th anniversary.
Mrs. Hissim asked when the grate would be fixed on
Belvidere Avenue. Mayor
Lazorisak stated that Lou Accetturo is working on
the problem and it should be fixed
within the next week.
Diane Hooper said that there are signs on Pequest
Road with graffiti on them. The
Township will send the DPW to clean the front and
back of the signs.
Asia Calabrese asked about the police department and
the police merger. Mayor
Lazorisak said this is one of the topics to be
discussed in Executive Session.
End of Public Comment
EXECUTIVE SESSION
WHEREAS, Section 8 of the Open Public Meeting 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 exist.
1. The public shall be excluded from the discussion
of any action upon the
hereinafter-specific subject matter.
2. The general nature of the subject matter to be
discussed is: one
contractual- (police contract), one potential
litigation- (Cambridge),
attorney-client- (Oxwall) and a personnel issue-
(RICE Notice to Karen
Lance, Tax Collector).
It is anticipated at this time that the above stated
subject matter will be made public at the conclusion
of the litigation. The motion carried with the
following roll call vote
On motion by Mr. Lazorisak, seconded by Mrs. Riley
and passed unanimously on roll
call vote to enter into Executive Session at 9:01
PM.
The Committee entered into open session at 11:17 PM.
No Official Action was taken.
On motion by Mr. Lazorisak, seconded by Mr. Bray and
passed unanimously on roll call vote to approve the
2008-2011 police contract subject to Mr. Bray’s
approval of amounts discussed in Executive Session.
On motion by Mr. Lazorisak, seconded by Mr. Bray and
passed unanimously on roll call vote authorizing Mr.
Lavery to represent the Township in the Cambridge
litigation with the offers and amounts that were
discussed in Executive Session.
On motion by Mr. Lazorisak, seconded by Mrs. Riley
and passed unanimously on roll
call vote authorizing Mr. Finelli to contact
Environmental Consultants-Robert Ventinelli
to get a proposal to test the materials on the
Oxwall site for possible contamination and a
preliminary plan of what he would recommend. Mr.
Finelli will present it to the
Committee at next month’s meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Asia Calabrese asked if there were any information
that the Mayor could share with the public in
reference to the police contract. Mr. Lazorisak said
that the Committee
approved the contract after Mr. Bray double checks
the figures; at that point the attorney will be
notified, drafted and presented to the Committee for
their signature.
Donna Lamonaco asked about the Township drafting a
“Police Matron” resolution that
would basically say that she is a matron for Oxford
Township. Mr. Bray will talk to a
person that is involved with a police association
and report back to the Committee.
Mayor Lazorisak said he is not opposed to the
resolution; just need more information on how it
should be drafted. Mrs. Riley had a copy from
Massachusetts that she read, Mr. Lazorisak told the
Clerk to make copies and put the resolution on the
next workshop agenda.
Public Comment Closed.
Mr. Bray stated that he is in the process of
recording meetings dated from January 1,
2008 to the present on his computer. He questioned
if he could have access to the tapes on the weekend
since recording is in real time and very time
consuming. Mr. Lavery said No; the clerk is keeper
of all records and would have to be present at the
time of recording.
Mr. Bray suggested to the Committee to consider
going to a digital recorder to record all the
township meetings.
On motion by Mr. Lazorisak, seconded by Mrs. Riley
and passed unanimously on roll
call vote to adjourn the meeting at 11:35 PM.
_____________________________
Sheila L. Oberly, RMC |
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