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WORKSHOP
MEETING MINUTES
AUGUST 5, 2008
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OXFORD TOWNSHIP
WORKSHOP MEETING
AUGUST 5, 2008
The regular scheduled workshop meeting of the
Mayor and Committee of the Township of Oxford
was held on August 5, 2008 in the Township
Municipal Building, 11 Green Street, Oxford, New
Jersey.
Mrs. Riley announced that the meeting had been
properly advertised in compliance with the OPMA
of 1975 and called the meeting to order at 6:10
PM.
In attendance were Bonnie Riley, N. Angelo
Accetturo, William Bray, and Sheila L. Oberly.
The Committee discussed the bill that the
Township received from R. David Rousseau,
Treasurer of the Office of the State Treasurer
for part-time state police coverage to Oxford
Township. The Township has until December 15th
to come up with a plan; after that date, Oxford
will be locked into paying $68,189 for state
police coverage. If the Township does not pay
the bill, the State will take that amount out of
Oxford’s 2009 State Aid. The Committee agreed
that they would investigate alternatives to the
state police coverage that would be approved by
the state, to avoid paying this bill.
The Committee and Mr. Riethmuller discussed the
Goose Hunt to be held at the Oxford Furnace Lake
in September.
RESOLUTION
2008-65
TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING THE PROHIBITION AGAINST
HUNTING AS CODIFIED BY CHAPTER 72-1H OF THE
CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE TOWNSHIP OF OXFORD,
WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
WHEREAS, Oxford Township operates and conducts a
recreational park and swimming facility on lands
owned by it and known as Oxford Furnace Lake,
and,
WHEREAS, non-migrating Canadian Geese have
acquired residency at Oxford Furnace Lake, and
WHEREAS, the existence of said non-migrating
Canadian Geese has escalated dramatically, and
WHEREAS, the existence of said non-migrating
Canadian Geese in the numbers now present are
despoiling the Lake and surrounding lands and
present a clear and present danger to the health
of the citizens of Oxford Township and others
utilizing this recreational area, and
WHEREAS, the State of New Jersey in recognition
of the escalating population of non-migrating
Canadian Geese in New Jersey have established a
special hunting season for the express purpose
of reducing the non-migratory Canadian Geese
population which said special hunting season is
to be conducted from September 2, 2008 through
September 12, 2008 from Sunrise to 3:00 PM and
WHEREAS, notice of this special hunting season
was provided to Oxford Township under
circumstances wherein the Township does not have
sufficient opportunity to amend Chapter 72
Section 72-1H of the Oxford Code, which said
Ordinance prohibits the hunting of Canadian
Geese at the Oxford Furnace Lake premises.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED on this 5th Day of
August 2008 that the prohibition against hunting
as it appears in Chapter 72 Section 72-1H of the
Oxford Code is hereby temporarily suspended from
September 2, 2008 through September 12, 2008 to
the extent that said ordinance prohibits the
hunting of Canadian Geese at municipally owned
premises known as Oxford Furnace Lake.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that duly licensed and
permitted hunters shall be allowed to hunt and
shoot Canadian Geese at the Oxford Furnace Lake
premises during the periods aforesaid, with the
exceptions that no hunting will be allowed on
Saturdays or Sundays during the period of
September 2nd to September 12th, 2008.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Chapter 72 Section
72-1H of the Oxford Code shall remain otherwise
in full force and effect.
On motion by Mr. Bray, seconded by Mr. Accetturo
and passed unanimously on roll call vote to
approve Resolution 2008-65 Temporarily
Suspending the Prohibition Against Hunting as
Codified by Chapter 72-1H of Codified
Ordinances.
Mr. Bray suggested that the Committee should
reach out to Mansfield and Washington Township
to see if there is an interest and to make an
offer for: mutual aid, hiring other Townships
out right to fill the gap, hiring them outright
to be Oxford’s police department or to create a
merger.
Mr. Accetturo authorized Mr. Bray, police
director to contact any and all local police
departments to get information and costs and
bring back to the workshop meeting on September
2, 2008 for discussion in order for the
Committee to make a decision on police coverage.
This motion was seconded by Mr. Bray and passed
unanimously on roll call vote.
Ordinance 2008-07 Amend, Revise and Supplement
Chapter 53, “Excavation” Section 14,
“Exceptions” of the Code of the Township of
Oxford to Add an Exception for Water Tap
Construction Related to Arsenic Contamination-
Second Reading, Public Hearing. Mrs. Riley
opened the meeting to public comments. Mrs.
Riley explained the ordinance would eliminate
the costs of street opening permits for
residents that have to hook up to water lines
due to arsenic contamination. Ms. Mulligan
disagreed, stating that in her opinion this was
not fair to other taxpayers that certain people
would be exempt from this charge.
On motion by Mr. Accetturo and seconded by Mrs.
Riley to adopt Ordinance 2008-07. Mr. Bray
abstained.
Mrs. Riley distributed to the Committee a copy
of The Municipal Revenue Restoration Act given
to her by Mike Turner asking the Committee to
adopt a resolution supporting it. Mr. Lavery
will review the sample resolution for review at
the August 20, 2008 Township meeting.
Warren County Pollution Control Financing
Authority has waived all the bills for Oxford’s
April clean up. PCFA request that each year the
Township submit a letter requesting the bills to
be credited. The Mayor will work with PCFA to
have all residents go directly to the Landfill
at 500 Mt. Pisgah Avenue (PCFA), instead of the
DPW garage, possibly for a clean up to be held
in October. More information will be announced
later.
Mrs. Riley stated that she has received
complaints from residents in regard to loud
noise on Route 31 because of engine braking on
large trucks. Mrs. Riley will check with Mike
Lavery what course of action can be taken in
regard to this nuisance and if anything can be
done to eliminate this noise.
On motion by Mr. Bray, seconded by Mr. Accetturo
and passed unanimously on roll call vote to give
away a free one day family pass to the Oxford
Furnace Lake to the winner of the watermelon
eating contest at the Oxford Summer Festival on
Saturday, August 9, 2008.
Mayor Riley stated that at the August 20, 2008
meeting, the Committee would discuss a
replacement candidate to represent Oxford at the
PRMUA meetings.
On motion by Mr. Accetturo, seconded by Mrs.
Riley and passed unanimously on roll call vote
to appoint Art Groves, (C-2 Operator), a
licensed sewer operator for the remainder of
2008 at a prorated fee of $7,000/per year.
A resident of 49 Shippen Ridge talked to Mrs.
Riley about the sidewalk that was never fixed
correctly in front of her house. The Mayor and
Mr. Accetturo (DPW Supervisor) went out to the
property and looked at the sidewalk. The DPW
workers repaired the problem as requested. The
resident was not satisfied with the repair and
asked the Township to repair this further. The
Committee stated that this is not a safety issue
or a hazardous, thus it is not the Township’s
responsibility. Mrs. Riley will write a letter
to the resident stating these facts.
Mrs. Riley said she talked to Mike Lavery in
reference to the Municipal Service Act-Cambridge
reimbursement. Lou Accetturo went out to the
property, rode it and said two hours maximum to
plow the area, plus truck usage, maintenance and
gas. Mrs. Riley will compile the figures and
submit to Mr. Lavery. Mrs. Riley will submit a
cost comparison at the August 20th meeting and a
decision will be made at that time what the
reimbursement will total.
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: potential litigation regarding
the police department.
3. 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. Bray, seconded by Mrs. Riley
and passed unanimously on roll call vote to
enter into Executive session at 8:30 PM. No
official action was taken.
Entered into open session at 8:45 PM.
On motion by Mr. Bray, seconded by Mr. Accetturo
and passed unanimously on roll call vote to
eliminate the link on the Oxford Township
website under taxes to view property addresses
to see if taxes have been paid.
The Committee reviewed the July 2008 Bill List.
On motion by Mr. Bray, seconded by Mr. Accetturo
and passed unanimously on roll call vote to pay
all bills listed on the July, 2008 Bill List
except the following bills:
Edna Pene $ 644.90
White Township $7,200.00
On motion by Mr. Bray, seconded by Mr. Accetturo
and passed unanimously on roll call vote to
adjourn the meeting at 9:20 PM.
___________________________
Sheila L. Oberly, RMC
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