BUDGET MEETING
FEBRUARY 10, 2009

A budget meeting of the Mayor and Committee of the Township of Oxford was held on February 10, 2009 in the Township Municipal Building, 11 Green Street, Oxford, New Jersey.
Mayor Angelo Accetturo announced that the meeting had been properly advertised in compliance with the OPMA of 1975 and called the meeting to order at 4:05 PM.
In attendance were N. Angelo Accetturo, Bonnie Riley, William Bray, (arrived at 4:15 PM) William Colantano, Dawn Stanchina and Sheila L. Oberly.
The Committee and Ms. Stanchina reviewed the 2009 budget worksheets submitted by Mr. Colantano, CMFO.
Mr. Colantano stated that police salaries exceeded the 2008 budget by a huge amount. Mr. Bray said that as the police officers begin to progress through the salary guide, there was a very steep climb in their base salary, which also made the overtime amount skyrocket making a multiplying effect. The combination of two officers in one year increased their salary between $20,000 to $30,000.
Mr. Bray informed the Committee that Mansfield and Washington Township is both interested in making an offer on a couple different scenarios in regard to the police department.
He also stated that the regional police study conducted by Allamuchy, Independence and Mansfield, that Independence has pulled out but Oxford can still get into the study with Allamuchy and Mansfield. These two towns seem to be very eager to make Oxford an offer, which would be hard to refuse. The cost would be minimal, $1,000 to $2,000 was budgeted in 2008 for a study of police shared services and there is grant money available.
Mr. Colantano said that in the budget at the end of 2008, the surplus was $414,004. Ms. Stanchina will go out for a Bond Anticipation Note (BAN) for the amount of $345,000.
On motion by Mr. Accetturo, seconded by Mrs. Riley and passed unanimously on roll call vote to authorize the Tax Collector to have a 2008 Tax Sale as soon as possible (March-April) and an accelerated tax sale for 2009 in December, 2009.
The Committee and Mr. Colantano completed the draft budget by reviewing each item line by line on the 2009 budget worksheet.
A budget meeting will be held at 4:00 PM on February 18, 2009, before the regularly scheduled, 6:00 PM Township meeting at the Oxford Township Municipal Building.
On motion by Mr. Accetturo, seconded by Mr. Bray and passed unanimously on roll call vote to adjourn the meeting at 6:35 PM.

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Sheila L. Oberly, RMC