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Last Updated: Jan 11th, 2012 - 11:55:09
GENERAL COMMENTS – Commissioner’s Meeting – May 11, 2010
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. in Room 102 of the Borough Hall. The announcement of Public Meetings was read by Commissioner Colombi. After the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence, roll call was taken. Commissioner Colombi, Commissioner Borden and Commissioner Kasko were present along with the Borough Administrator, Borough Solicitor and Borough Clerk.
Commissioner Borden made a motion to waive the reading of the minutes from the April 26, 2010 meeting. This motion was seconded by Commissioner Kasko and was passed with a unanimous vote.
Commissioner Colombi opened the public hearing on the amendment to the 2010 Business Improvement District (BID) Budget. Commissioner Kasko explained to those present that this budget is for the Borough’s BID Budget, which is managed by the Partnership for Haddonfield, LLC (PfH). He noted that the taxes raised for this budget are paid by the businesses in the downtown district and expended for that same area.
Kirk Peterson, 214 Lakeview Avenue, thanked PfH for their support of the Business District. Commissioner Kasko remarked that the vacancy rate for businesses in the downtown area are at a rate of 5 to 6% instead of the much higher rates that are being experienced by many other towns. He accredited this success rate to the work done by PfH.
As there were no further questions Commissioner Kasko made a motion to closed the public hearing and adopt the amended 2010 Business Improvement District budget. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Borden. The Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the motion.
Commissioner Colombi announced that the Commissioners are honored to award a $1,000 scholarship and certificate to Dennis Wood, 201 Westmont Avenue, from the New Jersey State League of Municipalities (NJLM) as one of three statewide recipients of the Louis Bay 2nd Future Municipal Leaders Scholarship Competition.
Once Ordinance No. 2010-04, a capital ordinance for remediation work required at the Public Works facility, was introduced, Commissioner Colombi explained that a fuel leak into the stream has been detected. This leak has subsequently been contained and is being fully monitored on a daily basis. In addition, remediation work has begun. This ordinance is to transfer $50,000 from surplus into the current budget to pay for this expense. The Borough Administrator announced that the public hearing on this ordinance will be held in two weeks at the next regularly scheduled Commissioner Meeting of May 25, 2010. As no questions were asked at this time, the Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the ordinance on first reading.
Once Resolution 2010-05-11-089 was introduced, authorizing the payment of vouchers, Mr. Peterson asked what Check No. 21478 to Axten’s Nursery was for. The Borough Administrator explained that the Borough has purchased the replacement trees planted curbside throughout town have been purchased from two nurseries this year and this is one of them. As there were no further questions asked at this time, the Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the resolution.
Commissioner Colombi, Commissioner Borden and Commissioner Kasko voted affirmatively to pass the following resolutions with no questions asked:
090. Authorization to Issue Checks – Overpayment of Taxes
091. Authorization to Pay County Taxes – 2nd Quarter
092. Authorization to Pay Business Improvement Taxes (PfH) – 2nd Quarter
093. Authorization to Advertise for Sealed Bids – Library Roof Repairs
After Resolution 2010-05-11-094 was introduced, authorizing the signing of a CSIP grant agreement from the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry, the Borough Administrator explained that this $6,900 grant is for tree inventory software.
Rachel Rozenfeld, 125 W. Redman Avenue and an Elizabeth Haddon fourth grade student, pointed out that there was a dead tree across the street from her house that caused issues this past weekend due to the high winds. Commissioner Colombi replied that this does happen on occasion.
Mr. Peterson asked for clarification on this grant and what it was to be used for. The Borough Administrator advised that this is for inventory software.
Commissioner Colombi, Commissioner Borden and Commissioner Kasko voted affirmatively to pass the following resolutions with no questions asked:
095. Authorization to Approve Contract for Environmental Investigation and Clean up – Public Works Department
Resolution 2010-05-11-096, approving the “Chicken Run at Midnight” event, was then introduced. Commissioner Borden explained that this event is sponsored by The Canuso Foundation to raise money for the Strobel family in town, whose daughter has been diagnosed with leukemia. This event will start off at the Haddonfield Memorial High School with activities and games during the evening, culminating in a run/walk on Kings Highway. Therefore, Kings Highway will be closed to traffic from Hopkins Lane to the PATCO High Speed Line between 10:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. The Canuso Foundation volunteers have been working closely with our Police Department to provide all the necessary safety equipment, i.e. lighting and barriers, so that this late night event is safe for the participants. Commissioner Colombi reminded everyone that the yard signs that have been distributed for this event need to be in resident’s yards, not in the park strip, per the Borough’s ordinance. No questions were asked regarding this event at this time. The Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the resolution.
Resolution 2010-05-11-097 was then introduced, which authorized the signing of an agreement with PBA Local #328. Commissioner Borden noted that the negotiations for this new contract with the PBA have been much quicker than most. He attributed this to the PBA and it members for stepping up in these hard economic times and putting the needs of the Borough first. He attributed the economic crisis in New Jersey to those who have held office in Trenton for the last 20 years. Commissioner Borden then highlighted various items from the contract as outlined in a Press Release prepared earlier.
Highlights of the contract are as follows:
• While salary increases historically have been on April 1 each year, the agreement calls for split raises for three years of the contract. This offers a savings for the borough by providing one smaller raise on April 1 and then a second smaller raise on Oct. 1.
• The first year of the contract calls for no salary increases. The second year calls for a 2.575 percent increase. The third year calls for a 2.6 percent bump. And the final year calls for a 2.85 percent increase.
• The annual cost is actually at a lower percent based on the fact that the first three months of each year is at the previous year’s rate, followed by six months at a low increase, finally followed by three months at the second increased rate. That leaves the annual costs of the contract as follows: 0 percent in the first year, 1.14 percent in the second, 2.31 percent in the third year, and 2.59 percent in the final year.
• Another major accomplishment was the revision of the sick policy. Under the current contract an employee would get sick leave equal to one week at full pay and one week at half pay for each year that they have worked – up to a maximum of 13 weeks. In addition, that time is not finite for a year but is recharged upon working 13 weeks without a sick day. Under the new policy, each employee will be given a “bank” of days equal to four days for each year they have worked – up to a maximum of 13 years. The employees will receive 144 hours of sick leave each January. This equals 12 days for employees working a 12-hour shift. Employees can accumulate sick leave to a max of 1,080 hours. After they have banked 960 hours they may annually sell back up to 84 hours. However if they take sick leave during the year it will be deducted from the amount they can sell back. “This major overhaul of the policy will incentivize our employees to limit their sick leave, which will, in turn, lower our overtime costs,” explained Borden.
• The final key point of the agreement involves health care costs. Currently, employees with dependent prescription coverage must pay $50 per month. This amounts to about 0.75 percent of their salaries. There are five employees who do not make that payment. Those deductions will be classified as health benefit deductions in 2011. Those five employees will begin deductions April 1. Those deductions will increase Oct. 1 of 2012 to $60 per month and then increase again Oct. 1, 2013, to $70 per month. By the end of the contract, the employees will contribute 1 percent of their salary toward the cost of their health care.
Commissioner Kasko noted that there is a typographical error in the resolution. The end date is actually March 31, 2014. As there were no questions asked, the Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the resolution as corrected.
The fourth grade students from Elizabeth Haddon School were asked to stand, introduce themselves, as well as ask any questions they had. In attendance was Sam DeCencio, 265 Kings Highway West; Will Ciemry, 523 Chews Landing Road; Ryan Meter, 769 Redman Avenue; Flynn McNamara, 500 Westmont Avenue; Chris Bolletino, 447 Gladstone Avenue; Riley Crompton, 450 Westminster Avenue, who commented that the “DIP” sign was still up on Westminster even though the dip had been removed with the recent repaving. Commissioner Colombi replied that arrangements will be made to have the sign removed. Also in attendance were Erin Weeks, 703 W. Redman Avenue; and Rachel Rosenfeld, 125 W. Redman Avenue.
Commissioner Colombi opened the public comment portion of the meeting.
Mr. Peterson commented on the Bancroft site and possible interest to start moving forward with a project there from Bancroft NeuroHealth. He reviewed various options and thoughts that he had for this site from high density issues to open space uses. Commissioner Borden replied that there has been nothing from Bancroft NeuroHealth to suggest a high density use, although, there has been talk of increasing the cross walks in that area and who would pay for this work. Mr. Peterson then confirmed that there has been no development plans for this site at this time. Commissioner Borden replied that this is correct.
Joe McNamara, 500 Westmont Avenue, asked if the company doing the remediation work at Public Works was a private company. Commissioner Colombi replied that it is. The Borough Administrator further explained that these are remediation specialists, of which there are very few within the State of New Jersey. Commissioner Kasko explained that everything that is being done on this issue is under the oversight of the NJDEP. Mr. McNamara asked if an RFP had been issued for this work. The Borough Administrator replied that there had not and that the contract was being issued as an emergency contract.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Deanna Bennett
Borough Clerk
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