Council Minutes from 1/8/2003

REGULAR MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL HELD ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 8, 2003.� MAYOR MICHAEL TRIPODI PRESIDED.

ROLL CALL

Roll Call at 8:00 P.M. showed the following Council Members present:� Carmela Colosimo, Gregg David, Kathi Fiamingo, Ed Galasso, Al Jankunas, and Robert Taylor.

Mayor Tripodi read the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act.

The Salute to the Flag was led by Mayor Tripodi.

MINUTES

It was moved by Fiamingo, seconded by Galasso and carried that the minutes of the Work Session Meeting of December 9, 2002 and Special Meeting of December 17, 2002 be dispensed with and approved as submitted.� (Copies furnished each Council Member prior to the meeting.)

COMMUNICATIONS AND PETITIONS

Letter received from John Beninati, Planning/Zoning Board Secretary, reporting that the Planning Board reviewed the Master Plan and voted to accept the Master Plan in its current form.
Letter received from LeRoy Meyer resigning from the Board of Health.

REPORTS

None

It was moved by Galasso, seconded by Fiamingo and carried that the above communications be received and filed and any money amounts indicated be spread over the minutes.

REPORT OF COMMITTEES

MAYOR�S REPORT

Mayor Tripodi announced that he will be attending the Martin Luther King Day ceremonies at the Union Methodist Church on Monday, January 20^th at 11 am.� He said the public is invited to attend.� Mayor Tripodi noted that tonight they will be reappointing Thomas McHale as Kenilworth�s representative to the RVSA for a 5 year term.� He also announced that they will be appointing Hedy Lipke as Commissioner and Chief William Dowd as Alternate-commissioner to the Garden State Jif which is a requirement.� In regards to the �stop the train� movement, Mayor Tripodi said he has resolutions from 3 towns, Kenilworth, Summit and Roselle and said he is expecting Roselle Park�s next week and said he is hoping to have another meeting at the end of the month.

REPORT OF COMMITTEES (CONT.)

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

Councilwoman Fiamingo said she spoke to Dr. Disko today regarding the Pocket Parks Grant and he said he was preparing the bid specifications, however, that he also needed to clarify a few items with Recreation Director Rich Vitale.� She said she e-mailed our labor counsel regarding employee policies and he replied that he is working on some drafts.� Councilwoman Fiamingo said CFO Dianne Marus has indicated that she has received all but a few of the budget requests and hopes to have the budget packets ready by the next meeting.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

Councilman Jankunas announced that the DPW reported 4 snow events so far this year, and the plows were needed for two of them.� He said Dan Ryan has reported that he has used 309 tons

of road salt so far and another order may be necessary soon.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

Councilman Galasso said he was in receipt of the Chief�s report for the month of December which shows yearly increases and decreases in statistics for 2002.� He noted that although robberies, burglaries, and motor vehicle thefts were down since 2001, criminal mischief, drug abuse violations, DWI�s, disorderly persons, motor vehicle accidents, domestic violence and total motor vehicle complaints are significantly higher this year.� He was also proud to report that there was a decrease in sick days for the department which averaged 1.7 sick days per officer and said this a phenomenal record and cannot be matched by any other police department in the County.� Councilman Galasso read the following letter into the minutes:

�� Dear Chief Dowd:

�� I am writing to tell you about a tragedy that was prevented because of the intervention of a guardian angel

�� named Officer Michael Devlin.� One morning last week a child proceeded to get out of the van he was

�� traveling in and fell under the car.� Although Officer Devlin was approximately half way up the block,

�� he was very aware of the activity surrounding the front of the school and was able to determine that the

�� child fell and slipped under the car.� With all of the speed he could muster, not to mention his voice, he

�� was able to stop the mother from pulling out into the traffic therefore preventing the boy from being run

�� over by his own mother.� I commend him for his alertness and action.� From my understanding he was

�� berated by this mother because she thought he was yelling at her to move along.� How foolish she was

�� and sometimes we all are.� It is sad to think that the respect for a police officer could make anyone react

�� to an officer of the law in this manner, which is why I felt prompted to write.� People are always writing

�� with an insult or a negative comment so I hope that this letter will prove that there are still people out

�� there who respect the men and women who put their lives on the line to make us safe no matter how small

�� or large the community is. I am writing about this incident that I witnessed under my own hand and not

�� Harding School.�

Thank you,

�� Judy Ringler

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, ZONING AND ORDINANCES

Councilman David announced that the Planning Board will be holding their re-organization meeting tomorrow evening at 7:30 P.M. and he will be in attendance.

REPORT OF COMMITTEES (CONT.)

DEPARTMENT OF FIRE, RECREATION, LIGHTING AND ECOLOGY

Councilwoman Colosimo said she will be attending her first Recreation Meeting tomorrow evening and will be meeting with Chief Giordino from the Fire Department next Saturday.� She said she will report back to council at the next meeting.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

Councilman Taylor said he had nothing to report, however, expressed his disappointment in noticing that LeRoy Meyer has resigned.� He said they will discuss appointing an alternate to fill the position at the reorganization meeting.

Mayor Tripodi said it was worth mentioning that LeRoy Meyer has provided many years of service, not only as a Board of Health member but also as a poll worker.� He thanked him for his service to the Borough and wished him a healthy retirement in Florida.

CONSENT AGENDA

Resolutions No. 1 through No. 14 are listed under Consent Agenda and will be enacted by one motion in the form listed below.� All items will be recorded individually in full in the minutes.

Council Member Fiamingo moved that all items under Consent Agenda be approved, seconded by Council Member Jankunas.� Upon roll call the vote was unanimous.

RESOLUTION NO. 1

Be It Hereby Resolved:�� That all bills be paid when properly audited and funds are available.

RESOLUTION NO. 2

Resolution appears on the following page.� (Treasurer authorized to refund Tax Sale Certificate

�� #93-005 - $60,939.93)

RESOLUTION NO. 3

Resolution appears on the following page.� (Treasurer authorized to refund 2002 taxes due to

�� the granting of Senior Citizen and Veteran

�� Deductions)

CONSENT AGENDA (CONT.)

RESOLUTION NO. 4

Resolution appears on the following page.� (Collector of Taxes authorized to remove Senior

�� Citizen/Surviving Spouse Deductions for Tax

�� Year 2002 and to further bill these locations in the

�� amounts shown � said properties no longer

�� qualifying for the deduction)

RESOLUTION NO. 5

Be It Hereby Resolved:�� Whereas, it has been found that an overpayment of 2002 Fourth Qtr. taxes has been made on the property listed below:

�� Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved� that the Treasurer after proper notation on the tax account record by the Collector of Taxes be and is hereby authorized to issue

a warrant for refund overpayment as stated below.

�� Block� �� Lot�� Property Location�� Amount

�� 71�� 6�� 35 No. 6^th Street�� $1,068.51

Check Payable: �� Peter & Debra Siragusa

�� 35 No. 6^th Street

�� Kenilworth, NJ� 07033

RESOLUTION NO. 6

Be It Hereby Resolved:�� Whereas, it has been found that an overpayment of 2002 Fourth Qtr. taxes has been made on the property located at 464 Sheridan Avenue.��

�� Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved� that the Treasurer after proper notation on the tax account record by the Collector of Taxes be and is hereby authorized to issue

a warrant for refund overpayment as stated below.

�� Block� �� Lot�� Property Location�� Amount

�� 15�� 1.01�� 464 Sheridan Avenue �� $2,226.75

Check Payable:�� Forman, Cardonsky, Andril & Eiges

�� 125 Broad Street

�� Elizabeth, NJ� 07201-2334

RESOLUTION NO. 7

Be It Hereby Resolved:� That the contract for Elevator Maintenance for the Kenilworth

Senior Citizens Building with Zip Systems, Inc. be renewed for a one (1) year period.

Cost - $180.00 per month.

CONSENT AGENDA (CONT.)

RESOLUTION NO. 8

Be It Hereby Resolved:� That ABC Fire and Safety, Inc., 750 Fairfield Avenue, Kenilworth, NJ, be authorized to perform the annual inspection and any necessary maintenance to the Fire Alarm System at Borough Hall for the Year 2003.�

Cost to be $390 per annual inspection and $60.00 per hour, plus materials, for any emergency work necessary.

RESOLUTION NO. 9

Be It Hereby Resolved:� That the contract between the Borough of Kenilworth and Atlantic Health System (CenCom) to provide 911 Medical Pre-arrival Services be renewed� for a

three (3) year period commencing January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2005.� Cost to be $6.50 per call for the first year; $7.00 per call for the second year; and $7.50 per call for the third year.

Be It Further Resolved� that the Mayor be authorized to sign said contract.

RESOLUTION NO. 10

Copy appears on the following page.� (Establishing the interest rate for delinquent taxes for the

�� Year 2003)

RESOLUTION NO. 11

Be It Hereby Resolved:�� That the Borough Clerk be authorized to issue the following Raffle Licenses:

�� #768 � To the St. Theresa�s Home School Association for an On-Premise 50/50 to be

�� held on April 5, 2003

�� #769 � To the St. Theresa�s Home School Association for an Off-Premise 50/50 to be

�� held on April 5, 2003

�� #770 � To the St. Theresa�s Home School Association for an On-Premise Merchandise

�� Raffle to be held on April 5, 2003

�� #771 � To the St. Theresa�s Rosary Society for an On-Premise Games Raffle to be held

�� on February 21, 22, and 23, 2003

RESOLUTION NO. 12

Be It Hereby Resolved:�� Whereas,� the Department of Public Works Committee has reviewed the policies and procedures of the Department of Public Works, and

�� Whereas,� the Committee has made the following recommendations.

�� Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved� that the Council approves the attached as new policies for the Department of Public Works.

CONSENT AGENDA (CONT.)

RESOLUTION NO. 13

Be It Hereby Resolved:�� That Thomas McHale be appointed as Kenilworth�s representative

to the Rahway Valley sewerage Authority for a five (5) year term from February 1, 2003 to

February 1, 2008.

RESOLUTION NO. 14

Be It Hereby Resolved:�� That the Mayor and Council appoint Borough Clerk Hedy Lipke as Kenilworth�s �Commissioner� to the Garden State Municipal Joint Insurance Fund for the year

2003 with a stipend to be determined.

�� Be It Further Resolved� that Police Chief William Dowd be appointed

�Alternate Commissioner� to the Fund for the year 2003.

GENERAL BUSINESS

Councilwoman Colosimo said for the record, she checked into a concern which Mr. Soos had brought up about the Senior Citizen van�s tire and after speaking to Rich Spilner determined that there was a miscommunication.� She said Mr. Field volunteered to take the tire and look for a replacement. Councilwoman Colosimo said she does not want to step on Councilman Jankunas�s toes, but she wanted to make the residents aware the beautiful �Town Planner� they received in the mail on the same day the Public Information Guides were mailed were incorrect.� She said that it was put out by the Kenilworth Leader who never bothered to check dates and phone numbers with us.� She urged residents to follow the yellow guide which was mailed by the town.� She gave kudos to the DPW for doing a great job with icy roads.� She also wished to congratulate LeRoy Meyer on his retirement.

Councilman Taylor said that about a week ago one of his neighbors fell into a sink hole on her property and he wanted to commend the Police Department and the Fire Department for the professional work they did in extracting her.� He said fortunately she was not hurt.

MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Mr. Fred Soos, Epping Drive, commended Mayor and Council for reappointing Thomas McHale to the RVSA as he is doing a fantastic job representing the town.� He then asked if anything has been done since his last complaint about the trenches in the middle of the Boulevard?

Mayor Tripodi said that he has written to the County and is waiting for a reply.

Mr. Soos said not to forget about the ones on Market Street that he asked about.� He then asked if we use outside contractors to plow our snow?

Mayor Tripodi said that if needed, we use Mike Astone.

MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (CONT.)

Councilwoman Colosimo explained it was done during our first snow fall because our first concern is the safety of our residents and the department happened to be short handed on that day.

Mr. Soos asked if it went out to bid.

Councilwoman Colosimo said she thinks it was under the threshold.

Mr. Soos asked if we got prices and asked how much we pay him per hour.

Councilwoman Colosimo said she was sure Dan Ryan received quotes and will have answers at the next council meeting.

Mr. Soos suggested that in the future, we use our policeman and volunteer firemen who are already covered under an insurance policy.� He said he was sure they would work a lot cheaper than a contractor.

Councilwoman Colosimo said she would look into it.

Councilman Jankunas said he was not sure if their equipment was sufficient.

Mr. Soos said that we said we were just short manpower, not equipment.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Council, it was moved by David, seconded by Colosimo and carried, that the meeting be adjourned to the call of the chair.

8:20 P.M.�� Respectfully submitted,

�� Hedy Lipke, Borough Clerk��

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